What would you do in this situation?

[C.Ann]

You could give your dd's coat to her and then buy your dd a different coat ending the switching coat nonsense.
That would drive me crazy.

This gets my vote as well.. And you could offer your DD's "same" coat to the other mom if you wanted to..

 

[DizBelle]

I have a hard time blaming the teacher here (I still think it was no one's fault really). Having worked for many years on the toddler room at a preschool I can tell you it is VERY hard getting all the little ones into their coats (and possibly other things like hats, gloves, etc) and out the door. YES, the teachers should try to look at the names on the coat--but they really have to pay attention to the kids and their safety and comfort (the first kid into caots acn be sweltering before you getout teh door if you do not hurry) and sometimes things like names in coats can be easily and understandably missed.
The teachers should be trying extra hard to notice since they know there is an issue with the coats being mixed up. However, the parents (both sets) should also have tried to make the coats more easily identifiable (even to the little girls) once they knew there was a problem. Sewing a patchon or even just tying some right ribbon into the zipper pulls, would go a long way toward resolving the issue once and for all.
I want the teachers paying attenion to the KIDS not their names in a coat and I will do whatever I need to to help facillitate that.

So, I suppose any coat on any child would be acceptable to you. You wouldn't expect the teachers to look at names inside the coats. It follows that you don't expect them to learn which coat goes with which child. If they're not going to check the label, why would they check anything. Grab a coat, any coat, and put it on any kid.

Your child is coming home with a different coat every day but, hey, that's ok. Right?

Having Laura's name in Laura's coat and Susie's name in Susie's coat is exactly the same as Laura having a red coat and Susie having a brown coat. If they aren't going to read the name in the coat, they they aren't going to pay attention to the color or style either.

The teacher is at fault here and they should be the ones making corrective steps. Not the OP.

 

[ChrizJen]

If you don't have faith in the level of care your child is being given, I think it's time to switch daycares. I like to think that I haven't left my child in the care of anyone I wouldn't give the benefit of the doubt that if something like not doublechecking the names inside a coat got overlooked it was because they were busy taking care of other priorities that involved the children's well-being. It sounds like you simply don't have this level of trust with this provider.

I never said anything about not trusting them with her care. I have 100% faith in their care. It's a great facility with great staff. All I was saying was that if there was a mistake made by anyone in the issue, then it would be the person who was responsible for making sure that the right coat was on the right child.

 

[ChrizJen]

And yes, the DIS is really messed up with the whole quote thing today...it looks like I'm answering my own post...

 

[NHdisneylover]

So, I suppose any coat on any child would be acceptable to you. You wouldn't expect the teachers to look at names inside the coats. It follows that you don't expect them to learn which coat goes with which child. If they're not going to check the label, why would they check anything. Grab a coat, any coat, and put it on any kid.

Your child is coming home with a different coat every day but, hey, that's ok. Right?

Having Laura's name in Laura's coat and Susie's name in Susie's coat is exactly the same as Laura having a red coat and Susie having a brown coat. If they aren't going to read the name in the coat, they they aren't going to pay attention to the color or style either.

The teacher is at fault here and they should be the ones making corrective steps. Not the OP.

I NEVER said the OP was at fault. In fact, in my very first post on the thread I started off by saying she was not, and did not have to do anything.

When I taught preschool, I knew within a day or two of winter weather which coats went with which kids. No I did not out any old coat on any old kid. What a rude assumption to make just becuase I said a teacher might not always seee the inside tags on two identicle coats. But I did not fetch the coats myself anyway. Daycares and preschools generally like to foster independance in their charges. We always had the kids get their own coats (and I taught two year olds how to put the coat on the floor, cross their arms and pull it over their heads to get it on independantly). Kids (and their teachers) recognize what their coats look like. YES the teacher should be trying to help these two girls check the inside label every single time to get the right coat on the correct child, BUT I think it is entirely understandable that in the classroom chaos it gets missed once in a while AND I think parents do have a responsibility it make it as easy as possible for children in group care situations to be self sufficeint (by dressing them in clothes they can handle when going to the bathroom, helping make their coats recognizable to them. etc). So AGAIN--this is nobidy's fault, but everybody could have done a little more to help keep the situation from hapening.

 

[C.Ann]

And yes, the DIS is really messed up with the whole quote thing today...it looks like I'm answering my own post...

Phew! Thought my vision was gone for sure this time!!

 

[disykat]

I never said anything about not trusting them with her care. I have 100% faith in their care. It's a great facility with great staff. All I was saying was that if there was a mistake made by anyone in the issue, then it would be the person who was responsible for making sure that the right coat was on the right child.

To me, insisting they have done something wrong over something so minor doesn't sound like 100% faith in them - obviously we differ in that.

I still don't get why you feel someone has to be at fault?

 

[ChrizJen]

To me, insisting they have done something wrong over something so minor doesn't sound like 100% faith in them - obviously we differ in that.

I still don't get why you feel someone has to be at fault?

*sigh* I never really insisted on that in the first place. But there was an inference that I was at fault in the matter. I was just perplexed by this, as I had done everything that I could have possibly done to keep such an incident from happening. So all I said was that if someone made a mistake, it would be the teacher. At no point in this whole conversation did I ever make a big deal over blame. All I was looking for was a little guidance on the "right" thing to do. If you read through the entire thread, I wasn't blaming anyone. I wasn't even really trying to establish blame. But when someone piped in and said it was my fault, I was just trying to understand the logic.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I can't imagine being concerned about a repairable tear in the arm of a 2 year old's coat. I'm sure the mom can sew it up, put on a patch or bring it into the tailor for an inexpensive repair. The coat won't fit much longer anyway. We're not talking about a full length mink coat ripped in half. The teacher didn't mean any harm, the kids didn't mean any harm, this is a teeny, tiny blip in life.

Don't worry, be happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ChrizJen]

I honestly think that what NHDisneylover said probably makes the most sense. Yes, they do encourage the children to put on their own coats at the daycare. But the teachers then go around and make sure everyone is zipped/buttoned. At that point, the teacher could have done a quick check if the 2 identical coats to make sure they were right. On the same note, it never occurred to me to put a ribbon on the zipper pull or sew a patch on the coat to make it more identifiable to my DD (exccellent ideas, BTW!!! ) So I suppose you could consider that lack of initiative on my part and the part of the other mom. So anyway, no matter who is or isn't to blame, I will speak with the other mom and see where to go from here.

 

[luvsJack]

People, it was an accident. These things happen. They happen in daycare, they happen in preschool and they happen in school. Childcare's things get mixed up and they get damaged.

If one of you think that you have the ability to get 10-12 2 year old children ready to go outside without EVER mixing up someone's coat--go right ahead and try it. I can promise you one thing It ain't easy. When you trying to get Sue's jacket on, Billy is trying to hit Johnny, Jane is crying because she can't find her shoe or doll or whatever. Almost everyone of the children requires assistance with their coats and the teacher is probably trying to keep her eyes on the children, which makes it hard to keep looking at names in tags. Maybe the coats were in the wrong cubbies (if they have cubbies) and she just grabbed the coat that was in the OP's cubbie.


Just give the other little girl the non-torn coat and go buy your child another coat or sew up the torn place. Problem solved.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

I wouldn't do anything. Its not your fault these teachers can't read a name inside a coat for goodness sakes. And as you said, these are 2 year olds, and the coat could have been ripped a week ago without anyone knowing it.

This.

 

[ginna74]

I would do the right thing and offer some sort of compensation. Your child ripped the coat, you need to make it right, intent doesn't matter here. just my opinion

 

[shrubber]

I would do the right thing and offer some sort of compensation. Your child ripped the coat, you need to make it right, intent doesn't matter here. just my opinion

this

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I find it sad that every liittle thing requires compensation these days.

 

[shrubber]

I can't imagine being concerned about a repairable tear in the arm of a 2 year old's coat. I'm sure the mom can sew it up, put on a patch or bring it into the tailor for an inexpensive repair. The coat won't fit much longer anyway. We're not talking about a full length mink coat ripped in half. The teacher didn't mean any harm, the kids didn't mean any harm, this is a teeny, tiny blip in life.

Don't worry, be happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good Idea, I'd love to hear that conversation, " Here Mrs. X, Here is your daughters coat, My daughter ripped it but it we arn't really to blame. Anyway, I'm sure you can sew it up or something...no harm no foul, Bye now"

 

[chloelovesdisney]

If it was my child's coat I would just sew it without a second thought. I would be embarrassed to accept money or replacement coat for such a minor issue.

 

[BelleWDW]

You could give your dd's coat to her and then buy your dd a different coat ending the switching coat nonsense.
That would drive me crazy.

 

[JessicaR]

I find it sad that every liittle thing requires compensation these days.

Add to that blame and fault and I agree.

 

[ChrizJen]

Just wanted to upddate...
Turns out that my DD was not the one who tore the coat. It was torn already. The other girl had torn it the week before.
So NOW...we're going to tie a special ribbon on the zipper pull so that DD can distinguish her coat from the other one. Thanks for the replies.

Problem solved, issue over. Sorry some of you took offense to the nature of the thread. Guess you can't make everyone happy...