Anyone agree to do "elimination training"?

[treeholm]

I had my first phone interview tonight, and they are coming to meet me Thursday. They have a 6 month old daughter who might come to me when she turns a year in January. They are interviewing a number of child care providers, which I completely understand.
They asked if I was open to using cloth diapers. I used cloth for my own children, and for my granddaughter, so I said, "of course." I thought that was an odd question. Aren't most day care providers open to whatever the parents have chosen? I won't be expected to wash them, so it doesn't matter to me.

BUT, the one that got me was my feelings about elimination training. Their 6 month old is already semi-trained, or rather, the parents are. They simply observe her and take her to the potty when she shows signs. I told the Mom I could take her to the potty after meals and snacks, but couldn't be expected to notice signs when we are on an outing or I have 5 children busy in an activity. I hope that was a good answer. I have never heard of anyone potty training a 6-month old (my kids were all closer to 3 years old before they showed signs of readiness, but were all trained in a day once they were ready) so this was a new one. The only time I've heard this term before was from a friend who complained about another Mom who was into this and her child did not wear any diapers, so this child was peeing and eliminating all over floors and the Mom's clothing. Apparently she went to a baby salsa class and other Moms were stepping in pee and excrement a lot. My friend also said the Mom always had pee and excrement on her long skirts because the baby was often in a baby sling when she had to go. I was a bit freaked out... how do the rest of you handle this? This was my first phone interview LOL

Otherwise, the Mom sounded lovely and seemed to think everything I offer was just wonderful.

And so it begins....

Diane

[Play and Learn]

Not every provider takes on infants with cloth diapers. I for one do not. For me it's too much of a hassle.

For the elimination training - NEXT!!! Dear lord, I would NOT want that family in my care! I don't have time to check if the child needs to pee, as this is GROUP CARE. The family has to potty train the child, and then once the child is fully trained at home, and I see that he/she is dry at daycare, I'll start it here. That is NOT my job. It's the parents job to train their children.

[Inspired by Reggio]

I would do the cloth diapers ~ in fact I actually prefer them because IME kids train way faster with cloth diapers than with today's 'disposable' and well cloth diapers are along my philosophical line of environmentalism.

However the infant elimination I would so have to say NEXT .... unfortunately this is not a realistic expectation with GROUP CARE ... it is going to be just too busy for you to be able to 'catch' an infants cues and put them over a bowl or potty or whatever mechanism they are using at home.

[Starshine]

I will do cloth diapers as well, I don't find that it's any more work than disposable. I just put the dirty ones in a sealed bag for the parents to take home to wash.

I won't do infant elimination, I think it's ridiculous--the child is not being trained, just the parents.

[Crayola kiddies]

Next ......

[Toregone]

I struggled to find a provider open to cloth prior to starting my own dayhome. I personally am open to cloth as it's what I used for my own child. As for EC (elimination communication) I think it's a load of hooey! Nobody but the parent is being trained and it's completly unrealistic for a group care setting. It's just one of those things that if a parent wishes to make that choice for thier child they need to also make the choice to stay at home with the child. It's just not possible for any provider to do those types of things.

[treeholm]

Thank you for all your feedback. I'm relieved that I'm not the only one who thought this might be over the top. If she decides to go with me, I'll let her know that I will take her child to the potty after meals, as I would do with all children before we head outside, but the child will have to be in diapers and I won't have time to look for cues otherwise.

[Momof4]

I don't have any problem with cloth diapering at all. However, I will not do the 'elimiation training' as you described above and by the way GROSS, poop & pee all over the place, eeeewwwwww!

We are very busy people, taking care of 5 children at a time (or more if you have your own children and depending on the province) and there is no way you can handle something like that. I would not accept that family into care. Remember that you make the decisions of how you want to run your daycare and what are the best practices for you and your home and your group of children.

Just my opinion, but 4 children will not suffer because I don't have time to give them proper attention because I have to spend all my time with 1 other child. They are all treated equally here and they are all #1.

[treeholm]

Thanks Momof4, I completely agree. If the parent wants to do the elimination training at home, that's fine, but I will let her know it won't be happening here. I should clarify, this woman also asked about cloth diapers, and is NOT the same woman who did not put diapers on her child at all. That was just too bizarre. The Mom with whom I spoke knew her child would wear diapers here, and all I said was that I would take the child to the potty after meals, as I would for all children.

[3xbluemom]

I had a one year old whose parents used elimination communication with him and asked me if I would as well. In his case, really, it was no big deal. He still came in diapers, I put him on the potty several times a day - once an hour when our activities allowed, if not, he was in a diaper, so no biggie. He wasn't always dry, but in the time he was here, I never once had to change a poopy diaper. For me, that was a definite plus! His mom said she hadn't changed a dirty diaper since he was about 6 months old! I'm almost tempted to try it with my own 6 month old! But, at 1, he was also learning to sign and communicate, so while he didn't say potty or anything yet, he could sign for it and if I asked if he had to go, he would let me know.
Now, no diapers at all, that would not fly! I'm not cleaning up after them all day!
I cloth diaper my youngest, and it's really no more difficult than using a disposible, so I have no issue with that, as long as parents send enough diapers and a wet bag.