Originally Posted by Concerned Momma:
Hi there. Please excuse me if this is a bit long.
I'm having a bit of trouble with my son's home daycare and I'm wondering if it would be possible to get someone else's opinion on whether or not I should worry about the recent events. He's two and has been with them since he was 3 months old. Prior to this he's always been a healthy and happy kid and despite recent events that hasn't changed.
My daycare provider only has her elderly father to help her with the kids since her husband went back to working nights. Recently we had some issues with her father not being able to keep up with the kids and being overwhelmed despite what my provider insists is well within the state's child to adult ratios. When I went to pick up my son my provider had taken her children to classes and left four children including my son with her father. As I pulled up the father was outside checking the mail and my daycare provider was gone. When I asked who was watching the kids he said his son was.
I have never met my daycare provider's brother and he isn't listed on their licensing as a caregiver. When I walked into the house the brother was in the living room watching television and the kids were alone and running around the back room. I was livid and immediately took my son home. No one was harmed and when I talked to my daycare provider the following day she insisted it was only for 60 seconds. When I brought up the concerns that I had regarding her father not being able to care for kids the way he used to and her response was to ask if I wanted to pull my son out of daycare. I was definitely surprised that this was the way she was trying to take the conversation and I'm a little upset that she's mostly nonchalant about the incident. Is it unreasonable to ask her to get more help if she's going to continue to care for other people's children? Is it time to find another childcare provider?
It's time to find a new provider.
If your provider disagrees with your "asessment" of her father's capabilities (or hers) you aren't going to convince her otherwise based on what you see during a few minutes at pick up. Her reaction to your initial mentioning of it says that pretty clearly.
In my state my brother wouldnt be listed on my license if he were approved to be a substitute caregiver but he would have to be approved by the state and the only way a parent would know if he were or weren't would be to ask me so the brother may have been legally allowed as a substitute caregiver.... but youd have to ask her.
How many kids does your provider watch and what state are you in?