Daycare providers who have young kids

[mattsmom]

I don't think children being allowed to own room and have snack in own home is "having run of the house". That big leap.

My children were never part of entertainment package for client children. Even if same ages, client children might not have personality that own children would choose to be friend with. My children were expected to be friendly, i.e. not exclude, not be rude but it not a play date when my child home during daycare hours. If they had enough, they were absolutely allowed to take some time to self in own room and get space if wanted.

Is it confusing to a client child? Only if boundaries aren't clear. "This is X's home and they live here, they are not part of daycare. You will have to play with a daycare child."

That a life lesson that all children have to learn anyway. Just because a client child might want watch TV with family member, it too bad. Just because client child want demand that certain child (provider's) play with him/her, that unfair expectation too.

Not everything is clear access to client child. Not every family member here entertain client child. I would not force client child to play with particular daycare child if they not want to. I'd not force own children either.

I totally agree. Just because I have my own children, it doesn't make them obligated to come and entertain the daycare children. My son was six when I started doing daycare and if he wanted to come down and play with the daycare children, he could, but he didn't have to.
He didn't choose this job, I did, and I wasn't going to force it on him. The only time he had no choice was if his dad wasn't home and I was taking the other kids out. Then he had to come with us.

BUT, I actually had a mom pull her kids out of my care because MY OWN SON was able to go on OUR computer (that wasn't even near the daycare room) and her son wasn't allowed to! I couldn't believe that she would actually use this as an excuse to take them out! I told her that this is HIS home and he could go on it, if he wanted to and I'm sorry, but use of our family computer was not part of the daycare program.

Now that he is in highschool, he is glad to stay away from the daycare room, as he is not one for little children!

[MommaL]

For my children, it has nothing to do with expecting them to entertain or play with the other children. I don't expect that of the daycare kids, so I certainly wouldn't expect it from my own. Everyone has to be respectful, but I certainly don't force anyone to be friends. I don't treat my kids as though they are also "working" at the daycare. Rather, their day-to-day life now is very similar to what it was before I had a daycare and they went to another provider. It just so happens that their "new daycare" is in our house.

[lisapisa]

Good news. The new daycare provider I interviewed is great and we think we'll be going with her. She is older and her children are grown and out of the house. So we no longer have to wonder what her own children are doing during the day. However, I just wanted to chime in regarding some of the comments made about this being a life lesson and that daycare provider's children should not be expected to entertain or be friends with the others. I would never expect a daycare provider's kids to entertain my daughter and I certainly didn't choose my previous daycare with this assumption. But I also wouldn't consider it a good life lesson for a 3 year old when all the kids are told that it's story time and a daycare provider's own child (who is the same age) says "I don't want to do that, I'm going upstairs to watch Paw Patrol instead". Or, when a provider serves fruit for a snack and her own child decides she doesn't want that and goes into the cupboard and gets a granola bar instead. I get that this is the child's home, but that still doesn't sit right with me.

[Crayola kiddies]

Good news. The new daycare provider I interviewed is great and we think we'll be going with her. She is older and her children are grown and out of the house. So we no longer have to wonder what her own children are doing during the day. However, I just wanted to chime in regarding some of the comments made about this being a life lesson and that daycare provider's children should not be expected to entertain or be friends with the others. I would never expect a daycare provider's kids to entertain my daughter and I certainly didn't choose my previous daycare with this assumption. But I also wouldn't consider it a good life lesson for a 3 year old when all the kids are told that it's story time and a daycare provider's own child (who is the same age) says "I don't want to do that, I'm going upstairs to watch Paw Patrol instead". Or, when a provider serves fruit for a snack and her own child decides she doesn't want that and goes into the cupboard and gets a granola bar instead. I get that this is the child's home, but that still doesn't sit right with me.

My daycare is separate from my living space .... So if my child didn't want the same snack they could go upstairs and have something different or to play with their own toys in their bedroom the daycare children had no idea that there was anything different because they didn't see it ... The rules were ... If you are in the daycare you must follow the rules ... My kids are in school all day. Now but they still come down in the morning after they have finished breakfast but they must do as the daycare kids are doing .... I would never blatantly let my kids eat an ice cream cone while the daycare kids are having carrot sticks ..... They just don't have to spend their days with us if they don't want too ....

[5 Little Monkeys]

I just think that my child would be in another dc if I worked out of home and would be following a routine regardless. I don't see why following the routine at moms daycare would be any different. Children over 5 would be different but under 5, I think it would be beneficial to include them in the whole daycare day or until the other parent got home at least. I however view my home as a business during 8-445 and would view my child being in daycare those hours too.

I'm glad you've found a dcp that you like!