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Any reason not to have an assistant?
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I have 12 kids here by myself.
I don't like working with other adults.
I do have assistance from my DH but only over lunch and rest time because HE gets lonely working at home alone so he comes to the daycare for "socialization" and because he likes to cook.
So personally, other than my hubs..... I could not and would not like working with someone else. -
12 kids by yourself! Wow, can't have more than 8 here. Good work.I have 12 kids here by myself.
I don't like working with other adults.
I do have assistance from my DH but only over lunch and rest time because HE gets lonely working at home alone so he comes to the daycare for "socialization" and because he likes to cook.
So personally, other than my hubs..... I could not and would not like working with someone else.
Money is a draw back obviously to an assistant. I am in the process of training an assistant, though once she is completely trained I will use her more as a sub. Someone to come once a week so I can run errands and who can cover when I am out of town.Comment
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I have 4 asst and I love each and everyone of them. Of course, there is drawbacks in everythng that we do, so here a mine.
1. not showing up on time
2. calling off too much
3. sitting on the job
4. not doing things the way they are supposed to be done.
5. asking for raises when they are not earning them
6. complaining about having to do something'
PRo of having asst
1. keeps me within ratios
2. another adult to talk to and bounce ideas off of
3. when i can't work with a child do to feeling frustrated, i can take a time out and send to my asst and same with my asst.
4. not having to carry the work load alone'
5. someone to help keep things organized
6. keeps me from getting burn out
7. have back up help for days I need to take off from careComment
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I enjoy having an assistant but yes, it is hard to find and keep one. mainly because it is a poorly paid position and usually part time hours. just like any job like that, the turnover is high. its better if you can pay well or give plenty of hours. I have had several start out great but slowly end not so well......trying to be on the phone while working, showing up late are the two big ones. also "over sharing" with the daycare parents, one assistant was crying about her boyfriend to a daycare mom.Comment
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WOW Blackcat - 12 kids? Can or are any of those infants? We are only allowed 6 per adult here. I have 12 also but have to have a helper. I would prefer not to have a helper. I think things actually run more efficiently for me when I know that I have to do everything, instead of seeing what has or hasn't been done and then do it.Comment
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10-12 alone is norm here in my state.
Yes some can be infants.. Max 3
How many is determined by the # and ages of the others in care.
Currently, I have:
1 infant (3.5 month)
1 toddler (15 months)
8 preschoolers (2yrs-4yrs)
2 school-aged kids (5yrs) but havent started Kindy yet
I'm licensed for 14 but don't want an assistant and the additional kids need to be 5 or older and unless they started with me young, 5 isnt an age I normally enroll.Comment
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Oh wow. I work in a preschool room in a center and I can have 12 by myself (although it's usually 2 teachers and 24 children...), but those are all 3 years & up. I can't imagine trying to have infants and toddlers mixed in with that.
I was the assistant director of my last center and some of the staff were great and others were short-lived nightmares. I had one who put an infant in a crib on her stomach and then covered the infant's head with a blanket. And that was in the crib right until the "Infants must be placed on back to sleep" sign...
BUT the good assistants helped things run smoothly. They knew the routines and did what needed to be done (with communication to their head teacher).
Depending on where you are, though, I could see it being hard to keep a good assistant in a home daycare, especially if you can't offer a lot of hours and/or money.Comment
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THIS!!!!
I have had 3 different Aides since I started and I got rid of 2 because they were rather young (early 20's) and eventually "burn out". I'm currently also at risk of my current one going down that same path. Loved them for a little while but they eventually stop making the cut, sort of speak.
It's hard really. They eventually lose interest in the kids and tolerate less. Especially if they don't have kids of their own. They want to talk about their personal problems with you instead of interacting with the kids. They have "visitors" stop in and obviously distract them. They use their cell phone constantly. They don't understand professionalism nor seeking to learn new things.
I have very high standards and really try to be the best I can be for my program and the kids so when someone isn't keeping up with me I usually want them gone. I'm brutal. I often feel like I could seriously just do better on my own but damn them ratios.
. Like Blackcat, I don't work well with others. I've been often called "assertive" or "dominant" which some people don't like. Guess it comes with age and having your own kid.
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