Saw a DCProvider Smoking

[KingstonMom]

So I am at the park today with my group, its a small area through a treeded park. I pull up and see there is 2 adults, male and female and 5 little kids. I have seen them here before and I know she runs a daycare as she has asked me where i got my Choo-Choo Wagon and we talked about daycare etc.
So today we are playing about, have our lunch, and start packing up to head back. As I am pulling my kids though the path, I see the woman who runs the other daycare sitting on a bench looking at her cell phone enjoying a ciggarette!!!!!
Her husband is with all the daycare kids back at the playground. (this is not within eye-sight of the woman smoking, its down the path a bit)
I was quite stunned to see this knowing she is taking care of these kids and she is a smoker. Like, what does she do if her husband is not around to watch dcks while she smokes??
She looked embarassed when she saw me and just kept her eyes on her phone.
Anyways, I just dont know what to think. Is this a reason to report her- probably not as she wasnt smoking around the kids or where they can see her, but still, its not like she can wash her hands before she goes back to the kids. I just dont know what to think of this.

[Sandbox Sally]

hmmmm....I don't think being a smoker and being a daycare provider are mutually exclusive. She was smoking while she was NOT in charge of the children. How is this a big deal?

[Inspired by Reggio]

Unfortunately while it is not prudent practice given all the information we now have about smoking and second and third hand smoke dangers ~ but at this point she was not doing anything illegal ~ the children were being well cared for by a relief person and perhaps she carries some hand sanitizer with her to wash up afterwards?

Who knows at home maybe she refrains and only smokes before or after daycare hours or nips out to the porch while they are all sleeping with a monitor in hand.

Ultimately it is up to the PARENTS to be asking if the environment is a smoke free one ~ who knows maybe all her clients smoke at home too so do not care?

[Inspired by Reggio]

I will admit that I am now an avid 'anti smoking' advocate and wish that they would just make the things 'illegal' and get it over with .... after all they are WORSE for your health and addictiveness than marijuana is and yet that is illegal .... but the fact remains that I am a hypocrite when it comes to smoking cause I started smoking at 10 and was a pack and half smoker for almost 2 decades before I wised up and quit just before my 30th birthday ... it is a nasty addictive habit for sure and while I have never smoked 'in front' of children I am ashamed to admit that for over a decade I worked in centre care and would nip out and have a smoke on my break and lunch hours and return to work and while I could brush my teeth and wash my hands that second hand smoke was on my hair and clothes

Back than though the concept of 'third hand' smoke being 'dangerous' as well to children was not known and I had no clue I was putting kids at risk ~ that is just something I will have to live with now.

[jec]

I know of a daycare provider in my area that has her husband watch the kids at points through the day ~ the parents are very much aware of it too.
I'm not a smoker but I also don't see this as a reason to get upset and or report her. She might have looked embarassed as you might have shot her a look not realizing as your feeling strong enough to post if you should report her.
She may have hand sanitizer?? Also, you don't know if she smokes around the kids if her husband isn't there.
I wouldn't think the worse

[KingstonMom]

You're all right, it was just shocking to see from someone who cares for young children. Obviously if she looked embarassed when she saw me, she must have known it was 'frowned upon' to be a daycare provider/smoker. And at least she had the decency to get out of the children's sight before lighting up. I just wonder what she does when hubby isnt around to cover for her.
Anyways, I suppose its none of my business what she does.

[sunnydays]

I agree with Alpha...I wouldn't think this is cause for concern really. she obviously took the precautions of smoking away from the kids and outside. As long as she isn't smoking around the kids or inside her home, I don't think it would be a huge issue. I guess it also depends on whether or not the parents know in case there is anyone with sensitivies etc. As long as she cleans herself up at home, I am not sure it is a big deal.

[Inspired by Reggio]

You're all right, it was just shocking to see from someone who cares for young children.....

I hear ya ~ provider or not it still shocks me to see people smoking around children knowing what we know now about second hand smoke.

We do not have any bilaws in our city yet to prohibit smoking near playgrounds and it drives me nuts to see 'parents/caregivers' at the park smoking 5 feet from children and than tossing the stinky buts into the sand or mulch or stomping them out on the ground 'beside' where they kids play ... I mean SERIOUSLY how can they not see how RUDE and UNSAFE that is?

Even as a smoker for 20 years I would NEVER have done anything like that ~ when my dad found out I smoked after the initial smack down to try to knock some sense into me and failed attempt to get me to quit by forcing me to smoke an entire pack while he watched hoping it would make me puke and get turned off he finally told me that if I was going to do it A) a lady should not smoke in public but if she needs to she does not walk around smoking a lady 'sits' to smoke and B) a lady does not flick ashes around a lady uses an ashtray and than he gave me a 'portable ashtray' of my stepmothers which held 3 butts at a time before needing to be emptied closed securly and fit into my purse ~ I had that thing the entire time I smoked.

[jec]

Obviously if she looked embarassed when she saw me, she must have known it was 'frowned upon' to be a daycare provider/smoker.

Never judge a book by it's cover. I smoked for years and LOVED my cigarettes but, gave them up for health reasons. Everyone who finds out that I smoked and a pack a day are surprised as they couldn't picture me smoking.

Now I'm an anal retentive non smoker but, don't understand why some still smoke with all of those horrible pictures on the packages now and the very public health risks of them . It's a horrible addiction

[Mamma_Mia]

I just wonder what she does when hubby isnt around to cover for her.

Although I feel it's NOT something to report on - I do wonder what she does when she's alone with the kids....