I Must Stay Out Of This!

[Sunchimes]

I have to quit reading the local facebook buy, sell, trade pages. There was an ad this morning. Someone said that they are looking for a couple of kids to keep, because she had a 4 month old and wanted to make some money. She has "babysitted" a lot and has experience. $15 a day or $20 a day for 2 kids.

Scroll down a few posts and another ad said that they were missing too much work because their kids had been sick a lot and their daycare wouldn't take them. They are looking for a provider that is "reasonable" and won't refuse care just because a kid is sick. They said they didn't "even care if the babysitter spoke English."

One of the replies to the second ad linked to the lady in the first ad by saying it was her sister and she was keeping her 2 kids and always kept them when they were sick. The last I read, this woman was agreeing to keep 2 kids, well or sick, with a 4 month old in the house, as well as the 2 nephews she already kept.

The state is so busy making sure that our door stops are spit shined that they don't have time to break up illegal daycares like this. I know we rant about this all the time, but I make the effort to be legal and do it right, but they let her go.

I've actually stepped into some of these threads and tried to explain about background checks, etc, but I'm just ignored and don't bother any more. I'm almost always full, so it doesn't affect me usually, but right now, I want to term a kid and can't until I can replace him. Justgripes me no end.

[ColorfulSunburst]

but right now, I want to term a kid and can't until I can replace him. Justgripes me no end.

believe me, you do not want to work with those parents who are ready to leave their child with this kind of providers.

[Sunchimes]

You're right, and I know that. There are just so many of them here. I am the only legally unlicensed in my entire county and one of only 2 or 3 home providers. Everyone is using these people. Just amazed that someone with an infant would take kids when they are sick. I guess I needed to vent.

[Thriftylady]

I am fighting that as well. I am legally unlicensed but run my program the same as I did when I was licensed in Kansas, right down to the cleaning and meals and snacks. Those kind of "sitters" bug me, mainly because I know I do everything right and I see some providers posting "I'm full but I'll take them" and parents do it.

[DaveA]

The state is so busy making sure that our door stops are spit shined that they don't have time to break up illegal daycares like this. I know we rant about this all the time, but I make the effort to be legal and do it right, but they let her go.

That would require actual work. It's so much easier to order around providers who try to do the right thing. Guess I'm a teeny bit cynical about this subject.

believe me, you do not want to work with those parents who are ready to leave their child with this kind of providers.

So true. Not that they would come to a good home daycare anyway. They wouldn't get past the rate before having a stroke.

We had someone in my town ( I refuse to call her a provider) who was illegal for years. Parents reported her, neighbors reported her, I called in about her twice, and as far as anyone knows she never got so much as a visit. She just moved away, but she always had kids. It was almost a caricature of a bad provider: House smelled like cigarettes, boyfriend was a huge stoner, "lesson planning" consisted of cartoon network vs. Disney channel, no real activities. But she was cheap so she was always full. She was 1/2 what I charged and I'm just above average for the area. One parent I talked to went there to interview and walked out after 5 min because there was XXX movies on the shelves next to the living room TV. The lady's response when asked about it was that she didn't let the kids watch them(Wow- that's nice to know) and "Her Man" (I HATE it when people describe their partner as my man/woman/ old lady/etc) always took them back to their room if he wanted to.

[Thriftylady]

I have to agree with Dave on the regulation thing. All they really seem to do is keep honest people honest so to speak. And also about the "bad" providers. To a point how much you charge may not matter, I mean I am pretty cheap but I don't understand why some parents would pick cartoons all day over what most of us offer. I mean this week the kids have had some school lessons since out of school, they have had arts and crafts, cooked etc I just don't understand why parents would prefer the tv route.

[AmyKidsCo]

Around here licensing is pretty good about visiting places when they get a report, but there are only so many hours in a day. Now the higher ups are considering having licensors go through the entire book every year instead of every other year, which doubles their work load. The .icensors I talk to would like to do more but just can't.

[Ariana]

I know exactly how you feel! People ignoring ratio rules and offer such low prices it is insanely hard to compete. I really feel bad for these kids who are placed in care like this, but I can't save the world. It was pretty eye opening when I was looking for a kennel to place my dog for vacay and realised they charge the same rates as most caregivers in my area....for dogs :confused:

[Heidi]

Around here licensing is pretty good about visiting places when they get a report, but there are only so many hours in a day. Now the higher ups are considering having licensors go through the entire book every year instead of every other year, which doubles their work load. The .icensors I talk to would like to do more but just can't.

Yep!

And the illegal providers who do get caught just pay the fines and keep operating! It's worth it to them, because there's no real consequence.

I do wonder that if they can fine people, they don't employ a full-time investigator or two just for that purpose. It'd pay for itself, I'd think!

[Sunchimes]

i sometimes wonder if there isn't some kind of secret lobby. If the $65 a week illegal daycares are closed, min wage workers can't pay normal rates, don't work, employers would be forced to pay more to keep employees, etc, etc. The lobbyists keep the illegal ones open and everyone is happy. Except us-the over-regulated, underpaid legals.