Daycare - In-Home vs. Center??

[Chasey_Lane]

but because things are just easier to do when the kids aren't around

And what's so wrong with that? It's far easier to run chores when tots are being care for, whether that person be another parent, grandparent or a daycare provider.

 

[kwillia]

Pompous and assuming? I suppose you are entitled to your opinion, but until you've been in my shoes and seen these children, whose parents are leaving them in day care over and over again, not because they have to work, but because things are just easier to do when the kids aren't around, you really don't know what you are talking about.

What you are describing in no way shape or form is detrimental to a child's well being.I do believe that any child that becomes mentally warped because they had to stick to their regular daycare routine even though there mother wasn't at work has major problems. Normal children are very adaptable and thrive in a safe, supervised environment. In fact, many children are very adaptable and thrive even in less than perfect environments.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

It was children like her that lead me to include a clause in my contract that parents weren't allowed to do that to children in my care. I've lost some clients over it, but I don't care, because I find I get along much better with those parent who are left.

Is this clause in your contract really to benefit the children or because you feel slightly jealous/shaded that parents were enjoying some alone time while you were stuck home? And that's not to be mean. Just a simple thought that popped into my head.

 

[lovinmaryland]

I am a child care provider and here's my take on this...

When you take off work and leave your child in day care so you can go to the beach or shopping or clean the house, what do you think is going through your child's head when they come home to see mom's new purchases, suntanned face or spotless house?

Do you think the kids don't notice that you spent the day hanging out having fun without them? Do you think they don't pick up on the fact that you'd rather not have them around? As a day care provider, I can tell you for a fact that even though the child has spent their day just like any other day, even though they have followed their daily routine without missing a beat, when they realize that you had an opportunity to spend time with them and didn't, they start acting out. They whine more and they cry more and in general misbehave more.

I once had a 15 month old girl whose mother was often home at least part of the day. When Mom was home or had been home the day before, more often than not, the little girl would refuse to take her coat off and stared out the window. I could get her involved in an activity and she'd be fine for a time, but would eventually wander back to the window. Most days she was fine, but when she had reason to believe Mom was home (and she was usually right) it was awful to watch this sad little girl.

It was children like her that lead me to include a clause in my contract that parents weren't allowed to do that to children in my care. I've lost some clients over it, but I don't care, because I find I get along much better with those parent who are left.

This is just silly, but your opinion. So are you telling me you never go anywhere with out your children? That you've never paid a baby sitter so you and your husband could go out for the evening? So it is ok for YOU to be paid a personal day, but I am not allowed too?

If we would have interviewed someone with this clause in their contract I would have laughed in their face.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

If we would have interviewed someone with this clause in their contract I would have laughed in their face.

Here's my thought: I pay a daycare provider to watch my child. We agree on the days, the hours and the pay. My provider does not need to know if I'm at work, at the mall or in frickin' Fiji. As long as I'm there on time to pick up my child, who cares where I'm at?

 

[lovinmaryland]

Is this clause in your contract really to benefit the children or because you feel slightly jealous/shaded that parents were enjoying some alone time while you were stuck home? And that's not to be mean. Just a simple thought that popped into my head.

This is exactly what I was thinking as well. Her previous post about having a house full of kids on a holiday while the parents were not at work... and that is different from having a house full of kids when they are at work. If you dont want a house full of kids maybe you shouldnt be a daycare provider hmmmm

I love the provider we have now, she is amazing! I tell her if I am taking the day off to myself and she is actually happy for me because she know time to myself w/ 5 children is few and far between.

 

[lovinmaryland]

Here's my thought: I pay a daycare provider to watch my child. We agree on the days, the hours and the pay. My provider does not need to know if I'm at work, at the mall or in frickin' Fiji. As long as I'm there on time to pick up my child, who cares where I'm at?

Exactly. In her eyes when I was in Bermuda I should have not only paid her but found someone else to watch the kids since I wasnt "at work"

 

[hotmomma]

I think if you put a clause like that in your contract then you shouldnt charge for a full day. If I leave work and want to go to Food Lion before picking the kid up then I think thats ok. I am paying for care 6:30-5:30.

Daycares can say whatever they want in their contract but I left one because after 2 years she added that clause and a bunch of other things. She had 2 wks paid vacation, every federal holiday, 8 days sick leave and her new contract added the 2 days before and after Thanksgiving and Xmas as holiday leave. She took off for every school field trip or activity at school. It just got a little excessive.

I usually do everything during my lunch break but if there does come a time I can run to Target to get some stuff I dont want to feel like Im walking on eggshells cause my daycare provider doesnt think its acceptable.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

So, Dympha...when you're hopping on the computer during the day, do you consider that your free time (while getting paid)? Are the kids away? Are they napping? I'm just curious.

 

[SamSpade]

Here's my thought: I pay a daycare provider to watch my child. We agree on the days, the hours and the pay. My provider does not need to know if I'm at work, at the mall or in frickin' Fiji. As long as I'm there on time to pick up my child, who cares where I'm at?

Our daycare provider charges the same price per week whether or not he IS THERE. If he goes to the doctor or stays home or visits his grandma, it costs exactly the same. It doesn't get pro-rated.

As such, I see no reason not to place him in daycare the same as any other weekday if I am at home, especially if I am : home sick, fixing something in the house, staying home because a repairman is coming, having my car fixed and so on. He benefits a lot more from interaction with the other children.

If they pro-rated the cost, I might keep him with me. Because they charge me whether or not he is there, they get him.

 

[lovinmaryland]

Our daycare provider charges the same price per week whether or not he IS THERE. If he goes to the doctor or stays home or visits his grandma, it costs exactly the same. It doesn't get pro-rated.

As such, I see no reason not to place him in daycare the same as any other weekday if I am at home, especially if I am : home sick, fixing something in the house, staying home because a repairman is coming, having my car fixed and so on. He benefits a lot more from interaction with the other children.

If they pro-rated the cost, I might keep him with me. Because they charge me whether or not he is there, they get him.

my provider does not pro rate either. While out of town we had our 3 year old stay w/ my brother and Sil in Va, I still had to pay my provider the entire week even though he wasnt there.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

Our daycare provider charges the same price per week whether or not he IS THERE. If he goes to the doctor or stays home or visits his grandma, it costs exactly the same. It doesn't get pro-rated.

I think that's the standard. Even when my girl was in daycare (a few years ago) I paid if she was and I paid if she wasn't there. That never bothered me. I prefer it that way actually.

 

[SamSpade]

I think that's the standard. Even when my girl was in daycare (a few years ago) I paid if she was and I paid if she wasn't there. That never bothered me. I prefer it that way actually.

I don't have any fault with this, but if they do that, I'm going to have them watch him. Otherwise I am paying for a service I am not getting. On weekend evenings I pay someone for the "privilege" of going somewhere with my wife to see a movie or go somewhere with her, and they're called babysitters. I don't consider that not wanting to be with my son - I am paying someone to watch him. Otherwise, he's subjected to a lack of attention while I am actually AT HOME fixing the car or dishwasher. At least at daycare he gets what he needs.

 

[Dymphna]

Apparently I wasn't clear. I'm not talking about hitting the grocery store on the way home. I'm not even talking about taking the day off to go to the doctor or some other appointment.

I'm talking about taking the kids to day care, leaving them there, when you don't have to go to work or school or some appointment. I'm talking about leaving the kids in day care because you want to be away from them, because you don't want to be bothered to take them into the store or because you want to watch adult television instead of Blue's Clues.

I'm talking about the father who gets home early, sits around watching TV, forgets to go back out when he's supposed to pick up his child, decides when he does remember that Mom can do it in an hour or so anyway so why bother. And before you think I'm imagining what Dad is doing, he actually had the nerve to call me and tell me.

Chances are, one parent spending the day with their child when they aren't at work won't change my work load. It's not going to give me a day off, so it's not about me wanting a free day or because I'm jealous.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

I'm talking about taking the kids to day care, leaving them there, when you don't have to go to work or school or some appointment. I'm talking about leaving the kids in day care because you want to be away from them, because you don't want to be bothered to take them into the store or because you want to watch adult television instead of Blue's Clues.

Do you give credits when parents pick their children up early? How is your pay calculated? I think a lot of parents will keep their children in daycare because they're paying for it anyway (most of the time). My gym membership is X amount of dollars whether I'm there or not. It's in my benefit to make the most of it.

 

[SamSpade]

Do you give credits when parents pick their children up early? How is your pay calculated? I think a lot of parents will keep their children in daycare because they're paying for it anyway (most of the time). My gym membership is X amount of dollars whether I'm there or not. It's in my benefit to make the most of it.

And I agree. If I am off early and I am paying for daycare, I go home and find things to do that I usually can't do when my son is home. And that may even include a quiet time reading - something I absolutely cannot do with a five year old who either won't leave you alone or frankly can't be relied upon to play by himself without occasional intervention.

If someone who watches my child will give me credit for taking him home early - sure, I will take him home. That's fair. I've dropped my son off at day care on my Friday off so I can run errands. I am paying for it. I don't see why someone should have a problem with performing a task they are being paid for.

 

[RareBreed]

I leave for work before 4am so my husband has always had the duty of dropping the kids off at day-care. He works CWS so every other Friday, he had off. He always took the kids to the day-care lady's house. I was fine with that. I pay her whether the kids were there or not so why not have the kids there. My husband could get stuff accomplished without worrying about the kids and I had the piece of mind knowing that the kids were at day-care, probably having the time of their lives instead of being stuck running errands with Dad or helping him with chores (and as you know, kids helping with chores usually ends up making the chore twice as difficult). My kids knew that Dad was at home and were fine with it. When I picked them up, we'd have bets on whether or not Dad got his chores done or if he just went back to bed after dropping them off.

 

[CalvertNewbie]

I leave for work before 4am so my husband has always had the duty of dropping the kids off at day-care. He works CWS so every other Friday, he had off. He always took the kids to the day-care lady's house. I was fine with that. I pay her whether the kids were there or not so why not have the kids there. My husband could get stuff accomplished without worrying about the kids and I had the piece of mind knowing that the kids were at day-care, probably having the time of their lives instead of being stuck running errands with Dad or helping him with chores (and as you know, kids helping with chores usually ends up making the chore twice as difficult). My kids knew that Dad was at home and were fine with it. When I picked them up, we'd have bets on whether or not Dad got his chores done or if he just went back to bed after dropping them off.

I wouldn't have an issue with that either. There's always so much to get done around the house and certain projects are next to impossible to get done with kids home unless both parents are there. Actually, I'd have an issue paying for daycare that I wasn't using on a regular basis.

My son is 15 months old, I'm a sahm. Sometimes on Thursdays when hubby is home from work, I take a little "me time" and run errands solo, get nails done, haircut, whatever. I come home and it never fails - hubby is amazed I can get anything done around here with the little man because he never accomplishes a thing until I get back.

 

[Cowgirl]

I'm talking about taking the kids to day care, leaving them there, when you don't have to go to work or school or some appointment. I'm talking about leaving the kids in day care because you want to be away from them, because you don't want to be bothered to take them into the store or because you want to watch adult television instead of Blue's Clues.

So how do you know what the parent is doing? Do you ask them every day if they're going to work or staying home? Have you never felt the need for some alone time?

 

[MrX]

Per Office of Childcare:
COMAR 13A.15.11 Health
.02 Exclusion for Acute Illness.
A. The provider or substitute shall:
(1) Monitor children for signs and symptoms of acute illness; and
(2) Notify immediately a child's parent or other person designated on the child's emergency card upon observing a sign or symptom of acute illness.
B. The provider or substitute may not allow a child to enter or remain in care if the child is exhibiting symptoms of acute illness such as, but not limited to:
(1) Vomiting;
(2) Fever;
(3) Seizures;
(4) Severe pain; or
(5) Diarrhea.

Now, I was told that if the symptoms were due to teething then the child could be allowed in care. However, if the child needs additional care that takes away from the care of the other children then the provider can send them home.

I was a working parent at one time and my oldest went to a center. She was always sick and the cost was insane. At that point in time I was against home day care because I thought they weren't as good. After moving here and going through the licensing process myself I think home daycares have come along way. I think it just depends on what the specific needs are for each family. What may be good for one family isn't good for another.

My daughter isnt always sick, period. She is 17 months old and teething. She had strep, the doctor gave us mdicine and said she could return to day care in X amount of days as she would no longer be contagious. So after x amount of days, she returned to day care with no issues and she was clearly feeling much better. Shortly after this, we changed to a daycare provider closer to home. The kiddo was there for a week, and then the following week was her follow-up doctors visit. The doctor ran more tests, then called a few dayslater and stated that she still had strep, and was contagious. We alerted the day care provider, and picked the baby up ASAP. She did not return until after the prescribed period of time given by the doctor. Upon return, the day care provider stated that "her whole family now had strep thanks to us". The kiddo was on the antibiotics still, and had been teething. Historically, she has had diarrhea while teething; the day care provider was informed of this. The day care provider called and requested we pick the baby up due to her having diarrhea. We called the doctor for his input, and he stated that the diarrhea was due to the medicine and teething. We passed the info to the day care provider who refused to accept out daughter back until she no longer had diarrhea. We gave the doctor a stool sample, which in turn he had tests run on to see if there were any issues, none were found. Now the day care provider claims that our daughter gave her sickness to five of the other kids, who now all have diarrhea.