WEE WILD ONES AMPERSAND CALGARY
BE AWARE!!!!!
I would NEVER recommend Wee Wild Ones as an employer or for Childcare. I worked for this company for approximately two years, gave my best to my job, and genuinely cared about the children and families I worked with. Unfortunately, my experience with management was extremely disappointing. In my experience, when employees speak up, stand up against discrimination, or raise concerns about how they are being treated, instead of making them feel safe and addressing those concerns professionally, they are harassed, targeted, and eventually pushed out of the company. I personally experienced harassment and discriminatory treatment from management, specifically Miss Harpreet, Miss Violet, and Miss Zara.
One of the worst ongoing issues was washroom access. Management regularly restricted us from using the washroom when we needed to go. We were directly told that we had to HOLD IT and wait for up to TWO HOURS before being allowed to use the washroom. This was not just one isolated incident. Employees were expected to ignore such a basic physical need because management would not arrange proper coverage. I find it unbelievable that adults working hard all day caring for children could be told they cannot even use the washroom when they need to. When employees finally started speaking up about this and asking for basic dignity and respect, the situation was not properly addressed. Instead, employees who raised concerns faced negative treatment, and some were later let go.
I also personally experienced extremely disrespectful treatment from Miss Zara. On one occasion, I asked her to bring me a child’s clothes because I could not leave my classroom due to ratio requirements. Rather than simply handing the clothes to me, she threw them onto the floor. I found this humiliating, demeaning, discriminatory, and completely unprofessional. I was simply doing my job and following the required classroom ratio, yet I was treated in a way that made me feel completely disrespected as an employee.
What happened to Miss Kiran was another extremely disturbing situation. She was let go because she was pregnant and could not perform all of her regular duties because of her pregnancy. I find this absolutely disgusting. How can a company whose entire purpose is to care for babies and children treat a woman this way while she is carrying a baby herself? Pregnancy should never make an employee disposable. The hypocrisy of a childcare company treating a pregnant employee this way is unbelievable.
There is also something that I believe parents deserve to know about—the food being served to their children. From what I personally witnessed while working inside the centre, the food served to children was often extremely low quality and, in my opinion, disgusting. What parents saw on the classroom menu or ClassDojo did not always match what their children were actually served. There were occasions when something different was served from what was written on the menu. Parents look at those menus trusting that they accurately represent what their children are eating during the day. Based on what I personally witnessed, that was not always the reality. Parents deserve honesty and transparency, especially when it concerns something as basic as what their children are being fed.
Another extremely concerning issue is what happens when employees try to take their concerns further. Employees should be able to raise concerns about discrimination, workplace treatment, or their employment rights, including through employment or human-rights authorities, without being afraid of losing their jobs. In my experience, speaking up or taking a stand can put a target on an employee rather than result in their concerns being taken seriously. Nobody should have to choose between protecting their rights and protecting their job.
What makes the entire experience even worse is the message this sends to employees: stay quiet, tolerate the treatment, and don’t challenge anything if you want to protect your job. That is not what a healthy workplace should feel like. Employees should be able to raise legitimate concerns without feeling intimidated or wondering whether they will be the next person removed from the company.
I am writing this review because future employees and parents deserve to hear the experience of someone who actually worked inside this company for approximately two years. People considering employment here deserve to know the kind of workplace experience I had, and parents trusting a company with their children deserve transparency.
I can guarantee that Wee Wild Ones management will not agree with this review and may deny everything written here. But I worked inside this company for approximately two years. I am writing about what I personally experienced and what I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears. I stand behind every word I have written as a truthful account of my own experiences and observations as an employee.
I would NEVER recommend Wee Wild Ones as a workplace and for childcare based on my experience