Sorry More Questions

[itlw8]

I am a One Star provider, and PROUD of it!!



::

That's why I picked the above avatar.

I thought it was a flower LOL::::

[Lucy]

I thought it was a flower LOL::::

It probably is.....

[ksmith]

This is another "STARS" rule we would have to do. Remember this is for in home childcare.

• adults do not use electronic media for personal use during the care day

Is this saying that you can't have the tv, radio on while kids are there. Would this mean you can't sit and watch tv or listen to the radio during naptime? Probably not the computor either from the wording.


Now, from the way I'm reading this one, it sounds as if the families get to help you decide how the program will be run and what policies will be put into place. I guess I'm thinking, this is my business that I have built up, all I need is parents start feeling they can have a say in the way the business is run. This is also a home run business and I'm not really going to have enough parents to serve on advisory groups or probably will even want to.

Families attend family meetings and/or serve on advisory groups to provide input on program and policy decisions.

Hmm I view these maybe differently than others. But the first one, if you are planning for instruction, surfing these boards, doing meals plans, etc that to me is not personal use, but for the daycare.

The second one, I think you could get by with maybe doing a quarterly parent meeting with all parents, and ask for their input on your program and policies. Taking their input doesn't mean you actually have to take their recommendations though. Just more so getting feedback and ideas on how to make the program better, but you have the ultimate say.

[nannyde]

:::: What's your view of the QRS system in Iowa Nanny D? You can pm me if you want. I'm not trying to be rude or anything, I'm just interested in your opinion.

I haven't looked into it other than to see Level 2 you have to be Child Net Certified. I've taken those classes twice and I just don't agree with most of what they teach. I also have an issue with the evaluators (the ones that come to your home to evaluate) having never done child care with multi-level aged group children under a roof by themselves.

I got one 1500 dollar grant in 2008 and the lady that came out to my house to see what I was going to get and where it would go had a Bachellors Degree in Early Childhood Ed and had never done anything more than clinical center care. She had never been responsible for children alone and had never cared for infant to five alone. She had never owned or operated a stand alone child care. I don't want someone who has never done my job to evaluate my program. I don't mind inspectors because their job is to inspect based on the Iowa Code. They could go inspect anything.

I haven't looked beyond level two because Child Net Certification is a deal breaker for me.

[SilverSabre25]

Hmm I view these maybe differently than others. But the first one, if you are planning for instruction, surfing these boards, doing meals plans, etc that to me is not personal use, but for the daycare.

The second one, I think you could get by with maybe doing a quarterly parent meeting with all parents, and ask for their input on your program and policies. Taking their input doesn't mean you actually have to take their recommendations though. Just more so getting feedback and ideas on how to make the program better, but you have the ultimate say.

I agree with this. I can see checking email (for prospective client inquiries! and/or updating parents, invoicing etc), planning lessons, going here, planning meals (and looking for new recipes, etc), record-keeping, uploading photos, maintaining a website or daycare facebook page...I would also think you *can* listen to the radio/Pandora/CDs/etc during the day if it's daycare-related (and you can call it part of your diversity programming if you listen to different stuff--in fact it's good for kids to be exposed to music from different genres and cultures. and if you're listening on an iPod with one earbud in during naptime, you're doing research to develop a kid-friendly playlist....

and for the parent involvement I agree that it is a stretch to get parents *that* involved in our business. But perhaps it counts if you were to get them to donate materials or something? Or hand out surveys with a disclaimer that any information obtained may or may not be used?

[bunnyslippers]

This seems tricky to me. I can understand where they are coming from with the personal use of elecronics...but if my husband sends me a text during the day, I am going to answer it.

As far as parent involvement, I think that is a slippery slope! I only have 5 sets of parents here, and I am the only employee of my little home daycare. I would not be willing, ever, to set up a parent committee to discuss anything about my program. I suppose that could be viewed as stubborn, but the local hardware store doesn't consult me regarding how they operate. This is my business, my home, and my little world. Not sure I would want to open it up to parent suggestions or input. If I were to solicit that input, it should be my choice, not mandated.

In my state, you HAVE to be licensed. There is no such thing as legally unlicensed. I have expressed my disgust with the licensing process in my state before, so I won't repeat myself.

As far as these 2 regulations go (personal electronics, parent involvement)....I would not be able to abide by these rules.

[bunnyslippers]

I would never allow the State to entertain any aspect of what electronics I use and when. This is my house and I pay the bills. None of their beeswax.

I would also NEVER have a parent advisory committee. The longest any of my current parents have been a parent is 4.5 years and some have been parents for a year or less. They don't have the experience as parents or the education to advise me in business or child care. One of my 13 parents has experience and education in early child care. I know enough to run things by her when I need some advise.

In my 20 years of home child care I have only had a small handful of parents who have had either experience or education that I could rely upon to make decisions. I wouldn't want to be obligated to take advice or even consider advice from the vast majority of clients.

I have had excellent parents over my two decades of doing this but very few could sit in that seat. They are not experienced in child care, group child care, or the child care business.

I fly the friendly skies but I have no business being on an airline advisory committee. I couldn't offer anything to their business.

[Country Kids]

I would never allow the State to entertain any aspect of what electronics I use and when. This is my house and I pay the bills. None of their beeswax.

I would also NEVER have a parent advisory committee. The longest any of my current parents have been a parent is 4.5 years and some have been parents for a year or less. They don't have the experience as parents or the education to advise me in business or child care. One of my 13 parents has experience and education in early child care. I know enough to run things by her when I need some advise.

In my 20 years of home child care I have only had a small handful of parents who have had either experience or education that I could rely upon to make decisions. I wouldn't want to be obligated to take advice or even consider advice from the vast majority of clients.

I have had excellent parents over my two decades of doing this but very few could sit in that seat. They are not experienced in child care, group child care, or the child care business.

I fly the friendly skies but I have no business being on an airline advisory committee. I couldn't offer anything to their business.

I have always had TONS of parents that were teachers or worked somehow in the classroom (anywhere from Kindergarten/up to special needs to headstart). I usually have 2-3 families that are in the field of education. For next year, I have a teacher already on my waiting list and that will bump me up with another teacher family. The principal of my sons school was actually a client of mine when hers were little.

I guess with all the teachers they would be able to give me insight on what I need to really do to have these kiddos ready for kindergarten since we are also on the push for kindergarten readiness.

Unlike you Nan, some of my families actually have children older then mine (I have college age children) but also they have children down to newborns. So they even trump my years of doing childcare and having children.

[Country Kids]

I agree with this. I can see checking email (for prospective client inquiries! and/or updating parents, invoicing etc), planning lessons, going here, planning meals (and looking for new recipes, etc), record-keeping, uploading photos, maintaining a website or daycare facebook page...I would also think you *can* listen to the radio/Pandora/CDs/etc during the day if it's daycare-related (and you can call it part of your diversity programming if you listen to different stuff--in fact it's good for kids to be exposed to music from different genres and cultures. and if you're listening on an iPod with one earbud in during naptime, you're doing research to develop a kid-friendly playlist....

and for the parent involvement I agree that it is a stretch to get parents *that* involved in our business. But perhaps it counts if you were to get them to donate materials or something? Or hand out surveys with a disclaimer that any information obtained may or may not be used?

We already have to hand out surveys annually (I will probably do this when I update all my contracts/PHB). No disclaimers will be allowed I'm sure on those. Ours "STARS" will also be based on how many hand the surveys back in and how the parents rate us.

[SilverSabre25]

[/COLOR]

We already have to hand out surveys annually (I will probably do this when I update all my contracts/PHB). No disclaimers will be allowed I'm sure on those. Ours "STARS" will also be based on how many hand the surveys back in and how the parents rate us.

ick. i'm sorry. that really bites...

[Country Kids]

I am a One Star provider, and PROUD of it!!

For me, it makes zero difference whether I have ANY stars. I get my clients through newspaper ads and bulletin boards at the grocery store. They're not finding me through my local CCR&R, so an arbitrary rating system means nothing to them, or to me.

I'm NOT letting outsiders tell me what, when, how or why regarding how I run my program.

LOUD AND PROUD!! I am soooo against this system. (Can you tell???)

::

That's why I picked the above avatar.

I'm trying to volunter for it because I want to be a voice for providers. I'm very curious if this will work in an in home childcare or if its going to pretty much start making it to hard to do in home.

From my understanding, it needs to be set up more like a Head Start classroom. I honestly don't think they are going to be able to do that in homes and what about people that don't have a seperate area for this and do it in their livingrooms? I have toured many HS classrooms and they are in pretty large classrooms, nothing the size of a small playroom or livingroom that already has furniture in them.

I do have many things that HS classrooms have but I'm not able to set everything out at one time due to space issues. I do rotate toys but not sure what I will always need to leave out and what will be able to be rotated.

I haven't received clients for years from CCR&R but I've done it for so long, that I want clients to know:

I'm being a voice for providers/parents/children
I keep up with the changes of the childcare world
I do take my business seriously

Not saying but not doing this you wouldn't care about the above. Where I live though, there are probably 20 of us out of 60 providers that have done it over 10+ years. A few providers I know have done it well over 30 years but the majority would be 15-20 years. We are in this for the long haul, have seen the changes, and this is our livelyhood. In the last 5 years we had over 3000+ people laid off in a town of 20,000 so we have really had to work creatively in order to keep our businesses open. I'm one of the fortunate ones that has stayed stable and haven't had a turnover but its could all go away tomorrow.

The proposed rules for Family Childcares that we were hit with last week is another example. The Childcare Union is in an uproar it sounds like over those. I'm thinking CCR&R's/the Union/Childcare providers were blindsided with the proposed changes. No one seemed to know they were coming and how can that happen? When your CCR&R's/the union do not know about proposed changes before the information is sent out, somethings wrong.

Sorry this became so long- I kept thinking about everything and just kept typing. I support those that don't want to do this and understand why. Like I said though, I'm wanting to be a voice for those that might/can't do this and help them be able to keep going in the business.

[Heidi]

I'm trying to volunter for it because I want to be a voice for providers. I'm very curious if this will work in an in home childcare or if its going to pretty much start making it to hard to do in home.

From my understanding, it needs to be set up more like a Head Start classroom. I honestly don't think they are going to be able to do that in homes and what about people that don't have a seperate area for this and do it in their livingrooms? I have toured many HS classrooms and they are in pretty large classrooms, nothing the size of a small playroom or livingroom that already has furniture in them.

I do have many things that HS classrooms have but I'm not able to set everything out at one time due to space issues. I do rotate toys but not sure what I will always need to leave out and what will be able to be rotated.

I haven't received clients for years from CCR&R but I've done it for so long, that I want clients to know:

I'm being a voice for providers/parents/children
I keep up with the changes of the childcare world
I do take my business seriously

Not saying but not doing this you wouldn't care about the above. Where I live though, there are probably 20 of us out of 60 providers that have done it over 10+ years. A few providers I know have done it well over 30 years but the majority would be 15-20 years. We are in this for the long haul, have seen the changes, and this is our livelyhood. In the last 5 years we had over 3000+ people laid off in a town of 20,000 so we have really had to work creatively in order to keep our businesses open. I'm one of the fortunate ones that has stayed stable and haven't had a turnover but its could all go away tomorrow.

The proposed rules for Family Childcares that we were hit with last week is another example. The Childcare Union is in an uproar it sounds like over those. I'm thinking CCR&R's/the Union/Childcare providers were blindsided with the proposed changes. No one seemed to know they were coming and how can that happen? When your CCR&R's/the union do not know about proposed changes before the information is sent out, somethings wrong.

Sorry this became so long- I kept thinking about everything and just kept typing. I support those that don't want to do this and understand why. Like I said though, I'm wanting to be a voice for those that might/can't do this and help them be able to keep going in the business.

[Lyss]

I'm trying to volunter for it because I want to be a voice for providers. I'm very curious if this will work in an in home childcare or if its going to pretty much start making it to hard to do in home.

From my understanding, it needs to be set up more like a Head Start classroom. I honestly don't think they are going to be able to do that in homes and what about people that don't have a seperate area for this and do it in their livingrooms? I have toured many HS classrooms and they are in pretty large classrooms, nothing the size of a small playroom or livingroom that already has furniture in them.

I do have many things that HS classrooms have but I'm not able to set everything out at one time due to space issues. I do rotate toys but not sure what I will always need to leave out and what will be able to be rotated.

I haven't received clients for years from CCR&R but I've done it for so long, that I want clients to know:

I'm being a voice for providers/parents/children. I keep up with the changes of the childcare world I do take my business seriously

Not saying but not doing this you wouldn't care about the above. Where I live though, there are probably 20 of us out of 60 providers that have done it over 10+ years. A few providers I know have done it well over 30 years but the majority would be 15-20 years. We are in this for the long haul, have seen the changes, and this is our livelyhood. In the last 5 years we had over 3000+ people laid off in a town of 20,000 so we have really had to work creatively in order to keep our businesses open. I'm one of the fortunate ones that has stayed stable and haven't had a turnover but its could all go away tomorrow.

The proposed rules for Family Childcares that we were hit with last week is another example. The Childcare Union is in an uproar it sounds like over those. I'm thinking CCR&R's/the Union/Childcare providers were blindsided with the proposed changes. No one seemed to know they were coming and how can that happen? When your CCR&R's/the union do not know about proposed changes before the information is sent out, somethings wrong.

Sorry this became so long- I kept thinking about everything and just kept typing. I support those that don't want to do this and understand why. Like I said though, I'm wanting to be a voice for those that might/can't do this and help them be able to keep going in the business.

I think its important to stay ontop of it or one day we'll wake up and be stomped all over by the state.

I agree that they want everything to look like head start and I know there are something's I can not do. I have a small group and part of my "niche" or whatever is that I keep a home like setting for the kids. Granted most the time I feel like my house looks like a daycare not a home :: and yes I have play areas, different "centers" (if I had to claim them as such, which I will with labels and so on), children's furniture, art....but realistically I'm no where near looking like head start. I don't want to be head start and my DCPs aren't looking for head start.

We need people like you to be involved in the beginning stages so that information gets passed to other providers and back to the state. They seem to have unrealistic expectations for FCC vs a Center.

[Heidi]

I think its important to stay ontop of it or one day we'll wake up and be stomped all over by the state.

I agree that they want everything to look like head start and I know there are something's I can not do. I have a small group and part of my "niche" or whatever is that I keep a home like setting for the kids. Granted most the time I feel like my house looks like a daycare not a home :: and yes I have play areas, different "centers" (if I had to claim them as such, which I will with labels and so on), children's furniture, art....but realistically I'm no where near looking like head start. I don't want to be head start and my DCPs aren't looking for head start.

We need people like you to be involved in the beginning stages so that information gets passed to other providers and back to the state. They seem to have unrealistic expectations for FCC vs a Center.

We've had a lot of similar issues here. As NanDe pointed out, the people who write these guidelines (such as FCCER's, which our state uses as part of Youngstar), have NEVER done family childcare. They are university people who work in preschool labs for their "hands on" training.

It's wierd, because the ICCER's attempt to make Family childcar more like center care...with interest areas and labels, etc, while they attempt to make center care more like family care with concepts like making sure you have "soft areas" and "spaces for privacy" (but not too private).

No one who writes these guidelines has actually worked in a home, with multiple aged children, by themselves. It's a whole different ballgame, baby!

As I said in another post yesterday, there is a provider in Madison with almost 40 years experience, who has TAUGHT countless classes over the years and written the curriculum for those courses. But, because she doesn't have a degree in ECE, she cannot be more than a 2-star program. She has chosen not to participate...and we're pretty disgusted on her behalf!

[nannyde]

I have always had TONS of parents that were teachers or worked somehow in the classroom (anywhere from Kindergarten/up to special needs to headstart). I usually have 2-3 families that are in the field of education. For next year, I have a teacher already on my waiting list and that will bump me up with another teacher family. The principal of my sons school was actually a client of mine when hers were little.

I guess with all the teachers they would be able to give me insight on what I need to really do to have these kiddos ready for kindergarten since we are also on the push for kindergarten readiness.

Unlike you Nan, some of my families actually have children older then mine (I have college age children) but also they have children down to newborns. So they even trump my years of doing childcare and having children.

I have only worked for two teachers in twenty years. It's financially a bust for me to do teachers kids.

When I say education... I don't mean an education in education. I don't run a developmentally appropriate program and don't do an educational program.

When I say education... I mean specifically in growth and development... business... marketing etc.