Expectations and procedures re kids' possessions

[puzzlement]

My 4yo son, as he often is, was barefoot today at childcare pickup. Unlike every other time this has happened, the staff then couldn't locate his shoes. They did try pretty hard, but eventually they gave up and said "sorry, we'll hopefully find them tomorrow

Comments

[geekette8]

I would say as a one-off it's fairly forgiveable and "just one of those things", but if it happens again and certainly if it's a regular thing then I'd start to complain. An alternative would be to bring a spare pair of shoes with you to pick-up, but then where does it stop - a full set of spare clothes in case he's lost his?

[puzzlement]

Actually we do have to send a complete set of spare clothes, in case he has a toilet accident or rolls around in a puddle. But shoes aren't specified.

This is actually the second time, my husband tells me, but the previous time they sent him home in other shoes that had been left by some other kid. (Which is still not ideal. If we leave V's clothes there some day, I'm not sure I want them being loaned out!)

[geekette8]

Oh yes, it's perfectly reasonable for them to have a spare set of clothes for him there in case of accidents etc. I was talking about you bringing a whole new spare spare set with you to pick up, which I think would be OTT. I was rather indirectly trying to say that yes, I think they should have spare stuff in various sizes of common items, that they can loan out.

[puzzlement]

A-ha, I get it. Thanks!

[tchemgrrl]

I'm not super-shocked that they couldn't find his shoes as a one-off thing, but I'd be pretty upset that they didn't have a spare pair to send him home in. Our daycare seems to have extra sets of everything in all likely kid sizes, and when mittens or hats have disappeared, they've sent him home in alternatives.

[puzzlement]

Yeah, this would be bad in cold weather!

[tchemgrrl]

In terms of how the child's sent home, though, it's not much different than no shoes for a six-block walk though town. I'm so surprised that they thought it was okay to send a preschooler home shoeless! They would probably be horrified if he came to school without shoes, right? I'd probably be really pushing them on getting a few pairs of cheap sandals in common sizes.

[puzzlement]

Or even set up donations - we'd throw in a few things.

[ricevermicelli]

I'm not shocked that kids stuff gets misplaced at daycare, I am shocked that "we'll probably find them tomorrow" is the response. They should have some kind of backup plan - a few pairs of crocs, backup sandals, whatever - because kids need shoes to safely leave the building.

[puzzlement]

Thanks, this is what I was thinking.

[hsb]

At that age, E once had an unexpected accident that completely drenched his shoes. They washed them out as best they could, and sent him home in some gym shoes from the loaner box. I'd say it's reasonable that they not have his size, but they should have some spares.

It's also when they finally realised I wasn't sending him in wearing shoes that were way too big for him (he has enormous feet, about 4 sizes bigger than some of his friends).

As a practical matter, you might want to talk to him about what he should do with his shoes when he takes them off, and where is a good place to put them and that sort of thing. My son lost* his coat every day until we convinced him that when he was outside playing, he could put it by his scooter, or go back and put it on his peg (depending if he is allowed back into his classroom). I don't mean that he'll get perfect at it, but it's something to reinforce, along with the nursery

H

*The school retrieved it every day from the fence

[puzzlement]

Thanks!

I think they've been having that conversation with him: he swears up and down and sideways he went in the sandpit and put his shoes in the sandpit box (they have a box for shoes when you go in the sandpit). He's not a super-reliable narrator of course, so this might not be true (or it might be, it's quite possible some other kid went home in his shoes last night), but he seems to have an idea of what the routine should be.

Mine is big as well, but not that far out of his friends' sizes thankfully! He'd fit in their loaner sizes if they had any.

[snuck]

Our childcare has a basket the kids put their shoes in to.... they don't get lost then. Why not suggest similar?

[puzzlement]

They have it already, this is apparently what happens when that arrangement falls through, unfortunately (as in, he put his shoes in the box… and then they were gone from the box).

I have an update in the OP that explains what happened, although the last chance fallback plan still doesn't exist.