School pickup and Younger kids

[Heather4]

I have toddlers in my care during the day and my 4 year old son goes to J/K.
I've always had to pick up with my toddler daughter in tow. Recently I've had to bring one or two extra toddlers. On a good day I don't mind breaking out the wagon and walking from the van to the school doors. However, lately it's been super cold and the conditions (piles of snow) of taking them out doesn't seem worth it when I can park in an area that I can see the van and wait until the doors have opened and hop out for no longer than 2 minutes to grab my son.
Question to everyone is….how bad do you think leaving the toddlers in the van is? They are all kept buckled and I take the keys and lock up when I get out. Again…I only do it if I have full visual of my vehicle.
I just think that some days they are more safe inside the van and staying there than it is for me to haul them all out.

[Lee-Bee]

Ehhh...this is one of those things where you have to pick the lesser of evils. It's a lot of work and can be difficult to manage a handful of toddlers in a parking lot/street and they can be at increased risk when trying to do this in a hurry. At the same time, leaving kids in a car isn't ideal. Sadly many kids have come to harm even when left in eye sight...I read it in the news often enough. That said, locking the van is a big improvement over those that leave it running and/or unlocked!

My main question is...would the parents be comfortable with what they see if they happened to be outside the school one day when you went for pick up? You need to be ready to explain yourself should they question you.

School pick ups and bus runs are really inconvenient for home daycare providers. From what I read here many refuse to do them, and many started out doing them to ultimately realize it just isn't feasible. But, when it is a child of your own that needs picking up it means you have to tough it out, or find someone else to bring your child home for you.

Do you think it is possible to find a older student at the school to walk your son to your car? Pay them a few bucks per day. The school likely has many walkers that could easily do this before they head home. Might be the easiest solution!

[Heather4]

I've thought about hiring someone to help but my son has social anxiety and other issues and I feel more comfortable if it's someone that he knows very well and that's not possible.
There's a couple other moms that do the same thing so I'm thinking maybe what we should do is possibly figure out a sort of way to watch each others and maybe take turns.
One thing that comes in handy is my husband and I do shifts. If he's on afternoons then I only do the pick up at the end of the day. If he's on days then I only do the morning drop off.

It makes me more nervous to have to set the wagon out to load it up or unload it of kids (that can get out at any point and take off if they really wanted to) than to leave them unattended. I'm comfortable enough to ask my parents if it's ok with them.
2 of my moms leave infants in the vehicle while dropping their toddlers off and they come inside and sometimes even chat so I can't see them having an issue with me being in sight of my vehicle and out for 2 mins! lol You never know I guess.

[Rachael]

s….how bad do you think leaving the toddlers in the van is? They are all kept buckled and I take the keys and lock up when I get out. Again…I only do it if I have full visual of my vehicle.
I just think that some days they are more safe inside the van and staying there than it is for me to haul them all out.

I think it's really bad, sorry but I do. Sure it's unlikely anything will happen but that's not the point. You are being paid to care for children and leaving your own unattended is bad enough but someone else's! Yikes!

If you truly believe that this is acceptable - tell all the parents of these kids. Let them determine if they view it as okay. If you aren't willing to do that, then deep down you know that they would be less than impressed, quite rightly.

I don't know about the regs there, but here, registered provider or not, your would be shut down.

We've had providers shut down for leaving the babies napping in their cribs and walking to the end of their driveway to meet the school bus that stops right there.

Not acceptable, on any level, IMO.

I understand the issue with an anxious child but that's a further complication which you need to resolve not at the expense of the client's children.

If my child were in your care and I found out you were leaving my son in your car to tend to your own, I would pull him immediately and I would report you too for negligence. See, the problem is, people are really protective of their children and when they are paying someone to care for their child, they expect you to actually be there. Not in a building, or nearby where you can see the car, they expect you to actually be with the child.

As a side comment - unless I'd agreed in advance to your husband sitting with the kids when you did the school run, I'd also have a really big issue with that. If I'm reading that correctly, you leave the premises with your partner caring for the client's kids, to pick up or drop off. I wouldn't accept that either - again, I am paying YOU to watch my child, not your family members. If I had agreed to it in advance, I'd have wanted police and abuse checks for him too.

[Other Mummy]

I had this exact same problem last year when my daughter started JK. We hired a woman who does school runs only. She retired at the end of the year. This year my other daughter started JK so now I had 2 children to worry about getting to school. I asked any of the other mothers in my daughters class if they could pick up and drop off. We pay her $300 a month to do so, but I consider it insurance for the above reasons that Rachael pointed out.

Talk to the office, get some names of possible candidates (other mums, neighbours, etc.). Once you've found someone you are comfortable with, have them over for coffee a few times. Have your son get to know them so that might help ease his anxiety.

Good luck.

[Rachael]

Wait a minute - if you husband/partner works shifts which facilitate you being able to nip to the school alone without the day care children, whilst he watches them in the warmth of your home - why isn't he doing the school run and you staying with the children you are paid to care for? It seems really odd that you would routinely leave under those circumstances - And, that's likely going to be the client's view too.

[superfun]

I think it sounds like her husband does the school run for her when he's able to. But I wouldn't necessarily have an issue with it working the other way either. It's fairly common around here for husbands to be a substitute in daycare.
I hired an older student to walk my daughter to school. Unfortunately I still have to pick her up myself at the end of the day. If I was in your situation I would just ask each family which way they prefer, nice and warm in the van vs. In the wagon, near you at all times.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I personally don't like leaving kids unattended in vehicles but I can also see the issue with loading and unloading multiple children. I think the best would be if you could "hire" a student to walk your son to the van or if you and the other moms could work something out. Maybe one mom could stand watch over hers and your vehicle while you get your son and than you do the same so she can get her child. This would also allow you to talk to the teacher if need be.

In regard to the husband watching dc children, I fail to see why this is a problem? Many daycare providers have a backup provider. It's a benefit to the parents because it eliminates some of the closures that may need to happen if a backup is not an option. Mine is an amazing backup....he works evenings so it works out great! The kids and parents love him :)

[playfelt]

If driving the kids to the school isn't the problem can you arrange with another parent doing the same thing to take your child to the door and bring him back out to the car at the end of the day - maybe in exchange for one of you standing between the two cars to monitor the kids inside so neither of you have to take the kids out.

Also see if there is a different way around such that if you arrived 10 minutes earlier you would have time to walk the long way around on what would be shovelled walkways and then have the toddlers walk with a stroller for the very youngest.

[babydom]

don't need to b so harsh. Many home daycares have their husbands help out. And why not if they are home u have five kids and need a hand. In my home all the kids love my husband just as much as myself and he's barely here. Also parents would know a caregiver is married and therefor can enlist his help if he has a day off, working shifts, etc. just as a mom would ask her husband for help. As for the car. It is a bit tricky and risky to leave them alone. What I see as the best bet is to ask another mom/teacher to watch the van kiddos for a quick sec why u run in to grab ur son. Good luck. Hope it works out.

[AmandaKDT]

There have been news articles recently where the police have warned parents not to leave their children alone in the car. People have been charged for doing so. I would be extremely hesitant to leave the daycare kids alone for even two minutes, and you would need permission from the parents for anyone other than yourself to watch the kids (if you take turns with others watching the kids in the cars). You need to make sure the daycare parents know exactly whatever plan you decide to follow and get their written permission to do so. But I wouldn't be asking the parents permission to leave the kids totally unattended in the car, as it is technically illegal.

Just google 'Is it illegal to leave children alone in the car in canada' and a bunch of news articles will come up about it.

[Rachael]

don't need to b so harsh. Many home daycares have their husbands help out. And why not if they are home u have five kids and need a hand..

Wasn't being harsh - merely questioned it because what seems to be common practice in some provinces isn't here.

Children left unattended wouldn't be accepted.
Spouses watching kids whilst the day care provider left wouldn't be accepted - unless maybe it was really an emergency situation.

Jeez, here, even if someone's husband came home 15 mins before day care closed, most clients would expect that he wouldn't be left attended with the children and they would also want a police check/abuse check. Although some level of cross-over is expected in a family home environment between family/spouse and day care children, it's entirely different to leave client's children in the care of someone other than the provider.

So, as you can see, I wasn't being harsh, just shocked at the level of acceptance of something which just wouldn't be accepted here.

In my home, my day care kids love my teenagers. But again, if I left the teens watching over the kids and left the premises for any reason, I could fully expect all 6 kids to be pulled next day. It's just not how things work in some places.

It's a requirement for both agency registered home and/or unregistered providers - police checks for everyone 18 or older on the premises, children not to be left with anyone but the carer during business hours.

Why not? Because husbands/partners/teens aren't the carer, and don't have the experience that made the parents choose you as the carer. Partners/husbands/teens aren't the carer, aren't the contracted person, aren't who is being paid to provide care.

For those reasons, asking anther Mom/teacher to watch the children in the car wouldn't wash either. Again, it's leaving clients kids in the care of a third party. What would be better is having that third party escort the child into school - then it's the provider, as a parent, authorising that for her own child.

[5 Little Monkeys]

So in NS, backup providers are not common than Racheal? The dc has to close if she is not the one watching them?

That's interesting. I know having a backup provider for times/days I can't be here/open is a benefit to me. I've had many parents tell me that it is a relief because although they love home daycare environment, they sometimes have to choose centre daycare because they have no backup if the provider closes. I only use my husband for appt's and such as it's too much to expect him to do a full day but if needed, I have a couple other people that I could ask. So far, I've just closed if it's a whole day thing though.

Just yesterday I had to tell my parents that I just found out I have to go to a meeting that will last 1.5-3 hours and they looked a bit worried until I said my husband will be watching them until I get back and he will just go into work late that day. (It's over naptime so it works out really well for him lol) They were all relieved they didn't have to find alternate care or take the day off themselves. He works in the school division so has all his checks now but the first year I opened, he didn't and not a single parent asked about his! It actually surprised me! He just has a trusting face I guess ;)

[Rachael]

So in NS, backup providers are not common than Racheal? The dc has to close if she is not the one watching them?

Not common at all.

Agency registered providers can apply to their agency for someone to come in and cover the day care. Providers can do this for two appointments per month - but medical/legal type appointments, not for getting your hair done or anything. LOL

Non agency providers/unregistered can apply to an employment agency and have a qualified cover person come in and we would pay for that out of pocket. That cover person would need their police checks and criminal records check physically with them because parents will ask for it. Obviously too, we'd need to tell our day care parents in advance because some will choose not to come until we are back on the premises.


Unqualified/unannounced/family members as cover - heck, no. Really not common and if it happens, I'd say it was on the sly - like under the table type arrangements.

What we have to do, is close BUT, I have a great network here of providers. So, if I know I have an appointment coming up, I'll shout out and see if anyone has spots open that day and then, if parents need a backup carer, I can pass on the information. Then it's up to the parent if they want to use that space for the day. We all tend to try and offer cover for each other like that.

However - I don't close lightly. There was a thread recently where I was really surprised when carer's closed a few hours early, and didn't refund any fees. That wouldn't wash around here. LOL If I have an appointment, then I close but I take it as a personal day. I have 10 in my contract which are paid. As you can see, with limited time off, I really, really try not to close.

I don't have a partner but my day care children love my teens. They see them every day for years and are very comfortable in their presence. My oldest did Child Studies as one of his HS credits, so he knows what he's doing more than most. Well, next week is exam week here. So other than Thursday, both my boys are home all week because most of their exams are progressive (done in the classroom the week before exam week), My oldest (18) will graduate early providing he passes 2 of his 4 courses, so after after Thursday, he's done HS completely. It would be super useful if I could schedule some appointments in the next couple of weeks when he's home because his course doesn't start for a while. But, there's just no way it would be tolerated.

[5 Little Monkeys]

That's too bad....having a backup provider is a real benefit for the parents in most cases! Not to mention it makes it easier on the provider as well to go to appointments that can't be made for evenings/weekends. It's also sort of what I think makes home daycare so different than centre daycare.

My chiropractor appointments are sporadic...I go in when I need too so sometimes they are short notice. Not one parent has ever had a problem with this. They now know that there may be times that I run to the chiro without notifying them and they all agreed to this. I am literally only gone 20 minutes for these appointments though so it's not really even an issue.

10 paid days off wouldn't go over well here LOL. I think I would rather have your situation than be able to close a few hours early with pay because it happens so very rarely. You definitely have the better end of the stick IMO.

forgot...other dcp's in my area compared to family members etc...I would think most of my parents would be more comfortable with my family members than almost strangers because I know my family members better and they trust my judgement. I guess it all depends on what you're used too.

[Rachael]

That's too bad....having a backup provider is a real benefit for the parents in most cases! Not to mention it makes it easier on the provider as well to go to appointments that can't be made for evenings/weekends. It's also sort of what I think makes home daycare so different than centre daycare.

Yes, I can see how that's useful. I had a health scare late last year which is still being dealt with. It meant that 5 hospital appointments sucked up 5 days leave. Although it wouldn't have been 20 mins cause I'm about 30 mins away from the hospitals, to have been able to run out for up to a couple of hours, and have cover in, would have been enough for most appointments.
I have the same on Jan 29th but at least then, I've managed to cram three specialist appointments into one day so it's one day off vs three. I'll just be running from one hospital to the next from 7.45am until early evening but worth it to save two personal days.


10 paid days off wouldn't go over well here LOL. I think I would rather have your situation than be able to close a few hours early with pay because it happens so very rarely. You definitely have the better end of the stick IMO.

Yeah - I'm lucky. I didn't used to have it. When I first opened, they paid if they didn't come in but if I was off, then no pay required. But then I worked 3 years straight unable to afford a day off. LOL I then asked my whole client base if they would rather allow me some leave (I think it was either 5 or 7 days) or have a fee increase and they all agreed to the leave. When that round of kids started moving on/going to school, I changed it again to 10 personal leave days and upped the price for anyone new coming in.

Some carer's have paid leave here like me. Two weeks/Ten days seems to be average. Some don't have any paid leave and are more like my first arrangement. Some take 4-6 weeks off a year and get paid for 2 of them. It really varies.

More providers are added paid leave to their contract now days. It suits me. If everyone does it, it becomes an industry standard which is great for us. I've never had anyone question the 10 days - I also take stat days and public holidays. I have twice had two people state they were surprised it was only 10 days!

[SillyGirl_C]

I would talk to the school and see if they can make an exception and allow you to park in the staff lot for drop off and pick up in light of your situation (easy for your child to see and walk to you) If it is only until he is 5 or 6...they may be happy to help.
I wouldn't recommend leaving the children in the van alone. Someone would see, and report, and even though it is very safe, you would look bad which would be particularly crappy as you are a care provider.