Quote Originally Posted by Michelyn View Post
Here's the difference.

Your insurance is valid at a public venue. It is not at a private home where there are more than 5 dcks - why? Because more than 5 dcks in a private home becomes an illegal non-licenced centre. Daycare centres are licensed to have higher ratios. It is the building, not the providers that count.

I personally agree with this rule. I have seen too many groups of providers standing around drinking coffee and chit-chatting while the children run around relatively unsupervised. I understand that not every provider does this, but enough do that it's created a serious threat to our children's safety.
This is a really old thread but I thought about the rules and regulations and now only meet other providers at parks. I would like to point out though that I stopped seeing one provider at a park because she was one of the providers you described, sitting on her butt and not minding her children's safety. I got tired of that but I know what you are talking about. My friend and I who meet at the park now are constantly counting our dckids and are always on our feet and on alert. That's the kind of provider I am all the time!