Maybe It's Just Me...

[bklsmum]

Maybe I give the SA's too much credit. I mean it's not like they've been coming here for a year and the early morning rule of look at books or lay down, don't play with the toys has been in place the whole entire time...oh wait...yes they have been coming here a year and yes it has been in place the whole time. I'm a little baffled as to why they can't seem to remember the rule. Could it be that they just enjoy having to sit at the kitchen table? Is it the weekend yet?::

[melskids]

Just curious....how early is early?

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Do you use mats or cots? Could you place the mats or cots near you wherever you are?

I open early and place the early kids cots in the kitchen with me while I eat/drink a cup of coffee. Mine come 45 minutes before I open but they have the choice to lay down or read books on it. Some fall asleep and some just read and relax.

[Unregistered]

Why can't they play with the toys? How old are they? My 7 year old still plays with his toys or goes out in the yard to play on the playground equipment before school. I think its kind of mean that they aren't allowed to play. As long as they play nicely and put the stuff back its not a big deal.

[Play Care]

Why can't they play with the toys? How old are they? My 7 year old still plays with his toys or goes out in the yard to play on the playground equipment before school. I think its kind of mean that they aren't allowed to play. As long as they play nicely and put the stuff back its not a big deal.

One of the reasons I stopped doing before school care is that the kids were waaaaaay too wild- and this was when it was my regular opening time. I can *completly* understand why a provider might have that rule in place when having multiple school aged children in her home before school - especially if "early" means some ungodly hour to accommodate parents work schedules.

[bklsmum]

I open at 5 am and the SAs do not ever clean up after themselves and get way too wild. They are 6, 7, 9 and 12 and whenever it has been time to clean up they suddenly have to go to the bathroom or there's homework they forgot that just has to get done before school. I tried a month of letting them play before school in mid fall and it was nothing but problems so we went back to no toys taken out until after 9. Before 9 is laying down, reading and breakfast.

[TwinKristi]

Yeah I don't let my own kids play with toys in the morning unless they've done with everything else and are ready to go which is right before 8. I have DCKs here just after 7 and they play quietly or we watch a cartoon until everyone is up and ready to go.

[Blackcat31]

I open at 5 am and the SAs do not ever clean up after themselves and get way too wild. They are 6, 7, 9 and 12 and whenever it has been time to clean up they suddenly have to go to the bathroom or there's homework they forgot that just has to get done before school. I tried a month of letting them play before school in mid fall and it was nothing but problems so we went back to no toys taken out until after 9. Before 9 is laying down, reading and breakfast.

I don't take SA'ers anymore but when I did, I required them to bring a book and read in the morning before school.

If they didn't read then they could rest.

I didn't allow them to play with the toys because I didn't take out the SA toys and materials until after school and the ones out in the mornings were for the NON-SA kids and the SA'ers weren't allowed to play with the little kids' toys for various reasons.