Entrusting someone with your child is bestowing a huge responsibility on that person. As parents, every time wedrop off our kidswe are saying "Here is a piece of my heart. Please look after it like you would your own." And there are plenty of day care workers who do that with all their might.
Naturally children and their caregivers should bond on some level, but one mom was wondering if her toddler's day care worker was being appropriate.
"I picked up my child today from daycare and as we were leaving my child wanted their dummy (trying to wean off them)," the mom recounted on Reddit."The daycare worker (50ish female) spoke to my child then cuddled them and said 'I love you.'"
She understood that they spent time together but really wondered if it was normal for day care workers to express affection like that.
Some parents expressed that these workers have a profound impact on their children.
"I call my daughter's daycare teacher her daycare mom and we've become outside of daycare friends," shared one mother. "She's with her half of her day. She comforts her, plays with her, wipes her tears when I'm not able. I know she loves her, and that makes me happy, personally."
Day care workers and teachers also responded in droves, attesting that they love their "kids" and tell them so -- often!
"I work in a preschool, I tell my kids how much I love them every day," one teacher wrote. "I'm so sad that I didn't get a chance to give them one last hug and tell them how special they are before the school shutdown. I ended all of our virtual lessons by saying 'I love you and I hope we see each other soon!'"
Others acknowledged that it was normal, but there are limits.
"I don't mind people telling my child(ren) they love them, as long as there are absolutely no physical boundaries crossed," wrote one user. "Lap sitting is okay. Cuddling is okay. Do not ever kiss someone else's child."