Babies & Sickness (Runny Noses/Nasty Coughs). . . Not Sure How To Handle/What To Do

[dEHmom]

Exactly.
As mac60 stated "Sometimes I think what is the point until the day is done, because I will just have to "do it again".

That is my general procrastination on a daily basis. Things like vacuuming, mopping etc is all done at the end of the day, when hubby is getting off of work. Otherwise I do it 10 times a day.
My house isn't always tidy, but it is clean (disinfected etc).

As for the toys, because all the kids in care, except my own 4 and 6 yr old are too young to truly know how to clean up, it's difficult. But when I had older kids in my care, same rule went, toys had to be asked for. If they wanted to switch what they were playing with they cleaned up first then picked a toy. I have bins with no lids which are for the younger babies, the crawlers, just learning to walkers, and they can go to it whenever they want. There are always toys out during the day, and the mom I have now knows that by the time she comes, is when I'm just about to eat, and run out the door. So I'm sure she understands. Today she is leaving work early and coming to get her daughter, so I will let them have toys out, or when she comes here, dcg is coloring, or whatever. It's not that she never sees her playing or anything, just usually everything is put away, and it's all clean, and dcg just has 1 or 2 toys.

[MG&Lsmom]

Personally, from a parent point of view and a provider point of view, I couldn't care less how unorganized a persons house is just so long as it is clean. There is a big difference between clean and just unorganized. If they were a hoarder or something and it was a safety hazrd then I would care but if someone is just unorganized..big deal...arent we all? Some are just better at hiding it than others...and anyone who is OCD enough to have a house that would make Martha Stewart proud obviously doesn't have enough time to spend with my child.

Do you think that's a bit harsh? It takes me an hour to clean my house. It's small, but 2 bathrooms, 3 bedrooms, living, dining and kitchen. As long as the rooms are picked up, the cleaning gets done in the hour between DH leaving and first dck arriving, all while my own kids are eating breakfast and getting themselves dressed. I dust on the weekends, but other than that, I'm only doing dishes or wiping up meal mess while dcks are here 7am to 5pm.

[Unregistered]

parent here

I'm a parent and all parents are a bit different in their preference. But, i prefer my kids to get attention and looking after more than any bit of cleanliness. I have a 9 year old, 3 year old, and 17 month old, and so i really only know what 2 little ones are like. Having a ratio of 6 kids to one adult would be hard on anyone. BTW I like the rule - if you want a specific toy you need to ask for it. I might try that at my house!

[Blackcat31]

Do you think that's a bit harsh? It takes me an hour to clean my house. It's small, but 2 bathrooms, 3 bedrooms, living, dining and kitchen. As long as the rooms are picked up, the cleaning gets done in the hour between DH leaving and first dck arriving, all while my own kids are eating breakfast and getting themselves dressed. I dust on the weekends, but other than that, I'm only doing dishes or wiping up meal mess while dcks are here 7am to 5pm.

What's harsh? I don't mean we shouldn't tidy up...I have a small house too for daycare and I clean as I go along too. I even have parents say, "How do you keep the kids so well behaved AND the house clean?" I meant that I have personally seen providers have immaculately clean homes AT ALL TIMES. That makes me a bit nervous, but I really was just saying that I don't think that parents should judge a provider based on the organization of her house. I would rather have a disorganized (but clean) home and a wonderful cargiver than have a super clean and organized house with a provider who spends all her time cleaning and organizing.....makes it uncomfortable to be there IMPO.
I wasn't trying to be harsh about anything...I guess I am just laid back about the subject.... so if I offended you... I'm sorry.

[mickey2]

Myself and my children clean up as we go. Nothing new gets started until what we have been doing gets cleaned up first.

[Keri'sKids]

Myself and my children clean up as we go. Nothing new gets started until what we have been doing gets cleaned up first.

This is how I do it as well. I have toys divided up into smaller boxes. One box at a time and it is for all to play with. They all get turns choosing a box. But still one box at a time. Put it away before the next box comes out.

[Terri7]

Messy House

There is a difference between dirty and having a few toys from play lying around. I have specific areas in my home for daycare and the children are taught to put the things they are playing with away before we take new ones out. However, my smaller toddlers do no follow these rules, that leaves my assistants and I to give a helping hand, and help guide them into helping us put the toys away.
I am very anal about cleanliness and keeping to state regulations in regards to health and safety. I don't have a problem with my parents entering the day care areas. These are their children not my children; therefore, they have the right to see the play areas their children spend the most time in during the day. I would expect no less being a parent myself.
The children love showing their parents around the play areas and showing their parents their favorite toy or game they like to play with. Introducing the parents to their favorite friend. Parents get be a part of their child's day care life. I take pictures and we make frames and give them as gifts for DC parents so that will become more involved and feel comfortable in asking questions and being apart of their child's daily experiences.

[Unregistered]

Daycare surveyor

Every time my license is up for renewal and my kdhe surveyor comes in to inspect, she says she likes seeing happy kids playing with toys, rather than a super clean house. She told me very clean houses make her nervous, . The priority is having happy children, and to be happy, children need to make messes! :-D

[Meeko]

no parents in the playroom.

I have the kids clean up four times a day and i don't allow them to throw them all over. They have to actually play with what they get out. I don't let the floor get too cluttered before i have them pick up.

ditto

[Meyou]

No parents in the playroom.

I have the kids clean up four times a day and I don't allow them to throw them all over. They have to actually PLAY with what they get out. I don't let the floor get too cluttered before I have them pick up.

Ditto. The parents can see front entryway, a halllway and the living room where the kids aren't allowed to go.

[daycare]

Ditto. The parents can see front entryway, a halllway and the living room where the kids aren't allowed to go.

same here... one toy out at a time, when done put it away. My house is always interview tour ready. Allthough, a DCD made a rude comment about the crayon marks on the eating table one day. I told him that I ran out of magic eraser and regular cleaner wont get it off. He rolled his eyes at me.....gggerrrr

[MsMe]

YES My parent care VERY much that the house in clean. Not just picked up but bleached and vacuumed.

We play and have tons of fun but it ALL gets put away as soon as we are finished.

[Abigail]

The parents who pick up are all so different. Some you can tell they don't mind the toys all over the floor as they step over them and others right away tell their child to pick up a few toys because it's messy when only 10 toys were on the floor with 6 kids still present, LOL. I'm thankful for those kind of parents!

We don't have set clean-up times like 2 a day or anything. Cleanup happens right away if dumping begins. It also happens before other activities like before the three meals we serve, before going outside or on field trips, and before the end of the day. Our parents pickup between 3:00 and 5:30 so half the group is gone by 4:45 and the last 45 minutes the kids all start picking up everything to play a game at the table or sometimes watch a short movie.

We have parents who stop in at least weekly just to check on their kids since we have a convenient location so they know the kids play and know most of the kids names.

[melskids]

my house is clean enough to be healthy but messy enough to be happy.

if the parents dont like that, then.... on them!!!

sure, my house is spic-&-span clean at a.m. drop off, and fairly clean at pick up. but i warn the parents, if you show up mid day prepare to see a mess.

as long as the paint/mud/sand/glitter/goop/gak/food/snot is cleaned off of their kid by the time they get here, that's all they really care about.

[BentleysBands]

my house is clean enough to be healthy but messy enough to be happy.

if the parents dont like that, then.... on them!!!

sure, my house is spic-&-span clean at a.m. drop off, and fairly clean at pick up. but i warn the parents, if you show up mid day prepare to see a mess.

as long as the paint/mud/sand/glitter/goop/gak/food/snot is cleaned off of their kid by the time they get here, that's all they really care about.

Ditto! I'm super anal and I can clean thruout the day while the kids play. Not hard at all. My parents only care if their kid are happy loved have fun each day. But there's definitely a difference in clean versus toys on floor. I clean up toys at end of day.thruout I just move them over with my foot