For your child's safety, please insist on qualifications for providers!

[greenborodaycare]

I really feel that all of this is pointless. There was one woman in my area who was a "provider fr 20 years" I hate when they put that in their ads. Like who cares? what does that even mean??? other than your too old to be chasing five kids all day? anyway she was registered and all that stuff and was abusing kids.
ALSO..there was another case of a woman who was also with an agency and one of the children ended up drowning and dying because she had 22 kids in her home.

Parents let me make something very clear to you all---- Being licensed with an agency does not mean anything. I was with an agency for one year before I had enough and went out on my own privately. It was such false sense of security for parents. The "surprise visits" that were supposed to happen were NEVER a surprise. She would always call me to say she was coming on this day at this time. All the other providers in my area would sit around and laugh because the agency's they were with would also do the same. Call ahead of time.
Some times they would never even show and I remember 2 months went by without a visit from my agency at all!
Police records are great but are totally useless if the person hasn't been caught! And really do you know how hard it is to actually prove abuse?
The best thing is to go by references and even then you can't be sure. My neighbour two doors down gives out all her friends numbers and they pretend they brought their kids there. Some of them don't even have kids!!!
It makes it very frustrating because I work very hard and I have an absolute blast with my kids.
We went to a museum last week and there four other daycare providers there...(i'm sure they have been doing it for "20 years" ) I was absolutely disturbed at how they spent the whole time being sarcastic with the kids, making snide remarks, telling them to STOP RUNNING! STOP YELLING! STOP TOUCHING THAT! COME OVER HERE! WHAT ARE YOU DOOOOIIIIINNNNNG!
We were in a childrens museum for gods sakes! Well i let my kids run around, I let them touch what they wanted I let them yell and have fun and I went down the tunnels and slides with them and made sure to laugh REAL loud. I took pictures and videos and sent them to their parents (i always do) who were of course very happy about that. All the while getting dirty looks from the miserable daycare ladies who may have been licensed.
Come to think of it I should have taken pictures and videos of how rotten the pther daycares were and how miserable the kids looked.

[greenborodaycare]

one more thing...
I don't understand what you guys mean when you say drop in visits are ok but they have to take their kids? Why must they take their kids? I think it would make me feel uneasy if someone said you can stop by but you have to take your kid when you leave.
I don't mind if parents stop by unannounced for 15 minutes. I don't make them take their kids...I just offer them coffee and continue doing what I was doing. Sometimes they join me, sometimes they watch, mostly they say they wanna quit their job and do daycare LOL

[playfelt]

Only one comment - you obviously haven't been doing daycare for 20 or more years have you. You will learn a lot over time....hang in there.

[greenborodaycare]

only one comment - you obviously are one of those people I am talking about.

I have learnt A LOT from all the other providers. I have learnt how NOT to act around children that parents are trusting me with.

[zen39]

only one comment - you obviously are one of those people I am talking about.

I have learnt A LOT from all the other providers. I have learnt how NOT to act around children that parents are trusting me with.

There are many great and loving daycare providers that have 20 years experience. Perhaps you witnessed some that weren't as wonderful as others. But, there are also plenty of new daycare providers who do the same things you described.

I think most experienced providers can provide lots of helpful advice and take great care of their little ones. We have several on this site that do just that. I've learned lots from them. To be in the business for 20 years, they obviously have a love of children, because they certainly are not doing it for the money.

[Rhonda]

I have learnt A LOT from all the other providers. I have learnt how NOT to act around children that parents are trusting me with.[/QUOTE]

Yes I agree that by watching other providers you can learn what type of provider you want to be or what you do or don't want to do with your children. Whether the caregiver has been in daycare 1 year or 20 years.

Please do not bash all caregivers who have been in this business more than 20 years! Or do not assume that they are all too old. A friend of mine and I, both have 20 years experience in the childcare field and we are not even 38 yet, so we are not too old to provide childcare! Plus age is irrelavant, I have seen a caregiver of 50 years old provide better childcare than a 25 year old.

There are all types of caregivers in the world, all with our different philosophies and beliefs. In my eyes some are better than others, but just like there are different types of caregivers there are different types of parents who love the caregivers that I believe aren't so good.

[waterloo day mom]

children expect that when their parents come back, that they will be going home with them. Some older children might understand that they are only here for a visit (I have had 3yr olds pulled out for dr appointments etc) but children under the age of 2 have no grasp of that concept. They get upset and anxious about the fact that their parent(s) have come back and are leaving them.

Would people please stop making assumptions about other providers and their practices. It is honestly just as bad as racism, sexism, etc. To assume that someone cannot do their job because of any reason (age, lack of their own children, race, marital status, etc) is downright narrow minded. I understand that people are simply looking out for their children, but please actually get to know a provider and see them with the children in their care before you make assumptions and discredit them. Judgements based on stereotypes are wrong.

[Sandbox Sally]

I really feel that all of this is pointless. There was one woman in my area who was a "provider fr 20 years" I hate when they put that in their ads. Like who cares? what does that even mean??? other than your too old to be chasing five kids all day?

That's unfair. I am forty years old. I have not been a daycare provider for 20 years, but I most certainly am old enough to have been doing so. Believe me when I tell you that I have NO trouble keeping up with the toddlers I care for, as well somehow finding the energy (despite my advanced age) to homeschool and play with my own children as well as clean my house, make dinner and do homework after my dck's have gone home for the day. This is a generally peaceful message board for daycare providers who have a mutual respect for one another. Please think before you post. Thanks!

[horsegirl]

There are some daycares that are licensed in B.C. and I would not have sent my children to them, nor would I have sent my dog for doggy day care. But, there are more great, safe, nurturing, loving daycares out there than there are unsafe ones. I have been licensed for 15 years and my hazard rating with the Health Authority is the lowest in our area. I love what I do. I offer preschool type programming, arts, crafts, reading (story time), circle time and many other educational components. I have a waiting list of parents that want to enroll in my daycare. I offer parents a list of parents whose children have come to my care, are enrolled now, neighbour's phone #, and personnal friends #'s. This way the parents can get a feel of who I am and what I offer to the families. I insist that the parents sit on on a few hours of daycare with me (without their child) and they can decide if they feel comfortable with me and what I do. When we go out on field trips and it is not an area that is specifically for children, they do not touch anything, they do not run, they do not scream. They have to learn to respect the other people around them.

I love what I do and I am probably older than many of you. I run daycare from 7AM - 5:30PM, and still have time to make dinner, clean house & daycare area, set up for next day, and ride my horse. I am very active and when we have a sports day at the daycare I race the children. Children cry because they have to go home.

We as caregivers need to stick together, it is a very difficult and lonely job and we need to support each other. Newer caregivers can learn from the more experienced caregivers. Don't look at the negative actions of a caregiver, but the positive actions from a quality caregiver.

By the way, in my daycare parents may come by at anytime, but when children have said goodbye in the morning and now they have to say goodbye again the child starts to feel abandoned by their parent. When they feel this way enough they start to build walls and you will find that the child will bond with his peers over bonding with an adult. Also, the child may start crying at this feeling of being abandoned and it affects the others and they will start feeling upset. This is not fair to any of the children. That is why if a child starts crying when a parent leaves after a quick visit then they must take them with them. Caregivers should not be judged by how quickly they can stop a child from crying, but by the love, support and nurturing care that they offer.

[Judy Trickett]

We as caregivers need to stick together, it is a very difficult and lonely job and we need to support each other. Newer caregivers can learn from the more experienced caregivers. Don't look at the negative actions of a caregiver, but the positive actions from a quality caregiver.

I completely agree with this sentiment. We need to be supportive of one another. We learn from one another if we are open to it. I have learned from newbie providers, veteran providers and all those in between with respect to experience. I have learned from quality providers and those needing to learn how to offer a better quality daycare experience. I have learned from those I agree with as well as those whose opinions and philosophy differs from my own.

If you are open to learn then every provider you encounter can and should be your teacher.