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cara041083 05:46 AM 02-11-2014
Do any of you ladies refuse to take SA kids? I have 2 since I started back up in Jan. I thought they would be easy money, but on the days school is out and they are here all day, they are more work then the lil ones. How do you guys handle it? I wanted to try everything before I term them.
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Blackcat31 06:05 AM 02-11-2014
I stopped taking SA'ers a couple years ago.

BEST decision ever.

Oh, and did I mention it was THE BEST decision ever?
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Annalee 06:06 AM 02-11-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I stopped taking SA'ers a couple years ago.

BEST decision ever.

Oh, and did I mention it was THE BEST decision ever?
ME, TOO!
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Second Home 06:19 AM 02-11-2014
I contract for before / after care . If they want a full day if school is cancelled it is only if I have room and then it is like drop in care for a full day rate . That way I can decide if I want to take them on any certain day or not.

I also require at least a weeks notice in writing for any SA kids full day care where school is closed for holidays / breaks .
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cheerfuldom 06:20 AM 02-11-2014
I will take only a select few school agers. Kids I already know or have worked with before and who I have no trouble setting firm boundaries with. If they don't fit in, they don't stay. Right now I would only take young school age girls, maybe up to 3rd grade. I won't take boys period. I am sure there are some wonderful school age boys out there, I just don't happen to know any LOL I don't do the wrestling and rowdy behavior.
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KIDZRMYBIZ 06:44 AM 02-11-2014
I really used to enjoy the SA, like 7 or 8 years ago. IDK if it's social media or what, but the last few years I took them they were always bored. Bored=naughty, catty, rowdy. They expected me to entertain them A L L D A Y L O N G. I had to keep them actively involved with me either cooking, doing some art, or playing games. Gone were the kids that would read, draw, play cards or games on their own, or run around outside.

I decided to just not take any last summer because I was starting a newborn, and trips to the park/other big kid things were going to be less frequent, and I couldn't believe how much calmer life was for both me and my own SA kids! They did not miss them at all. So, I decided then that I was done watching SA kids. The time, effort, and expense they were costing me was no longer worth the hill of beans parents wanted to pay.

That said, I think if you are going to have SA with a mixed-age daycare, just be prepared for some new little best friends! Have one or two fun things planned for every day, like simple art and craft projects, and cooking (kids LOVE to cook!). SA kids are lots of fun, they just happen to be lots of work, too! Good luck!
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cara041083 07:11 AM 02-11-2014
Ok Im glad Im not the only one that doesn't like it lol. I have my own that are 8 and 5 and when the school age get here, they expect my kids to invite them into there rooms so they can play xbox or with there toys. I don't mind this at all as long as MY kids invite them to play. but when my kids just want to do there own thing (like watch a movie or go next door to there friends) the SA kids get mad and don't understand they can't stay in my kids rooms and play. Or if they are all playing togather, I have one SA kid that doesn't have alot at home, and will "guilt" my kids into handing over there toys by saying things like "well you should let me play with that longer since I don't have that at home" and stuff like that. So last week I put a rule in place where no kids alowed in my kids rooms but then I have all these older kids hyper and loud while I have the everyday lil ones in the same room. Its just not working and I can't find a middle ground. I have decided that when summer comes, My kids are going to a day camp that my school district offers so they can get a break from "daycare" but now Im worried about how to handle the SA kids I will have during the summer. One I can term, but one is the older brother or one of my lil ones so I think I would loose both of them if I term him. (which sucks because he is the one I have the most problems with) but his lil sister is a sweetheart and I can't afford to loose her.
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KIDZRMYBIZ 07:42 AM 02-11-2014
You are stuck between a rock and a hard place then, Cara. I had the exact same experience as you, with their bedrooms and wanting to do what my kids were doing at all times. I had one of those older sibling SA's, too, and just endured it till the younger one went to Kinder. Not ideal, but I managed. I have enrolled a few kids since then with SA siblings, and I just tell the parents that I cannot accomodate the SA because of state restrictions, as my own SA's take the spots (not entirely true, because after age 8 they no longer count in my numbers in NE), but no one has ever challenged me on it.

I did tell one family's whose 2 boys I watched one summer that they could not be in any other part of the house a week or so in and blamed it on liability insurance. These two were just so wild when they were out of sight, but I didn't want to leave the family high and dry after I committed to watching them. I suggested that they bring a back-pack of things they could do here so they wouldn't be bored, and that worked out great! Plus, my kids had fun playing with them with what they brought. Win-win!
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mema 07:45 AM 02-11-2014
No SA'ers here either!! If they have a younger sibling, I will take them the few days a year that the school program is closed, but that's it.
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BumbleBee 07:48 AM 02-11-2014
I'm heading in that direction. I *may* take one here & there *if* they are a good fit. I have a 9 yo dcg who, socially, is about 6. She NEEDS to be around younger kids to build her social skills up and be confident about it.

Otherwise I really don't want them or like having them around.
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sharlan 07:54 AM 02-11-2014
I will only take SA BEFORE school, not after. The last boy I had drained me dry and I refuse to take on another one. I have an 11 yo boy for an hour before school 3 days a week and his mom dearly pays for the spot.

I do have my grandkids after school though.
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Play Care 10:12 AM 02-11-2014
Originally Posted by cara041083:
Ok Im glad Im not the only one that doesn't like it lol. I have my own that are 8 and 5 and when the school age get here, they expect my kids to invite them into there rooms so they can play xbox or with there toys. I don't mind this at all as long as MY kids invite them to play. but when my kids just want to do there own thing (like watch a movie or go next door to there friends) the SA kids get mad and don't understand they can't stay in my kids rooms and play. Or if they are all playing togather, I have one SA kid that doesn't have alot at home, and will "guilt" my kids into handing over there toys by saying things like "well you should let me play with that longer since I don't have that at home" and stuff like that. So last week I put a rule in place where no kids alowed in my kids rooms but then I have all these older kids hyper and loud while I have the everyday lil ones in the same room. Its just not working and I can't find a middle ground. I have decided that when summer comes, My kids are going to a day camp that my school district offers so they can get a break from "daycare" but now Im worried about how to handle the SA kids I will have during the summer. One I can term, but one is the older brother or one of my lil ones so I think I would loose both of them if I term him. (which sucks because he is the one I have the most problems with) but his lil sister is a sweetheart and I can't afford to loose her.
My SA dck's are never allowed in my kids rooms. Even if my kids want them there (learned this the hard way )

My "get out of jail free" card is that SA kids can be outside without me. So every day they come in, have snack and are sent outside - if they want to or not - I keep an eye on them from the window and *I* decide when they come in... When they come in it's an activity of my direction followed by table activity (reading, studying, etc.) I'll admit, I do NOT love SA care, and have had my own drama with it.

I do think if you want/have to take those ages on, you have to take control and put a good schedule for them together. I find that the girls get catty/mean and the boys can't keep their hands off each other So our afternoons are highly structured

Have you talked to the parents with the lil girl? Maybe sit down with them and say that you love having their family but that you are a toddler/preschool program and their son is just soooo bored, etc, etc. etc. And maybe say here's the number of some SA programs that he might just love? It could backfire and they pull both, or they may love you enough to keep her with you and send him to an afterschool program...I think the risk of keeping SA kids who have outgrown your program can be greater then the initial losing of two kids -because bigger kids usually get in much bigger trouble
Good Luck!
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jenn 11:05 AM 02-11-2014
I used to never take SA.

Now, I take SA on days that there is no school. I don't do before/after school as I don't provide transportation. I only take SA that have younger sibling enrolled.

I also will take SA on days school is out that are my daughter's friends. She is 5 and homeschooled due to health issues, so having some similar aged playmates is fun for her.

I don't think I could do it everyday. SA are a whole different kind of busy than babies and toddlers!
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lucky 11:16 AM 02-11-2014
I stopped taking school agers a few years ago. I did however allow 2 that started school in the fall and have younger siblings in care continue to come after school and days off. Well, I have been kicking myself ever since! June cannot come quick enough! I have already told both families I will not be providing school age care when school lets out. I don't know if it's the crazy winter we have been having with tons of school closings and bitter cold temps but they are a handful!
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KidGrind 03:16 PM 02-11-2014
I tried to help out a non client SAPs when their centers were closed.

NEVER AGAIN!
NEVER AGAIN!
NEVER AGAIN!

I also helped out one of my DCPs with a SA sibling.

NEVER AGAIN!
NEVER AGAIN!
NEVER AGAIN!

I help out one neighbor with their SAG for before school care 1-3 times a week. She is very respectful & mindful.
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Tags:school age, school age care, school-age, school-age - overload
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