Can I Vent....

I'm on her side. She is probably needing a vacation extremely bad like us other home child care providers. I go from 7:30-5:30, and its not like we can take off any day to do our errands or make important phone calls. I think I only took off 5 days last year. Even when I don't feel well, it's not like I can call in sick.
We need to be more like her and start booking a vacation anytime during the day, because I know us providers sure deserve it too.
Good for her.

DHC

So you're all for taking time away from the children you're being paid to watch and call about making vacation plans. That's like me doing personal things at work when I'm being paid to work not do my personal stuff. I have to find time to do personal things or take care of personal issues on my own time. I wish I had extra time to call and take care of all of my personal issues while at work.

So if you're okay with this, would the parents of the children you're watching be okay with it too. Would they be okay knowing that you're taking time out of the day that they're paying you to watch their children to conduct your personal business, let alone plan a vacation? I can understand if it was something life threatening or that needed to be taken care of ASAP, but planning a vacation .... sorry choose a time when you're not watching children to plan it!!

I guess if you're a child care provider you would have a biased view on this.

I totally agree with momto1lil1. If my in home provder was spending her time like that and not paying attention to my child, (i pay her good money) i would be upset. It hard enough that i have to come to work everyday and drop her off, but knowingly drop her off to someone who is just going to spend time making phone calls? I work long hours as well, 8-6 sometimes even longer during Fiscal year end. I understand that everyone needs a vacation, heck i do! But things can change in a second with children! I would hope she is paying attention to them and not just sticking them in front of a TV

I agree it doesn't give the best impression, but I'd be careful about making assumptions. We don't have all the facts - perhaps the child was school-age and playing with the caretaker's child. Perhaps the child was napping, or playing where she could see them. I'd hate for you to generalize that experience as a reason to be "leary" of in-home day cares. You can also find inattentive, distracted caretakers in a center. Just because there are more of them around, doesn't mean they're paying close attention. Like everything else in this world, some are good, some are bad. At least with an in-home provider, you know who's with them. I cringe a little at the center every time I see a newbie in my child's class.

I am a in home provider and I have to say I know that people have personal stuff, but I also believe that if you are working, you have a job to do. When my little ones come, I am doing nothing else but that, watching them. Now, if I had something serious happen or if I need to run errands or take a vacation, I have a back up provider. As for phone calls, if that were a issue, you probably should ask the parents first.
There are two sides to every story and people have different opinions about these things.

Cruz Family Day Care
~Samantha Cruz

My moms are the absolutely best, and I've had some of my children over a year. My moms and dads would probably come in and watch the kids while I booked my own vacation.
One mom told me that she knew a provider that stood outside and talked to her neigbors while the kids were inside. So, it can always be worse. It is not like I am taking my eyes off the kids if I did have to speak business on the phone. If its every single day and all the time, then it would be a problem. Once my dentist called to check on my root canal. He could hear the kids in the background, but it was a short conversation and he knew I was busy, but it was business. I'm sure not one of my parents would have cared. I can talk on the phone and my eyes can still watch the children at the same time.
If a parent is that concerned that a child is not watched every minute, my suggestion is to stay home and watch the child and then you know for yourself that its being watched every minute of the day. You don't have a clue. When one child gets sick, that takes priority. I am on the phone at times with parents and they know I have other children. The day is so unpredictable with small children. If one falls down and gets muddy playing in the water outside, that takes priority. I have to give all my attention to that one child and get it cleaned up.
The kids do go down to sleep from 12-2, and if I need to stand over your child while it sleeps, then you need to take your child elsewhere.
Every person in the working environment gets away from the desk, chats with a friend, gets a drink of water, goes to the bathroom, etc. Give me a break!! Stay home and do it yourself. I discussed this topic with my two friends that are also in child care and they laughed.
I taught Kindergarten with 27 kids and had more duties to take care of away from the kids, and had to answer the phone in the classroom too, so if I can not watch 4-5 kids and talk on the phone for business, then I need to throw the towel in.

DHC