At home Daycare and Facebook

[Blackcat31]

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-

Teachers are in charge of school age children.

There are usually much different regulations in place for the supervision of a child older than age 5.

BIG difference and hardly comparable in my opinion.

My state regulations for school age care is that THEY (the child) know where to go for assistance if needed but can be allowed to leave the property while under my supervision.

I don't take SA'ers so that wouldn't happen here but it could.

[Country Kids]

Teachers are in charge of school age children.

There are usually much different regulations in place for the supervision of a child older than age 5.

BIG difference and hardly comparable in my opinion.

My state regulations for school age care is that THEY (the child) know where to go for assistance if needed but can be allowed to leave the property while under my supervision.

I don't take SA'ers so that wouldn't happen here but it could.

Nah, I think there is no difference in what a childcare provider and a teacher should be doing if children are present.

In fact if I was a parent reading the article you posted I would think you were talking about Teachers since they are calling us EDUCATORS and most people automatically think Teacher when they hear that.

Two post show teachers didn't even know what was going on because of "doing yoga poses" and "playing on a game for three minutes". Sounds like they were pretty checked out of their responsibilities (the children and educating them).

[AmyKidsCo]

I agree with this, but it seems you may have some trust issues with your provider which should be directly addressed with him/her. If you cannot bring yourself to do that then it would be better for all of you to find another care situation for your children. If you decide to move them it'd probably be a good idea to avoid a Facebook relationship with your new provider to avoid this situation again

If you don't approve of her Facebook activity during daycare hours or think your child was injured because of her inattention you should talk to your provider about it.

[Blackcat31]

Nah, I think there is no difference in what a childcare provider and a teacher should be doing if children are present.

In fact if I was a parent reading the article you posted I would think you were talking about Teachers since they are calling us EDUCATORS and most people automatically think Teacher when they hear that.

Two post show teachers didn't even know what was going on because of "doing yoga poses" and "playing on a game for three minutes". Sounds like they were pretty checked out of their responsibilities (the children and educating them).

To each their own, but I most definitely don't think that what a public school teacher does with students age 5 and older and what a child care provider does with children under age 5 are even remotely close to the same things. :confused:

I stand by what I said previously, the responsibility for an adult to provide supervision for a child under school age is a lot different and far more regulated than supervision provided for older children in a public school setting.

Especially when parents of school age students are not signing contracts and paying weekly fees for that supervision.

My state does not govern public school teachers in the same manner as they do licensed child care providers.

Child care providers are frequently called educators in a lot of written regulations now with the implementation of QRIS standards across the country.

The terminology is open to interpretation but the sentences I quoted/posted were copied and pasted directly from the MA Child Care Licensing statutes page.

[NightOwl]

I take a few minutes here and there when the kids are playing. Not usually on Facebook, but here or on a gossip site *hangs head in shame*. I have kids who can play together easily for an hour without stopping. And while outside they ignore me. So I think it's okay to take 5 minutes to be on the Internet as long as I'm with them and still watching.

The bruises would concern me but I wouldn't be ready to tar and feather your provider yet. She should be able to explain them, and a bruised lip - that is a big deal, actually. Something must have happened, but probably more along the lines of your little one fell.

My son's doctor is always glad when my son has a bruise or two - says he knows then that he isn't just sitting in front of the television.

With all that said, trust your gut! If you don't think your children are safe, pull today. Right now. Go.

Our pediatrician, upon seeing the bruise covered legs of my then toddler, said "look at these happy little legs!" :: Your post reminded of that.

[e.j.]

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'm in MA, too, and was going to cite the above regs until I saw BC had already done it. Without more info, I wouldn't criticize the provider for being on Facebook here and there during the day but ...according to state regulation, she really shouldn't be. If reported to licensing, I would think she'd be likely to get an unannounced visit - especially if there's reason to believe the kids are being injured because of a lack of supervision. In fairness to the provider, though, I would suggest speaking to her about any concerns you have before taking that course of action. It could be she's on Facebook during nap time. I usually come here to Daycare.com or check my emails during nap time but all of the kids are within my sight at all times. It could be the same for her.

What really concerns me, though, is her attitude about the injuries. I can't imagine telling a parent that an injury, especially a bruised lip, is "nothing". I get that kids get bumps and bruises and that sometimes they happen without us knowing about it but it would seem to me that if she were "actively engaged" with the kids that she would at least notice how it happened. At the very least, she should be expressing concern and not trying to down play it.

[Leigh]

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.

The bruises probably were just "nothing", but that hardly puts a parent at ease. The only reason I'm answering your question is to tell you that they probably are nothing. At my house, kids run into the kitchen table (2 black eyes in a year from that, and one got a little cut on his nose the other day from it), the run into the island in my kitchen, they run head first into walls, they jump on and off of furniture, slide across the kitchen floor into cabinets, trip on steps, fall off swings outdoors, trip when on walks, trip on each other, wrestle each other, throw things at each other (balls, toys, etc.). Even when we try to teach them not to do some of these things, they still happen at times.

I sent a kid home today with a scratch on his face from emptying my box of wipes and putting it on his head when he was pretending to be a robot. He bumped into the wall and scratched his face on the cardboard. Now, I could hide all cardboard products, but it's HEALTHY for kids to play like that. I do everything I can to keep my kids safe, but it bruises are just part of being a toddler. My son's pediatrician, when I asked him about all the bruises on my son, told me that kids at this age usually have at least 3 bruises on their bodies at any given time, and that it is perfectly normal and to be expected.

To say that the under-5 crowd is clumsy would be an understatement. Add reckless to clumsy, and all of the testing they do of their bodies' limits, and they do get bruised and sometimes worse.

What I suggest is simply evaluating how much you really trust your daycare provider. When my son would get bruised, my provider used to be scared and beg me not to be mad about it-I wasn't. It just happens. I trusted her and my son loved her-I knew that she did her best to keep him safe and that was good enough for me. If Facebook and minor bruises (I assume they are minor) are the only things you have to worry about with her, I'd let it go. If she is giving you other reasons to not trust her, then you may want to start shopping for a new situation for your child.