Spare Clothes

[MARSTELAC]

I hope someone can guide me here... (I know NannyDe has the perfect solution but my families would never go for it)..
I have issues with the spare clothes people bring for their kids. I require 2 sets for all children. Problem is, one family will bring 10 sets and demand I keep them here, one family brings nothing....the ones in between bring some stuff and then it goes home soiled and never comes back. The final straw was earlier this week when parent insists I have child's back-up supply here and I know I sent it home soiled. I am sick of worrying about everyone else's stuff.

SOOOOO, I thought I'd go garage-saling this weekend and stockpile a bunch of clothes in many sizes, and gloves, hats, etc (which they NEVER remember then we cannot go outside).

I know I will have issues because I have parents who only want designer goods on little Jamie or Jimmy and I won't be buying those.

How do I word this for my parent handbook that I will supply all back-up clothes?

Should be simple but I'm stumbling.....

Thanks troops!
~Mrs. Marstelac~

[sharlan]

I keep one outfit here for each child. When I send them home in a different outfit, I keep the other one here and wash it. Parents don't get it back until they bring me a new one. That way I always have a clean outfit.

[MarinaVanessa]

After having the same problems with some of my families I ended up just buying spare clothing for the DC kids too. Buying them from garage sales is a great idea. I recommend buying something that both sexes can wear like khaki pants and shorts and white T's.

I ended up just going to Target a few months back and bought both khaki pants and shorts when they were on sale 2 for $5 and bought a pack of boys white T shirts, I think they were 5 shirts for $6 or something like that. I use these for the kids that get dirty and have no spare clothing here. I wrote DAYCARE all over the bottom of the back of the shirts and down the side of the pant and short legs, no mixing up my stuff with their stuff although sometimes even those never come back (why you would want to keep a shirt that has DAYCARE written all over the back I will never know) .

As for the parents that do bring a spare, I don't give them the soiled clothes unless they got poopoo on them. I just change them into their spares and throw the dirty clothes in with my day's laundry. I'd rather wash them here and have a spare than risk it going home and never coming back.

I ended up buying Keds for the kids too because I was tired of kids not having shoes that fit them properly or even at all. I havn't had to use them very often but when I did I was glad that I had them.

[AnneCordelia]

I recommend buying the ugliest, craziest clothing you can find!! Hot pink, neon green, Hammer pants, if you can find them. Then they will be more inspired to provide their own backup. Especially when you explain that Little Johnny had to go out in public in the pink Hammer pants because he had nothing else to wear to the zoo/park/dropin centre.

[Just Saying]

I recommend buying the ugliest, craziest clothing you can find!! Hot pink, neon green, Hammer pants, if you can find them. Then they will be more inspired to provide their own backup. Especially when you explain that Little Johnny had to go out in public in the pink Hammer pants because he had nothing else to wear to the zoo/park/dropin centre.

I would not do this to a child because mom did not bring back up clothes. The child done nothing to deserve wearing ugly clothes.

This post makes me sad.

[Zoe]

I would not do this to a child because mom did not bring back up clothes. The child done nothing to deserve wearing ugly clothes.

This post makes me sad.

I highly doubt the child really cares. If they're at the zoo, they're looking at the animals, not worrying about if they are wearing something from last year's fall collection.

[Just Saying]

I highly doubt the child really cares. If they're at the zoo, they're looking at the animals, not worrying about if they are wearing something from last year's fall collection.

Zoe, the post said:

I recommend buying the ugliest, craziest clothing you can find!! AND it said; Especially when you explain that Little Johnny had to go out in public in the pink Hammer pants because he had nothing else to wear to the zoo/park/dropin centre.

It did not say last year's fall collection.

It is SO SAD that a provider would even think of putting THE UGLIEST, CRAZIEST clothes on a child because a parent did not bring extra clothes. And I disagree, a child would care. A child has feelings and should be TREATED with respect.

[AnneCordelia]

I was being cheeky.

I typically put children in clothing my own kids have outgrown so that it won't matter if they don't come back.

[Zoe]

Zoe, the post said:

I recommend buying the ugliest, craziest clothing you can find!! AND it said; Especially when you explain that Little Johnny had to go out in public in the pink Hammer pants because he had nothing else to wear to the zoo/park/dropin centre.

It did not say last year's fall collection.

It is SO SAD that a provider would even think of putting THE UGLIEST, CRAZIEST clothes on a child because a parent did not bring extra clothes. And I disagree, a child would care. A child has feelings and should be TREATED with respect.

I was being cheeky.

I typically put children in clothing my own kids have outgrown so that it won't matter if they don't come back.

Me too. It's called sarcasm.

[JenNJ]

I just kept clothes from my own kids to use as backups. I have it marked with the name of my daycare on it. It always comes back.

[Meeko]

I would not do this to a child because mom did not bring back up clothes. The child done nothing to deserve wearing ugly clothes.

This post makes me sad.

First off, I think the poster was just being sarcastic...but honestly...most kids don't give a HOOT about what they are wearing.

For the record, I HAVE put boys in pink pants before, because it's all we had available. They couldn't have cared less and not did the other kids. MOTHER was mortified...but oh well!!

It's ADULTS who teach kids that they must wear a certain color or style.....just like it's ADULTS who teach their children to hate those of another color etc. It is not something we are born with.

To be honest, most kids would prefer to be naked if they could!!!!!

[laundrymom]

I label it ,... With my daycare name. At least it they keep it, it's advertising. Lol

[Blackcat31]

I label it ,... With my daycare name. At least it they keep it, it's advertising. Lol

I don't keep spares anymore, but when I did, mine all said "Stolen from (daycare name)" really big on them. Parents ALWAYS brought them back. ::

[laundrymom]

I don't keep spares anymore, but when I did, mine all said "Stolen from (daycare name)" really big on them. Parents ALWAYS brought them back. ::

Loolo may I borrow this!?!?!

[DCMom]

I keep one outfit here for each child. When I send them home in a different outfit, I keep the other one here and wash it. Parents don't get it back until they bring me a new one. That way I always have a clean outfit.

This is what I do. The outfit that was laundered simply becomes the spare outfit. I also keep some unisex sweatpants and girls/boys undies with 'DAYCARE' written on the waistband, just in case. If they don't come back, whatever; I have a pretty large stockpile from former kids who donate.

It makes my life easier to not stress about what the parents do or don't do, bring or don't bring. Life's too short.