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Refer to "definitions" in statute #1
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Refer to "definitions" in statute #1 -
Note to mom. . . any editing help please advise
I'm going to be totally honest with you. Keeping "Sally" focused on her schoolwork is very difficult & time-consuming. Since most of the work needs to be read to her (side note - I totally don;t agree with this-she should be reading it herself) it's a big time commitment. I am happy to assist to a point but it can not be my top priority. My top priority has to be doing activities with all the children. During naptime (if everyone naps & we all know some kids take short naps or NO naps) I may have 30-45 min to assist her. That timeframe is my only time during the day to refresh myself/grab a bite to eat/prepare afternoon craft activities/clean up from lunch. I'm happy to guide her if she can work independently but so far that hasn't been the case.
How can I word this properly? I don't want to sound harsh. I may incorporate some of what you had mentioned Chickenhauler. HmmmmmComment
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I agree with Chickenhauler
I totally agree with Chicken Hauler's post above. Maybe I would word it a bit differently, but it is spot-on. What is sounds like this girl needs is a private tutor, someone who is there just to see to it that she comprehends and does what's expected of her. I would be amazed if the mom didn't already know this.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around how she is homeschooled and goes to daycare. I homeschooled my boys once upon a time and met many many parents who did the same, and I can tell you not one of them had a set-up like yours; they all did their OWN homeschooling, even the ones who had to work during the day would come home and do the homeschooling in the evenings. If it is important enough to this mother to keep her child out of a traditional school setting, it should be important enough to her to do it herself.
I would word it in a way that doesn't put the mother on the defense, necessarily, although that should not be your primary concern when talking to her. Here is what I would say:
"Mrs. Homeschooler, I believe we may have had a bit of a misunderstanding with regards to Sally's home school workload. When we spoke about it initially, I was under the impression that you understood I would be able to assist Sally in doing her work only when our regular schedule permitted. If I misunderstood you, I will apologize in advance.
I hope you know that I love children and I really want what's best for them. I never want to look back and wonder if I could have done better by a child that was in my care. That's the reason I wanted to speak with you about Sally. In the last x days, I have tried to take on the bulk of Sally's school work, and I have found that I am not able to fully provide what Sally needs in order to get all of her work done, and done properly. I am here to provide all of the children in my care with a safe, secure, and loving environment to play and learn, grow and flourish. In order to do that, I have to give each of my children individual attention and care, as well as attention to them as a group. I am not able to do that, and at the same time give Sally all of the attention that is required in order to do the bulk of her home schooling while she is here during the day. I wouldn't be doing right by the other children in my care, including my own little one, and I certainly wouldn't be doing right by Sally, either. I am not a school teacher nor a tutor, and based on the laws of our state, I am not qualified to lead her homeschooling on a daily basis.
Now, having said that, I would be more than happy to pick one subject (maybe one she is having trouble in?) and help her for 30 minutes or so a day, in order to reinforce what she is already learning through her regular home schooling, but I will not be able to commit more than that, as it wouldn't be fair to the other children in my care, and it wouldn't be fair to Sally as I wouldn't be able to give her my full attention. As you probably know, I can't count on the other children taking full naps (or even naps at all for that matter!) every day, so assisting Sally on the days we are able to would be something I would look forward to doing!
I appreciate your understanding and look really forward to helping Sally in a way that benefits her as well as the other children in my care."
Well, at least that's what I would say
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While I think you did a really GOOD job on your letter explaining everything, I personally think you should write a much shorter version and be straightforward........this isn't working and that while you can assist her as needed as she works on her own, you can not be the "teacher". Simple and to the point. Good luck which ever way you do it.
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I'm a little long-winded
Sorry, Mac60, I tend to be a little long-winded
! I agree with you, though, short and to the point is probably a better route.
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If it were me...
I would avoid a letter altogether. I would just tell her in person. Direct and to the point. If she sends the schoolwork, dont worry about it. You already told her you would not be completing it at daycare. The worst she can do is leave...but it doesn't sound like she is going to do that. Tell her and leave it alone.Comment
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Hi all! I just wanted to post an update about what happened in regards to this. I didn't give the mom a note although at first I intended to. What I did do was tell her I could help with 1 subject but other than that there was no way I could complete all the work considering some days I have 3 other kids. Mom seemed fine with this arrangement & for the next week or 2 she would bring 1 or 2 (yes, you read right, 2) subjects with her. Anyway, we would have some time to work on the schooling but some days we did not have anytime. This past week my older boys' school was cancelled 3 days b/c of inclement weather so I had a houseful! Definitely no time for schoolwork with extra bodies! I was thinking mom understood, I have no idea how she thinks a daycare works. . . but clearly she doesn't. Not sure why I would expect her to. So out of the blue she tells me that the daughter that I help w/schooling will be going to a SIL's (sister-in-law) home, apparently SIL can help with the schoolwork. I was slightly ticked b/c #1. She gave me NO notice at all & #2 She said something about how SIL would work with her to catch her back up. This family has only been with me about 4 weeks now, there is no way she got that behind in 4 weeks. She got behind b/c I don't think anyone else did any work with her other than me for those 4 weeks. Anyway, to be honest I do feel relieved. She was a great kid but considering she was 8 & didn't nap it made it hard to get a break. Now I can go back to more restful afternoons.
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So there were two children right? The girl and her brother? Will he still come to you? Did you have a contract saying they had to gie two weeks?Hi all! I just wanted to post an update about what happened in regards to this. I didn't give the mom a note although at first I intended to. What I did do was tell her I could help with 1 subject but other than that there was no way I could complete all the work considering some days I have 3 other kids. Mom seemed fine with this arrangement & for the next week or 2 she would bring 1 or 2 (yes, you read right, 2) subjects with her. Anyway, we would have some time to work on the schooling but some days we did not have anytime. This past week my older boys' school was cancelled 3 days b/c of inclement weather so I had a houseful! Definitely no time for schoolwork with extra bodies! I was thinking mom understood, I have no idea how she thinks a daycare works. . . but clearly she doesn't. Not sure why I would expect her to. So out of the blue she tells me that the daughter that I help w/schooling will be going to a SIL's (sister-in-law) home, apparently SIL can help with the schoolwork. I was slightly ticked b/c #1. She gave me NO notice at all & #2 She said something about how SIL would work with her to catch her back up. This family has only been with me about 4 weeks now, there is no way she got that behind in 4 weeks. She got behind b/c I don't think anyone else did any work with her other than me for those 4 weeks. Anyway, to be honest I do feel relieved. She was a great kid but considering she was 8 & didn't nap it made it hard to get a break. Now I can go back to more restful afternoons.
That's crazy that she thought that you could do more then that!Comment
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This mom just boggles my mind! Would she expect someone else to breastfeed her child too? Her expectations are way out of whack, and I'm happy for your sake that she's found someone else to do her job. Homeschooling is a choice that really needs to be thought through completely, and parents need to make sure they have the financial means and the time to do the job right. Otherwise, the child is the one that suffers.
You've been more than accommodating already, and I think that's great -- I'm just sorry the mom didn't clue in!
However, congratulations on getting nap time back! Enjoy
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Yes, there were two girls. The 3 year old will still come. . . she is wonderful, naps well, etc!!! The mom has a "Credit" but I don't plan to give it to her since she gave me no notice. This week when the one daughter comes I will just expect payment for her. Nope, I don't have a 2 week notice but I am new at this & I a am slowly learning that I need to re-do everything (contract-wise). I guess I just thought it would be common courtesy. I would NEVER consider telling any of my families that I was stopping childcare immediately without giving them 1-2 weeks notice. I think it should work both ways.Comment
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