Errands

[5 Little Monkeys]

Well for me, I don't think it's a big deal to go out in the community if it is related to daycare or if it's something the kids enjoy. I don't see the difference between picking up some groceries and doing things like laundry, dishes, cleaning, supper prep, sewing family members clothes, weeding the garden, going online during the work day, reading a personal book, paying a bill online, making plans/schedules for your own family etc etc etc. I just fail to see why some think it's okay to do some errands but not others??

Aside from Suzie, I don't know any providers who are ON all day long and NEVER use the washroom while the kids are awake.(how many times have I read on here that nap time is sacred for most and some don't even take kids if they don't nap) I am sure there are things that we all do that others wouldn't agree with but that doesn't make it wrong IMO. If you want to say running errands is bad than I'm assuming you don't use naptime to do anything for personal use or gain EVER?? Because even though they are sleeping you are still being paid...so you should only be doing daycare related things right?

I don't take the kids to the doctors with me but I can almost guarantee that if it came down to me closing or taking them with me, most parents would be 100% fine with me taking them! lol (thankfully, I am able to go to appt's during the day as my husband is my back up when needed, this is a huge selling point with parents)

Again, I am just confused as to why doing some unrelated daycare things are okay and others aren't?

And I know some think it's a load of crap but there really is a lot of learning going on during these outings My time in the store is doubled because of it but it's what I'm paid to do (teach the kids) so I'm okay with it. It would be a whole lot easier to do my shopping by myself but I enjoy it just like the kids do. I get that some teach with pretend stuff but why is it so bad to teach them with the real thing from time to time too?

[dodge__driver11]

Well for me, I don't think it's a big deal to go out in the community if it is related to daycare or if it's something the kids enjoy. I don't see the difference between picking up some groceries and doing things like laundry, dishes, cleaning, supper prep, sewing family members clothes, weeding the garden, going online during the work day, reading a personal book, paying a bill online, making plans/schedules for your own family etc etc etc. I just fail to see why some think it's okay to do some errands but not others??

Aside from Suzie, I don't know any providers who are ON all day long and NEVER use the washroom while the kids are awake.(how many times have I read on here that nap time is sacred for most and some don't even take kids if they don't nap) I am sure there are things that we all do that others wouldn't agree with but that doesn't make it wrong IMO. If you want to say running errands is bad than I'm assuming you don't use naptime to do anything for personal use or gain EVER?? Because even though they are sleeping you are still being paid...so you should only be doing daycare related things right?

I don't take the kids to the doctors with me but I can almost guarantee that if it came down to me closing or taking them with me, most parents would be 100% fine with me taking them!

Ok, I am late to the game, but here is my take on it. When I interview families, I let them know that there is a mix of educational programming, family like activities, and GOD FORBID PERSONAL ERRANDS, AND OR MANAGEMENT OF MY HOME.

I let parents know I am a one man show who needs to wear many hats, and that my own child and husband rely on my to shoulder some of the errands and home management tasks, because if I did not my home would be a disaster. I offer care to shift workers and my hours vary, because I offer hours that are contracted. If I was "on" for all of the hours contracted I would be long dead, and never get anything done that was not daycare related.

If parents want a different type of environment they are free to continue looking, no one is making them choose me. And, if we are honest about how we choose to conduct our programs, what difference does it make?

I actually had one family leave me because they did not want their child setting foot outside the door other than to the local park, and that's fine, her choice, but I quickly found another family that was all to eager to take their space. I was not going to change the way I did and do things in MY HOME.

ETA: For me, it is also about being reliable for the families that chose me, as most of my clients are nurses, etc. If that means having a quiet day in front of the tv with popcorn, and free play because I am sick than so be it.

Here again, I am one person who cannot be "on" all of the time, and if they need a place that never closes then they must wait the average 2 years it takes to obtain a centre space. And, most dayhomes and centre's here have operating hours of 7:30-5pm M-F. So... shift workers are shafted. I fill a much needed niche, and that works for me.

I am pretty sure that if that bulk of us were honest, we all know that we are not 100% "with it" every daycare day, and we all know that we come to forums like this for a break, even Suzie does that. LOL.

ETA again, LOL: Even though I chose to work from home to be with my child, and because I was tired of someone else being the boss... I chose to work from home because of some of the perks that go with it.

Because I am not paid extra for the time it takes me to write ads, email, call current, past and perspective families, develop contract policies, meetings about child progress et all. I figure that doing "My errands" on the daycare clock, are a fair trade off for all the extra time I devote to said tasks.

If another provider is going to lecture me about what I don't do and my lack of professionalism because of that; go nuts, be the coolest keyboard warrior ever. I really don't care, in the end, I sleep well at night knowing that my clients leave happy, and are all to anxious to recommend me, and my "mixed bag" daycare.

No one provider is better than the other, and as long as you are providing safe, honest care, there is no need to put your "I am better than you hat on" just accept that there are different ways. End.