Smoking Policy and References

[debbiedoeszip]

I've applied to an agency to be a home daycare provider for them. They have a policy that there can be no smoking, at any time (even outside daycare hours), anywhere on the property. The only smoker in the household is my elderly mother who we invited to live with us a year ago. She smokes on the front porch. Never in the house, and never in the backyard where the daycare kids play. There is even a separate entrance for the daycare (side of house) so that they would not have to walk through a cloud of smoke to access the daycare. My DH, who is militant anti-smoking, thinks that the agency's requirement (no smoking on property, at ANY time EVER is unreasonable. Do any providers here have a smoker in the home, and what do your clients/licensing require or accept?

Also, they want each of my references to fill out a sheet of questions about me. I'm really concerned that they (my references) will ditch me if presented with this homework assignment. They aren't friends or family, they are former employers and supervisors and really owe me nothing. They also each work long hours and have families at home to take care of at the end of the day and probably don't want anything added to their workload. I said to the agency person interviewing me, "Oh, I thought you would only be calling them." and she said that she would be doing that as well. Holy overkill much? Does this seem odd to anyone else?

[childcaremom]

I am not in ON but we have similar options to register with agencies here. I choose to remain legally unlicensed mostly because they really don't have anything to offer me other than the ability to take subsidy, which I don't want to do.

Are there different agencies you can register with? Maybe a different agency would have different rules in regards to that aspect.

I know here the agencies receive money for each family daycare they sign up so they are always looking for new daycares.

[Thriftylady]

While I think the smoking rule is overreaching, I mean it is still your HOME. I am not sure you can get around it. I don't know much about licensing where you are, but if as PP suggested, another agency is available I guess check them out.

[Mike]

That is overkill. I'm in Ontario and plan to be unlicensed when I start.

[Blackcat31]

Most providers I know that live in Canada don't want to sign on with an agency. I think weird rules are one of the reasons.

Where are you located? (PM me if you dont want to post openly).

I belong to a private forum made up mostly of Canadian providers... I can ask if any of them know a way around or a clause in the smoking rule for your mom if it would help.

[debbiedoeszip]

My family and I discussed it all weekend and I'm not going to work through that agency (it's Wee Watch, btw). It's just too intrusive. The smoking thing, the questionnaire for my references (4 references required), and physicals for everyone in the household (not just for me, and I would be happy to oblige). Sorry, but my family has the right to medical privacy, especially when they will have nothing to do with the daycare.

She also had a problem with my mom's stairlift which goes along a wide staircase. She thought that it might make the stairway too narrow and therefore unsafe. I will still be having the fire department come and do an inspection (I will pay fee if there is one) and I will see what they say. My mom only rarely uses the stairlift anyway so we could remove it (and store it in case DH or I need it later). There is also a back entrance (sliding glass doors) that clients could use but I don't want to make them walk all the way to the back on cold or rainy days.

I have a room that I may put a packnplay in for naps if one of the children needs to be away from the others. There is a treadmill in the room. She wants it removed. I can keep it unplugged and store the "key" (it won't work without it) in another room, but I really don't want to move it anywhere. It's big and freaking heavy. I'm not even sure WHERE I would move it to.

Oh, and I'm in the Quinte West area (near Belleville ON).

[Blackcat31]

My family and I discussed it all weekend and I'm not going to work through that agency (it's Wee Watch, btw). It's just too intrusive. The smoking thing, the questionnaire for my references (4 references required), and physicals for everyone in the household (not just for me, and I would be happy to oblige). Sorry, but my family has the right to medical privacy, especially when they will have nothing to do with the daycare.

She also had a problem with my mom's stairlift which goes along a wide staircase. She thought that it might make the stairway too narrow and therefore unsafe. I will still be having the fire department come and do an inspection (I will pay fee if there is one) and I will see what they say. My mom only rarely uses the stairlift anyway so we could remove it (and store it in case DH or I need it later). There is also a back entrance (sliding glass doors) that clients could use but I don't want to make them walk all the way to the back on cold or rainy days.

I have a room that I may put a packnplay in for naps if one of the children needs to be away from the others. There is a treadmill in the room. She wants it removed. I can keep it unplugged and store the "key" (it won't work without it) in another room, but I really don't want to move it anywhere. It's big and freaking heavy. I'm not even sure WHERE I would move it to.

Oh, and I'm in the Quinte West area (near Belleville ON).

Message me your contact info...

I found a provider from the other forum that lives near your area. She heads a local FB group and says she maybe able to get word out for you if you are looking for kids...she said she knows many areas close that are in need of good care programs. She also has info on another agency that apparently is much better than Wee Watch. She said they are the worst...

Anyways, if you want to message me your name/contact info I will connect you with her and hopefully she can help you out!

[debbiedoeszip]

Pm sent and thanks for this!

[Blackcat31]

Pm sent and thanks for this!

No problem! I just sent your info to her!

Hopefully she will be a great resource for you!

[debbiedoeszip]

No problem! I just sent your info to her!

Hopefully she will be a great resource for you!

Thanks so much Blackcat!

[AmyKidsCo]

While I think the smoking rule is overreaching, I mean it is still your HOME. I am not sure you can get around it. I don't know much about licensing where you are, but if as PP suggested, another agency is available I guess check them out.

My program is in my home but licensing prohibits smoking anywhere on the premises while children are present. So when my FIL visits he has to take a walk around the block or stand on the sidewalk in front of the neighbor's to smoke. ::

[Thriftylady]

My program is in my home but licensing prohibits smoking anywhere on the premises while children are present. So when my FIL visits he has to take a walk around the block or stand on the sidewalk in front of the neighbor's to smoke. ::

I understand the while the children are present part, but the OP says they say no smoking at any time, so even when kiddos are not there. I think that is over reaching.

[Blackcat31]

I understand the while the children are present part, but the OP says they say no smoking at any time, so even when kiddos are not there. I think that is over reaching.

MN laws say there is no smoking in the home. period.

I do not feel it's over reaching simply because no one forced any of us to go into this field. It was a choice by each and every one of us.

Like many other professions, there are simply things we must abide by. Being a CDL holder is a good example. The legal limit for someone with a CDL is much lower than a normal drive with a regular driver's license.

[Thriftylady]

MN laws say there is no smoking in the home. period.

I do not feel it's over reaching simply because no one forced any of us to go into this field. It was a choice by each and every one of us.

Like many other professions, there are simply things we must abide by. Being a CDL holder is a good example. The legal limit for someone with a CDL is much lower than a normal drive with a regular driver's license.

IN the home, but what about outside where children do not play even when they are not there? I mean to say one can't smoke anyplace on their property is going to far. I also think that the lower legal limit for truck drivers in there PERSONAL vehicle is over reaching. I mean just because you have a job (of any kind) does not mean you should have to give up your rights to a personal life away from work. We don't smoke anymore, we both quit years ago, so I don't allow smoking in my house at all, largely due to DD's asthma. But that doesn't mean I would tell a visitor they couldn't smoke in my yard when no daycare kids were here.

[Blackcat31]

IN the home, but what about outside where children do not play even when they are not there? I mean to say one can't smoke anyplace on their property is going to far. I also think that the lower legal limit for truck drivers in there PERSONAL vehicle is over reaching. I mean just because you have a job (of any kind) does not mean you should have to give up your rights to a personal life away from work. We don't smoke anymore, we both quit years ago, so I don't allow smoking in my house at all, largely due to DD's asthma. But that doesn't mean I would tell a visitor they couldn't smoke in my yard when no daycare kids were here.

Pretty sure they can't get that picky when not everyone is trustworthy or honest. Not to mention the hundreds of different ways a simple rule and be interpreted. kwim?

What does "Where the kids don't play" mean?

It means something different for everyone so I am sure the rule simply had to be a general blanket rule...one size fits all.

As for the CDL rule not being fair in the personal vehicle...well my dad was a CDL holder his whole life and he took that "privilege" very seriously. If someone "pushed" the legal limit simply because they were in their personal vehicle...well that says a lot about their personal integrity and I wouldn't want someone on the road with a multi-ton vehicle that didn't take the privilege seriously.

With every privilege comes a responsibility.

My bff's dad is a pilot. He can not drink within 24-48 hours prior to flying.

There are many professions that have off-duty laws/rules or policies that employees must follow. Again, no one forced anyone to take those types of jobs but if you do, then you must abide by those laws.