What to Do When Your Child Doesn’t Like Their Daycare Educator | Daisy Days Guide

Few things are more unsettling for a parent than hearing their child say “I don’t like my teacher at daycare.” At Daisy Days Daycare in Regina SK, we take all parent concerns about educator relationships seriously — and we also know that parent instinct, child reports, and actual daycare dynamics are more nuanced than they initially appear. Here’s how to navigate this thoughtfully.

Step 1: Understand What Your Child Is Actually Saying

Young children (under 5) have limited vocabulary for emotional and relational experiences. “I don’t like my teacher” can mean many different things:

• “I don’t want to be at daycare at all right now” (still adjusting, or having a rough developmental period)
• “I had a frustrating experience with that educator today” (got corrected, didn’t get their first choice, lost a conflict with a peer)
• “I prefer my other educator” (children have preferences, as adults do)
• “Something actually concerning happened with that educator”

Before escalating, ask open-ended, non-leading questions to understand the specifics:

• “Can you tell me more about what happened with your teacher?”
• “What did your teacher do that you didn’t like?”
• “Who do you like playing with at daycare?”
• “Do you like any of your teachers?”

Avoid leading questions like “Did your teacher hurt you?” or “Was your teacher mean?” — these can generate false confirmations from children eager to please.

Step 2: Observe What You Can at Drop-Off and Pickup

Pay attention to your own observations:

• Does your child show distress specifically associated with one educator (calming when another educator takes over, distressed when that educator approaches)?
• How does the educator interact with your child during drop-off and pickup?
• Is your child’s distress new (sudden onset), or has it been building since a particular educator change?

Step 3: Speak Privately With the Daycare Director

Request a private conversation with the Daisy Days Daycare director. Be specific about what you’ve observed and what your child has said — without accusation. Ask:

• “Can you share your observations of how [educator] interacts with my child?”
• “Is there anything that might have happened recently that could explain my child’s response?”
• “Could I arrange to observe the room during operating hours?”

A quality daycare director will take this conversation seriously, investigate specifically, and follow up with you with what they observed — not defensively dismiss your concern.

What Daisy Days Daycare Does With Educator Relationship Concerns

At Daisy Days Daycare in Regina SK, all parent concerns about educator-child dynamics receive direct attention from our director:

• We observe educator-child interactions specifically when a concern is raised
• We speak with the educator about the family’s concern without creating unnecessary conflict
• We follow up with parents about what we observed and what, if anything, we’ve adjusted
• If a legitimate issue exists, we address it directly — whether that’s additional coaching, reassignment, or other action appropriate to the situation

When to Escalate Beyond the Daycare

If, after speaking with the director, your concerns are not addressed and your child continues to show distress, you may:

• Contact the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education’s child care licensing branch to file a concern
• Contact Saskatchewan’s Child and Family Services at 1-800-667-7567 if you believe a child is at risk of abuse or neglect
• Consider whether the situation warrants a change of daycare

Contact Daisy Days Daycare’s director directly with any educator relationship concern.
306-807-3233 | info@daisydaysdaycare.com | 2007 Potts Crescent East, Regina SK S4V 2E5