Frustrated! About legal limiting of people...

[playfelt]

Spixie33 that is exactly what was going on when the 2 year old drowned here in Orleans, Ontario and that started the ministry cracking down on their rules and telling us that playdates were against the rules. Several caregivers had been regularly getting together all summer in each other's places and the child drowned in a pool that was in the yard of the house they were all playing at.

Just for information the daycare providers in question have been charged for operating an illegal daycare centre - ( more than 5 kids on the premises at a time) and will be fined at minimum. Not sure if the full outcome has happened yet but that is the last word I read in the paper.

Up until this time we all thought it was ok from sharing a music teacher to having a playdate in the winter or a waterplay day in the summer. Well we were wrong. It is against the law. A lot don't know this. We do here in Ottawa because of the tragedy. No idea if they will be more vigilent about enforcing it in other cities or not. Guess people will have to decide if having their daycare closed for good and paying a fine is worth the playdate.

[Spixie33]

Spixie33 that is exactly what was going on when the 2 year old drowned here in Orleans, Ontario and that started the ministry cracking down on their rules and telling us that playdates were against the rules. Several caregivers had been regularly getting together all summer in each other's places and the child drowned in a pool that was in the yard of the house they were all playing at.

Just for information the daycare providers in question have been charged for operating an illegal daycare centre - ( more than 5 kids on the premises at a time) and will be fined at minimum. Not sure if the full outcome has happened yet but that is the last word I read in the paper.

Up until this time we all thought it was ok from sharing a music teacher to having a playdate in the winter or a waterplay day in the summer. Well we were wrong. It is against the law. A lot don't know this. We do here in Ottawa because of the tragedy. No idea if they will be more vigilent about enforcing it in other cities or not. Guess people will have to decide if having their daycare closed for good and paying a fine is worth the playdate.

I haven't followed that case that closely but I do recall seeing it in the news and shaking my head how not just 1 adult but 2 could not see the tragedy unfold.
Then again...since becoming a provider and seeing how the park turns into a social time for a lot of providers I can see that they are often busy socializing and not focused on the kids. I always feel like they are laughing at me because I follow the kids from play area to play area just in case something does happen. I am not 12 inches away but I am within a few feet or hovering nearby so i can quickly reach someone if they do get hurt or are about to

We have tons of home daycares in my subdivision and the providers do have get togethers or play in each other's yards. I haven't done it because it hasn't come up for me but I would probably have agreed if I had been asked or if someone suggested it last year. Of course now that I see this thread - I have a lot more understanding and wouldn't put my whole daycare at risk and do it.
I even took a daycare course last fall and never had the instructor even mention it. The instructor seemed to say that reaching out to other providers was actually helpful and it was great to socialize and not to feel isolated. Of course the instructor was right too but I wish she had known or told us about it being illegal if the number of DCK exceeds 5