You Know You're A Childcare Provider When...

[mommyneedsadayoff]

When we're at the pool I keep an eye on ALL the little kids to make sure their parents are watching them, and when the local childcare is there I keep counting their kids.

This so me! We had a tragic incidence of a little girl drowning at our local pool that we frequent a lot. I know it is a "what if" situation, but I am constantly monitoring the pool and ALL kids when we are there that I sometimes wonder if I had been there that day (we go ALOT, but not that day), would I have been able to prevent it? Still makes my heart clench thinking about it.

[Rockgirl]

When I'm out driving around, I'll scope out people's backyards and imagine how I'd set it up for dc if I lived there.

I do this when I see a house on a corner lot with an entrance on the side. I always imagine the door opens into a big beautiful room that of course would be the daycare room!

[Ariana]

When I'm out driving around, I'll scope out people's backyards and imagine how I'd set it up for dc if I lived there.

I do this too! There is a perfect house for sale right now, it used to be an insurance brokerage office. Would be PERFECT for a daycare. I would love to run something offsite like BlackCat does.

[Blackcat31]

I would love to run something offsite like BlackCat does.

I would have quit the first year if I didn't have that separation.

There are 7 providers in my county that own separate homes.

[JackandJill]

Offering to wipe random children's noses while out and about, not realizing how creepy it must seem to other adults!

[childcaremom]

I do this when I see a house on a corner lot with an entrance on the side. I always imagine the door opens into a big beautiful room that of course would be the daycare room!

I have been known to occasionally check the mls site to see what's available close by.

[Annalee]

I catch myself spelling certain words in conversations like I do with my assistant each day.

[SignMeUp]

My first aid kit is first rate. Every thing you can imagine for kids or adults. When I camp with friends, they bow to my kit
My license person gets irritated with all the stuff and would prefer that I have a separate one for daycare.

[hottie8962]

When you hear kids crying and there is no kids here or carrying wipes everywhere .

[Josiegirl]

Hottie, I swear I'll hear kids crying too!

[Alwaysgreener]

I know rite!

I always seem to zero in on those children whose parents aren't paying them any attention. Especially those who are running away from where their moms are standing. I will swoop around the corner to intercept that child and say to them, "Go back to your mom right now and don't leave her side." The mom's never know what happened.

I do this at the store. I had one lo run towards me that I stopped, she had ran away from the adult, they could not catch her. Later I saw them chasing the child again.
I asked one child that had stopped walking with the adult, where was their mom? The adult on the other end of the aisle turned around when she heard me ask.
Both of this kids where toddlers.

When I'm out driving around, I'll scope out people's backyards and imagine how I'd set it up for dc if I lived there.

I look at backyards and can tell when it is a daycare vs family backyard. There this one yard that must have coupe car races with the kids, they have about 6 of those cars.

Offering to wipe random children's noses while out and about, not realizing how creepy it must seem to other adults!

I did that as a teen, little girl behind me in line needed help, her mom was not paying attention so I offered to help. Mom gave me a wired look when she noticed I was helping her daughter.

[spud912]

We have a lot of new house developments nearby. Most are way out of price range. My husband and I love to go to the model homes and explore (as do our children). I can't help but imagine how to set up each house for daycare, determining some are perfect and some are unfit.....:: as if I would be doing daycare in a $600,000 house with an RV garage and 5300 square feet ::.

[thrivingchildcarecom]

You know you're a childcare provider when you....
hear kids in your house even when everyone has left! LOL

[adnilwis]

Mine is more when I see parents and kids interacting in public. Such as at the grocery store and a kiddo is screaming for candy and the parent hands it to them. That is when I think "I am glad I don't have THAT family".

Unfortunately I think I do have those families.

[childcaremom]

You know you're a childcare provider when you....
hear kids in your house even when everyone has left! LOL

Oh that is me, too. I hear echoes long after everyone has left. ::