Spend Time With Your Kids!!

[proudmommyofthree]

Most of my clients are this way. I had one on maturnity leave who still brought her older child (3 years old) to daycare full time. Both parents were home, dad was on unemployment.

Well on dcg's birthday she was here ALL DAY!!! While both parents were home wih the new baby!!! I was so sad for this little girl. I just don't get parents sometimes.

[bunnyslippers]

I have no patience for this, either. I have too many stories of parents who can't get away from their children fast enough. For most of my kids, after the time they are with me and various babysitters, I have more time with them then their parents do during any given week.

My own brother and s-i-l put my nephew - he is 20 months - into daycare everyday from 7:30-6:00. In a recent discussion, my brother actually told me that he prefers his method of parenting to mine. His reasoning was that "Nephew gets his own space, and gets to do his own thing while we are at work. I like that other people are teaching him things during the day and helping us to raise him." I was sad to hear it. He really, truly thinks that other people can raise his little baby better than he and his wife.

My neighbor takes every Friday off from April-June, and works in his yard while I watch his DD. He never even looks over and waves, and she can SEE HIM when we are in the yard playing. As soon as I close for the summer and his wife is home with DD for the full week - the dude never takes another Friday off, until school starts again.

I have a little girl here who has a list of SIX different people who may pick her up or drop her off on any given day. Any person that her parents can pawn her off on, they will. Her parents just took a 4 day mini-vacation without the kids. They took Monday off, so they could recuperate at home. Yup, their daughter was here, for her full day and scheduled time. It broke my heart! Didn't they miss her?!??! Pick her up an hour early, for goodness sake. Take her to the PARK! This same couple have a child in kindergarten. He goes to a before and after school program - 7:00-6:00 every single day. The mother works only M-TH, and she only works from 8:00-2:30. She just sends her kids off to programs, so she can have "me time."

It is a sad trend, but a very common and popular one. I am going back to work in the fall, as a school teacher. My husband and I are working very hard to keep my little one's day in full-day preschool as short as possible. I will be taking every opportunity to spend as much time with both my kids as I can.

[Willow]

lmm - no one ever believes me when I say I've never once had a babysitter come watch my kids or dropped them off with someone other than immediate family.......it's sad to me that that taking care of your own is such a foreign concept to so many.....

[crazydaycarelady]

I have pretty good parents right now but I have had this happen a lot over the years. I think with parents working so much having the kids is not their norm so it feels like work to them. To them a "real" day off does not include their kids.

[bunnyslippers]

lmm - no one ever believes me when I say I've never once had a babysitter come watch my kids or dropped them off with someone other than immediate family.......it's sad to me that that taking care of your own is such a foreign concept to so many.....

I never have, either. If my mother or mother-in-law can't watch my babies, then I am not going anywhere! We are pretty hands-on. The only time they get dropped anywhere is for school. I have never missed an activity, party or show they are participating in. The saddest day I have ever had is when I was hospitalized and had to miss my son's t-ball game. I cried ALL DAY.

[wdmmom]

The clients I have stay home with their kids on days off...with the exception of being sick.

I've noticed a common trend lately....If dcm is home sick, the kids still come to daycare.

I nipped that one in the bud right away.

I tell my families right off the bat that in order to keep my rates what they are, they are required to keep them home on days off, errands, shopping, hair appointments, etc. The only time I will agree to watch them is for doctor appointments or funerals and that is only if advance notice is given and there is room.

[williams2008]

ALL of my clients are this way.

[EAP]

My biggest offenders are people with jobs that are shorter weeks or teachers - I actually just ran a report and the teachers kids are here the most - the kid here the least is one that both parents work full-time 5 days a week and spend every second they can with the kid - they even come visit for lunch.

[CedarCreek]

Same here. If my parents aren't available or my sister, we stay home.

[MyAngels]

I've been pretty lucky over the years and have not really run into this often. One of my current dck's parents have started doing this lately and it baffles me since they didn't do it with their older daughter. The younger one is more of a handful, so maybe that's why.

I assume times must be changing in regard to this. I always had my kids with me anytime I wasn't working when they were younger, but that was many years ago (though I wouldn't be any different today come to think of it).

[AmyKidsCo]

I don't mind, as long as it's not excessive. I totally understand wanting an afternoon alone at home or running errands without children - I want time by myself too and find errands faster without my children too. But when it's all the time I think it's too much.

[bunnyslippers]

I don't mind, as long as it's not excessive. I totally understand wanting an afternoon alone at home or running errands without children - I want time by myself too and find errands faster without my children too. But when it's all the time I think it's too much.

I thiink once in a while is fine. I have also found that it is a slippery slope. Once parents get that taste of freedom and personal time, they take it more and more often!

[Oneluckymom]

I don't tolerate that crap. I'm very upfront in my interviews about it.

Just curious....what and how do you tell them you don't tolerate it? I agree.

[QualiTcare]

I've noticed a common trend lately....If dcm is home sick, the kids still come to daycare.

I nipped that one in the bud right away.

Depending on how sick mom is, I don't think that's unreasonable.

I have been so ill before, it was a challenge to get up and make a bottle.

Moms do get the flu, viruses that make them vomit, etc. I don't know why it would offend anyone to help take care of a child while mom recovers.

[EAP]

This is all.the.time - one kid is here 5 days a week no matter what and a parent is home none day a week every week (and home on weekends). The other one is spending all of the parents vacation week with me - and it is souring the relationship, I get having stuff to do but 5 days of stuff? 9 hours a day? Really?