Only Children

[Unregistered]

Does anyone NOT take only children? I have termed 3 kids in the last 2 years and all three were only children who's parents wanted me to either do everything for their child or assumed "their child" needed no discipline because they simply were perfect- just by being born of their genetics. My mom did daycare years back and after I termed this one said she learned not to take only children because of this. WWYD?

[momatheart]

You know I never thought of it before but OMG you have a point. I usually just see these parents and how they are and think to myself you have to have another child. Never thought about not taking only children because of that. I think if you did take an only child you could teach that child some self help skills.

Why would you term an only child? What was it that bothered you the most?

[nannyde]

I love only children. I've only had a couple of private pay sibling groups in my 17 years of doing child care. Once the second child is born it's difficult for the parents to afford two in my day care.

There's a lot of advantages to only children. With you have multiple children from one household you run the risk of having a dramatic decrease in your income when they leave. Many providers feel obligated to deal with more issues with parents of multiples because so much of their income rests on making that one family happy.

[jen]

Nan...perhaps you could post some of your comments on interviewing. It seems to me that the problem may be not with the only child status, but with the ability to weed out parents whose ideology may not be well suited for group care.

[momatheart]

Nan...perhaps you could post some of your comments on interviewing. It seems to me that the problem may be not with the only child status, but with the ability to weed out parents whose ideology may not be well suited for group care.

Agree with this and would love to hear some questions.

[nannyde]

Good blog idea. I'll happily oblige.

[pinkcrayonz]

Good blog idea. I'll happily oblige.

Thankyou!! I am looking forward to reading your suggestions

[Meyou]

I don't mind only children. However I have a great group of parents who listen when I tell them their darling isn't perfect so I've had few issues. They actually look to me for advice much more than the parents of multiple children.

[SimpleMom]

There's pros and cons to each. I think only children are easier in that with siblings, there's more sibling conflicts.

[ninosqueridos]

Good blog idea. I'll happily oblige.

I was thinking this weekend..."I wonder how Nan *knows* how to weed out those families and has such great kids!?" Another supporter of an interview question idea blog.

[ninosqueridos]

My dcks that are only children - have had no problems. I have, however, had issues with children of single parent households (don't flame me please, I know it is not true of ALL households like this).....just sad circumstances that have really affected the behavior of the child, and the parents are so stretched in time and dealing with their child, that they just don't bother trying to work with me on their child's behavior.

[Checkinkids.com]

It seems that many of the kids in our daycare are only children...if only because they are "first" children and have no siblings yet. But I do notice that first time parents can more more protective than parents with 2 or 3 kids already.

[SandeeAR]

Two of my four are only kids. They are both GREAT! Great kids and Great parents. I guess, I'm lucky, but when a kid issue arises, either here or at home, we talk about it so we are all on the same page as to how to handle it.

[SilverSabre25]

I have so far not had a sibling set in care and most of my kiddos are just fine and wonderful.

The parents, on the other hand, are a different story--many are fine, some are over-protective. Some get better as the child gets older.