At home Daycare and Facebook

[Crazy8]

Do you literally sit and stare at your child all day and night when you are with him? I don't think so, you probably cook meals, go to the bathroom, do paperwork, and other things that you need to do other than just watch your child's every move. Your daycare provider also has other things that she needs to do besides literally look at the children all day. She has to prepare their meals, even if the parents provide the meals, she has to get their meals ready for the children to eat. Maybe the bruises happened during that time. She has to go to the bathroom, maybe the bruises happened while she was in the bathroom. She has daycare paperwork she has to do. None of us daycare providers sit and watch the children's every move all day long - we can't. We have other daycare related things we have to do which requires us to not be able to see their every move all day.

As far as her being on Facebook, like some other responses said here, sometimes we have to make the children believe that we are not paying attention to them so they will stop trying to be our best friend and instead start playing with the other children, pretending, become creative with the blocks and little people. Some children would rather sit and talk to the adult all day long then interact with others their own age. So, sometimes, we have to get involved in something non-daycare related so the children will simply go play with the other children.

Like others have said here, we daycare providers also need a mental break from our job a little throughout the day. At jobs out of the house, you can take a break from your desk and go talk to a co-worker for a few minutes. But at home daycare, we typically don't have co-workers, so our adult communication is either by calling someone on the phone who also stays home during the day, or getting on the computer for a few moments.

I understand that you, as a parent, are upset that your child got hurt and the daycare provider, who you are paying to watch him, has no clue what happened. However, you do have to realize that it is truly not logical to believe that she just sits and stares at the children's every move. You must realize that she has to do other things during the day and sometimes, a child will get hurt, bully another child, steal toys from another child, or something when the provider is doing something other than watching their every move.

I would suggest that you either trust your provider that she is doing her job correctly and know that sometimes, a child, yes, even your child, will get hurt. Or decide that you do not trust that your provider is doing her job correctly and find another provider. However, I can tell you that, anywhere you take your child for daycare, preschool, extra-curricular activities, in elementary classrooms, at recess in elementary school, basically, throughout their lives, they are going to get hurt at times, and whoever is in charge of them at the time will, occasionally, have no clue how he got hurt.

this post says it all!! Love how parents can sit on the computer on facebook all evening while home with their children and not blink an eye but god forbid we swipe the ipad on for 2 seconds during the day!

And I find it funny because I am going to send a little girl home with a bruise on her head. Guess how she got it??? She is learning to walk, I was RIGHT in front of her and she just needed one more step to make it to me but went down on her head faster than I could break the fall and now has a little black and blue on her head. I wasn't on facebook, I was helping this little girl learn a new skill and yet she did manage to get a bruise. Its part of living and learning, sometimes we fall. My job is to teach them to get back up again when they do and I think I'm doing a heck of a job at that - all while posting on facebook.

[Blackcat31]

While I agree that posting on Facebook usually only takes a second or two MA does have some pretty specific wording that would concern me ....

"Educators must not engage in any other activities or tasks that could unnecessarily divert their attention from supervising the children"

"Except when attending to their personal hygiene needs, educators must be actively engaged in child care and education activities during all times when children are in care"

"Educators must be aware of children’s activities at all times." "The licensee must maintain a record of any unusual or serious incidents including but not limited to behavioral incidents, injuries, property destruction or emergencies."

http://www.mass.gov/edu/birth-grade-12/early-education-and-care/

If a parent really wanted to make a big deal of their provider being on the internet while working, I think they might have a case.

Not my personal opinion but just sayin'.

......interpretation is not always clear and seems to be up to the reader/enforcer. ??

[Blackcat31]

this post says it all!! Love how parents can sit on the computer on facebook all evening while home with their children and not blink an eye but god forbid we swipe the ipad on for 2 seconds during the day!

And I find it funny because I am going to send a little girl home with a bruise on her head. Guess how she got it??? She is learning to walk, I was RIGHT in front of her and she just needed one more step to make it to me but went down on her head faster than I could break the fall and now has a little black and blue on her head. I wasn't on facebook, I was helping this little girl learn a new skill and yet she did manage to get a bruise. Its part of living and learning, sometimes we fall. My job is to teach them to get back up again when they do and I think I'm doing a heck of a job at that - all while posting on facebook.

Child care provider responsibilities are in no way even close to parental responsibilities and although, I agree with the concept of personal responsibility I don't think it's a valid argument to compare what parents do with THEIR children on their time with what we do with THEIR children on our time.

INMO, it's two VERY different things.

Leaving a child in a hot car is a perfect example.

Tragic accident for parents
Felony murder charges for a provider.

[Play Care]

Child care provider responsibilities are in no way even close to parental responsibilities and although, I agree with the concept of personal responsibility I don't think it's a valid argument to compare what parents do with THEIR children on their time with what we do with THEIR children on our time.

INMO, it's two VERY different things.

Leaving a child in a hot car is a perfect example.

Tragic accident for parents
Felony murder charges for a provider.

[Unregistered]

Licensed MA provider here

I am a licensed provider in MA (it's nap time here btw!). I do not engage on Facebook during child care hours UNLESS it is nap/quiet time AND I do not have my part time infant in care. MA requires that we do not spend time on our phones, iPads, computers unless it is child care related or it is during a time we do not have to focus on child care related activities or be directly supervising the children in care. So unless you can clearly see by her posting times that it's during a time when she should be supervising then I don't think she is doing anything wrong. But as far as the bruises, that's a pretty lazy reasoning from the provider-I probably over explain any time a child gets hurt (99% usually their own fault!) but parents today are very overprotective, myself included!

[daycarediva]

Child care provider responsibilities are in no way even close to parental responsibilities and although, I agree with the concept of personal responsibility I don't think it's a valid argument to compare what parents do with THEIR children on their time with what we do with THEIR children on our time.

INMO, it's two VERY different things.

Leaving a child in a hot car is a perfect example.

Tragic accident for parents
Felony murder charges for a provider.

I agree with this.

Here and there posting when watching the kids, sure. I pop in here (it's nap and my kids are all sleeping in my eyesight right now, except for my non napper doing a puzzle). But I do pop on during free play-watching them at the same time. It's MAINLY so I 'look busy' otherwise it's MISS X MISS X MISS X and it's not free play, it's entertain miss x time.

I love my job, but it's 11+ hours, and I DO have to do things like answer emails, make phone calls and update my business facebook. I do not have a personal facebook page. I make sure the kids are busy/engaged and still supervise them during those periods of time as well.

If it was here/there, and I didn't have other supervision concerns, I would let it go.

If it was CONSTANT posting, and I did have other concerns, I would try to speak to my provider, and if it didn't improve, look for care elsewhere.

[Crazy8]

Child care provider responsibilities are in no way even close to parental responsibilities and although, I agree with the concept of personal responsibility I don't think it's a valid argument to compare what parents do with THEIR children on their time with what we do with THEIR children on our time.

INMO, it's two VERY different things.

Leaving a child in a hot car is a perfect example.

Tragic accident for parents
Felony murder charges for a provider.

oh, I totally know that, we are definitely held to a higher standard and I believe we should be. But I just find it rather funny how we get crucified for 30 seconds on the internet but a parent can sit there for 3 hours and think nothing of it.

[Blackcat31]

oh, I totally know that, we are definitely held to a higher standard and I believe we should be. But I just find it rather funny how we get crucified for 30 seconds on the internet but a parent can sit there for 3 hours and think nothing of it.

I know.

I totally get it but unfortunately it is just the way is...

*sigh*

[KiddieCahoots]

I have been sending my kids (2 yo and 8 mo) to an at-home daycare provider in Massachusetts...we have recently had an issue where the provider has been posting on Facebook during the middle of the day when, clearly, they should be focused on other things. Is there any legal recourse (abuse/negligence) that can be applied here? The reason I ask is that our 2 yo has recently come home with unexplainable bruises...even a bruised lip. My wife and I were told that "its nothing" and that they had no idea how the bruises happened. I understand kids being kids and bumps and bruises happen all the time...but add in the element of Facebook...it starts to get a little worrisome as my kids aren't the only ones in this daycare.

If anyone has any experience in this area, specifically in Massachusetts and can provide any guidance, I would greatly appreciate it.

Based on what you've written, a legal recourse or abuse/neglect, probably not.
Trust issues that need some discussion seem more likely.

Can you give us more specifics on what seems to be concerning you and answer some question so we can have a better understanding of the situation?

How often are you noticing bruises, and where are they located?
How often are they without an explanation by your provider?
Are you noticing bruises on both children?
How many children are in the daycare and what are their ages?
Is your child a boy or girl and how active are they?
Does your child have a best buddy at daycare, and is this best buddy active?
Is rough and tumble play allowed at your daycare?
Is there an assistant present at the daycare?
What time does your provider seem to be posting on face book?
Is she posting daycare related issues or personal?

[Country Kids]

While I agree that posting on Facebook usually only takes a second or two MA does have some pretty specific wording that would concern me ....

"Educators must not engage in any other activities or tasks that could unnecessarily divert their attention from supervising the children"

"Except when attending to their personal hygiene needs, educators must be actively engaged in child care and education activities during all times when children are in care"

"Educators must be aware of children’s activities at all times." "The licensee must maintain a record of any unusual or serious incidents including but not limited to behavioral incidents, injuries, property destruction or emergencies."

http://www.mass.gov/edu/birth-grade-12/early-education-and-care/

If a parent really wanted to make a big deal of their provider being on the internet while working, I think they might have a case.

Not my personal opinion but just sayin'.

......interpretation is not always clear and seems to be up to the reader/enforcer. ??

I find this so funny for us but not teachers! Teachers are constently on their phones, lap tops, computors, etc. and not always doing school work. Especially when on their phones. Could explain some of the education are children are receiving-

[Annalee]

I find this so funny for us but not teachers! Teachers are constently on their phones, lap tops, computors, etc. and not always doing school work. Especially when on their phones. Could explain some of the education are children are receiving-

:: I see the postings on pinterest from my son's teachers every day during the day! :: They are probably posting on FB but I don't do FB....despise the drama/soap opera which is what FB is to me..::

[Country Kids]

:: I see the postings on pinterest from my son's teachers every day during the day! :: They are probably posting on FB but I don't do FB....despise the drama/soap opera which is what FB is to me..::

I've seen texting, playing games, FB, instant messaging, all kinds of stuff. Thats why I don't get why they get so upset with the kids having their phones out.

[sugar buzz]

I find this so funny for us but not teachers! Teachers are constently on their phones, lap tops, computors, etc. and not always doing school work. Especially when on their phones. Could explain some of the education are children are receiving-

:::: The other day my 7th grader was telling me something that happened at school. I asked her what the teacher did, and she said: "Oh, she didn't see it. She was practicing some of her yoga poses."::::::

[daycarediva]

I've seen texting, playing games, FB, instant messaging, all kinds of stuff. Thats why I don't get why they get so upset with the kids having their phones out.

I agree with this. My dd showed me a video of her teacher, sitting at her desk, playing a game on her phone- the video was 3m long, never looked up. She said it's on/off the entire class period. Same teacher gave dd a detention for having her phone out, which she was using as a calculator (and was allowed to) because she left hers in her locker!

[Country Kids]

I'm actually thinking of going tech free for awhile. It all to time consuming and warping our brains. We can fill our minds with so much more stimulating things then technology.

Maybe I'll do an Amish flip on my house-