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In other words, do you care for children who have a SAHM or SAHD and just want to expose their child to other kids so they learn to be 1) with other kids and 2) without Mom/Dad? Have those dcf's turned out to be great in general, or do you find that they use your services for a short time (2-3 months) and then call it quits? Not that parents that "need" you for primary care come with any guarantees, but I'm just worried that I'll go through a whole adjustment period only to lose the child quickly. Thoughts?
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Yes, I do provide this service. I currently have four children, from two families, who come for preschool hours only, 9-12. These families have been with me for almost a year. The Mom's are SAHM and want their children to be ready for kindergarten and to be socially/emotionally ready to interact with peers in a classroom setting. They are very involved mothers and I love having their children with me. -
I have a dcf with two children (boy, 4.5 and girl 2.5) that come once/week for socialization and to give the grandparents (primary caregivers while mom and dad are working) a break. They've been with me for a year next month and I LOVE the whole family! They are reliable, consistent, timely and appreciative! The also bring the children when gma/gpa are ill or vacationing.
I've had zero problems with it and they have absolutely blossomed socially since starting here - much more interactive play with the other kids and less whining/crying (there was some from the 4 year old in the beginning). With this family it's been a win/win - extra (reliable) income for me, new playmates for the rest of the dck's, improved social skills for them, a break for the gparents AND a reliable back-up provider for their parents!
With the right family it can work very well!
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Accommodating kids for socialization reasons
I only take them if I can fit them into my current schedule without the child taking up a slot that I could use for a full time daycare kid. I am the one who sets the schedule for a child coming for socialization and the parent has no input on the days and times that I set for the child to come. It's pretty much a take it or leave it scenario. If the parent wants to send their child to my daycare on a full time basis, then the schedule becomes much more flexible.Comment
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We had a family once that did that. I felt sorry for the children. Mom was a stay at home mom. She didn't do anything but sleep. Yet, M-W-F the kids would go to a MDO program and on T - TH they would come to our center. While mom was a good provider etc, she just didn't want to deal with them.
Sad though because the girls were SUCH sweet angels. Other than them, we did provide a drop in. There wasn't a guarantee the spot would be availble but we did offer the service.Comment
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i do exactly as janet does.
i have one right now, and it is working out O.K so farComment
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I havent had any yet, but it wouldnt bother me. I'm thinking a parent like that would be more flexable if you were sick or had a Dr appt etc, and if th ekid got sick, they could come and take them home right away.Comment
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I only have eight slots so they have to be full time to support myself and a staff assistant. I wouldn't do it anyway. I think kids can start their socializing in Kindy and do fine. I did and I turned out great.
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I am a child care provider so I provide care to those who want or need it. It doesn't matter to me why the child is enrolled here. As long as the parents pay tuition, I figure it's not my job to question why they choose to place their child in care. If the parent really doesn't want to spend time with their kids, they're probably better off here anyway. (I've never run into that personally, though.) Most of the kids I care for are here because their parents work but some are here for socialization. Most stay here until they go to either preschool or kindergarten. I haven't found that they leave any sooner than kids who are here because their parents work.Comment
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LOL right now ALL of my clients are with me for socialization.
Family #1, 2 kids, pay for 2 full time spaces for the luxury of being able to bring their kids whatever 3 days they choose, and I do evenings for them when they ARE at work. Their schedules only coincide about 4 times a month, so the rest of the time the kids are here only to play with other kids.
Family #2, 1 child in my care currently, Mom is on mat leave. When she went on leave, child went down to part time. He's still with me so that he can play with his friends and she can have time with the baby. Plus this kid was a nightmare to transition into care and I was not too keen on the idea of having to do it again. (Not that he's a bad kid, not at all, he's an absolute doll now but at first it was weeks of screaming)...
Family #3, Dad is a single SAHD and son has autism and comes for the sole purpose of being supported by a local program to support kids with disabilities.Comment
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I was wondering about this too. Up until about 15 years ago, I never heard of children going to daycare purely for "socialization". Yet since the beginning of time, children have been "socialized" without daycare. And for the majority of the time humans have been on this planet, children were reared and "socialized" by their moms, dads, siblings, and extended families.
Oh, and I did just fine too. But that was the 70's. Apparently, in the 21st century, things are different.Comment
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I don't think it's necessary to get a kid to be a group member before five. It does have it's advantages but by the time they are in first grade I don't think you could tell the difference between the ones who had group care for their birth to five and the ones who didn't.
The best socialization, IME, comes from playing with younger children. If you really want to get your soon to five year old ready for school.. have them spend a lot of time being the eldest in a group of younger kids.
The kids will always be in a sea of age mates from Kindy on. Kids prefer older kids to play with so the parents will gravitate to situations where their child is happiest... which is with older more entertaining kids.
But the one thing that doesn't come naturally is purposely putting them in a group where they are the oldest. The opportunity to be the one responsible, the entertainer instead of the one being entertained will teach them far more than age mates or older kids can.
It prepares them to be in a sea of kids who have a wide bredth of skill set. It allows them to go fluidly between groups of children within the group who are further behind in the process. It teaches them empathy and the skill set of how to make something of nothing or little on your own.
They will do well with kids who have more then they do by virtue of age or abilities. They will be square with "same" kinds of kids. The kids who have less in maturity and less in skills. That's where some serious socialization skills that really matter and are taken thru life are built.Comment
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I also don't care what the parent does while I am caring for the child however if they don't pay thats when I have a problem and had to let one go because of non payment and when the mom said well I'm not working I said then I guess you can't afford daycareComment
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The short answer is NO, I would not. First off, I think the whole socialization thing is a load of BS. For centuries families lived on remote farms and homesteads and had no, formal, scheduled, socialization. And, IMO, people were a hell of a lot more rounded and considerate and "socialized" than they are now.
My kids are homeschooled. They don't hang out with kids all day and they are some of the most "socialized" people I know. TRUE socialization occurs when in the presence of ALL age groups as that is a reflection of society. Not just being plunked into a room full of people exactly the same age with the same abilities, view points, interests etc. How does one become 'socialized' in a setting where everyone is exactly the same?Comment
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I accept kids for that reason. I have had no issues and they were someof the best clients I ever had.Comment
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