Daycare- Would you be comfortable with this?

[Deleted]

The in home daycare we're considering has 2 2year olds, a 3 year old and potentially our 5 Month old during the day. They told me that once or twice a week they take field trips to the community center for toddler time and to the library for story time. Also, in the summer when the school aged kids are around fulltime, they do weekly trips to the zoo, aquarium, science center, etc.

Would you be comfortable with your baby riding around in someone elses car and going to these places? My DH doesn't like the idea, and I'm kind of like, hey, I would want to get out too. Is this normal for in homes?

[jboho]

I guess it would matter how well I knew the DCP. That would definetly play into my opinion.

[grover]

MIL runs an in home. During the summer, they do go a few times a week to the library, but they walk the two blocks there and back. They will take one trip a year to the pumpkin patch, one trip to the zoo, and one trip to the movie theater (so only 3 trips requiring the car a year).

[Deleted]

If I trusted someone enough to care for my kid, I'd trust them to drive. Also, I'm all for getting kids out and about to experience things.

[savannah11]

Our daycare provider used to occasionally drive the kids around for different outings. We trusted her so it was no big deal.

[Deleted]

I am very very close to my dcp. She has driven dd before after hours.


That being said I would never want a daycare or school that had field trips in personal cars....and one adult.

[dexteroni]

As long as their arrangements are safe, and they're only going on short drives in good weather, then I think it's ok. I would also be concerned about supervision though. Would there be more than one adult? I wouldn't like the idea of one person (even an expert) managing a preschooler, two toddlers, and an infant alone in public. I'm not a mom but I remember how much attention my nephews each needed at those ages. And whenever I would take them someplace with a lot of kids, there was always some kid making a break for the door. I don't know how one adult handles that with 4 under 4.

ETA: I would be less concerned about toddler time and story time, where the majority of the attendees are there for the same reason and there's usually plenty of supervision. I would be far more concerned about large public spaces like the zoo and the aquarium, where it's so easy for a little one to run around a corner and be out of sight in the blink of an eye.

[anna7602]

Jan 2, 2013 23:33:28 GMT -5 @libgrl said:

If I trusted someone enough to care for my kid, I'd trust them to drive. Also, I'm all for getting kids out and about to experience things.

This. Although I say this in the abstract. We've always relied on public transportation for DD's activities with school/nannies.

[zarapipe]

I would be ok with it if she had help and I trusted her and her driving.

I would not be ok with one person taking that many little ones out on her own though. For outings I think she needs an assistant.

[Deleted]

I don't know. We used home daycare for DS1 and they went out every day, but they always walked.

I hate taking my 3 out by myself because I only have 2 hands so I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with her taking them all out like that

[pamela]

Yes, but for that number of kids, I'd feel much better with a helper. Or explanation of how she kept the kids together (holding a rope, etc). Also, how does she handle getting everyone in and out of the car in the parking lot safely.

[dochas]

No, I wouldn't.

[CloudBee]

Probably not. I would be fine with walking, and that's what I did with my babysitters growing up. It was rare that we drove somewhere, and usually my adult babysitter's mother would take half of the kids. (In daycare during the school year, and some summers I was with a babysitter who watched a handful of kids at her home vs. daycare.)

[BlueNotebook]

I wouldn't. That seems like a lot of little ones for one person to keep track of. It's also really important to me that baby be able to nap whenever, and as long, as it needs to and with several weekly outings, it's almost guarenteed and some naps are going to be cut short or postponed.

Also you mentioned more kids in the summer. Would the same one provider be watching all of those kids in addition to the ones she's already watching now?

[takeonyou]

I run a home daycare. I probably would be ok with 1-2 outings a week close to the home. I wouldn't want highway driving in a regular basis.

Iwould ask about commercial insurance on the vehicle because she needs it for business purposes. I would check the car seats and ask about installations. I wouldn't worry about supervision out if I wasn't concerned about it at home. Most daycares use strollers and walking ropes.

[Deleted]

Thanks ladies. You guys mentioned some things that I hadn't even thought about. I think I'm going to schedule another meeting with her, bring my DH, and really go over some stuff. She's the only one in the area with availability for an infant, and seemed so excited at having an infant around again, so I don't want to write her off.

To answer some questions:

We don't know this DCP. I found her through the state's daycare license site, and met her for our initial interview. I agree that if we trust her enough to watch our child then we should trust her enough to drive her too.

In the summer when there's older children, she does have one or two more assistants to help her.

We would be leaving her with our car seat for any travel (and stroller).

[elocrates]

Jan 3, 2013 12:15:07 GMT -5 @roseyposey said:

We don't know this DCP. I found her through the state's daycare license site, and met her for our initial interview.

If you found her through the license site, I assume she is a licensed provider?? Many state childcare licensing agencies will also do authorization/ licensing to drive the children as part of their services. For example, most of the licensed in-home daycares in my area are NOT licensed to transport the children by vehicle. Might be worth checking in to with the state/ county to see if she is licensed to transport.

To answer your original question, I'd be more concerned about the driving than the corralling of kids at a destination. My comfort with the driving would be directly related to how well I knew the person if the county didn't offer childcare transport licensing.

[Deleted]

That's too many really young kids for 1 person to watch while out & about for my comfort. Plus crossing parking lots, seat belting--ugh, that gives me hives just thinking about... Probably because I know how hard, dangerous it was with my 3 2.5yrs apart. The actual driving wouldn't bug me if she had no record of incidents & I installed the seat belts. I let my 17yr old nanny drive my 3,5 & 7yr old around all summer in my car...my car, I knew her & all the destinations were within a couple miles (no high speed, highway driving).

[SusanBAnthony]

My kids' old sitter did walking trips. She had a double stroller, and the older ones all held hands. They walked to a park about 3 blocks away every day that it was nice enough to play. So they idea of outings does not bother me at all- I think it is good for kids.

Now, the logistics of that many carseats, and making sure they are installed properly, and the time it would take to get everyone in and out, I would ask questions about that. But assuming I liked and trusted the person overall, I would not let the outings stop me from hiring her, especially if the are not many options in your area.

[vanillacourage]

This isn't what you asked, but I would not be a fan of an age gap that large among the kids in her care. With most of the kids older toddlers/preschoolers and only one little baby, I feel like the little one is going to spend a lot of time in a high chair or bouncy seat while the older kids are wrangled, taken to the potty, etc. Plus then there's the issue of babies developing faster to keep up with their peers - I think you lose that if there is a huge age gap. And....not to freak you out, but my son LOVES his baby brother so much that we have to keep an eagle eye on him that he doesn't play too rough with him and hurt him on accident. I would not be comfortable with a DCP being able to watch the little one at all times just to protect him/her (in a sense) from the older kids.

Sorry to be a downer. It's perfectly appropriate that the DCP has geared her program toward older kids, since that's what her "students" consist of. But for me, that would make her a bad fit for an infant, for a variety of reasons.

[takeonyou]

Jan 3, 2013 15:28:56 GMT -5 vanillacourage said:

This isn't what you asked, but I would not be a fan of an age gap that large among the kids in her care. With most of the kids older toddlers/preschoolers and only one little baby, I feel like the little one is going to spend a lot of time in a high chair or bouncy seat while the older kids are wrangled, taken to the potty, etc. Plus then there's the issue of babies developing faster to keep up with their peers - I think you lose that if there is a huge age gap. And....not to freak you out, but my son LOVES his baby brother so much that we have to keep an eagle eye on him that he doesn't play too rough with him and hurt him on accident. I would not be comfortable with a DCP being able to watch the little one at all times just to protect him/her (in a sense) from the older kids.

Sorry to be a downer. It's perfectly appropriate that the DCP has geared her program toward older kids, since that's what her "students" consist of. But for me, that would make her a bad fit for an infant, for a variety of reasons.

I think that you probably have that opinion because you have never heard someone explain how a multi-age group care situation works.

I run one and I can assure you that no baby ever spends (awake) time in a container in my care. I don't have a swing or walker or exersaucer. I offer a jumper for active time only -- babies who aren't jumping, aren't in there. Babies are only in boosters when I am preparing their food or they are eating. If I need to attend to the older children, the baby is worn or carried for a few minutes. Babies have floor time in their own area in the daycare room. I have a designated baby side and the older kids know that they are not allowed to touch the babies unless they ask or are invited to.

The babies LOVE to watch the older kids and emulate them. So yes, they are striving to keep up with their peers. The older kids are their peers. The idea that children must be kept with kids of their own age is a new idea. It really is best cognitively and developmentally for children to be around humans of ALL ages. They learn more from older humans than they do from humans their own age.

There is no wrangling the older kids. The older kids know the routine and happily oblige it. Lunch means everyone comes to the table. Circle means everyone sits together. Free play means that they go to the toys that interest them. It's not complicated, it is just a solid routine and practice.

Having children in a multi-age setting isn't a "bad idea" at all if you have someone who is experienced in a multi-age group setting. Most multi-age settings simply function as a large family.

Just because you couldn't imagine doing it, doesn't mean it can't be done. I can't imagine doing my complicated taxes, but my accountant does it and I have no idea how. I also have no idea how to rebuild an engine, but the mechanic does a great job at it.

[vanillacourage]

takeonyou - all good points and you sound like a great DCP! But unfortunately, not all DCPs are great (nor all CPAs, or mechanics of course). So if it were me, I would just also consider this facet of this specific daycare when making a decision.

[GailGoldie]

i'm sure many are run very well, safe, etc- but there is NO way i would feel OK with my kids in someone's car, out in public, etc- at such young ages. It's hard enough being out with my own 3 boys in public on my own - i do NOT want to trust another adult with 3+ kids out places, driving, etc. that's just me- i would be a nervous mess - wouldn't ever do it.

My son's daycare wanted to do field trips when they were 4yo and all the parents were against it- felt they were too young... waited until they were 5. I let my 3.5yos go on field trips b/c they are in a public school wiht certified teachers (not typical daycare staff that are young, non-certified, etc)... and i know a bunch of parents chaparone (usually i'm one of them).... but younger? and daycare? nope.

[Deleted]

I'm ok w the occasional field trip but would prefer for my kids to not regularly be in a car w a DCP.