"Your so Strict"

[Lucy]

I have 3 of my kids for 10 hours and 45 min per day. The 2 moms work at the same place from 8:00 to 5:00 (8 hour day with an hour lunch) and have 45 min commutes each way, but build in an extra 15 min in the morning in case of a wreck on the freeway or something. So yeah, I think that's totally normal.

[nannyde]

I have 3 of my kids for 10 hours and 45 min per day. The 2 moms work at the same place from 8:00 to 5:00 (8 hour day with an hour lunch) and have 45 min commutes each way, but build in an extra 15 min in the morning in case of a wreck on the freeway or something. So yeah, I think that's totally normal.

You know what I can never figure out with these long transport times built into day care? Why don't the parents find care by where they work? You would think they would want to be physically close to their child during the day.

I've had many parents contact me with scheudles like this and I won't even interview them. If they can work their lunch to a half hour instead of an hour and get one of the parents to do a later drop off or pick up then we can talk. I've had MANY parents switch their work schedule and their original plan of who drops off and picks up to get into my day care.

I can see it for people who live way out in the country in really rural areas but if they are travelling to a more populated area then why wouldn't they try to find care there?

Eleven hour days sound BRUTAL. I can't even imagine it.

[Meyou]

All of my families made it work when I cut my hours. It's amazing how a parent can now get here at 5:10pm consistantly with a late fee in place but when my hours were longer and no fee they couldn't possibly make it before 5:45 pm and even that was pushing it so they were doing me a favor.

[dEHmom]

i didn't read all the posts, but here's what i tell my families...

all the rules are there because someone at somepoint has created the need for them.

i also say, that for the most part, i myself have never had to pull out the handbook as a reminder, and that it's there simply to refer back to should the need arise.

i tell the parents that majority of the stuff listed is there as a safety net, and so that parents understand their responsibility when it comes to daycare and their child. all the areas of the handbook are there for the well being of everyone involved.

[MarinaVanessa]

You know what I can never figure out with these long transport times built into day care? Why don't the parents find care by where they work? You would think they would want to be physically close to their child during the day.

I've wondered about this also. I have a DC family that lives 30 minutes away, DCD works for the County Jail and DCM works in next town over (15-20min drive). I live about 5 minutes away from the Government center (where the county jail is) and they chose me BECAUSE I was so close to DCD's job. But then again these parents are ALWAYS keeping their child home when they get a day off, when he or anyone else in their family is sick, pick up early when they can etc. DCM drops off at 8:30am and goes to work, DCD is already at work and gets off on a regular day at 3:00pm but is out early alot and comes straight here to get DCB.

I remember my mom being the same way. We lived 65 miles from where she worked and my DC was 10 minutes away from her job. I don't see why more parents don't do that. It just makes more sense maybe?

[SandeeAR]

You know what I can never figure out with these long transport times built into day care? Why don't the parents find care by where they work? You would think they would want to be physically close to their child during the day.

Because then on their days off, it is only a few minutes away to take the kid to day care!

[momma2girls]

55 hours a week is a LOT of hours. That's eleven hours a day. I can't imagine what it would be like to care for kids that many hours a day five days a week. Are they working that many hours that they need that much day care?

This is what I was wondering? Many families will take advantage of your opening and closing times!! It's really pathetic- I highly doubt both parents work 10-12 hrs. a day.

[spud912]

You know what I can never figure out with these long transport times built into day care? Why don't the parents find care by where they work? You would think they would want to be physically close to their child during the day.

Back when I used to work and my mom watched my dd, I worked 4-10's (6:30 am to 5:00 pm, 30 minutes for lunch). I could have switched to 5-8's but then I would have had 1 less day with my dd (which made a huge difference in the # of awake hours I got to spend with her). The commute was 30-60 minutes to work. If I had to choose a daycare, I would have preferred one close to home to limit the amount of time she was stuck in a car because 1 1/2 hours daily in the car is a lot of time and stress on a baby. My husband and I always carpooled together to cut down on gas usage so we had the same schedule. That is how I can justify a schedule like that.

Now that I am a daycare provider, I am open 11 hours a day so someone in my prior situation could not use my services. It dawned on me a couple of months ago how much my mom did for me when I worked and I am forever grateful! Free one-on-one child care for 48 hours a week!!

[squareone]

You know what I can never figure out with these long transport times built into day care? Why don't the parents find care by where they work? You would think they would want to be physically close to their child during the day.

Me either!!! This is exactly what I did because I wanted to be near my kids. I wanted to be able to nurse my babies on my lunch break and take my kids to lunch or to the park for a short while. The center had an open door policy and I wanted to be able to take advantage of it! I had a 45 minute commute each way and it was never a concern for me that the kids were in the car for too long. Occasionally they would nap but most days we would sing our favorite songs, learn new words, talk about what they learned that day, name the colors of the cars passing by, etc. I considered this good, quality, awake time for us. It was an extra 1.5 hours that they got to spend with me rather than at daycare. Plus, I was never late picking them up because of being stuck in traffic.

[Lucy]

You know what I can never figure out with these long transport times built into day care? Why don't the parents find care by where they work? You would think they would want to be physically close to their child during the day.

I've had many parents contact me with scheudles like this and I won't even interview them. If they can work their lunch to a half hour instead of an hour and get one of the parents to do a later drop off or pick up then we can talk. I've had MANY parents switch their work schedule and their original plan of who drops off and picks up to get into my day care.

I can see it for people who live way out in the country in really rural areas but if they are travelling to a more populated area then why wouldn't they try to find care there?

Eleven hour days sound BRUTAL. I can't even imagine it.

The quick answer to that is you can't take your school-age kids to another town for Daycare. These 3 kids are 7, 6, and 3. I started them all as infants, and love to raise them for as many years as I can. I have another who has been here from birth and is now 11 1/2. (She pretty much only comes on no-school days now though.)

As far as the younger ones, we live in a somewhat rural town, which is to say it's not completely farms, it's more housing developments, but there is farming here, and we are cut off from surrounding towns by at least 3 miles in each direction. People who live here like that "homey" feel, and want their kids' Daycare to have that same small-town feel to it. Which is exactly how mine is. Picture Mayberry. They'd rather have them here than a larger town any day.

Also, I would not advocate a 45 min commute with children in the car 5 days a week. That's just crazy.

[cheerfuldom]

yeah I bet a big part of it is because they wouldn't want their kids in the car for the commute each day.

[nannyde]

Also, I would not advocate a 45 min commute with children in the car 5 days a week. That's just crazy.

I would much rather have a kid in a car 45 min each way then have them in child care 11 hours a day. To me, that's just CRAZY.

There's SO many things parents can do to make the trips fun for the kids. I have kids now that commute 30 minutes every day. An extra fifteen minutes would be no problem.

The parents set up a mini toy room next to their seats. They stop on the way home half way to pick up this or that. They have portable DVD players and CD's to listen to. They talk to their kids.

It's not that big of a deal to commute with your kid. It's not ideal but it's better than being in child care for eleven hours a day. Kids need to be WITH their parents.

We have a history as a spiecies of children travelling with our parents to make a better life for the family. It's a "sacrifice" in this day and age and it was a risky sacrifice in the 1800's when families crossed the country in covered wagons. It's not a novel concept. If that's what the families HAVE to do in this day and age to propsper and be with each other then make the best of it and do what you have to do.

We are so spoiled it is rediculous.

Enough It's time we do what we HAVE to do. Family FIRST.

[Crystal]

re. the commute.....when I needed care, as well as for many of my parents, it's about safety. It's about not having to risk driving 45 minutes each way and increasing the risk of my/their children being in an accident. I TOTALLY get that.

[QualiTcare]

i drove 30 minutes to take my kids to daycare and then went back the way i came to go to school. why? because i moved and it was better for THEM to stay in the same place they knew and loved than it was for ME to save time and gas.

[Country Kids]

55 hours a week is a LOT of hours. That's eleven hours a day. I can't imagine what it would be like to care for kids that many hours a day five days a week. Are they working that many hours that they need that much day care?

I have two children that are here anywhere from 10-10.75 hours a day. Parents only work about 5 min. away but company works 10+ hours a day (mandatory overtime). Parents all work for the same company so one drops off and one picks up but still amounts to that amount of time. I charge by the hour so I make the money but am very, very tired by the end of the day. They are my first ones here and usually the last ones out of the door on most days. We have many companies in our town that are 12 hour shift places so what is a parent to do.