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  1. #11
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    I have been on both sides of the 'requirements' list

    I have used 3 different daycare providers -- all of them LOVELY and GREAT providers before becoming a provider myself.

    As a parent I was concerned about whether the provider had first aid and whether they were driving anywhere period. I didn't care what type of vehicle or insurance they had. I just wanted t o know whether they were driving and for what purpose, what distances and how frequently and whether they had proper restraints, etc

    Other than that - I didn't expect them to be ECE like a lot of parents do and I didn't expect them to cook because I sent my own food and snacks and drinks (due to my son's allergies)

    I didn't even ask how much outdoor time or crafts they were doing. I didn't care quite frankly. All I wanted was my child to be happy and SAFE - not molested, beaten, abused emotionally or physically. I just wanted to pick up a happy child.

    Now that I am on the flip side I see that parents do expect more from providers than they would do themselves. Parents OFTEN (not always) do expect 1-2 hours outdoor time, crafts, stimulation, no TV at all , First aid, police check, organic foods, learning time, etc

    I provide most of what parents want but I do have to smile to myself thinking that there is no way that parents are doing the same thing at home. Some parents demand NO TV but yet when their child sees a child wearing a Toopy and Binoo or Backyardigans shirt they can name them or do all the dances along with the Wiggle Songs. lol It shows me that at home they are obviously watching lots of TV.

    I say ask the questions...BUT do not get caught up on experience and qualifications necessarily because even the April Locknese (sp?) person was very experienced and qualified and yet lost her temper to the point where a baby died. Go with your feelings, instincts, the appearance and cleanliness of the home and the providers children and ask more about how your child will be safe.... who enters the home and when, do any male visitors or other visitors go in or out, is there a pool, is the pool fenced, is there a pet and how are they with kids, are the doors alarmed, stairs safe, will they give hotdogs and grapes in total pieces or are they aware that these are choking hazards that need to be cut and quartered or smaller...etc

    I agree with everyone who said that you should look for QUALITY care regardless of price. This is not the area to skimp on and don't be afraid as a parent to clearly say what your expectations are. There is a great provider out there for everyone if you look and ask around, network. Start looking earlier than you need it and do not leave it for the last minute.

    Also...I do recommend introducing your child gradually to the provider. First a meeting and see what your feelings are watching them together and whether it seems forced or natural, and then do a 2 hour try out where you leave the child, then 4 or 5 hours and then a full day. I do not recommending just leaving a child for a full day right off the bat.

    I don't think that someone having a commercial vehicle will help and let's face it - no accident is a good accident. No car can totally withstand an accident unless they drive a literal tank.

  2. #12
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    Just for the record if a parent came to me with the requests listed above they would be "red flagged" as potential trouble and told that my house was not the right place for them that I was unable to meet their needs. It has been my experience that a parent that has a very staid ideal when they interview tends to try to call all the shots in what happens in the daycare and while it is your child as you said this is my business and as such you don't tell local retailers how to do their job and you contract for my services knowing what I plan to offer and not offer. In empathy to parents there is so much misinformation and scare mongering going on out there I don't know how you actually manage to use daycare and go to work every day. One of my jobs when I do interview new families is to get them to put the lists away and go with their feelings and to decide for themselves what is important in childcare and not some idealized list. If they can do that there is a far better chance they will find appropriate care that lasts a long time.

  3. #13
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    Hi,
    I totally believe certifications aren't the be all end all of determining a qualified provider. The best sitter we have ever used is a high school kid. She has taken CPR etc... But little else, but she is amazing.

    An aside, please keep it kind!

  4. #14
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    my main issue with this, other than the vehicle stuff which I also believe is beyond reasonable, is unscheduled drop-ins. I know a lot of daycare providers that are very leery about having parents mingling around the daycare during the day. I would love to have parents be able to come by and check in, but at least 4 of my 5 kids would absolutely lose it if their parent showed up and then left again. I've had this happen when someone is picked up for an appointment and then brought back. The second thing is that I only see these parents for a few minutes when they drop off or pick up their child. I have no idea if they have a criminal record. You have no idea who else is sending their kids to the same childcare provider and what they do behind closed doors. If parents are to demand that anyone who comes into my home has a record check, then I would have to ask the parents for one if they intend on interacting with my dkc.

  5. #15
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    I was not going to weigh in on this issue... it seemed like a pretty incendiary thread already, and I did not want anything to get taken the wrong way.
    But I believe that choosing a good childcare provider is like anything; it is about personal choice and balance. Does a parent have the right to ask all those questions... absolutely. But the provider also has the right to say that it is not a good fit. And in my area, I think that a parent would be hard up to find a provider that met ALL the criteria, without paying a ridiculous sum of money on a monthly basis. If that is what they are looking for, and that is what they choose, then so be it.
    Personally, I do not believe that degrees and diplomas make a good caregiver. Take all the classes you want; nothing prepares you for being puked on, pooped on, shrieked at or bit by an angry toddler than actually going through it! I do not think that it is fair to say that you cannot find a good provider in someone who has no credentials to speak of.
    The bottom line is; it is a 2 way street, and everyone involved needs to be comfortable with the arrangement. My heart honestly goes out to families who have dealt with unhealthy or abusive childcare situations. I would be like a momma bear on a rampage if I ever found out someone had treated my kids in a way that harmed them!! More so than documents, etc; a parent needs to trust their instincts and communicate honestly and openly with thier provider. A lot of issues can be solved with simple (non-confrontational, lol) conversations.

  6. #16
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    In BC we are strictly regulated for running child care centers. If you are licensed you must meet most of the items on that list with the exception of some of the car and driving items listed. You can't run an unlicensed daycare with more then 2 kids. It's a lot of work to become licensed and get these things accomplished but once it's done you know this is the industry you obviously want to be in, your proud you did it and you know parents have a sense of relief. Doesn't mean all licensed facilities are not going to be duds but it's less likely.

  7. #17
    Wow! Hope my the babysitter who looks after my kids doesn't think like you. She has a decent rate. Cheaper than the daycares. Does that mean my kids get mediocre childcare?

    As for first aid, most people in my place of business do not know first aid but you can bet there are designates that do including employees and definately building staff does. Whether mom and dad have first aid is of no concern to you. Your concern is the business you run and if you're equipped to handle immediate emergencies like choking and CPR. And if that is asking too much and then you shouldn't be looking after other people's children. We're paying you, remember??

  8. #18
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    My take on this whole discussion is the parent really needs to do their homework and all adults in the home should have background checks and all providers must have 1st aid.

    People’s children are so precious and as providers we must always remember this; lets try putting ourselves in the interviewers shoes when we are doing our interviews and understand there anxieties.

    I'm not perfect nor would I ever claim to be the best fit for everyone. For me I need to find a parent who is just like me. Agrees with my methods and approach to parenting. It's not easy these days as many parents want us to do 500% more than they would ever do on there own! For this there is pre schools and expensive centres!

    Why can't people just let kids be kids anymore?
    Last edited by Skysue; 07-18-2011 at 08:04 PM.

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  10. #19
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    I have never gotten the whole police check concept. When it first came out it was for organizations and the sole purpose of protecting their butt in case something occurred. But for general use it became the be all and end all. But what does it really prove to anyone. It only tells you if the person has been convicted of a crime in the past 3 years or something like that. If the caregiver can give references to a steady stream of parents going further back then isn't that more important. Besides if there had been a breach against children by the caregiver her own children would have been removed from the home for safety would they not? And then they turn around and say you should renew it yearly or every other year which sounds to me like a cash grab by the province. In this midst of all this are people such as high school students with no proven background trying desparately to get their police checks to do work either paid or volunteer. I know I am in the minority on this belief but I have been in daycare long enough - 24 years to have seen just about every "band wagon" issue of the moment come and go.

  11. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by playfelt View Post
    I have never gotten the whole police check concept. When it first came out it was for organizations and the sole purpose of protecting their butt in case something occurred. But for general use it became the be all and end all. But what does it really prove to anyone. It only tells you if the person has been convicted of a crime in the past 3 years or something like that. If the caregiver can give references to a steady stream of parents going further back then isn't that more important. Besides if there had been a breach against children by the caregiver her own children would have been removed from the home for safety would they not? And then they turn around and say you should renew it yearly or every other year which sounds to me like a cash grab by the province. In this midst of all this are people such as high school students with no proven background trying desparately to get their police checks to do work either paid or volunteer. I know I am in the minority on this belief but I have been in daycare long enough - 24 years to have seen just about every "band wagon" issue of the moment come and go.
    It's more just piece for of mind I think and if that's what it take then so be it! I do see where your comming from though! TRUST is a BIG issue for all of us!

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