So Sad...

[MyAngels]

My first thought too, but didn't want to say it.

Hopefully not the case....

Something is not adding up, that's all there is to it.



I almost logged out but decided against it.

I am 26 this year. I really get angry at the posts others have put up here about age being non negotiable in terms of the maturity, etc.

While I do agree that many people my age are not mature enough, not experienced enough, I dislike that it has been stated that ALL are not. I pride myself in my childcare. I pride myself in my maturity. I've had mothers 10 yrs older than me state that they NEVER would have guess I was so much younger than them.
I am also mature enough as the poster who logged out to post stated, to know that I cannot even if I was allowed to take care of that many children. I ,know that 2 toddlers is enough to keep me on my toes for the day. The amount of care they require is much to great for one person to provide for more than 2. Not saying NO ONE could do it, but I have no desire to have more kids than 2 under 2 and 2 over 2. No thanks. I don't even want to get licensed because the 8 kids would be tempting for income, but I NEVER want to watch 8 kids on my own. NO WAY!
I also know whole heartedly (SP?) that I would give my life in an instant for any child. Whether in my care, or someone on the street. I would NEVER hesitate.

I'm sorry, but I want to say, that I am fuming right now because I have been lumped into a group of irresponsible, immature, unreliable, and whatever else caregivers.

There is a big difference between 26 and 22. When I was very young (19) I worked at a daycare center for a couple of years. Then when my son was born (I was 21) I decided that, in order to stay home with him and still have an income, I would start my home daycare. I realized within the first couple of weeks that I just wasn't ready for that and closed down within a month. I waited until I was 28 to try it again. I could have done it a couple of years before that, but I wanted to wait until my youngest was in pre-school.

My point is that I was not the same person at 28 that I was at 21, not even close.

[nikia]

My first thought too, but didn't want to say it.

Hopefully not the case....

Something is not adding up, that's all there is to it.



I almost logged out but decided against it.

I am 26 this year. I really get angry at the posts others have put up here about age being non negotiable in terms of the maturity, etc.

While I do agree that many people my age are not mature enough, not experienced enough, I dislike that it has been stated that ALL are not. I pride myself in my childcare. I pride myself in my maturity. I've had mothers 10 yrs older than me state that they NEVER would have guess I was so much younger than them.
I am also mature enough as the poster who logged out to post stated, to know that I cannot even if I was allowed to take care of that many children. I ,know that 2 toddlers is enough to keep me on my toes for the day. The amount of care they require is much to great for one person to provide for more than 2. Not saying NO ONE could do it, but I have no desire to have more kids than 2 under 2 and 2 over 2. No thanks. I don't even want to get licensed because the 8 kids would be tempting for income, but I NEVER want to watch 8 kids on my own. NO WAY!
I also know whole heartedly (SP?) that I would give my life in an instant for any child. Whether in my care, or someone on the street. I would NEVER hesitate.

I'm sorry, but I want to say, that I am fuming right now because I have been lumped into a group of irresponsible, immature, unreliable, and whatever else caregivers.

I am sorry that you were offended. I think there is a huge difference between 22 and 26. Now not every 22 year old is like this woman so if I said all 22 year olds have no business doing this I am sorry. I was mature at 22, pregnant with my first child, but there is no way that I was ready to say "Yes I am willing to die to protect any child that walks in my door regardless if I have known them 1 hour or 1 year." I was willing to die for my own of course but not other people's. I CAN say that now, I was 29 when I opened my daycare I am sure people think that is young and I look a lot younger than that, but life experiences and being a mom made me see things differently and grow so much as a person. Also a few bad daycare experiences helped with the process of being able to care for other peoples children well.

[nannyde]

My first thought too, but didn't want to say it.

Hopefully not the case....

Something is not adding up, that's all there is to it.



I almost logged out but decided against it.

I am 26 this year. I really get angry at the posts others have put up here about age being non negotiable in terms of the maturity, etc.

While I do agree that many people my age are not mature enough, not experienced enough, I dislike that it has been stated that ALL are not. I pride myself in my childcare. I pride myself in my maturity. I've had mothers 10 yrs older than me state that they NEVER would have guess I was so much younger than them.
I am also mature enough as the poster who logged out to post stated, to know that I cannot even if I was allowed to take care of that many children. I ,know that 2 toddlers is enough to keep me on my toes for the day. The amount of care they require is much to great for one person to provide for more than 2. Not saying NO ONE could do it, but I have no desire to have more kids than 2 under 2 and 2 over 2. No thanks. I don't even want to get licensed because the 8 kids would be tempting for income, but I NEVER want to watch 8 kids on my own. NO WAY!
I also know whole heartedly (SP?) that I would give my life in an instant for any child. Whether in my care, or someone on the street. I would NEVER hesitate.

I'm sorry, but I want to say, that I am fuming right now because I have been lumped into a group of irresponsible, immature, unreliable, and whatever else caregivers.

Well it wasn't meant to offend you. If it did I apologize.

Think about this: A 26 year old has eight years of being an adult. A 22 year old has four. That's TWICE the life experience of being an adult.

That's huge.

You at 26 know that you can handle FAR less children under three than she was allowed to have. What would your feelings on this be at 22?

[dEHmom]

True that 22 and 26 is 4 years different. And I thank all of you for your input on what I had to say.

I have been entrusted in this career since I was 22 yo. I just officially opened up my home as a "daycare" as opposed to just babysitting for the last year. But I've had many many years already in Child care.

I guess I took offense because looking back to when I was 22 I was not much different than I am now (maybe extra alcoholic beverages on the weekend). Maybe I'm just a special person

I had my daughter when I was 19 (only a month being 19 when she was born). All I ever wanted since I was a baby was to be a mom, and work in daycare so even when I didn't have babies of my own, I would always be surrounded by them.

I apologize that I took such great offense, I just figure, that even if this caregiver had been 24 or 25 the conversation may have been the same no?

I believe age is a factor, and I do agree. I've often worried that my age has hindered my childcare clientel? I think this whole topic should someone come across it because of this Tata, is going to hinder it even more.

Thank you everyone for making me feel better. I had troubles this morning drinking my coffee thinking about all this. I felt like maybe I shouldn't be in this profession right now, I worried about my house catching fire, and what would be said about me, should GOD FORBID anything ever happen. You have helped to put me at ease, but I am questioning a lot right now. And I don't know how I would cope surviving if anything happened to any child in my care.

[nikia]

Thank you everyone for making me feel better. I had troubles this morning drinking my coffee thinking about all this. I felt like maybe I shouldn't be in this profession right now, I worried about my house catching fire, and what would be said about me, should GOD FORBID anything ever happen. You have helped to put me at ease, but I am questioning a lot right now. And I don't know how I would cope surviving if anything happened to any child in my care.

Honestly at any age we should think about coping if something happened, accidents happen to anyone no matter if your in your 20's, 30's, 40's or beyond. What makes you a different kind of provider is that you are thinking about those things. Its not the fact that the house had a fire, its the fact she wasnt even there, she just walked out and left them alone. If your house had a fire, from what I read in your posts, I believe you would die to save those babies, dont question yourself because we are saying some 22 year olds shouldnt be doing this, its just opinions and coming from people who dont know all about you or me or anyone else on here. Lots of things play into how you mature and what kind of person you are. The fact may be more that she was morally corrupt to leave those children alone and less that she was 22, I dont know what the answer is. I feel bad that you are questioning yourself and I dont think you need to, be prepared for whatever the worst may be and try to prevent things thats all any of us can do.

[newtodaycare22]

I cannot even imagine what all of those people are going through.

That being said, I don't care how old you are...I think it's crazy to stereotype a certain age. I am 23 and I have 7 parents who trust their kids with me. They are all amazed when they find out how old I am because I am so mature and they can tell I would do anything for their children. One parent the other day said her sister asked how old I was, and she guessed 26 but I was even more mature than my age. Obviously, age is just a number and it really means nothing (once you are beyond your teens at least

[kendallina]

I don't see what age has to do with this situation. I can understand if you're speaking in generalities, as there are brain differences (particularly in the areas of critical thinking, reasoning and decision making) between 20 and 30 years olds, but to look at this specific case and say that a 22-year old should never be responsible for that number of children is overgeneralizing. Who's to say that this woman would not have made the same irresponsible decisions 10 years from now. There are plenty of irresponsible and criminal older people around and I would not be so fast to blame her negligence on age.

Read a yahoo article today that said she was indeed gone from the house before the incident, left stove burner on and a pot with oil in it on the stove. There is a warrant out for her arrest.

I am soo sad for these families who entrusted their children to her. It can be a scary scary thing to leave your children with someone that you barely know and they did it believing her to be a responsible person. I am just so so sad and beyond words about this entire situation.

[nannyde]

I don't see what age has to do with this situation. I can understand if you're speaking in generalities, as there are brain differences (particularly in the areas of critical thinking, reasoning and decision making) between 20 and 30 years olds, but to look at this specific case and say that a 22-year old should never be responsible for that number of children is overgeneralizing. Who's to say that this woman would not have made the same irresponsible decisions 10 years from now. There are plenty of irresponsible and criminal older people around and I would not be so fast to blame her negligence on age.

Read a yahoo article today that said she was indeed gone from the house before the incident, left stove burner on and a pot with oil in it on the stove. There is a warrant out for her arrest.

I am soo sad for these families who entrusted their children to her. It can be a scary scary thing to leave your children with someone that you barely know and they did it believing her to be a responsible person. I am just so so sad and beyond words about this entire situation.

can you link that stove oil story?

[kendallina]

Oops, meant to link, then forgot, here it is:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110228/ap_on_re_us/us_daycare_center_fire

[DCMomOf3]

Oops, meant to link, then forgot, here it is:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110228/...re_center_fire

not sure if this the same one or not.

http://www.khou.com/news/local/Worker-charged-in-we-117026548.html

[nikia]

2 to 10 years!!!!!! Thats it!!!!! I hope that is per child that she endangered but I doubt it is

[nannyde]

http://dig.abclocal.go.com/ktrk/ktrk_022811_tata2.pdf

[juliebug]

2 to 10 years!!!!!! Thats it!!!!! I hope that is per child that she endangered but I doubt it is

looks like it is only for one child at the moment, i am sure it will be more when the other parents sue too

[Cat Herder]

http://dig.abclocal.go.com/ktrk/ktrk_022811_tata2.pdf

Awesome, Nannyde... Thanks

[tenderhearts]

2-10 years only?? That's it???? Wow. So very very sad. My heart goes out to these poor families.