Daycare Verbal Abuse And Emotional Abuse Are Real Issues In Texas

This week we posted a story about a young mother who sensed that something wasn’t right about her toddler’s new daycare. When she acted on her intuition and recorded one of her son’s visits to the center, she was shocked to find that the children were being verbally and emotionally abused as soon as she left. Among other horrifying statements, the women who staffed the daycare yelled at children who soiled their diapers, threatened to cut off their thumbs, and threatened to beat them.

While it does not carry the stigma and scarring of daycare physical abuse or daycare sexual abuse, daycare verbal abuse and emotional abuse is a real problem in Texas childcare and is absolutely not legal or acceptable.

What constitutes daycare verbal abuse?

• A battery of abusive and harmful words, including screaming, name-calling, and swearing.
• Extreme or bizarre punishments, such as locking a child in a dark closest.
• Bullying and intimidation.
• Threats of violence, such as beatings, or other threats, such as telling a child his mother will not come back for him.
• Blaming, guilting, and shaming the child.

What are some signs of child verbal abuse or emotional abuse?

• Your child becomes withdrawn or depressed.
• Your child becomes nervous, worried, or anxious.
• Your child becomes overly complacent and passive.
• Your child avoids eye contact and physical contact.
• Your child becomes angry and aggressive.
• Your child begins wetting the bed.
• Your child begin to lag in key developmental areas.