Home Daycare Provider--New Gal

[Unregistered]

My child is in a large home daycare (14 kids max...no more than 3 kids under 2). I love the ladies, and my child has truly thrived there. However, one of the ladies found another job, and they hired a replacement for her.

This gal graduated from high school in 2010, so I imagine she is no more than 19 years old. I looked her up on facebook..her hobbies are 'sleeping and partying.'

Am I right to want to pull my child? I just don't trust a teenager with 14 kids ALONE when the other provider goes on vacation, runs an errand, or does the school dropoff.

[jen]

Can she be alone with 14 kids???? Here, that would be illegal in a big way! Where are you from? Do you happen to know your licensing capacity regs?

[jen]

ps: you're right, you shouldn't leave your child alone with a teenager caring for 14 kids.

[kendallina]

I agree with Jen. Check your state's licensing regs , I doubt that she can be alone with 14 children. I wouldn't be concerned about a 19-year old being with my child with the other provider there or with just a couple of kids, as long as she's just as responsible, professional, as good with my kiddo as anyone else.

[momatheart]

read my post under the thread of daycare home or centers.

I thought this was a center sorry.

[Unregistered]

Original Poster

I am in California...I do know that one stays in the house while one does school drop-off/pick-up for the other kids, or does the grocery shopping, etc. They each take one week vacation..and one stays with the kids while the other is gone (during summer, no school).

[Meeko]

I'm in Utah and run a group day care. We are licensed for 16. But once we are over 8 kids, there must be TWO providers here at ALL times. In Utah at least, they would be breaking the rules if one of them left for even a minute.

[jen]

I am in California...I do know that one stays in the house while one does school drop-off/pick-up for the other kids, or does the grocery shopping, etc. They each take one week vacation..and one stays with the kids while the other is gone (during summer, no school).

I'm guessing that they are within ratios when taking kids to school as neither provider has ALL the kids. Vacations are another story. Here you can do 12 without an assistant, is it possible that in the summer there are fewer kids?

In the end, I wouldn't be comfortable with a 19 year old daycare provider.

[Cat Herder]

Here the "Provider" must be at least 21....the "Assistant" can be 18 BUT the "Provider" MUST be present, in the building, at all times....

[nannyde]

In the end, I wouldn't be comfortable with a 19 year old daycare provider.

That's what I'm sayin.

I couldn't do twelve kids by myself on my best day. NO way.

[Crystal]

In Ca. you can have 14 children, with two being under the age of 2 and two must be school age. There must be an assistant at all times, unless there are 8 in care, with three under 2 allowed and 2 must be school age. If there are more than 8, there must be at least two caregivers AT ALL TIMES. Including during school transport, etc. So technically she should have two assistants if she is doing drop off and pick up or running any errands.

The assistant can be as young as 14 years old. YES, 14 years old. BUT, if under 18 cannot EVER be left alone with the children.

[squareone]

The only thing that has me worried about the new girl is that she doesn't have her facebook page set to private. WHO DOES THAT???!!!

For the record I partied and slept when I was 19 too, but I was also a full-time student and a very responsible employee at my part-time job. Hard workers deserve to have a little fun and a little R&R during their down time

I would be a little nervous but probably wouldn't pull my child - especially if she was doing so well there and you had a great relationship with the caretakers. As long as the new girl is professional, caring, and efficient at work, what she does on her own time is her business.

Like a pp mentioned, some of the kids are school age so one person is probably never left with all 14 kids at one time. Since you and your daughter are both comfortable there, I would give the new girl a chance.

[Michael]

Having a public Facebook account with that kind of information is like hanging your dirty laundry in public. Actually it is a good thing in this situation. Lawyers are always searching for member content for their litigation on Facebook. Some people just don't get it.

[daycare]

19 year olds do that because they are too young to know any better.. I lived that same life style when I was in college. I even worked as a camp councilor, but the kids were older.... I was fun when I needed to be and responsible when I needed to be.. In fact, my first job that I help from age 16-26 was at the police department...

But just like you, I would not want a 19 year old being left alone to watch that many children... Which is illegal in CA to do so with just one person...

[Jewels]

I would be okay with a 19 year old being a helper, that would not bother me, but she should never be left alone with that many children, it would not be legal, and if they do that, they are breaking the law. It would not bother me that she sleeps and parties, she is 19, I did the same thing when I was 19, but still worked full time, and went to school, I was responsible, but when I didn't have to be I had fun, Everyone is allowed to have fun time, while they are not working, because she parties, does not mean she'll be doing a beer bong while watching the children.