Spin Off From Parents Thread

[Lyss]

I transport but I, like momofboys, only have a small crew of DCKs.

Personally I go stir crazy being at the house all the time and I love field trips too! Heck we're out and about with DD every weekend doing something because that's just our personalities, we don't like to be home all day. Not to say you can't have fun at home, because you totally can and we do!!

I fully understand why people wouldn't want to transport. I also I don't think field trips make a program any better or worse, just different.

I don't think anyone bashed providers who transport. The whole thread was about transporting without permission, THAT is what the "bashing" was about.

All the issues/bashing were over the lack of consent and contract policies.

[sharlan]

I totally respect the fact that we are all different. We all run our daycares differently. I do what works best for me and that is to get the kids out.

I will never again take a child who's parent refuses to sign a waiver/consent form. I did that once years ago. I had to call the parent if we went into the front yard to play. It was a miserable experience for all.

When my kids were in daycare 30 years ago, I hated the fact that they were stuck inside a house all day long with nowhere to go. I vowed that we would go lots of places when I started my daycare. I enjoy taking my kids out and about. We go to many of the same places that Michelle goes to.

I find that "I" get crabby when I am stuck at home 24/7. If I'm crabby, you can bet that all the kids are too.

I am very upfront with all of my parents. I tell them from the very beginning of the interview that I do not stay home. I remind them throughout the interview that we go on frequent outings. (My ads state the same thing.) Most trips are scheduled, but many are last minute. I will always text or call if we are leaving the area, but I don't always text or call if we are going locally. I like to go out to lunch at a restaurant once a week or so. I load up the kids and off we go.

Constant head counts are second nature to me. The kids know to do head counts when we get in the car, when we get out of the car, during our outings. It's second nature to them, too.

I've taken many of my daycare kids on camping trips, both tent and rv. I try to give them experiences that they do not get at home. I've taken former daycare kids on out of state vacations - one to Texas, one to Arizona, one to Nevada/Utah, and even one to Hawaii.

To providers who are overly concerned about taking kids out, I respect that you understand your limitations and don't do it.

[Michelle]

I totally respect the fact that we are all different. We all run our daycares differently. I do what works best for me and that is to get the kids out.

I will never again take a child who's parent refuses to sign a waiver/consent form. I did that once years ago. I had to call the parent if we went into the front yard to play. It was a miserable experience for all.

When my kids were in daycare 30 years ago, I hated the fact that they were stuck inside a house all day long with nowhere to go. I vowed that we would go lots of places when I started my daycare. I enjoy taking my kids out and about. We go to many of the same places that Michelle goes to.

I find that "I" get crabby when I am stuck at home 24/7. If I'm crabby, you can bet that all the kids are too.

I am very upfront with all of my parents. I tell them from the very beginning of the interview that I do not stay home. I remind them throughout the interview that we go on frequent outings. (My ads state the same thing.) Most trips are scheduled, but many are last minute. I will always text or call if we are leaving the area, but I don't always text or call if we are going locally. I like to go out to lunch at a restaurant once a week or so. I load up the kids and off we go.

Constant head counts are second nature to me. The kids know to do head counts when we get in the car, when we get out of the car, during our outings. It's second nature to them, too.

I've taken many of my daycare kids on camping trips, both tent and rv. I try to give them experiences that they do not get at home. I've taken former daycare kids on out of state vacations - one to Texas, one to Arizona, one to Nevada/Utah, and even one to Hawaii.

To providers who are overly concerned about taking kids out, I respect that you understand your limitations and don't do it.

very well said!
I was not given the gift of wording things right I guess...
sorry everyone:confused:

[Sugar Magnolia]

I own and operate a really nice center, and the center-bashing stuff just is NOT NICE. We are not all "cookie cutter" places who feed and change and send them home sad and bored. Gimme a break! That comment really offended me. Not everyone on this forum is a home daycare, and to imply that those of us operating a center DON'T treat our students as "special and unique" is pretty insulting.

[sharlan]

Sugar, I really hope you weren't think I was bashing centers.

I am "pro-home" because that's what I operate. I have seen a lot of bad home daycares. Heck, I think my kids went to every single one that was in business 30 years ago. That doesn't mean that I am "anti-centers".

Sadly, we are in competition here. There are way too many daycare homes and centers in my area. The competition is fierce. The local schools charge $35 per WEEK for after school care. That comes out to about $1.70 an hour. Parents are encouraged to not pick their kids up before 6:30.

My grandkids went to a less than desirable center, one I called licensing on twice, to no avail. My grandson got in trouble last week for refusing to spell his name right. The problem is he was right and the teacher was wrong. You would think they would get it right after 3 years.

I am losing one of my all-time favorite babies within the next month to a center. It's like her mom said, neither situation is perfect for her needs so she has to go with the one that will work best for all of her kids (1 1/2, , 4 & 5), plus her and her dh. The center is literally across the street from their home. I'm 10 miles away.

I do what works best for me. I don't like staying locked up in the house 24/7, so I don't. My neighbors across the street never, ever take the kids outside for a walk. That's what works best for them.

[Sugar Magnolia]

I

This is one of the things that family daycare is all about.
If you don't want your child apart of a wonderful family and to be treated like a unique and special part of someones family.. then get a nanny or put them in a cookie cutter center.. at the center , they will get their diapers changed, be fed, and come home with crafts but I have seen the sad look in kids eyes that come from these type of places... but they won't transport your kid and you can rest assured he will not be in a car crash. :

Not at all sharlan! I was referring to the op's quote above. Typical sweeping generalization.........

[Michelle]

Not at all sharlan! I was referring to the op's quote above. Typical sweeping generalization.........

I was referring to what I have seen personally, heard personally from parents,and the book..."Doing Time"

[littlemissmuffet]

I would never allow my daughter to be transported by a daycare. EVER! Not only because I couldn't guarantee the carseat was used properly or the chance of an accident - but also, how often we hear about children being left in vehicals... by childcare providers.
But, then again, I wouldn't trust having my daughter in a daycare to begin with, which is why I started childcare (haha)!

I don't think parents should be judged for allowing kids to be transported, or be judged for not allowing kids to be transported. And I don't think providers should be judges for transporting/not transporting either. I do think that a parent who will not concent to transporting should NEVER choose a provider who does transport; and likewise, a provider who transports should never take on a family who doesn't give permission for transporting.

I only transport kiddos on the city bus, or walking - and we do all kinds of fun outings. However, that's just an occasional bonus to my daycare - I don't think it is at all necessary for daycares to bring kids on outings/field trips.

[Michelle]

I would never allow my daughter to be transported by a daycare. EVER! Not only because I couldn't guarantee the carseat was used properly or the chance of an accident - but also, how often we hear about children being left in vehicals... by childcare providers.
But, then again, I wouldn't trust having my daughter in a daycare to begin with, which is why I started childcare (haha)!

I don't think parents should be judged for allowing kids to be transported, or be judged for not allowing kids to be transported. And I don't think providers should be judges for transporting/not transporting either. I do think that a parent who will not concent to transporting should NEVER choose a provider who does transport; and likewise, a provider who transports should never take on a family who doesn't give permission for transporting.

I only transport kiddos on the city bus, or walking - and we do all kinds of fun outings. However, that's just an occasional bonus to my daycare - I don't think it is at all necessary for daycares to bring kids on outings/field trips.

I city bus would concern me more than a baby buckled up safely in a providers car.

[Sunshine74]

OT

I own and operate a really nice center, and the center-bashing stuff just is NOT NICE. We are not all "cookie cutter" places who feed and change and send them home sad and bored. Gimme a break! That comment really offended me. Not everyone on this forum is a home daycare, and to imply that those of us operating a center DON'T treat our students as "special and unique" is pretty insulting.

Thank you for saying this. I work at a center that my family has owned for my whole life (almost 30 years). Yes, there are some negatives to centers, and some bad ones, but there are also negatives to home daycares and not all of them (the home daycares) are good either.
__________________________________________________________

As far as transporting or not, just like everything else, the providers and parents need to be a good fit for each other. But if a provider agreed not to transport the child, it should not be done unless of an emergency.

ETA: should not instead of should

[Blackcat31]

I would never in a million years agree to have a child care provider transport my child anywhere. EVER.

I would find other child care if the provider required me to allow her to transport my child.

As a child care provider myself, I view my role as providing CARE to a child NOT providing them with outside experiences.

They have family and school for that.

I would NEVER want to assume the liability.

I also think that unless a car seat is installed in a providers vehicle and LEFT in the car, the provider is taking a HUGE risk by having to install and remove and then re-install that car seat properly each and every time.

Since car seats aren't meant to be installed and removed and reinstalled daily, it is just too much of a risk for me as a provider (and parent) to take.

fwiw~ This is MY personal opinion and NOT a dis to any provider or parent who allow/requires transportation.

[sharlan]

My carseats stay in my car. I take them out every few months to wash the pads and to vacuum the seats.

I respect those who prefer not to take the kids out. That's just not how I've always done things. I enjoy giving the kids experiences that their parents don't. (In the beginning, I had my kids and if I wanted to take them somewhere, I had to wait until the weekend or take the daycare. I opted for taking the daycare kids. After my kids were grown, I've had my grandkids for the past 18 years.)

I find that parents either like what I have to offer - outings - and choose my daycare, or they don't want their kids taken out on outings and move on to the next provider. I can honestly say that I only know of 2 families that chose not to use me based on my outings.

What I have found in my last few interviews was that the parents wanted a structured center environment with lots of academics on a home daycare price.

[Michelle]

I tend to go off into left field a lot.. the point I was intending to get across is... I have had some parents in the past that could care less that my child has a High School Graduation ceremony that night or an extremely important pre-op appt..... some parents only care about themselves...
I schedule all appointments after hours but that would be the one time a parent gets a flat tire or their relief doesn't show up.. so what would you do? forgo your child's surgery? miss your child's graduation? (in our city they can be between 4 pm - 7 pm and always on a week night..)
Miss your child's first and possibly only home run this season?
Our kids have to go through a lot... sharing their mom, home, privacy and we do this so we can be there for them... I sometimes get my daycare kids ready for their games so parents can pick up and go straight to their game .. why should I miss my own child's game when I can just drive them 2 blocks to the park and their parent can get them so I don't miss my baby hitting her first home run? Ever notice that your kid looks for you in the stands frequently? :hug:

For this year I have told all my parents the day and time of my dd graduation and I told them to make sure their back up can be called because all my assistants are my family and we will all be at the stadium... but if something crazy happens ... you bet I will take that baby with me!!! lovethis

[mom2many]

I tend to go off into left field a lot.. the point I was intending to get across is... I have had some parents in the past that could care less that my child has a High School Graduation ceremony that night or an extremely important pre-op appt..... some parents only care about themselves...
I schedule all appointments after hours but that would be the one time a parent gets a flat tire or their relief doesn't show up.. so what would you do? forgo your child's surgery? miss your child's graduation? (in our city they can be between 4 pm - 7 pm and always on a week night..)
Miss your child's first and possibly only home run this season?
Our kids have to go through a lot... sharing their mom, home, privacy and we do this so we can be there for them... I sometimes get my daycare kids ready for their games so parents can pick up and go straight to their game .. why should I miss my own child's game when I can just drive them 2 blocks to the park and their parent can get them so I don't miss my baby hitting her first home run? Ever notice that your kid looks for you in the stands frequently? :hug:

For this year I have told all my parents the day and time of my dd graduation and I told them to make sure their back up can be called because all my assistants are my family and we will all be at the stadium... but if something crazy happens ... you bet I will take that baby with me!!! lovethis

Oh I can so relate to this. When my own kids were growing up, I had a parent come late and I almost missed my oldest child's high school graduation. After that, I learned to take off the entire day or have all dcks picked up at noon.

I have had a few inconsiderate parents...late to pick up, so I could go to an ultrasound appt or get my own kids to an important event and had to term several families for this specific reason.

I agree 100% with the importance of being there for your own kids. Mine had to sacrifice me not being able to get to all of their activities, but there were definitely the deal breakers that I was NOT about to miss!

It was essential for me to make sure I took families that meshed well with the environment I had to offer.

Unfortunately we lived too far away for my own children to walk to school and they had no busses to take them. Parents signed up with me knowing that I would need to transport kids with me and it was never an issue.

[julie]

I transport, but I don't use a car. If we have a field trip that is not a walkable distance, we use public transportation. I disagree that in all instances it was less safe than driving. All of the drivers in my city have to have a different class of license to operate their vehicle. They have insurance and they are responsible for dozens of lives. I have never had an experience to date where a bus driver has been driving unsafely on our route. Whereas I was a new driver when I started my daycare and even years later do not feel comfortable driving a big group of kids myself, especially if they are not my own. So transportation by bus is the way I go.

I am absolutely upfront and honest with everyone that comes for an interview that we go on outings and quite a bit in the summertime and that is our method of transportation. Other outings I use my runabout and walk for quite a distance away as many of the great fun amenties are about 5km away. I know not everyone will like it. That is what works for me and so it is a huge dealbreaker if parents are not on board.

That said, I totally respect every parent's choice about whether to transport or not. If they don't want their child to go on field trips, then my place isn't the daycare for them. No hard feelings. Obviously there are many varieties of caregivers out there who all offer different things. I certainly don't think that I am providing more than another provider simply because I go off site. I do it because it is something that I like to do with the kids and it makes me more excited and inspired as a provider. Some other providers can stay home all the time and get inspired with the activities they offer at home. Neither is right nor wrong. Just different and generally there is a caregiver for every parenting style. I think it works.

I have only one family that I have accepted that isn't comfortable with transport and they are drop in. If they try to schedule a day that I am transporting, I just say this is what we're doing and they schedule a different day. He's a nice kid. I don't mind helping out their parents because they respect me enough to not tell me how to spend my day.