What Is The Longest You Have Had A Family?

[daycarediva]

If I hadn't moved, it would be longer, but I moved 4 years ago.

1 client has been here the entire 4 years. Got him at 3, and he is 7 now. I age them out at 8, or whenever they outgrow my program. Getting little sister in the fall/winter.

[Blackcat31]

21 years

I got the older brother at 2 weeks, younger sister at 3 days. I kept the kids until they got their driver's licenses @ 17. Dad would drop her off on his way to work and I would take her to school. I would pick her up from school and Dad would pick her up on his way home from work.

I know I don't know you in real life but you have a bigger heart than anyone I know in both the real world and the cyber world.

lovethis lovethis lovethis lovethis lovethis

[Lucy]

I have a boy now who has been here since he was an infant. He's 10 1/2 in 5th grade, and will likely stay through 6th grade, so he'll be almost 12. His sister is with me too... since infancy. She's 6, and will likely stay a long time also.

Up until about 3 years ago, I had a girl who I had from infant who stayed until she was 12.

Next longest is about 8 years. I have long-term more often than short. Love it.

[JenNJ]

5 years in May. I opened just over 5 years ago. They were my first family to sign on full time. Dcg and my dd are best friends and will go through school together so I will have her until she is 12 or so.

[snbauser]

I would guess 7 years. But I don't do school agers so that is 2 kids from that family.

[SilverSabre25]

i can't even compete :: i've been open for four years now and had a family that was with me for three years. They were my second ever family, starting 2 weeks after I opened.

[MotherNature]

Almost a year. I've only been open for a yr and a half and have an extremely low ratio. I termed the first family that had been here almost a year, and then one family quit after 6 mos. b/c they didn't apparently read my handbook & vacation policies. Finally, I have one terming themself in a couple weeks, b/c dcm is going on maternity leave for 9 mos and keeping dcg home w/ her. So that leaves me w/ one child who started 2 mos ago, and I have an interview next week.

[dalman]

Sixteen years and counting. The youngest is now nine and still in care and I can't imagine her leaving. This family has become like family to us with all that we have been through together through the years. All of my families age out or move out of state. I am always full and have a waiting list. I'm not the cheapest but I love my kiddos.

[mom2many]

I have 2 families currently that have been with me the longest.

One is 8 years- dcg started with me at 3 and is now 11.

The other 9 years- dcb started with me at 11 months and is now 10. I recently started to watch his 5 month old baby sister too.

I love having long term clients! happyface

[Childminder]

Does second generations count? Had the dad from birth till 10 and his children till the oldest was fourteen. She is now 18 so potentially we might see third!

[Unregistered]

Most of my families have arrived as infants and left at prek or kindergarten. I have families who graduate, are gone a year and arrive with a new infant.

Even though this is a huge compliment I still find it shockingly surprising that parents have such a disregard for the bond created. I find it so heart wrenching to say goodbye - I don't believe you can do this job and not just fall in love. From bottles to solids, crawling to riding a bike through preparing them for kindergarten- all of my children are at or above kindergarten readiness. The bond is So entirely different than grade school years- it's so sad when parents don't see it. I spend more time with a child in a week than their own parents - never mind extended family. It is such an undervalued profession! It's the parents that act like are the paid maid that lead the good providers to find another profession.

[Unregistered]

I know I don't know you in real life but you have a bigger heart than anyone I know in both the real world and the cyber world.

lovethis lovethis lovethis lovethis lovethis

I think that's wonderful... Not sure where you live but I n MA most families leave when child reaches school age - substitute care provided for vaca weeks or 1/2 days but children don't typically go to daycare as teenagers. Most kids go from school to sports around 12. Also school districts provide very inexpensive after school care - children can participate in a club or do homework and parents pick up by 6 pm...

[sharlan]

I know I don't know you in real life but you have a bigger heart than anyone I know in both the real world and the cyber world.

lovethis lovethis lovethis lovethis lovethis

Parents paid full rate all the way through.

These are our "adopted grandkids". The boy, 23, went to the boat show with my dh a couple of weeks ago. The girl came over for dinner last week. The whole family comes over for holiday dinners.

What's interesting is I told the mom no about 4 times before I finally interviewed her. As soon as she walked through the door with this tiny blue bundle, I fell in love with him.

[Wubby]

Parents paid full rate all the way through.

These are our "adopted grandkids". The boy, 23, went to the boat show with my dh a couple of weeks ago. The girl came over for dinner last week. The whole family comes over for holiday dinners.

What's interesting is I told the mom no about 4 times before I finally interviewed her. As soon as she walked through the door with this tiny blue bundle, I fell in love with him.

I fully agree with you. My long terms feel like family. The 14 yr old ( had since 3 mos.) came over on Saturday, helped with yard work, stayed for dinner, and finally went home at 9 pm. He has gone to Disney (3 times) with us and to my son's graduation from boot camp.

I also have 2 little boys in care and their mom was in care at one time ( also my daughters best friend all through school).

So not only do we have long term care, but my kids and grandkids all have life long friends.