Reasons You Question How Well The State Knows Kids...

[Ariana]

They have to pretend their jobs are important somehow right? Lol

My daughter is in kindergarten and here they start if the child is 4 by December. That means my daughters class has 3.5 yr olds in it. There are two teachers with 26 kids ages 3.5 - 5 years. Roughly 1:15 ratio. In a daycare the law is 1:8 for that age. Why are teachers suddenly more able to handle young kids at higher ratios because they are in a school?? Makes zero sense.

[Mike]

Oh I may have to do that and see how long before someone notices. ::

I have 3 exits within 15 feet of the classroom. All of them directly visible when in the classroom. I had to make an post an evac plan complete with map

I hope your map is nice and colorful for the kids. ::

[CeriBear]

With pre-k the ration is 12 kids to 1 adult. Obviously they don’t know what it is like to have to get 12 four year olds ready to go outside when we need to wear our coats and hats.

[midaycare]

They have to pretend their jobs are important somehow right? Lol

My daughter is in kindergarten and here they start if the child is 4 by December. That means my daughters class has 3.5 yr olds in it. There are two teachers with 26 kids ages 3.5 - 5 years. Roughly 1:15 ratio. In a daycare the law is 1:8 for that age. Why are teachers suddenly more able to handle young kids at higher ratios because they are in a school?? Makes zero sense.

A million times this.

[Jupadia]

They have to pretend their jobs are important somehow right? Lol

My daughter is in kindergarten and here they start if the child is 4 by December. That means my daughters class has 3.5 yr olds in it. There are two teachers with 26 kids ages 3.5 - 5 years. Roughly 1:15 ratio. In a daycare the law is 1:8 for that age. Why are teachers suddenly more able to handle young kids at higher ratios because they are in a school?? Makes zero sense.

This again. Cause my kid the same way at school.
I'm constantly on my husband about letting our 4 year old do things himself, I have to remind him that his teachers have 25 kids between 2 of them and can't keep helping him do things like zippers every time.

[Unregistered]

Illness exclusion and best practice.

The illness's the state says is best practice to NOT exclude children from day care are Hand Foot Mouth, head lice, MRSA, Pink eye, ring worn. All things ibexclude for and won't budge on it no matter what the state suggest. Thank God they don't dictate my illness policy's

[Blackcat31]

The illness's the state says is best practice to NOT exclude children from day care are Hand Foot Mouth, head lice, MRSA, Pink eye, ring worn. All things ibexclude for and won't budge on it no matter what the state suggest. Thank God they don't dictate my illness policy's

yet

[amberrose3dg]

You are not coming to daycare with head lice.
Sorry but parents would bring them with Ebola if we let them. ::

[flying_babyb]

With pre-k the ration is 12 kids to 1 adult. Obviously they don’t know what it is like to have to get 12 four year olds ready to go outside when we need to wear our coats and hats.

they assume at least a few can do most of it themselves. My twos put on there coats and hats alone. line up for zipping and mittening! took me about a month of saying "we flip it, flip-it good" (yes in the song voice) to get them to learn to do it alone).

[CeriBear]

Most of my 3-4 year olds can put their coats on but have trouble zipping and buttoning. A few of them don’t like to do it for themselves but I have them give it a try.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

The emergency plans I have to post by every exit. None of these children can read, I don't have employees. I added plans for volcanic eruption and apocalypse on mine years ago and no one noticed.

Oh, my gosh...this is cracking me up. This is a serious pet peeve for me. I had my evacuation maps posted (so stupid!), and yet I got in trouble because I'd missed a new rule that said I needed EXIT signs over the doors. If a child needs to get away from a fire, are they going to look for an EXIT sign...or for a DOOR!?! We're not talking about a light-up sign here to help in the dark--he suggested a handwritten sign by one of the older children. To go over the French doors--through which you can clearly see the outdoors.

[e.j.]

Oh, my gosh...this is cracking me up. This is a serious pet peeve for me. I had my evacuation maps posted (so stupid!), and yet I got in trouble because I'd missed a new rule that said I needed EXIT signs over the doors. If a child needs to get away from a fire, are they going to look for an EXIT sign...or for a DOOR!?! We're not talking about a light-up sign here to help in the dark--he suggested a handwritten sign by one of the older children. To go over the French doors--through which you can clearly see the outdoors.

This regulation has "regulatory overkill" written all over it! Maybe it makes sense in some larger, public buildings with windowless corridors that you can get disoriented in if you're not familiar with the layout but I would guess most family day care providers (and their dc kids/families) know where the home's exits are. My home isn't quite open concept but close. As I told a past licensor, the dc kids can't read and if any adult can't find his way out of here without an exit sign to show the way, he needs more help than any exit sign can give him!

[Lissa Kristine]

Most of my 3-4 year olds can put their coats on but have trouble zipping and buttoning. A few of them don’t like to do it for themselves but I have them give it a try.

That's my approach. I figure at the very least, it gives them something to do while they wait their turn for me to help them if they can't.

I also question the 1:4 ratio for infants under 18 months in NJ. I think it should be lower for younger infants who are completely dependent. Then, it can go up to a 1:4 after 9 months or so when the children should be slightly more independent and able to start doing more things like eating finger foods or holding their own bottles. Yesterday, I was alone with a sick 6 month old (though we weren't aware that he was sick at the time- just that he was fussy and wanted to be held), a 5 month old who was new to the daycare, an almost 7 month old who wanted me to help him stand/wanted to climb on me, and a teething 7 month old- also new to the daycare). I was alone with four infants who needed my attention for various reasons. I can only hold so many babies at once.

Personally, if I were to make modifications, it would be:

Under 18 months 1:4 <-- Split this in half with the younger half being a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio.

18 months up to 21/2 years 1:6 <---same

2-1/2 years up to 4 years- 1:10 <--- split. 2-1/2 to 3 should be a 1:8 ratio.

4 years- 1:12 <--- same

5 years and older 1:15 <--- same.


Though, I also think there should be regulations requiring at least two teachers in a classroom even if ratios allow for one. So, a classroom of 5 two year olds would have two teachers in it, but with ratios in effect, you still don't need a third teacher until you add child number 13. Because there's a world of difference between being alone with 6 toddlers and being with a dozen toddlers with another adult in the room.