Originally Posted by rhymia1:
It's not. Like another poster, my set up is so that I can see the children. Areas that I can't see are gated off. I use mirrors for corners (the kids think I'm G*d
) When there is going to be a situation where I don't have direct visual contact the children (I need to use the bathroom) the children need to be set up at the table (right outside the bathroom) a child who has bitten would be in the high chair.
I am one who does't use the computer at all when children are awake/here, so that's not an issue.
And I do agree that if it's something more than a week or so of shadowing can help, the child needs to go elsewhere.
But as to the other, I'll agree to disagree at this point, because it's a gorgeous day here and I don't have any kids here![Sunny](images/smilies/sunny.gif)
Nah it's impossible. When you are caring for birth to five there are many times a day when in order to keep them SAFE and provide proper care you HAVE to visually and selectively ONLY look at what you and they are doing.
When you are feeding a newborn you HAVE to focus directly on their lips and cheeks when you are offering them the bottle. You have to make sure that the nipple is properly placed and grasped. You have to make sure the milk is going in and not coming out on the sides. You have to check flow of the fluid... You have to check to make sure they are breathing in between sucks. You have to make sure they are swallowing at a pace equal to the sucking. You have to have groupings of seconds to JUST look DOWNWARD and see what that baby is doing. It wouldn't be safe to do that head up.
When you are cleaning a diaper blow out you HAVE to look directly at the child's body. You have to carefully remove the onesie and the shirt over the head to make sure you aren't getting fecal matter in their eyes or their hair. You have to look DIRECTLY at the child and the child's body in order to do it safely and keep the mess contained.
When you are cleaning them up after the clothes are removed you HAVE to scan them to make sure there is no residue of fecal matter on any part of their body.
When you are applying butt cream you HAVE to look directly at all the creases and areas that are affected with the rash. You HAVE to spread the cream evenly.
Hundreds and hundreds of times a day in the care of kids you are diverting your eyes to ONE child to provide what they need. Within those seconds of direct visual care that is required to care for them properly... you will not have direct visual contact with the other children... be in one more or six more.
There's no set up in the world that nets constant direct visual every single second or small gouping of seconds supervision of all of the kids when there is more than one kid with one adult.
It's impossible. It may be that it seems mincing words but it's within those few seconds that differentiate GROUP care from individual care.