Do you care for neighbours and friend's kids?

[MommaL]

As a new member to the group and someone just starting out, I expect to be on here a lot with lots of questions. I excited that such a site exists!

I'm just wondering how people feel about looking after close neighbours' or friends' kids? Is it something that you avoid because you don't want to potentially wreck the relationship or does it make things easier because there's less advertising, less interviews and you and your own kids already know and like the families and they know and like you?

[Fireyesblue]

I care for a family (3 kids) who lives on my street about 8 houses down. We can see eachotherw driveways from our living room windows - good or bad? Not sure. Lol I don't have any issues and the fact that we are SO close together was something my family LOVED due to the convenience factor. I just had another mom 2 houses down contact me for her son... Again, conveneince factor. In my situation its been a selling point. If its a neighbor right beside you same thing unless your personlaities don't mesh and clash down the road then sure... Akwaaaard! But no one can predict that. However... I would NOT watch any of my friende kiddos. I would never want to mix kids and friendship due to boundaries etc

[Busy ECE mommy]

I cared for a neighbour's kids who lived down the street, and I had to terminate the child due to behaviour. Now our relationship is very tense. I will never care for kids from my street/friends/family etc. Just my experience, but lesson learned. It just gets too complicated if things go wrong.

[mickyc]

No close friends or family! I had the neighbors granddaughter for a bit. I knew it was temporary so it wasn't an issue.

[5 Little Monkeys]

My general rule is no to friends and family. However, I helped a friend out one summer and it was fine. We had previously lived together and have a relationship where we don't take advantage of each other ever, so i was fairly sure it would be fine. I have a pregnant friend right now and if it works out, I will likely offer care for her too. Again, we've been friends for 20 years and are so similar in regard to child issues and business etiquette that I don't foresee see any issue. She's known my policies and programs for years and agrees to it all. But for the most, I do try to stay away from friends and family lol.

I've never had a neighbour need care but that might make me leery too. I don't want to feel like I'm being watched, even on days off and if things go wrong, it's not fun running into them at the grocery store let alone on my street every day!

[Suzie_Homemaker]

I not take children of people we have personal relationship with. It harder to enforce own policies with friend and neighbor because we not wanting bad feeling to cross from professional relationship to personal life.

Some friend forget it business and sometime think 10 min late not big deal because we friend. Some neighbor think paying in evening instead morning not big deal because we not able to deposit fees until finish work.

See many provider who lived regret this situation. When they speak up, parent can feel that they not being good friend and if it go wrong, make for tricky situation if seeing neighbor daily or have friend in same circle.

If you have do it, I would sit down before and be very clear that this business arrangement and during business hours, friendship not come into it. That value their friendship but not able to bend rules for them during work day and make sure they fully on board and respectful of it. Could be very awkward if this not clear from beginning.

[Crayola kiddies]

never !!!!!!!!!!!

[sandylynn]

Never! I don't do neighbors, family, cops or teachers!!! I learned the hard way

[babydom]

I'm the same. My do not care for list:
Cops
Lawyers
Cas workers
Neighbours
Friends
Family
Teachers (unless they want to pay all yr round )

[superfun]

Haha, I just thought about my group. 4 of my kids are teacher's kids, and the fifth one is a lawyers kid.