A Disappointing Experience at Gorinka Uzornitsa: Lessons Learned the Hard Way
We walked into Gorinka Uzornitsa expecting a lot, and at first, it seemed like we'd found the perfect daycare. The place is huge, with separate changing rooms, a massive dining hall, and even its own kitchen. The psychologist, Daria, and the security guard made a great first impression. The yard's well-maintained and safe – it all looked super promising.
But our initial good vibes didn't last long.
We enrolled our kid in the daycare for about five months. During that time, we saw more than seven caregivers come and go. Only two of them showed any real professionalism. The others just didn't have the basic teaching skills or know how to interact with little kids. Our kid couldn't get used to one caregiver before another unknown person showed up. Although he initially loved going to the daycare with a positive attitude.
The first major incident happened in August – just a month before we left. I showed up to pick him up in the evening, and he was completely soiled. As soon as he saw me, he refused to let anyone else change him. I took him to the bathroom, turned on the water – and realized they didn't have hot water in the facility. When I asked the nanny (who barely spoke Russian and understood even less), she just vaguely replied that there was no hot water 'all day'.
I quickly cleaned him up, changed his diaper, and took him home. But that evening, when I decided to properly wash him in the bathtub, I was horrified by the state of his legs – they were raw and blistered from the soiled diaper. It was a mess. He couldn't even walk properly.
I immediately reported this to the director. She feigned shock and outrage, assured me she'd 'take all necessary measures,' and begged us to stay, apologizing profusely. They replaced the caregiver, and we decided to give the daycare another chance.
The new caregiver was actually decent – she kept a close eye on the kids, was involved in the process, and cared about them. However, this only lasted for two weeks. After that, another 'replacement' appeared.
From then on, we started noticing some disturbing signs. In the evenings, our kid would literally grab for food – something completely out of character for him. I remembered that when we first enrolled him (the daycare is paid, after all), I specifically asked if they'd supplement his meals. The director assured me, 'Of course! In the nursery, caregivers always make sure the kids eat well, and if needed, they'll even supplement their meals.'
But reality was far from it. I observed the mealtime process and realized they weren't supplementing anyone's meals – not even our kid's. Moreover, during meals, the caregiver and nanny would step behind a screen and quietly eat while leaving the kids unattended.
One day, our son was playing at the table – pouring juice from a cup into a plate with a spoon. The caregiver, popping out from behind the screen, got angry, rushed over, threatened him with her finger, roughly pulled his hand, wiped his hands, and sent him away from the table – about 20 centimeters away. Of course, he refused to eat. No one offered to supplement his meal – he went hungry and fell asleep.
Later, during snack time, they gave the kids cupcakes and milk – a treat everyone loves. Our kid started eating, but they pulled him away from the table before he could finish his snack or even drink his milk. He came home hungry, irritable, and exhausted.
Such treatment of children is, in my opinion, completely unacceptable and goes beyond any norms.
After all these incidents, we decided to leave the daycare. They returned the money for the remaining days of the month – the new director had already processed the refund. However, they refused to return the entrance fee.
The good news is that the director who took us in and failed to take any real measures to improve conditions and treatment of children was fired. This gives some sense of justice.
We've since transferred to a state-run daycare, and the difference is staggering. The staff is polite, the caregiver is a real professional with a teaching background. She knows how to engage the kids, treats them with warmth and attention. Most importantly, our kid now runs to the daycare every morning with a smile.
What We Learned
Our experience at Gorinka Uzornitsa taught us the importance of doing thorough research and asking the right questions before enrolling our child in a daycare. We should have been more vigilant and paid closer attention to the caregivers' qualifications and behavior.
We also learned that it's essential to establish open communication with the daycare staff and directors. If we had expressed our concerns and complaints more effectively, maybe some of the issues could have been resolved sooner.
Lastly, we realized that our child's well-being and happiness are worth fighting for. We should have stood up for him and demanded better treatment and care from the daycare staff.
What We Wish We Had Known
We wish we had known about the high turnover rate of caregivers and the lack of professionalism among some of them. We also wish we had been aware of the inadequate mealtime procedures and the way the caregivers interacted with the children.
Had we known these things, we might have made a more informed decision about enrolling our child in Gorinka Uzornitsa.
What We Would Do Differently
If we had to do it all over again, we would have done more research on the daycare and its staff. We would have asked more questions and paid closer attention to the caregivers' behavior and qualifications.
We would have also established a more open line of communication with the daycare staff and directors. We would have expressed our concerns and complaints more effectively and demanded better treatment and care for our child.
Lastly, we would have been more vigilant and proactive in monitoring our child's well-being and happiness. We would have stood up for him and fought for his rights as a child in the daycare.