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If you have your own kids, how do they incorporate with the day care? Do they have to follow the same rules about being in the day care area (within sight range) at all times or is it okay for them to go play in their own bedroom, in an unlicensed area, or even outside by themselves? Is this different if the child is a preschooler versus school age? Any one know how they fit in to the food program? Like if my school age kid comes home after school and wants a different snack than what I'm serving, can she eat it and still count on the food program (I'd be offering her what everyone else has first)? Other than my licensing paper work stating that my child counts in the ratio, it doesn't say anything about what rules apply to them.
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My 3 yr. old daughter follows the same rules as the other children when in the daycare since he is counted in my license, and eats the same food during meals. My daycare area is separate from the main house so she stays in the daycare area with me at all times under supervision. She gets signed in/out every day same as the other children. The only time she leaves the daycare area is if my husband is home so he can spend time with her (due to work my husband is not home every day). I can't claim her on the food program because our combined income is too high. My understanding from licensing is since my daycare area is completely separate from my main house, my daughter is counted in ratios and licensing rules while in the daycare area, but not when she is in the main house. -
For me, it depends on the age. When my children were little, they were totally part of the daycare and had to stay with me. Same rules and expectations.
As they get older, I allow them a bit more freedom. If they need a break from daycare, they can go to their room and play or read. My teenagers spend most of their daycare time in the non-daycare part of the house.
A lot of this will depend on your state's regulations. In Kansas, once my children turn 11, they no longer count in my ratio totals. And they can have a lot more freedom. Until age 11, I need to make sure they are following all the regulations.Comment
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My kids are 4, 7 and 14. My 4 yo counts in my numbers and is here all day. My kids are allowed by regs to go anywhere in my house without me if they choose.
My son will play upstairs in his room alone sometimes. He also goes in the living room often to play. He has a very hard time with me having daycare in my house. Often times he wants nothing to do with the kids, and if I force him to be with them he is fresh to them.
It's not the kids themselves, it's that they are part of they daycare. I think to him they are invading his home kwim? So I allow him to take time away as often as he needs to. He joins us much of the day, but he can come and go as he pleases. Since I've done this he is happier during daycare.Comment
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My children have all the same rules as dcks. The only "special" they get is they can play in their rooms if they want to be alone and they don't have to share any toys that are in their rooms unless they bring it into the common area. They bring it in front of the other kids, they have to share with the other kids.Comment
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Before my kids started school, they were part of my daycare, and we did everything together. Now, when they are home on break or get home from school, they get to be at "home." They come home, make their own snack, and head outside with their friends or into their rooms. I try to give them space since they have logged more daycare hours than anyone else, and the littles accept that they have these freedoms because they are "older." I don't watch SAs, which makes this less complicated. (My kids also know to be discreet around the little kids, regarding any privileges.)Comment
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So what if you just have a SA child of your own? My daughter is 7 now, it in our state she'll count in the ratio until she is 13, so until just before she starts 8th grade. There is no way I could make a child that age stay in the day care area. If she wants to run around outside with her friends or whatever, I'm going to let her. I'm curious if anyone has ever had a licenser have a problem with something like this?Comment
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This is all going to be based on your state, and possibly even on how your licensor interprets your state's regs.
If you tell us what state you are in, then the providers from your state might be able to give you better guidance.
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I'm in southern Idaho. We're licensed by our cities, not the state, and the licensing laws are pretty much non-existant. Pretty much we just fill out a form with the city, the city looks at fire codes and square footage, and hands us a license. We are told our kids count in the ratio until the day they turn 13, but that's it.Comment
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Wow! That is unbelievable compared to the amount of regulations and inspections that most of the states seem to have.
So, if I didn't have to worry about following the rules that some bureaucrat wrote, then this is how I would do it. If my children were still tiny, they would be with me and the DCKs, follow all the routines and rules and such.
But, as they age, they would be allowed the freedom to choose to play with the DC or hang in their room or go outside to play on their own or with friends - based on their individual ages and maturity levels.Comment
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See, this is where the regs don't really make sense. If a 12 year old child walks home a half mile from school, they are fine. But as soon as they enter the house (day care) they have ti count in ratio and stay within my visual range at all times? Is that they way it is in other states as well? I suppose if they are 12 and running around in the street with their friends they are actually no longer on the day care premise and then no long actually count in the ratio? Maybe this is just a huge grey area. I have a friend who is licensed in WA state who said it is a grey area there as well, and it just depends on the licensor.Comment
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