“Typically, the people at my son’s day care just tell me when he’s running low on diapers or they write a note on his daily progress report,” says Lindsey in Peoria, Illinois. “Last time I forgot, and he had to use a few of theirs. I guess this was his teacher’s passive-aggressive [Ed. note: AND TOTALLY CREEPY] way of ensuring that I’d remember this time.”
(It worked.)
related: Is your babysitter trying to get in your kid’s pants?
113 responses so far ↓
#1
Chelle
This isn’t creepy, it’s smart. They were shaming you for being lazy. No other parent should have to pay to diaper your kids
Aug 4, 2010 at 10:54 pm rating: 73
#2
FeRD
Funny… I still write the same thing on the front of all my underwear. Sadly, “resource allocations” in that area remain unchanged.
Aug 4, 2010 at 10:58 pm rating: 129
#3
Anne
Wow could you be anymore self righteous Chelle? Have you never forgotten anything?
I don’t think she’s suggesting other parents ‘should have to pay to diaper (their) kids.’ She is simply commenting on the delivery of the message, which quite frankly is weird.
Aug 4, 2010 at 10:59 pm rating: 55
#4
Kiki
Totally inappropriate to use a child to get a message to a parent in any situation. What was done is bizarre. This is totally creepy and I think a new sitter should be on your to-do list.
Aug 4, 2010 at 11:02 pm rating: 36
#5
FeRD
I think Mom should embrace the awkward creepiness of the situation, and treat this as the first salvo in what could easily develop into a hilariously inappropriate note-war.
Send the little tyke back tomorrow emblazoned with a message like, “WAIT FOR PUBERTY” — From then on, the diaper-slogan tête-à-tête will probably take on a twisted, twisted life of its own.
Aug 4, 2010 at 11:11 pm rating: 45
#6
Jon White
“Need more.” Words to prepare him for adult life.
Aug 4, 2010 at 11:26 pm rating: 8
#7
Canthz_B
This is how it all starts.
By the time he’s 28 years-old he’ll be a walking billboard for a flesh parlor in the red light district of town.
Aug 4, 2010 at 11:30 pm rating: 11
#8
Punkypower
Daycares do this more often than you think. I’ve only seen it done for parents who seem to miss the notes that are sent home though. They never miss diaper notes. I don’t see what’s PA about it though. You need to send more diapers to school and they told you. The end.
Aug 4, 2010 at 11:42 pm rating: 35
#9
A. R.
I do this at the day care, sometimes I forget to tell the parents that they need diapers but if it’s written on the diaper, I know the parents will see it. I write it on before the diaper is placed on the child. I don’t see why it’s creepy; to me it’s smart and effective, diapers are brought in the next day.
Aug 4, 2010 at 11:44 pm rating: 50
#10
Kay
The daycare policy sucks. They should just charge (at a premium) for use of their supplies. This method of communication is just — dare I say it — yes, I will — childish.
Aug 4, 2010 at 11:48 pm rating: 15
#11
holly
this is pretty funny….however i dont think it’s passive aressive. i work at a daycare. I understand parents are busy and foretful–it’s okay, but we do this sometimes, just as some people write themselves sticky notes or tie a string on the finger. it wasn’t a hostile note, just a reminder out of the norm, to make it a bit easier to remember.
…..however…it’d be funny if you wrote “not unless you say please” on the morning diaper–as we are contantly trying to instill manners in our daycare kids. haha
Aug 4, 2010 at 11:51 pm rating: 20
#12
ClearlyDemented
Now, let’s address the real issue here: If this mother was staying home and raising her kid herself, like the Good Book says, she wouldn’t be havin’ her no kinda diaper problems.
Aug 5, 2010 at 12:08 am rating: 21
#13
jessi
so maybe this daycare’s attendance is waning and they need more kids… what a perfect way to suggest to your current clientele that they need to get busy in order to keep the daycare in business!
were it my child, i’d definitely start a note war as previously mentioned. tomorrow’s diaper “we’ll clone him, then you can have more”
p.s. hi neighbor, from Galesburg
Aug 5, 2010 at 12:08 am rating: 8
#14
Canthz_B
Kids are very perceptive. He’ll probably always wonder now if he’s well enough endowed, but the real damage was done by the “Go Packers!” written on the back.
Aug 5, 2010 at 12:35 am rating: 10
#15
significant
Are we sure the caretaker isn’t suggesting the kid needs more pubic hair? I’m assuming the scribble doodle below “needs more” is an “after shot” of pube potential.
Aug 5, 2010 at 12:42 am rating: 8
#16
YDI
I was a preschool teacher, and we did this to parents that were repeat offenders and/or didn’t read their child’s daily progress report. There’s nothing hostile about it. Parents get busy, and the teacher just wants to be sure that the kid has clean diapers. It’s not the school’s responsibility to diaper your children, and the classroom supply of emergency diapers is limited. We’d rather spend that money on the food, toys, books, cleaning supplies, etc. that we use to take care of your child every day.
Aug 5, 2010 at 1:36 am rating: 17
#17
Alice
The note is fine; what’s creepy is the little doodle underneath. WTF?
Aug 5, 2010 at 3:15 am rating: 13
#18
Kou
They couldn’t think of anything less vague or disturbing to write on a small child’s crotch than “NEED MORE?”
Aug 5, 2010 at 4:25 am rating: 11
#19
Jamie
I’ve seen centres where when they get the lot of parent’s diapers in, they write this on the bottom few. Since they only have 2-3 out at a time, this way they know when what they have on-hand is all they actually have.
Not passive agressive, not creepy, just people reading too much into people doing their job who probably have to handle 20 kids and their Stuff on a daily basis
Aug 5, 2010 at 5:33 am rating: 16
#20
AgentC
When I take my son to day care, I double check his diaper bag to make sure that he has diapers, wipes, extra change of clothes every single time. From what it seems, mom there had been reminded while he was low on diapers [and just forgot, bc why else would he be using a few of their diapers already?!]…so I’m on team day care for this one!
Aug 5, 2010 at 6:06 am rating: 19
#21
blue-eyes
I was a daycare director, and we used to do this when we asked the parent OVER AND OVER again for diapers. Why should the other parents have to chip in because she couldn’t take 5 minutes to go to the store and grab a pack for her own kid? It’s not creepy…at least she won’t forget next time!
Aug 5, 2010 at 6:21 am rating: 12
#22
dcww
I think this is hilarious!
Also, don’t get the inappropriate comments. The daycare workers are looking after your child are entrusted with cleaning all sorts of fluids off your kid’s bodies. They’re just sending a relevant note home, on a relevant document. It’s brilliant. You really think the kid gives a shit?
Aug 5, 2010 at 7:03 am rating: 23
#23
Amyhix
I think the note is perfectly fine. Why is it inappropriate? The kid doesn’t know its there. I worked at a daycare for a long time, and we only did this when we had REPEATEDLY asked a parent for dipers, and they never got around to seeing the HUGE, increasingly aggressive notes we wrote on daily sheets. Here’s a note we KNEW they would see and couldn’t deny!
Aug 5, 2010 at 7:44 am rating: 9
#24
Angela
My kids once in a while would have a note like that and believe it or not, we appreciated that note. We figured the daycare knew we were busy, distracted working parents and we would see the note when we were reaching for more diapers, making it a good time to set some aside for daycare. Nothing passive-aggressive or creepy about it, try realistic.
Aug 5, 2010 at 8:06 am rating: 14
#25
Shannon
Maybe it’s time to potty train.
Aug 5, 2010 at 8:11 am rating: 4
#26
Sandra
I have had this happen to me and i took off the boy’s pants and saw the note. I dont think i ever laughed so hard at a diaper change. I never thought of writing one back to her! lol
I will have to do that next time!
Aug 5, 2010 at 8:34 am rating: 4
#27
Canthz_B
Pampers® could take a lesson from this. Just like in your box of bank checks there’s a reminder when to reorder, there should be a diaper near the bottom of the pack which reads “NEED MORE”.
Aug 5, 2010 at 8:47 am rating: 19
#28
Canthz_B
This message gets across with as much subtlety as fingering “wash me” into the dirt on an automobile.
Definitely PA.
Aug 5, 2010 at 9:03 am rating: 8
#29
GhostWriter
Why is there a vibe going on here that somehow the other parents would have to pick up the slack if one parent forgets to buy diapers? The place is a day-care; do they not have any spare supplies just in case a parent forgets? If not, then this is a pretty shoestring-run daycare. I wouldn’t count on them having ipecac, or sanitizing soap, or sunscreen, or even bandages. “Yes, your little Jacob does seem a little flushed and sleepy today- apparently you brought him in this morning with a bit of jam still on his hands, and I guess he got himself into an anthill while he was roaming around the yard. You might want to get those bites around his eyelids checked out.”
Work it like a car rental place, dudes; “Ma’am, you returned your toddler without filling the diaper bag, so we’ve charged you our customer rate of $7.99 per diaper.” How hard is that? The guys at Avis don’t brand my neck with a “Doesn’t Fill Up” tattoo when I turn in their G6 dry, they simply laugh all the way to the bank.
Aug 5, 2010 at 9:55 am rating: 16
#30
Lindsey
To those who think I was stealing from the day care, I wasn’t. I gave them the same amount of diapers that he used that day back, plus a few more for good measure. I did feel bad about it and now we laugh about it.
Aug 5, 2010 at 9:56 am rating: 15
#31
maesie
i worked in a very nice daycare for years, and we would often write “need more diapers” on the child before sending them home.. especially if the family had forgotten and we were using our “extra” supply. sometimes parents forget to pick up the childs info slip at the end of the day. problem solved with diaper notes!
the parents never freaked out about it – it was a good reminder to them and they appreciated us using a creative method to get the point across. we also sometimes drew pictures on the kids diapers (you might notice that the kid in the picture scribbled on the diaper too).
(to put an end to the other argument – it’s no big deal to use the “extra” supply – we just took however many diapers the kid used and put them back in the emergency supply box)
Aug 5, 2010 at 11:42 am rating: 4
#32
knitchick
I’m dying to know what daycares you all have been to that charge the OTHER parents for your forgetfullness? What kind of bullcrap is that?
Aug 5, 2010 at 12:10 pm rating: 6
#33
infant tyrone
This is clearly not your average kid.
Checking the registration records of Peoria daycare facilities would definitely turn up the name of one enrollee named John Holmes III.
Grandkids of legends just seem to find out early…
Aug 5, 2010 at 12:11 pm rating: 1
#34
missfancypants
why cant the daycare just charge a diaper fee and provide diapers as needed? if the parent wants a specific brand, they can bring in their own.
i get that this method is effective, but it still seems kinda weird. cant they include a diaper reminder on the monthly/weekly bill for care?
Aug 5, 2010 at 12:27 pm rating: 3
#35
Matt
Peoria!? Such passive-aggressiveness so close to home. It’s heart warming.
Aug 5, 2010 at 12:40 pm rating: 0
#36
Flip-Flappin'
I’ve seen this done before, and don’t really have a problem with it as a creepy or PA thing, and as a very visual person, it would help me remember better than a verbal reminder.
But where I think it falls down is if it takes the place of a verbal reminder at the end of the day, when parents could then stop off and pick up a new pack on their way home. With a “note in the pants,” they could easily not see it for hours, and then find it’s too late to go out and get more dipes. And it’s the butler’s night off.
Aug 5, 2010 at 1:17 pm rating: 2
#37
claw71
I wonder, Lindsey from Peoria, if this is an overzealous day care worker or if you’re just an inconsiderate twit who consistently forgets to pack an appropriate supply of diapers. You did mention that they “normally” address this directly or jot a note on the progress report so I’m inclined to think that this is a recurring problem.
Aug 5, 2010 at 1:23 pm rating: 4
#38
Tim Peterson
They probably wrote this on the last diaper in your stack when you brought them in. Sometimes the passive aggressive part is the submission to this site.
Aug 5, 2010 at 3:45 pm rating: 3
#39
claw71
Of course there are other questions that need to be answered:
Why is this very young (I can tell by the soft fleshy thighs) baby in day care? Is Lindsey a single mother?
If so, Lindsey, have you lost the pregger pounds? I bet you have. I bet you like to stay in shape–you’re in a hurry to get to the gym before work and that’s why you always forget to stock up on diapers —and thanks to the miracle of lactation, your breasts have never looked better. I bet you’re hot, and thanks to your baby, you just don’t seem to get the play you’re used to–the play that got you in this mess. Guys hit on you but the minute they find out you’re a momma, they move along. No sausage for you. You so horny but nobody will hit it.
I don’t mind a shrieking baby in the other room. I don’t mind a leaky mammory gland every now and then. I’ll hit it. Hard. Oh yes, Lindsey, I could take you back to those good times before you entrusted the next 18 years of your life to a bathroom vending machine condom and some guy named Kenyon with his douchey, Friday-night faux hawk and his ridiculous popped collar.
Call me, Lindsey. I can be in Peoria in 7 hours.
Aug 5, 2010 at 5:05 pm rating: 12
#40
claw71
I wonder how many trackback hits will be generated once the Catholic Church gets wind of this post.
Aug 5, 2010 at 5:14 pm rating: 4
#41
Megnacarta
I’m a preschool teacher and as PA as it may be I too am guilty of doing this a time or two. Sometimes a teacher has to do this. I just hope the mother was a repeat offender before this happened. A first time offense does not warrant a note like this.
Aug 5, 2010 at 7:21 pm rating: 0
#42
Meg
There is nothing more annoying than a parent that can’t be bothered to bring in diapers for their child. A daycare usually has a couple of extras around, but if they have run out (because a parent don’t bring in more for days on end) we have to start using other peoples. I don’t think parents really understand how hard daycare is. It’s not all fun and games. And getting a large group of entitled parents to follow rules/directions is a big pain in the ass. I have more problems with parents than I do with children!!!
Aug 5, 2010 at 9:01 pm rating: 5
#43
Corin
So… (apart from a few people,) How many of you have worked in a daycare, and have spent weeks chasing after parents while the supply runs low for other children?
This is ingenious.
Aug 6, 2010 at 12:43 am rating: 3
#44
Kay
As a former day care worker, I can’t tell you how much stress we have to put up with because of the parents. Mostly it’s just parents who refuse to discipline their kids so that they will behave, but won’t allow us to do anything to correct the behavior either, but we sure don’t want to have to worry about providing your diapers.
Stop posting your child’s crotch on the internet please.
Aug 6, 2010 at 10:35 am rating: 5
#45
Kay
Parents will be told that their kid won’t listen and is riling all the other kids up. In a few seconds a whole classroom will go nuts and be in complete anarchy. The parents do nothing. They don’t discipline and some even laugh when we tell them about the misbehaviors. You know what happens? We have to deal with them every day with no help from parents. If they come in and hear their pwecious wittle pumpkin was in time out then they freak. You have NO idea what daycare workers have to put up with the darn parents every day so bring some freakin diapers at least.
Oh and of course the workers get blamed for everything regardless *gag*
Aug 6, 2010 at 10:39 am rating: 3
#46
El Jefe
‘REALLY CREEPY’ Ed.? Honestly? Do you know what daycare workers do when the diaper needs changing? They handle children’s genitals. Do we really need more neurotic parents?
I have to say, a daily progress report reeks of a proactive daycare. Team Nannies!
Aug 6, 2010 at 11:22 am rating: 2
#47
courtney
I have worked at daycares that range from low-cost to places where I could pay rent for what they charge per week.
We did this at ALL of the daycares.
We usually wrote on the bottom diaper in each cubby and if the parents brought in extra (in response to the message board on the door or the daily progress reports for the past week) before the kid ran out, we’d just move the one with the note back to the bottom of the pile. As someone else pointed out, it’s a reminder for the teachers too so we know if it’s really the last or if the parents brought a Costco-sized pack and the rest are stowed in another cabinet.
@everyone who says this is gross/bizarre/whatever: It’s just the most convenient way to guarantee one of the parents will see the note since many don’t seem to notice any other form of communication and the teacher who last diapered the kid may leave before he/she is picked up.
Aug 6, 2010 at 10:01 pm rating: 2
#48
Nikki
At the daycare my daughter went to, they never told me that she needed diapers until she had already “dipped” into their supply. I started buying in bulk and randomly bringing 100+ diapers pre-labeled for her. The last time she ran out of formula, I was in the daycare the evening before talking about purchasing her formula. Did they mention that she had one bottle worth left? No. Did I have to run home during lunch to get her diapers and formula because they “forgot”, YES!!! It’s not just the parents who forget.
Aug 6, 2010 at 11:35 pm rating: 7
#49
Max Time
woah they be touchin the baby D: “GET MA SON OUTTA THERE” is what should of been said….
Aug 11, 2010 at 9:46 am rating: 0
#50
Lori
As a home daycare provider I would not have write on the diaper, although I did think it was funny, as I am sure they did not write on the diaper when he was wearing it. I charge extra if parents run out of diapers. In my 10 years of providing daycare I have only had to do this once. I usually will let the parents know when I still have half the package left. Gives them some extra time, in case they forget. It in no way makes anyone a bad parent if they forget diapers. The parent saw the humor in it, and it did help her remember.
Aug 18, 2010 at 1:57 pm rating: 2
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