Do You Have Help?

[Laurel]

I am wondering how many people watch children and have assistants or some type of help from another person.

Do you have a full time assistant, part-time, help for a few hours a day or week, help only on field trips or with special projects, cleaning help, etc.

I have mostly done it all myself but for a few years had a home schooled neighbor come 2 or 3 days a week for 2 hours a day. That was great. She started when she was 12 and then went to traditional high school and helped some in the summer and even in college off and on.

That was very part time but still nice.

It just seems so many have help here and except for her it had never even occurred to me to get some. Wouldn't have paid me but still.... So anyway, just wondering. She came to me. I didn't seek her out. I thought "Hey, that is a great idea!"

Laurel

[MotherNature]

no, but I only have 3 kids, with a 4th to start in winter, & one of those is my 2.5 yr old. My older son will help when he's home from school. He goes to a residential boarding high school attached to a college an hr away & is a senior. He comes home when college is closed for extended weekends and holidays. My husband is als home at 4, so he'll help as well.

[LK5kids]

I can't stand being so cooped up and have someone starting soon for just a few hours a week so I can get out a little.

[Maria2013]

I would love help just to have someone (older) to interact with::::
..but I wouldn't know who to trust, I've heard stories from other providers that hired the wrong people and when they fired them those ex employees caused all kinds of problems, calling DHS, the dkf and false accusing them allover the net ..I don't need this, I can handle the job perfectly on my own

[TheGoodLife]

I can't stand being so cooped up and have someone starting soon for just a few hours a week so I can get out a little.

Can I ask how you got your help? I'm thinking about trying to hire help in the chance we have another baby and I want more of a "maternity leave" but not sure how to do so!

[Texasjeepgirl]

In 21 years ..
The only people I've ever had assist me are daycare mom's.
A mom that is a college student...so she has certain days she is not in class... things like that.
Then I would only use them if I needed to make a doctor appointment...and I would try to schedule it for naptime so all they had to do was watch them breath and make sure the house didn't burn down.
Five years ago, my daughter's best friend from high school, pregnant... single..working full time at the local family owned grocery store up the street... needed childcare for the new baby..
and was going to be on childcare assistance program.
I offered to let her work for me in the daycare.. 1 day per week.. Wednesday.. her day off from the grocery store.
It helped her offset her PARENT FEE...
I worked with her side by side for 1 full year before I would leave her unattended...
Her son is 4 now... she works 3 Wednesday's 1 off...
The other daycare parents know her and trust her. The children know her, trust her, love her.
Some weeks I make appointments... nails.. hair... foot doctor ... (old lady daycare feet) some weeks I just step in to my laundry room and catch up on ironing... and listen to my ipod....
Now and then we have to have a 'tune up' on things.. nothing major..
I'm just very OCD about mopping my floor with wash cloths after every meal.. and she was slacking on that... Wasn't bagging the diaper trash at the end of the day.. wasn't washing the cups in bleachy water...
I'd leave for an appointment..
Arrive back after closing time.. and have an hour of clean up work to do.. I wasn't loving that.. but I have her on track now...
I have no idea what I'll do when her son leaves for school...
:confused:
CRY

[MsLaura529]

I am just now hiring an assistant/sub for my daycare. She is someone that I know personally (interviewed a couple others who replied to my ad, but it wasn't going to work with them). She will only be coming in 2 or 3 mornings a month so that I can help out with taking my daughter to preschool and going on field trips with her. I am SO excited!! Haha.

[blandino]

We have a large license, which requires two adults present.

We also have help who comes in 3 afternoons a week, from 3-close, so that we can schedule dr. Appt's or leave to run errands. Our part-time help is in college, so we work around her schedule.

[Blackcat31]

I do not have help....other than my DH who comes in for lunch daily. There are times he can't make it due to his own workload but for the most part he comes in everyday and helps out with lunch time.

Once we get the kids fed and down for rest time, he and I eat our lunch together.

I care for 10 children (ages 1-4) every day. We are legally allowed to have 10 with NO assistant.

Once you get a good routine going, it's all good.

[Play Care]

I am wondering how many people watch children and have assistants or some type of help from another person.

Do you have a full time assistant, part-time, help for a few hours a day or week, help only on field trips or with special projects, cleaning help, etc.

I have mostly done it all myself but for a few years had a home schooled neighbor come 2 or 3 days a week for 2 hours a day. That was great. She started when she was 12 and then went to traditional high school and helped some in the summer and even in college off and on.

That was very part time but still nice.

It just seems so many have help here and except for her it had never even occurred to me to get some. Wouldn't have paid me but still.... So anyway, just wondering. She came to me. I didn't seek her out. I thought "Hey, that is a great idea!"

Laurel

The first few years I was opened I did it all myself. And it was very hard! My first assistant was okay, nice to the kids, but didn't take direction well. I got smart and picky. My last two have been AMAZING! Having them allows me to make appointments, volunteer in my own kid's classrooms, or just catch a break in my 11 hour work day. Having done it both ways, I won't go back. Now, mine are only here when I need them and are no where near full time.

Just today I had a dentist appointment and stopped for coffee afterwards by *myself* that didn't stink at all

[Laurel]

I can't stand being so cooped up and have someone starting soon for just a few hours a week so I can get out a little.

That would make me nervous. I'd want to be in the house. Even when I go to a doctor's appointment with my husband watching them (he is my legal sub), I make my appointment for their nap time. I just feel like I should be there.

My provider friend has someone watch hers while she goes out so I'm not against it but it just wouldn't make being out enjoyable for me cause I'd be worrying if something is going on back home.

Laurel

[Laurel]

I would love help just to have someone (older) to interact with::::
..but I wouldn't know who to trust, I've heard stories from other providers that hired the wrong people and when they fired them those ex employees caused all kinds of problems, calling DHS, the dkf and false accusing them allover the net ..I don't need this, I can handle the job perfectly on my own

Oh I know that was great when my helper came. She was 12 going on 20.

I even liked when my granddaughter who will be 8 next week came this summer. I had someone who could actually hold a conversation with me. ::

Laurel

[Maria2013]

We are legally allowed to have 10 with NO assistant.

I'm moving to your state!::

[Laurel]

In 21 years ..
The only people I've ever had assist me are daycare mom's.
A mom that is a college student...so she has certain days she is not in class... things like that.
Then I would only use them if I needed to make a doctor appointment...and I would try to schedule it for naptime so all they had to do was watch them breath and make sure the house didn't burn down.
Five years ago, my daughter's best friend from high school, pregnant... single..working full time at the local family owned grocery store up the street... needed childcare for the new baby..
and was going to be on childcare assistance program.
I offered to let her work for me in the daycare.. 1 day per week.. Wednesday.. her day off from the grocery store.
It helped her offset her PARENT FEE...
I worked with her side by side for 1 full year before I would leave her unattended...
Her son is 4 now... she works 3 Wednesday's 1 off...
The other daycare parents know her and trust her. The children know her, trust her, love her.
Some weeks I make appointments... nails.. hair... foot doctor ... (old lady daycare feet) some weeks I just step in to my laundry room and catch up on ironing... and listen to my ipod....
Now and then we have to have a 'tune up' on things.. nothing major..
I'm just very OCD about mopping my floor with wash cloths after every meal.. and she was slacking on that... Wasn't bagging the diaper trash at the end of the day.. wasn't washing the cups in bleachy water...
I'd leave for an appointment..
Arrive back after closing time.. and have an hour of clean up work to do.. I wasn't loving that.. but I have her on track now...
I have no idea what I'll do when her son leaves for school...
:confused:
CRY

We have to have a legal sub per licensing but it is more or less a useless rule. For most of us it is a husband or grown children or a neighbor but they have jobs too. In an emergency, I don't see how they could be 'on call' anyway.

My husband watches them if I have an appointment but that is not often at all. I try to make my appointments on Saturday or after hours. I could also just close but I don't. I also leave him with them at nap time. It is just easier all the way around. He would do fine with them though.

Laurel

[melilley]

I wish! I can only have up to 6 kids by myself and one is my own so it wouldn't do me any good financially to pay someone to come over.
Well I do have my sister who is qualified to come over and take over for me if I need, and I call her my "assistant" but I only have her come if I have an appointment or if one of my kids has an appointment and my dh can't take them. And she is a RN and my sis so I totally trust her to be here.

Here, anyone who watched the kids except in an extreme emergency has to be qualified in order to be here if I am not. That means background checks, fingerprinted, cpr (every year), first aid (every 3 years), 6 hours of training a year, blood borne pathogen and shaken baby syndrome trained (can't think of what else right now) needs to be done.