No Outdoor Time at All? Really?

[JenNJ]

My contract also states that I take the kids outside "weather permitting" and if they are sent with "weather appropriate clothing." So far, not one of my daycare kids has been sent with gloves this winter. There are a lot of reasons why they may not take the kids outside each day. I'm sorry you were under the impression they did. I do feel you are still responsible for your last 2 weeks paid per the contract you read and signed.

[jen]

Every September I send out my first email...Winter is approaching, please bring the following to keep at daycare:

Snowpants
Hats
gloves
boots
extra socks
extra pants

Once Upon a Child has a great selection of inexpensive used items that are perfect for daycare!

Thanks

Repeat on October 1 and November 1. I have never really had anyone forget beyond that. I do keep extra stuff around tho in case someone stuff is wet or they got picked up while we were outside and their stuff went home and didn't come back the next day.

If a child doesn't have snowpants, and I don't have a pair in thier size, I have them stand on the patio (cement) much like they do at school where they have to stay on the blacktop. Older kids WILL remember to tell Mom and Dad to bring thier stuff the next day.

[nannyde]

Parents not dressing their kids for the weather -- that drives me a little bit crazy ! Where I come from, failing to provide weather-appropriate clothing for your child is neglect and therefore, child abuse.

How do parents get away with that? Yes, parents forget every once in awhile, but it should in no way be a regular thing!

My friend owns two large centers and she says that the number of parents who don't want their kid outside during the winter is pretty high. They don't want to deal with the clothes and many believe cold will bring colds.

She spends a lot of time in the winter dealing with requests to keep kids inside. The staffing becomes a problem with this to keep the areas covered. She's actually had families leave over her outdoor policy but NOT because they didn't go out but because they DID and had to bring daily fitted, working, head to toe winter gear.

It goes both ways.

[melskids]

My friend owns two large centers and she says that the number of parents who don't want their kid outside during the winter is pretty high. They don't want to deal with the clothes and many believe cold will bring colds.

She spends a lot of time in the winter dealing with requests to keep kids inside. The staffing becomes a problem with this to keep the areas covered. She's actually had families leave over her outdoor policy but NOT because they didn't go out but because they DID and had to bring daily fitted, working, head to toe winter gear.

It goes both ways.

i have a few parents too, who gripe about wet/muddy/stained/painted on/messy/dirty clothes too. its like "sheesh, what do you want me to do? plop them in front of a TV all day?"

[Blackcat31]

Parents not dressing their kids for the weather -- that drives me a little bit crazy ! Where I come from, failing to provide weather-appropriate clothing for your child is neglect and therefore, child abuse.

How do parents get away with that? Yes, parents forget every once in awhile, but it should in no way be a regular thing!

I have actually called CPS on a parent who continually brought her 2.5 yr old without shoes or a jacket in freezing temps because in her words, "the car is warm and we are only going from the car to inside so she doesn't really need one..." ?????? Anyways, my licensor said it is poor parenting but not a reportable offense that could be classified under abuse or neglect because the parent isn't keeping her child outdoors. Go figure!!!!

[SilverSabre25]

I have actually called CPS on a parent who continually brought her 2.5 yr old without shoes or a jacket in freezing temps because in her words, "the car is warm and we are only going from the car to inside so she doesn't really need one..." ?????? Anyways, my licensor said it is poor parenting but not a reportable offense that could be classified under abuse or neglect because the parent isn't keeping her child outdoors. Go figure!!!!

Now, I actually do not LET my child wear a coat while in the car, and then she has a choice to wear it or carry it from the car to wherever we're going, but we always bring it with us. Shoes are a requirement though.

[Abigail]

I just moved into my house over the summer. As soon as we moved her I began the licensing procedures. THEN I come to find out the neighbor on one side of me is also a licensed provider....she has ALL these toys outside, but never in the 6 months I've lived here have I ever seen kids outside playing. Only at pickup/dropoff and when the kids get on the bus to go to kinder. WEIRD to me. I also mentioned it to my licensing rep when she came over and mentioned the neighbor. She looked surprised, but I didn't want to be a "tattle tale" so I said... "Well, maybe I just never see them??" but at least it gave her a heads up.

I'm so afraid of living next door to another licensed provider because in my area whoever is licensed last has a limited number of children which would affect my income greatly. Did you hear anything about your limit on enrollment because so-many kids were already at a nearby daycare? This worries me because we have not purchased our house and I wonder if I should be calling our licensing agency to see if their are any within a few blocks of where I want to live.

Parents not dressing their kids for the weather -- that drives me a little bit crazy ! Where I come from, failing to provide weather-appropriate clothing for your child is neglect and therefore, child abuse.

I agree with you DBug. If they don't provide winter clothing, do they just expect to go straight home EVERY day to and from daycare? What happens if your car breaks down?! I bet that could be considered child neglect depending on the weather conditions, how often the improper clothing occurs, and if the parent is dressed for the weather. If mom wears a jacket, why is it so hard to give her child the same weather barrier as her? How terrible and yes I would report it no matter what mild-offense it would be considered.

[Unregistered]

Unreasonable?

Two things. The first is that at 4 1/2 not all children require a nap. However, in NY we are required to have the child "rest". I ask all children to lay down and after 30 minutes of "quiet" time, they can read on their nap cots or come sit with us and do quiet activities like coloring or puzzles. It is a good time to provide one on one time with older children many times. They should not be punishing her for not sleeping but it's probably more the disruption...which is not really her fault because they're not providing her with an alternate activity.

The second is that Yes, to some extent you are being unreasonable about going outside. In NY we can not take a child out if it is 32 degrees or less but frequently if it's under 42 degrees I will not take children outside. During winter months, not all children come appropriately dressed. That poses two problems, the first is that we need to maintain appropriate ratios so I can't for instance take two children outside and leave 6 inside that didn't come dressed correctly. Additionally, it's unfair to the children that would like to go outside and can't. I know it's also unfair to keep children inside because others aren't dressed correctly but it's not something they're aware of so we don't upset anyone or leave them crying. Also, during winter months, many children have asthma acting up more as well as awful colds. If you've decided to pull your daughter out because of these reasons, it is hardly a "health or safety" emergency. It's up to you to pull her out, and I might do the same, but she certainly won't be in danger if you left her there for 2 more weeks while you keep your end of the contract up.

[Jewels]

Wow, I think its rediculous..........again I don't think it should matter if their is an infant in care or not, I would still take an infant outside. I have up to nine kids sometimes that I dress and bundle all on my own, now this is my most cahllenging part of the day sometimes, and definately not the most fun, but I love the kids getting outside and playing in the snow, and I find getting ready to go outside in the summer just as hard sometimes, getting them all in their swimsuits, getting sunscreen all over them all, and then bug spray, that can take just as long, I do only take them out if its above 20 degrees, and I live in MN, I follow some chart online, BUT it is above 20 degrees most of the time, only like 2 weeks total this year has it been to cold to go out.

And naps, Yes it is great for them all to lay and be quiet, but 4 yr old do start sleeping less, I have 3, 4 year old, My son I still try to make sleep, because he still needs it, and does not do well without a nap, but sometimes he just plays in his room, I have another four yr old that rarely naps, and she has the basement, I just tell her I don't want to here her, and I'd like her to try to keep to the couch, and the coffee table I pull up to it, and I put a whole container of coloring books, crayons, paper, and puzzles on the table for her.........and another 4 yr old, that arrives in the middle of naptime, that stays in the playroom, with TV(she is my most disruptive 4 yr old, she will not be quiet, but I don't punish her, shes actually the only one allowed to watch TV, because it keeps her quiet, she is also a 4 yr old that would fall asleep in minutes if I lied her down, but her mother says absolutly no naps......I think they should definatly be allowed to have something to do.

[Symphony]

It is interesting to see how the different areas have different standards for what is safe outdoor weather. If we didn't go out if it was below freezing here, we wouldn't have been out since the beginning of October! Here the rule for daycares and the school district is if it above 0 F.

My issue with infants isn't necessarily temperature, but we have really high winds, 50-60 mph sometimes and it makes it hard for them to breathe.

I don't let my kids wear their coats in the car either. Not safe. But we always have it with us. Drives me INSANE when parents show up sans coats because "He didn't want to wear one today and I didn't feel like fighting" GRRRRR

I do think you owe the two weeks, even though I agree that they were not providing quality care. This is a center? Did you have a talk with the director?

[momofboys]

I think it is important to play outdoors, weather permitting. That being said the public school where my kids attend they do not go out for the majority of the winter & the center where my kids went to preschool had a policy that it had to be above freezing to go outside (public school has the same policy). My boys play indoors in the gymnasium. Honestly I think it is good common sense. I think as long as you use good judgment it is fine but if you take them outside just b/c regulations say you should that seems ridiculous to me. Even in appropriate clothing is it really "fun" to be outdoors when it is 10-20 degrees outside?? I know the family I have would be upset if I took their son outside when it was that cold.

[Unregistered]

I work in a large daycare and because of state regulations children cannot go outside if it is below freezing. This has been a particularly brutal winter and we don't have 3 days go by without snow storms or sleet. And although parents were notified to always send in proper winter apparel, there is always one or two that don't. Add in the few kids with asthmatic conditions and that pretty much means most of the past month has been spent indoors. But that doesn't mean the children don't exercise. Just like the public schools (they never go out in the winter), we have lots of very active play periods such as "Stretch and Grow" and dance parties. The kids enjoy the dance parties so much, that they prefer them over going outside.

And we have not run into one parent that has complained that the children should be outside in this freezing weather. Everyone that brought up the subject has been very glad that we've stayed inside.

[WImom]

I'd say check with licensing rules from a licensor. Here in WI. Children who don't nap only need to rest for 30 minutes and then they can get up and do quiet activities. For outside we must take them outside unless below a certain windchill).


Sorry your having a bad experience.

[DBug]

Even in appropriate clothing is it really "fun" to be outdoors when it is 10-20 degrees outside?? I know the family I have would be upset if I took their son outside when it was that cold.

I guess it's all relative . I had to drag my littles in this morning -- it was about 3 F. I could feel the chill in the air, but they were having so much fun they didn't want to come in. They did eventually, with tantrums all around.

The reason why I brought them in was that I was the one that didn't have weather-appropriate clothes on -- I should have had my snowpants on ::!

[momofboys]

I guess it's all relative . I had to drag my littles in this morning -- it was about 3 F. I could feel the chill in the air, but they were having so much fun they didn't want to come in. They did eventually, with tantrums all around.

The reason why I brought them in was that I was the one that didn't have weather-appropriate clothes on -- I should have had my snowpants on ::!

I guess I would be concerned about the safety of it all. Today where I am it was below 0 this morning & the windchill was negative something! To me it would just seem to be more common sense that it is not safe to play outdoors when it is that cold. Now when it is 10-20-30 degrees I guess it is "okay" even though it still is cold. Not saying anyone who does it has poor judgment I just can't imagine taking kids outside when it is almost 0 outside.