Originally Posted by Unregistered:
The whole "I have the right to believe/you have the right to believe" does not fix the fact that it is DIFFICULT to find a provider to care for a child for a full day, without naps. I just wish that providers were a little flexible. And yes, it took me a good deal of time to find a provider (had to be a center) that did not need the children nap so they could get a large break. Let me show you an example of why I think this is wrong: You hire a landscaping crew to work on your yard for 5(about half your day, correct?) hours every Tuesday(9:00 am to 2:00 pm). You come home and find that they are taking a 1.5 hour break in the middle of their 5 hours(about half your break, correct?). This means that they are not working on your yard for 5 hours. They claim that they need this 1.5 hours to clean their equipment, eat some lunch, and just chill a little bit and get prepared for the next 2 hours of yard work. You would say "What?!" And you would fire them and hire a crew that actually worked on your yard for 5 hours.
Yes, perhaps this landscaping company would stay in business because some of their clients are still happy with the overall result of the yard work, and they don't mind the break. But, some people would NOT be happy about paying this company for 5 hours, when they only actually work on the yard for 3.5 hours. The company that needs the extra-long break would not be nearly as profitable as the company that worked 5 hours. All that other company would need to do is advertise "We Do Not Take 1.5 Hour Breaks When We Are Being Paid To Work 5 Hours". And they would win more clients.
I KNOW you need a break. But 3 hours, really? Maybe you could put in a 30 minute or an hour long movie for the older kids and take your break then. Parents are paying you A LOT of their hard-earned money because they think you are working equally as hard. I am just asking that some of you consider the needs of 4-5 year olds who are not yet in school and also are old enough to stay awake during the day. This was truly a horrible issue with every in-home provider I considered. Why does it have to be so difficult to find someone to accept $600-$900 a month on the grounds that my child be cared for and NOT be told to lie on a cot for 3 hours? This is really a limited service, it SHOULD NOT be this difficult to find a provider to provide service to the mother of a normal four year old who doesn't need a nap. He is starting school next year, he will not be allowed to nap then. He does not need it, he functions great without it. He is happy, healthy, active and he is tired at 8:30pm. Can't any of you be willing to accommodate these children? The center my son is at now is expensive, compared to the average price in my area. I know there are older children, who are not in school, who do not need naps. And I know that not all of the mothers of these children can afford to pay for this center my son attends. It would be such a great thing if you considered other options for children who do not nap. If you've been banking on the MUST TAKE LONG BREAK policy, maybe you should try banking on things for older kids to do during little-kid-nap-time. You make like the result of your efforts. I would guess it would make for an even better bank account and happier clients.
Your analogy isn't right.
Let's say you hired a landscaper for five hours of work on Tuesday and he said to you.... I'm going to do the five hours but I will do it between 9-12 .. take a three hour break... and then do it from 3-5. Same amount of money but we will take a big break in the middle of it.
You pay for the five hours and you get five hours of work.
The part you don't GET is that we are NOT charging for the kids to be up during that time. My rates are based on a NINE hour max day with a 2.5 hour break in the middle. So I figure the break into the rate just like the landscaper in my analogy. I'm willing to "house" and supervise your child during that time but I am not willing to do the intense supervision and interaction during that time like I do when everyone is up.
You say " I am just asking that some of you consider the needs of 4-5 year olds who are not yet in school and also are old enough to stay awake during the day."
Friend the four and five year olds are a small small amount of the "keep my kid up at nap" requests. You think that's the age but MANY parents believe it is actually their infant or toddler who doesn't need a nap. There's NO age limit to it. I've had this request with a six month old. (I tell you no lies) Your child being four isn't any more of a special request then the parent with a 14 month old who is requesting it. It's all the same to me... it means no breaky breaky and Nan needs her breaky.
This is really a limited service, it SHOULD NOT be this difficult to find a provider to provide service to the mother of a normal four year old who doesn't need a nap.
Friend... you believe that but I think maybe you haven't actually cared for children who were from mulitple families of multiple ages. It's NOT the same as caring for your own kid or your friends and family kids. You think it's a really limited service.... but really it's a lot of hard work. I've been at it for 18 years and I haven't missed a day of work in 17 years cept my vacay and holiday.
I KNOW how hard this is... It might be something you think is limited and most likely you could manage to do it on a schedule like you suggested... but what you are seeing in real life is that there are few like you who can manage it. The real reason you can't find it is because it's too hard to do for MOST.
Can you tell me why you think the providers you are asking to do this won't? Do you have any insight of why provider after provider would rather not have your money then have your money and have your kid up for ten straight hours a day? You are saying it's incredibly difficult to find. Why if it's as easy as you suggest and it's really being paid for in regular day care pay.. why can't you find someone who is willing to do it? Why did you have to hire a Nanny or put your child into a Center to find it?