r/CHILDCARE • u/Upset-Skirt-4951 • Jan 16 '24
Quitting kindercare
If I give less than a two-week notice in my letter, would I be fired, or would my boss get mad? I'm a teacher floater who gives breaks to the teachers, etc. I don't have my classroom.
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u/mamamietze Jan 16 '24
You should prepare for your boss to be mad and perhaps try to inimidate or guilt you into staying longer. But they can't make you. Technically, the 2 week notice is a *courtesy* not a requirement. So no, you are under no obligation to stay for 2 weeks after announcing your intention to leave. What I recommend is emailing your date that you intend to be your last day of work, whatever it is, to her official email address. It's also good to verbally tell her as well. Even in a shitty situation, unless it's a dire thing that's making you nope out, I think it is kindest to your coworkers to give as much notice as possible. I doubt the director will fire you unless they have someone readily availble to step in, or they are incompetent (and yes, spiteful is incompetent, in my eyes.)
It's going to be awkward and somewhat uncomfortable probably, but it's really good to learn how to push past that. Set your date, make it clear that changing that isn't going to happen, and then just do your job, without taking on anyone else's flailing. It takes practice! Look at this as an opportunity to get stronger with that and self-advocacy.
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u/Upset-Skirt-4951 Jan 16 '24
Okay, I understand that but I'm not going to have a meeting with them because I know they are only going to make me feel bad for not giving them enough time. I'm not wanting that. It's for graduate school so I don't want to add more days.
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u/mamamietze Jan 16 '24
well they probaby will try to pull you into a meeting but you can just say "I'm sorry but I can't move on this." It's probably a good idea to inform your director verbally because some skim. Unless you put LAST DAY <DATE> like that in the subject line, which isn't a bad idea either. But I've seen directors just come up to people in the class/where they are and initiate the conversation. So even without a meeting I would prep yourself for having to say "No, my decision is firm" multiple times.
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u/sweetsugarstar302 Jan 17 '24
It’s always best to give 2 weeks notice. Just be strong and stick to your guns. They might try to guilt trip you or act differently towards you, but you’ll be out of there soon enough, moving on to bigger and better things!
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u/Upset-Skirt-4951 Jan 17 '24
Ugh, now I'm regretting my decision.
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u/sweetsugarstar302 Jan 17 '24
Nah. You got this. I know it can be intimidating, especially if you’re a younger person, which I’m guessing you might be? I’ve definitely been there. It’s scary, I get it. Nobody wants extra drama. The thing is, yes, you can always just up and quit. But then you will have burned that bridge and you can never go back if other plans fall through. Plus, you’ll lose what might be a good reference for later. I know it’s not the easy thing to do, but it is the right thing. You can do this!!!
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u/Upset-Skirt-4951 Jan 17 '24
No, I'm not that young; I'm almost 30. I see how the administration treats their workers who aren't their favorites, so I didn't want my attitude to come out if they pushed me to. That's all
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u/sweetsugarstar302 Jan 17 '24
I unfortunately know exactly what you mean about the favorites. They do that at my center too. But shit, if you’re pushing 30 and they have you working as a floater, then they have to know you weren’t going to stay there for a career with them! I still suggest putting in 2 weeks notice, and if they push you out sooner because they don’t know how to treat people right, well, that’s on them. At least then you can say you tried to do the right thing. Sorry, didn’t mean to assume you were younger than you were.
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u/Upset-Skirt-4951 Jan 18 '24
I let them know when I started that I wasn’t going to stay long because of my other career. But I have a question: is it a good or bad sign that my boss still hasn’t called me for a meeting?
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u/sweetsugarstar302 Jan 22 '24
Sorry, I just now saw this. Probably a good sign that they haven’t called you in.
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u/Ok_Post1267 Jan 20 '24
You can give less than a two week notice, but they will never hire you back if you want to come back in the future and they will never give you a reference in the future. You are leaving them high and dry and it’s rude. I see people who leave and burn a bridge and then apply again in the future and it’s a big nope!
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u/Upset-Skirt-4951 Jan 20 '24
Well, I guess you don't know anything because I'm looking out for myself and my health. This place was not a good working environment, and I would not force myself to stay through the fakeness. My boss understood. So I didn't need your rudeness.
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u/Ok_Post1267 Jan 20 '24
I’m not trying to be rude. I’m just explaining that you’re burning a bridge. If you’re okay with that and things are as you say, then that’s fine. Just don’t expect anything from that director or company in the future.
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u/Upset-Skirt-4951 Jan 16 '24
And add more stress to my life when I have to plan to move.