Venting Thread

[nanglgrl]

Just a rant...I’ve participated in QRS for 13 years (since it was implemented in my state) and worked my way up to 4 stars. There was a lot of paperwork and jumping through hoops but it was attainable without being overwhelming. I felt that the categories and way of scoring were fair and provided a great way of scoring so that experience and education of the provider both received points. Providers didn’t need a degree in ECE to obtain higher scores and could instead earn points on experience and in other ways. The grants for participation were also a factor as they provided decently for the amount of extra work being QRS rated would cause providers. Most parents don’t care either way but it was a way for me personally to feel more professional.

It’s time for me to renew this summer and I’m looking at the new requirements and can’t imagine that any provider would choose to participate in the new rating scale. Especially a provider with a degree in ECE since even with that degree a provider would have to participate in a ton of additional trainings on subjects that were more thouroughly covered in college courses.. Im at the tail end of my BS in ECE and will be finishing classes this summer. I’ve been a provider for for around 20 years total. 100% inspections and a solid and successful business.. However, the requirements take very little of that in to consideration. The amount of paperwork and hoops to jump through increased 10 fold and yet the grant for participation remained the same. The list of things a provider needs to do looks daunting and would add so many hours of paperwork/training/parent involvement activities I would be surprised if centers participate much less home providers. In addition, most of the things they are requireing are not things my clients would want to participate in. If I were to reapply I’d probably only get 1 or 2 stars because the requirements for 3-5 stars are just way too much work (with little to no actual benefit for children, families or the provider).

I’m just so frustrated. I know that QRS has never been a factor in why a parent chose me, I know this will not make or break my business. I don’t get to charge more due to my QRS rating because most parents don’t even know what it is and if they did it wouldn’t be reason enough to pay more. However, I feel like I’ve worked so hard to obtain something I looked at like a “promotion” in a job where career advancement is basically non-existent only to be told that I’m now getting a demotion.

I know, it’s all in my head but I’m still upset. Why make participation in a program harder when the program already has low participation rates?

[Ariana]

Mom has the day off for a PD day. Guess who brings the kid here at 7am? Dad

She’ll be here from 7am to 5pm on moms day off. She didn’t even want to eat breakfast with her child

[springv]

Had a girl that's a senior in high school come & volunteer with us for 2 months through our local trade school and wanting 10 hours a week. Trade school calls week ago stating that the following week would be her last week with us. She comes in one day last week to work and our administrator states that the trade school had called and that that week would be her last week and then proceeds to tell this girl that she wants her to work 3 hours the following week because she got paid for four but only worked one and still owes us three hours. One we didn't pay her to start with and two I think she owes us NOTHING

[gumdrops]

I just "tried" stepping over a toy that's about knee high to get to a child who was pushing. Tripped, bent my toe nail back (have tennis shoes on), and I think I sprained my big toe. Luckily no kids were in my landing zone. Next time I'll take the 2 seconds to move the toy!

[Leigh]

I would too!! $400 would get you a nice little weekend trip somewhere! ::

The money would be nice. I want it to happen (almost) just to hit them where it hurts. Their kid never, ever misses a minute of daycare.

[Leigh]

Stay safe! I'm watching the radar as it's suppose to be heading my way too! My area is suppose to get anywhere from 7-15 inches....my brothers live in the Twin Cities area and both said it's horrible there right now....

Hoping your DCM comes quickly...even if that means you're out the $200 per night.... just so you can be free of worry from daycare kids in general.

I'll be safe-I'm not going anywhere for a long time! We have already had 8-9 inches, and we are supposed to end with 25-30 inches. My brother and my nephew live in Blaine-they're supposed to get up to 14 there, too. We had a beautiful weekend that we spent outdoors-it was in the 70's. I just can't take any more winter!::

[littlefriends]

Major blizzard. I am down to 4 dck's, 2 will be picked up any minute, 1 has parents whose work never lets them leave for weather. The last one, though -Mom is a teacher and school got out 2 hours ago. Why is she still here? There are school busses in the ditches, accidents and stuck cars everywhere. No way would I not have picked up asap! I reminded all yesterday that I charge $200/night if their kids get stranded here, and if she does, it will be at least 2 nights. I almost hope it happens.

I would too!! $400 would get you a nice little weekend trip somewhere! ::

[Blackcat31]

Major blizzard. I am down to 4 dck's, 2 will be picked up any minute, 1 has parents whose work never lets them leave for weather. The last one, though -Mom is a teacher and school got out 2 hours ago. Why is she still here? There are school busses in the ditches, accidents and stuck cars everywhere. No way would I not have picked up asap! I reminded all yesterday that I charge $200/night if their kids get stranded here, and if she does, it will be at least 2 nights. I almost hope it happens.

Stay safe! I'm watching the radar as it's suppose to be heading my way too! My area is suppose to get anywhere from 7-15 inches....my brothers live in the Twin Cities area and both said it's horrible there right now....

Hoping your DCM comes quickly...even if that means you're out the $200 per night.... just so you can be free of worry from daycare kids in general.

[Leigh]

Major blizzard. I am down to 4 dck's, 2 will be picked up any minute, 1 has parents whose work never lets them leave for weather. The last one, though -Mom is a teacher and school got out 2 hours ago. Why is she still here? There are school busses in the ditches, accidents and stuck cars everywhere. No way would I not have picked up asap! I reminded all yesterday that I charge $200/night if their kids get stranded here, and if she does, it will be at least 2 nights. I almost hope it happens.

[littlefriends]

I'll PM you the form I use for sending a child home.
It states directly on the paper the earliest day the child can return to care. It eliminates the parents ability to play dumb about it....

Also, I require parents to respond AND have their child picked up within 30 minutes of my initial contact with them. At 31 minutes, I start charging late fees...

You could set a time limit as to how swiftly the parent replies and picks up depending on how big of a community you live in....all my families work within a few minutes of my daycare and can easily be here and gone within that half hour.

When parents have to start paying these little fees....they realize how quickly they add up and you will see how fast they can act because of it... ::

Oh man, yes please send it! Now I’m suuuuuuuper pissed-they picked up 2 hours after I first contacted!

[Blackcat31]

Just passed out a new illness policy that includes the 24/48 hour rule AND no dope and drop. That’s what’s making me extra mad today; she just signed this thing like 2 days ago!! And it took 30 min for one of them to finally call me back. I’m definitely reminding her he can’t come back for 48 hours when she finally gets here to pick him up.

I'll PM you the form I use for sending a child home.
It states directly on the paper the earliest day the child can return to care. It eliminates the parents ability to play dumb about it....

Also, I require parents to respond AND have their child picked up within 30 minutes of my initial contact with them. At 31 minutes, I start charging late fees...

You could set a time limit as to how swiftly the parent replies and picks up depending on how big of a community you live in....all my families work within a few minutes of my daycare and can easily be here and gone within that half hour.

When parents have to start paying these little fees....they realize how quickly they add up and you will see how fast they can act because of it... ::

[littlefriends]

24/48 hour rule helps address this fairly well

I would absolutely do a well child check before allowing mom/dad to leave.

I would also use their own words to your benefit;

Parent: “oh he’s grouchy this morning he didn’t get a good nights sleep “

You: "Oh goodness, you'll need to take him back home then as I require all children to be able to participate as normal and if they aren't able to due to lack of sleep then they are excluded per program policies. Hopefully he gets a good nights sleep tonight and I'll see you tomorrow!"

Just passed out a new illness policy that includes the 24/48 hour rule AND no dope and drop. That’s what’s making me extra mad today; she just signed this thing like 2 days ago!! And it took 30 min for one of them to finally call me back. I’m definitely reminding her he can’t come back for 48 hours when she finally gets here to pick him up.

[Blackcat31]

I swear wth??? I don’t know what to do with this family...they have brought their kid here with pink eye, lice, fever (several times with this one)and every time they’re like “oh he’s grouchy this morning he didn’t get a good nights sleep “ or something similar. They’re always quick to drop and pay on time but I swear I’m just so sick of them doing this. I almost want to start making her stand there while I check him out and take his freaking temperature before I let her sign him in every morning!! I’ve had to call this family for illness pick up for their one kid more than all my other families combined!

24/48 hour rule helps address this fairly well

I would absolutely do a well child check before allowing mom/dad to leave.

I would also use their own words to your benefit;

Parent: “oh he’s grouchy this morning he didn’t get a good nights sleep “

You: "Oh goodness, you'll need to take him back home then as I require all children to be able to participate as normal and if they aren't able to due to lack of sleep then they are excluded per program policies. Hopefully he gets a good nights sleep tonight and I'll see you tomorrow!"

[littlefriends]

I swear wth??? I don’t know what to do with this family...they have brought their kid here with pink eye, lice, fever (several times with this one)and every time they’re like “oh he’s grouchy this morning he didn’t get a good nights sleep “ or something similar. They’re always quick to drop and pay on time but I swear I’m just so sick of them doing this. I almost want to start making her stand there while I check him out and take his freaking temperature before I let her sign him in every morning!! I’ve had to call this family for illness pick up for their one kid more than all my other families combined!

[storybookending]

This is what I’m going to be attempting.. going with a bright yellow instead of gold, the mirror I found doesn’t have a border and I’m using wood skewers and this is metal.. we will see!!