WWYD? Mom Doesn’t Want Sunscreen

[One&Only]

Thank you for your opinion, Peacefulbird. I do respect your opinion & the advice you’ve given. However, I have been VERY sympathetic over the last few months (she’s my first DCK I’ve had since I’ve opened) & there’s been nothing but issues with this family & in the beginning I was very lenient & understanding & now I am growing a little tired of the same old run. This is the family that would round payments down the lowest dollar & complain that its “only $4.00” when I would remind them on the following invoice that their payment was actually $274.00, not $270.00. This is also the same family who asked me to open at 6:30am one morning & made a huff when I said I would for an extra $10.00.

You’re right, it is not my business what families do in their time that their child is here. They’re paying for the spot & can use it as much as they wish. However, DCG has always had sleeping issues at night & has problems getting a full nights rest & in the mornings she’s often very groggy due to this. I do know that mom still sets her alarm to bring her here right at 7am instead of just letting her sleep a little longer because she clearly needs it. The other day she mentioned how DCG barely got any sleep & she STILL set her alarm to bring her & was waiting in my driveway at 6:53am.

As for the sunscreen, the reason I don’t use my personal stash (I buy the 2 pack for my daughter & the 2nd one is kept in my cupboard to be used as extras for children who don’t have) is because her mom has said she reacts to almost all sunscreens that are used on her & breaks out in an allergic reaction rash due to her very sensitive skin. The sunscreen she provided for her is the only one she’s found so far that actually works & she doesn’t react to & she does not wanting her wearing it.

I have been providing plenty of extras over the last 9-10 months, & it’s becoming very frustrating to have to remind parents to provide for their own children. My other families are also noticing & wondering why this little girl is always coming unprepared. Yes, I do agree she is exhausted & tired, but that doesn’t excuse a continuous lack of parenting even after the first, even second time it happens. Mistakes happen & we’re all human, but at what point does the point get across to make some changes so the same mistakes don’t happen again? In the beginning I wrote it off to her just probably being forgetful due to pregnancy brain (because let’s face it, we’ve ALL been there), & now I’ve been writing it off to just being exhausted from the new baby.

As for providing extras, my rate is considerably lower than most in my area & this is due to the fact that I won’t provide too many extras. I do provide food & that is it. I have an extra hat here, I will also lend it my daughters clothes but if this happens parents will be reminded that this is not acceptable & this is my last resort & I prefer not to.

I do also carry an extra tub of Vaseline, but I will not provide an extra tub of diaper cream since it is expensive & medicating a child’s rash isn’t solely my responsibility. This DCG can only use a certain brand of cream on her skin & this brand is one of the more expensive brands (generic brands can’t be used on this girl). I will medicate a rash as often as needed if needed with the parents providing it for their own child. Since I have been caring for this girl I have gone through at least 5 tubs of the largest container of Vaseline because her mom just keeps forgetting to send. This little girl has had a rash MORE than 50% of the time I’ve had her in my care. Monday’s are the worst, she will come with an awful rash & by Friday it’s starting to look better with the frequent changes she gets here & then comes back on Monday with a brand new rash.

If I have to start charging for extras or change my rate to reflect the amount of supplies I have to provide, families would leave to go elsewhere.

The fact that I have had her for 9-10 months dealing with the same issues over & over again proves that I have been more than plenty sympathetic. The only reason I haven’t terminated at this point is because I really do love our DCG. She’s become a part of my family, & I kind of feel that DCM knows this & is taking advantage that I’ve grown to really become emotionally attached to DCG. She really loves it here & she started at 12 months (which we know is the worst time in their stage of emotional attachment to separate from mom), & it didn’t take her long at all to get comfortable.

Edited: Now that I think about what I’ve just written I’ve realized that DCM could just be really comfortable knowing that I really do love DCG & figures I’ll have no problem providing things since I care about her so much. Taking advantage of the fact that she knows that I’m emotionally invested in DCG’s well-being. There’s no way that as providers we can prevent ourselves from being emotionally invested in the well-being of our children.