How Much Time Do You Spend Actively Playing...

[jen]

I take off my bra and shoes.

LOL! I guess its just me, but I am way more taken aback by this comment than what Nanny had to say! Yikes!

The rest is common sense...if you are a nanny it is your job to entertain the kids. You are making an increased amount of money to provide increased service.

If they are paying you essentially the same rate as a provider makes to watch several kids, to watch only their kids, they are doing so in the expectatin that, because you have limited children to care for, their child will recieve more attention. I believe that is the whole reason for choosing a Nanny over a daycare situation.

I believe that Nan has made it very clear that she doesn't believe that playing on the floor with kids is what's best for them, she simply said that if someone was willing to pay her enough she would do it.

I think that some people just want to pick apart what Nan has to say without taking the time to apply common sense or logic to their responses.

[laundrymom]

I love this thread. I love hearing how others do things....... Except the bra thing. Lol. But I think she means she feels at home And
and part of the family. I personally spend 40 min or so fluttering through the group interacting and talking to the kids. Then about 15 doing something productive, cleaning, cooking, checking messages, just sitting etc. Then I'll change a diaper or 2 and go back to fluttering. It just seems to be the natural way for my group. But I do respect and understand other peoples opinions on it.

[nannyde]

LOL! I guess its just me, but I am way more taken aback by this comment than what Nanny had to say! Yikes!

The rest is common sense...if you are a nanny it is your job to entertain the kids. You are making an increased amount of money to provide increased service.

If they are paying you essentially the same rate as a provider makes to watch several kids, to watch only their kids, they are doing so in the expectatin that, because you have limited children to care for, their child will recieve more attention. I believe that is the whole reason for choosing a Nanny over a daycare situation.

I believe that Nan has made it very clear that she doesn't believe that playing on the floor with kids is what's best for them, she simply said that if someone was willing to pay her enough she would do it.

I think that some people just want to pick apart what Nan has to say without taking the time to apply common sense or logic to their responses.

Nanny care is very different. You don't have the responsibilities to maintain the household, a business, and other peoples children while you are caring for their children. You are being hired for a very small window of the child's care.

The more each client pays the less kids you can care for and the more time you have to do more direct involvement with each individual kid.

I have one day care parent that I just love working for. She's a phenomenal woman who is smarter in her sleep than I'll ever be in my lifetime. She's very funny too. She makes me laugh ::

We were talking one day about my filling an infant slot and about our interviews four years ago.

She said something so profound.. I will NEVER forget it.

She said "When I was looking for day care I just wanted to find someone to watch my kid while I was at work".



Fortunately she picked me.

Simple basic care. Safe house, great food, close supervision, exercise, discipline, and sleep.

[Blackcat31]

i'm not coloring (i'll help draw something) or playing barbies or anything else.

WHAT?!?! I LOVE COLORING!!!! I have my own crayons that the kids aren't allowed to use! ...and no way am I dressing Barbies!! You almost have to have a mechanical degree to just to get those stupid clothes on them!

[Unregistered]

LOL! I guess its just me, but I am way more taken aback by this comment than what Nanny had to say! Yikes!

The rest is common sense...if you are a nanny it is your job to entertain the kids. You are making an increased amount of money to provide increased service.

If they are paying you essentially the same rate as a provider makes to watch several kids, to watch only their kids, they are doing so in the expectatin that, because you have limited children to care for, their child will recieve more attention. I believe that is the whole reason for choosing a Nanny over a daycare situation.

I believe that Nan has made it very clear that she doesn't believe that playing on the floor with kids is what's best for them, she simply said that if someone was willing to pay her enough she would do it.

I think that some people just want to pick apart what Nan has to say without taking the time to apply common sense or logic to their responses.

Perfectly said and my thoughts exactly. Glad to see Nan back!! Now, if Judy comes back this forum may be somewhere worth being a member again...... Where's the "fingers crossed" icon?

[Lucy]

I charge as much as I can get away with for my area, and I welcome the kids into my home. While they are here, they are family. It's no different than if I had my nieces over for the weekend. Enough structure so that they don't go hog wild, but enough freedom so that I'm not HOVERING over their every move waiting to impose some invasive "rule". I let kids be kids. If they ask me to join in a board game or card game and I have time at the moment, I will gladly join in. If I'm busy, I decline and they're ok with it. I don't get down on the floor and play barbies or paper dolls or legos though. I feel like they need "kid time" to help their imaginations grow. I have over 16 years experience - mostly with long-term kids. We're talking 5-11 years! I've helped raise some wonderful kids who are still in contact.

How sad that the almighty dollar would determine how you treat the kids. "Jennifer, I'd love to play Uno with you, but your parents don't pay me enough." Or "Sure I'll play Chutes & Ladders with you, Tyler! Just remember to bring $5 extra tomorrow and I'd love to play!"

(Edited to add) If I moved to a different area where the going rate was less, and therefore my income was lower, it would not change a single thing regarding the quality and amount of care I give the children. If I moved to an area where I could get away with charging more because that area's going rate was higher, I wouldn't suddenly feel like I could now get down on the floor and play with them because they pay more. I do what I do because it's the right thing to do, not because I get paid X amount to do it or not do it.

[QualiTcare]

i think what Nan said is being blown way out of proportion and twisted around. imagine that. ::

even if someone wanted to, who has time to HONESTLY spend 1/2 or more of their day actively playing with kids in a daycare setting? if you're doing that, it's costing you time and time is money. with a group of children, there are a lot of other things you have to do. if you're letting those things sit aside while you're "playing" then you're doing them later after the kids are gone i assume? that means you're working more hours which= less money.

if you have one or two kids as a nanny, you're likely getting paid a lot more and have a lot less responsibilities/time consuming tasks (paperwork, food orders, etc) so you'd have more time to "play" not that i would do it still.

i haven't/don't/won't play because i don't want to. i can be sitting on the couch staring at the wall, say "NO" when a kid asks to play, and not feel bad at all. that doesn't mean i NEVER do it, but i feel no obligation to "play" with my own kids or anyone else's. last night my daughter pretended to be selling things in her room and i'd give her money to "buy" her things - all while i was going about my business. if she wanted me to sit down and play baby dolls, i would've said NOOOPE. of course, as marnie mentioned - she has a brother so i MAY feel more obligated if she were an only child - i can't say.

my grandmother used to talk about how when she was little, the kids sat at a different table to eat and they were served the leftovers after the adults were finished eating - and she grew up in a wealthy home. they didn't even speak unless they were spoken to, much less ask "will you play with me?"
i always do let children get their plates first, and they're allowed to speak - i'm just saying - it's crazy how we went from that to adults thinking they're supposed to get on the floor and build a lego castle.

[nannyde]

How sad that the almighty dollar would determine how you treat the kids. "Jennifer, I'd love to play Uno with you, but your parents don't pay me enough." Or "Sure I'll play Chutes & Ladders with you, Tyler! Just remember to bring $5 extra tomorrow and I'd love to play!"

::::

He he he

Or you could say "Tyler I'm peeling these delicious fresh carrots and potatoes for your stew for lunch. You and Sally CAN go play with those wonderful Melissa and Doug castle blocks. You haven't built a castle for such a long time."

You wouldn't discuss money and fees with a small child but you surely would with their parents. If you have a child who wants an adult to play games with them and that isn't included in your fees then you bring it up to the parents. Let them know that the child would like an adult available for their games and as discussed in the interview.. you have children play with the other children and you do XYZ during play times.

Would they like for you to hire an adult for Tanner and Jennifer? If so, how many hours would you like that each day? That will be X dollars more per day. How is that hard?

Always let the parents know if their child is wanting something that you haven't agreed for in your services. It's VERY VERY simple. Let the parents decide if they would like to have additional staff there for their child or possibly move their child to a setting where there are adults available for the sole purpose of playing directly with their child whatever their child wants at whatever time.

Or you can do what YOU do which is include this in your fees so that when the child wants you to play directly with them you are being paid to do that. I don't have that built into my fees. You do. I would be happy to add it as an additional service but it would have to be agreed upon and paid for.

There are a LOT of parents who want to pay for basic care for their child. As long as the home is loving, warm, and clean and the children are fed well, get exercise, and have a nice spot to take a good nap... the parents are THRILLED.

The adults playing with kids is a pretty new notion. It has been added to child care under the guise of "education" but you CAN raise healthy, happy, well rounded WONDERFUL children and have them play with each other and toys. It's been done for many centuries before us with really good outcomes. There's nothing special about this generation of birth to five kids that makes THEM the generation that needs adults in the midst of their play. Other children and self play has been done since the begining of time. It'll do for this generation too.

[Lucy]

Oh, I'm NOT one of those who feels I need to play with them. That's one thing I can agree with you on. I don't get on the floor and play with them, as I mentioned. I feel they need that time to let their imaginations fly un-interferred with. But if a 6 yr old or 9 or 11 yr old asks if I want to play Uno, there's no way I'd let money come into my decision. I like playing Uno (or Farkle, or Chutes & Ladders, or Go Fish, or Old Maid, etc. etc.) and if I want to and have time, sure.

As to whether I would tell the parent the child is asking for adults to play and would they like to pay more for me to hire a helper, that is ridiculous. If I have time and I WANT to, I play Uno. How is THAT hard?

My program IS basic care, btw. I don't have a stringent timeline to follow, I don't have a manual of rules, it's just common sense. Come to my house for safe, loving care, healthy & nutritious foods, and let me learn when & how long you need to nap. You won't get away with being a brat, but I won't hover and impose a thousand rules either. While you're here, this is home. Feel free to ask if I want to join your fun table game, but don't expect me to ALWAYS agree to.

I DO serve healthy, delicious and nutritious meals and snacks, thank you very much.

All I'm saying is that I'm not dollar driven. I'm child driven. I don't have the inner dialogue of "they don't pay me enough to do that". I go by if I WANT to, I do, if I DON'T, I don't. Simple as that. I give wonderful, un-obtrusive guidance. If you knew me, you'd know the kids don't get away with name calling or being rude. We treat each other with respect, which they well know. And they say please & thank you. Not only to me, but to each other. Whether their parents pay me a dollar a day, or a hundred dollars a day.

[Lucy]

::::

He he he

Or you can do what YOU do which is include this in your fees so that when the child wants you to play directly with them you are being paid to do that. I don't have that built into my fees. You do. I would be happy to add it as an additional service but it would have to be agreed upon and paid for.

See, this is what I'm saying.... It's not "built into my fees", it's what's right for me. My God, you're so dollar driven it's ridiculous.

[Unregistered]

Playing

I don't get paid enough to spend my entire day playing with my dcks. Don't get me wrong, I do play with them each day, but I expect them to be able to play with one another and independently as well. If a parent wanted me to give their child every bit of my attention and play with them all day long, then the parent would need to pay me accordingly.

[melskids]

youre both right

i dont get paid enough to play with these kids ALL day. no different then my husband shouldnt have to fix the bosses car for free on company time at the shop. and no different than why the Mcdonalds cashier doesnt carry your tray of food to the table for you.

~however~

if a child asks me to play Uno or read her a book, and i'm not busy with other caregiving responsibilities, i'd never tell them no.

its all about balance. JMO

[nannyde]

See, this is what I'm saying.... It's not "built into my fees", it's what's right for me. My God, you're so dollar driven it's ridiculous.

YES I am dollar driven.

Isn't it a shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Daycare providers wanting to get PAID for their services. Daycare providers wanting to get paid MORE when they DO more. Just like the cell phone company... the cable company... the Walmart... the eye doctor... the dentist... the vet.

OH MY what a thought!!!!!!

We are all just a bunch of women and we should get do as we are told and not stand up and demand we have our business reflect the level of our skill and the level of our work. We should do WHATEVER it takes no matter how much more time it takes and how much work it is because it's for kids.

Nobody else that serves kids are expected to just DO. Every other service provider that provides services for kids gets paid DIRECTLY for the level of work they do.... the cost of the materials they provide... the labor accessing those materials.

But not us...

There is an incredibly high turnover in Centers and Home providers. This discussion is one of the PRIMARY reasons workers quit the profession.

[laundrymom]

what other things are there to do,.. Im asking serious questions here, not trying to be a smart butt, but what do I neglect by playing with the children 70% of the time they are here?


even if someone wanted to, who has time to HONESTLY spend 1/2 or more of their day actively playing with kids in a daycare setting? if you're doing that, it's costing you time and time is money. with a group of children, there are a lot of other things you have to do. if you're letting those things sit aside while you're "playing" then you're doing them later after the kids are gone i assume? that means you're working more hours which= less money.

[melskids]

what other things are there to do,.. Im asking serious questions here, not trying to be a smart butt, but what do I neglect by playing with the children 70% of the time they are here?


even if someone wanted to, who has time to HONESTLY spend 1/2 or more of their day actively playing with kids in a daycare setting? if you're doing that, it's costing you time and time is money. with a group of children, there are a lot of other things you have to do. if you're letting those things sit aside while you're "playing" then you're doing them later after the kids are gone i assume? that means you're working more hours which= less money.

i agree. thats it exactly. i spend as much time as i can with these kids, and i enjoy it. but not to the point i'm cutting in to MY family time at night with my kids. no way. daytime chores get done during the day, with the daycare kiddos here. you can still teach and spend time with the DC kids and do what needs to get done. its all about balance.