Daycares and Time Off With Pay

[CheekyChick]

KC,

I had to walk away for a bit and really think about your post. I'm going to be pretty honest in the fact it upset me quite a bit. Its like your saying you can't provide good quality childcare unless you have a break in the day.

You and I both know that isn't the case... I would think MOST childcare providers work (in some capacity) during nap time. Plus, you don't have an assistant which means you have to work DOUBLY as hard. I truly don't know how you do it by yourself. You are my hero.

Even when its naptime if I get lucky and everyone is sleeping, I'm cleaning, finishing up things from the morning, writing up reports, etc. If I do eat I do it in about a 10 min session and still eat at my desk while working. Are you saying since I don't take the whole 2 hours for lunchtime and watching tv that I don't provide quality care?

That's silliness. Of course you provide quality care.

I don't have the luxury of an assistance but serve good food,when we can get outside the kids run and get all their energies out, consistent schedules are a must I agree. Still trying to figure out why having all that should give you a solid mid day break. I guess if I did have the assistant I could give them all that I do during my break and take it for myself.

Exactly. If you had the luxury of an assistant, you could watch TV during nap time.

Anyway, I just feel your post was saying since we don't sit during our break time that we don't offer quality care. In a way this post could have gone in "How much break do you get through the day".

I actually took it as... If I was organized, ran a good program, fed my children healthy food, had perfect children, had a consistent schedule, and gave them excercise, that I would have time for a break. I have NO idea how that translates to a break, but it's all good.

[CheekyChick]

Yes, her waiting list is long. I actually inquired about childcare there for a friend of mine. It would have been part of her baby shower gift to help her find childcare. CheekyChick is in the same area as my friend so I thought perfect. Then I received the dissapointing news from CheekyChick that she has a very long waiting list and I figured the child would be grown before having a spot for them-::.

Well, maybe not grown, but possibly 5th or 6th grade. LOL!!! I do wish I had a spot for your friend's baby.

[nannyde]

Nan,

I've never heard "rarely gets a minute to him/herself" as an indicator of QUALITY care.

Yes you have. I said it.

With a reasonable adult to child ratio, careful planning, user friendly set up, well behaved kids, good food, good exercise, and a consistent schedule a quality program can net a good solid mid day break and the pace to offer some minutes to the provider during the day.

I disagree. With 16 children per day, there is ALWAYS tons to do. More parent e-mails, more parent phone calls, more daily logs, more parent letters, more cleaning, and more planning. I could NOT give the quality of care I do if I watched TV during nap time. I choose to stuff down my sandwich and use that 2 hour period to make my DC the best in town. That is why I am full with a looooooong wait list - while others providers in the area are not doing so well.

To have a full day with only a bit of spare time to swallow down a sandwhich I would have to be paid a TON of money. I would do it but I'd have to double my fee and my staff assistants salary. It would be tough to find the parent who could afford that.

From what I've heard, I am the hightest paid in-home daycare in my town.

Yes with 16 kids under one roof that you are ultimately responsible for you are going to be doing wall to wall start to stop care. I'm saying that there are many quality providers who run a low adult to child ratio and the other indicators I listed and have a substantial break every day. It's absolutely possible to run a great home day care and have a good break daily. The "no break" isn't an indicator of quality. You can have quality with no break (although that would be a hard job) and you can have quality with a good break.

[nannyde]

KC,

I had to walk away for a bit and really think about your post. I'm going to be pretty honest in the fact it upset me quite a bit. Its like your saying you can't provide good quality childcare unless you have a break in the day.

You and I both know that isn't the case... I would think MOST childcare providers work (in some capacity) during nap time. Plus, you don't have an assistant which means you have to work DOUBLY as hard. I truly don't know how you do it by yourself. You are my hero.

Even when its naptime if I get lucky and everyone is sleeping, I'm cleaning, finishing up things from the morning, writing up reports, etc. If I do eat I do it in about a 10 min session and still eat at my desk while working. Are you saying since I don't take the whole 2 hours for lunchtime and watching tv that I don't provide quality care?

That's silliness. Of course you provide quality care.

I don't have the luxury of an assistance but serve good food,when we can get outside the kids run and get all their energies out, consistent schedules are a must I agree. Still trying to figure out why having all that should give you a solid mid day break. I guess if I did have the assistant I could give them all that I do during my break and take it for myself.

Exactly. If you had the luxury of an assistant, you could watch TV during nap time.

Anyway, I just feel your post was saying since we don't sit during our break time that we don't offer quality care. In a way this post could have gone in "How much break do you get through the day".

I actually took it as... If I was organized, ran a good program, fed my children healthy food, had perfect children, had a consistent schedule, and gave them excercise, that I would have time for a break. I have NO idea how that translates to a break, but it's all good.

A staff assistant is NOT a luxury. It's a business decision and expense that you have to find clients to support within the child care fee. It isn't bestowed upon you. You have to run a business with enough income to support additional staff just like any other business.

I didn't say once that if you don't sit during your break that you weren't offering a quality program. I've said to the contrary twice now.

The indicators I gave for being able to run a good program AND netting a good solid consistent break daily are the things "I" have done and counselled other providers to do which has netted a great break. If you don't know how these aspects of the business translate into a break then the only thing I can offer you is the writings I have done about each of them over the last coupld of years. The only additional one I can think of is having ample space. I didn't think of that when listing out some of the things that all work together to net a good solid afternoon break.

If you feel they aren't applicable or feel they aren't things you are interested in incoporating then I can't offer much except my disagreement that a no break child care is necessary for a quality program.

[wdmmom]

I had to walk away for a bit and really think about your post. I'm going to be pretty honest in the fact it upset me quite a bit. Its like your saying you can't provide good quality childcare unless you have a break in the day.

I'm sorry that you are "offended" by Nan's post. I think you misconstrued what she was trying to say. I think ANYONE is capable of providing good, quality care. I think the care is even greater if we (as providers) are given at least a break to sit back and recharge. Providers are the first people that tend to care for everyone else in the home rather than themselves. We nibble, our diets are not the best and most of us probably don't get the rest each afternoon or go to bed at night when we should to get a full recharge. No recharge WILL lead to a burn out!

You must have the best set up in the country and seriously can't relate to what most people are talking about when they post some of these threads.

Set up only has part to do with it but yes, the right set up can make for an ideal job setting. Lack of space, not dedicated space or floor area makes it complicated. Who wants to have to do more work each day?! I surely don't want to have to set up and tear down pack and plays each day. That's why I don't. That's also why I don't offer daily sheets. It's more work to keep track of who pooped and who ate when. All children are changed and fed at the same time each day. Why?! Because it's easier. Anything that is less taxing on me, the better.

Even when its naptime if I get lucky and everyone is sleeping, I'm cleaning, finishing up things from the morning, writing up reports, etc. If I do eat I do it in about a 10 min session and still eat at my desk while working. Are you saying since I don't take the whole 2 hours for lunchtime and watching tv that I don't provide quality care?

I do the same. I have 5 children of my own. During nap I am preparing a snack for the DCK's, prepping dinner, doing laundry, running the vacuum, sweeping, mopping, reading the newspaper, catching up on a TV program or enjoying a few minutes on Daycare.com. I don't take a whole 2 hours for lunch or watching tv and yet I still provide quality care as I'm sure you do the same. I'm sure there isn't a one of us that sits around during the entire naptime doing nothing. Providers have to keep up the momentum. What I'm saying is, there is no reason for us not to be able to park ourselves on the couch, enjoy a salad and turn on the TV to catch the afternoon news (or whatever). I also don't allow my children to get up or be up at naptime. My youngest DCK is 8 months. She's been our routine since she was about 5 months. She takes a full afternoon nap along with the rest of the kids.

I don't have the luxury of an assistance but serve good food,when we can get outside the kids run and get all their energies out, consistent schedules are a must I agree. Still trying to figure out why having all that should give you a solid mid day break. I guess if I did have the assistant I could give them all that I do during my break and take it for myself.

Having an assistant only plays a minor roll in our daycare day. I still serve good food (today it was meatloaf, buttered bread, green beans, fruit ****tail and milk), we went outside for a nice stroll through the neighborhood, we remain on a consistent schedule each and everyday. I still get an afternoon break and my assistant isn't here during naptime. That is her break as well. She gets 2.5 hours to run her errands, schedule doctors appointments, eat lunch, go get her car washed, etc. I still do tons of work myself but I dedicate it out. Mondays are laundry day. Thursdays are my deep house clean day. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are my days to be sure I get the relaxation time I need during naptime too. Of course I can't sit still so if I get up to do something, I do it for so long and walk away.

You seem to attach money to alot of the threads. Like this one you said you would have to be paid a TON of money if your break only allowed you to swallow down a sandwich. Why? Parents aren't going to pay you more so that you can take a break. Maybe I'm missunderstanding it but I'm not understanding why money has to be an attachment to getting a break. I have parents who have meetings during lunchtime and instead of getting more money for working through lunch they have to back out the time at the end of the week. No extra for them for working through lunch.

Everyone knows that money talks. For example. I have a 3 year old DCG. She only stays 1 afternoon a week because she is in preschool the other days. DCM wanted asked if she could stay up at naptime or have books or watch a movie, etc. My response was simple. Children are required to lay down. They are not required to sleep. During this time, I do not offer toys, books or movies. If you want her to have these things, she will need direct care versus indirect care and it will cost more money to provide 1 on 1 care. Then she wanted to know if her bill would go down since she wouldn't be here 2.5 hours a week. NOPE. My fees are flat regardless of hours. It was a win/win for me. I still have the client and the DCM made changes to her schedule that now allows DCG to not be here over the naptime 1 day per week.

Anyway, I just feel your post was saying since we don't sit during our break time that we don't offer quality care. In a way this post could have gone in "How much break do you get through the day".

[B]I don't think the post said that at all. I think we all SHOULD be taking a few minutes to ourselves each day. Even if it's a half hour, we all deserve that much.

[JenNJ]

While I can appreciate your sentiment, this post seemed a bit condescending to parents, belittling THEIR work, and putting you up on a pedestal.

"If you still don't see the value of paying for your daycare providers vacation then quit your job and raise your own child."

Way to make parents feel like crap for having to work and send their kids to daycare. I love my child and would LOVE to stay home with him and raise him and even (gasp!) homeschool. But you know what? Where I live, with the cost of living, it's just not possible.

your choice of words just struck a cord with me--I found it condescending and insulting to me as a parent (telling me to go "raise my own").

I agree with this 100%.

[JenNJ]

I need to touch on the providers going head to head here over break times, assistants, and what duties they have to do each day. It's like comparing apples to eggs to trees to jets. Every program is different, every provider is different, and every group of kids is different.

How busy you are each day has no bearing on the quality of the daycare. I know busy providers who run crap programs because they are unorganized. I know others who are super organized and have luxurious 2 hour real breaks each day (like myself). And everything in between.

It is so silly for one person to declare that "this is what it is" when it comes to daycare. There is no one right way to do this. In fact, here are hundreds of right ways to do this and only a few wrong ways.

The bottom line is that some providers do this for extra spending money, some are the primary or sole breadwinner, some do it just to help others out. None of those choices are wrong! They are PERSONAL CHOICES. There is no daycare guru. This is the one business where success is not measured in dollars.

[Blackcat31]

I need to touch on the providers going head to head here over break times, assistants, and what duties they have to do each day. It's like comparing apples to eggs to trees to jets. Every program is different, every provider is different, and every group of kids is different.

How busy you are each day has no bearing on the quality of the daycare. I know busy providers who run crap programs because they are unorganized. I know others who are super organized and have luxurious 2 hour real breaks each day (like myself). And everything in between.

It is so silly for one person to declare that "this is what it is" when it comes to daycare. There is no one right way to do this. In fact, here are hundreds of right ways to do this and only a few wrong ways.

The bottom line is that some providers do this for extra spending money, some are the primary or sole breadwinner, some do it just to help others out. None of those choices are wrong! They are PERSONAL CHOICES. There is no daycare guru. This is the one business where success is not measured in dollars.