Thanks polarbear, I hear what you are saying about trusting the long-term experience of daycare teachers and directors. But one thing that I did not mention is that this director has been at the daycare less than a year, and there has been a suspiciously high turnover of staff.
At least 4 people that I know of, some who had previously been with the school for 10+ years, left. And the junior members of the caregiving team, who may not have had as much schooling or day-to-day experience as the more mature ladies, have taken over head teaching positions while the school searches for permanent head teachers. The whole place has been turned upside down. My DS wouldn't know the difference because the new director started literally the 2nd day he began attendance. But I get the feeling that the staff is not what it once was. It's possible that once they get their ideal hires for the head teacher positions that things will right themselves, but I don't know how long that wait is going to be. I'll also mention that I've not only seen significant staff turnover, but that even some of the children in his class seem to have disappeared (the school cares for kids up to 4/5, so a significant handful of missing 2-3yos might mean something is up).
At first, the academic portion of the daycare was not of concern to me--I just wanted a safe, clean, nearby place that would watch him for 3 hours a day so I could get some freelance work done. But I'm realizing now that 3 hours of HIS day is more significant than I thought, and maybe I should have been more selective. He LOVED the open-play "baby/toddler" room when he was under 2, but the more structured and "academic" things got as he moved to a higher class, the less he seems to like it there. I would find him a new placement, but my husband is graduating this year and we will be moving to a new location (undetermined) by the end of summer anyhow. Again, I realize that months of my DS's time is more significant than months of MY time.
I will bring up the hitting and my boredom/attention-seeking hypothesis at his 3-year check up within the month, and we'll see what the pediatrician has to say. A second, reliable expert opinion never hurt.
