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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Daycare Parent Highschooler
grateday 11:59 AM 02-03-2015
Anyone have any experience when working with a daycare parent who is in highschool.

I am a little concerned in many ways as to how such an arrangement would work and if an arrangement like this has been successfull for other providers.

One thing I wonder about is the maturity level, the expectations, the generation gap, social media, drama

What I would hope to accomplish with a high school student is that while there child is in my care that they would graduate high school.

Extended family dynamics etc.

I wonder if you have to spell things out a little more with a high school student regarding the norms of family childcare?? Has anyone ever had boundary issues here in this arena (parenting the parent/ going above and beyond or not).

Its reallly hard to gage and can someone offer some pointers in this situation? I have a high schooler interviewing and I want to make expectations and boundaries clear but also help in the ways that I feasibly can.
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SilverSabre25 03:32 PM 02-03-2015
I have to be blunt here.

It sounds like you're going into this with some preconceived notions and it might not be fair to the girl. Treat her like any other parent. She's getting enough of that "less than" treatment in the rest of her life. Her age should not play into it. She's a parent. Treat her like one until and unless it arises that she needs something else.

YOU don't get to decide if she graduates high school. It's none of your business. YOU don't get to decide what you want to accomplish with a high schooler parent. YOU will not be providing care for HER but for her child. Don't treat her any differently than any other parent--I cannot stress that enough.

Extended family drama? Not much different than in any other family. Social media? Why are you even worrying about that? Maturity? I know plenty of teen parents who were 10x as mature as plenty of full grown adults. The expectations are the same as for any other parent of any other child. Pay on time, pick up on time, don't bring your child sick.

Interviewing is the same. Who watches the child if he's sick? Is dad in the picture (if she doesn't bring it up or it's not obvious)? Who's authorized to pick up? What hours are you needing care for? What are your plans for school breaks and summer (okay this one is a bit different but still reasonable to ask a teacher parent so still not judging her)
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NoMoreJuice! 04:43 PM 02-03-2015
Stereotypes, like that high school kids are immature, exist for a reason. Yes, you're probably going to have to deal with issues that you wouldn't normally have to. I have a super young mother (19 yo) as a client, and here are some of my pet peeves I am working on dealing with her:

She asks for special discounts ALL THE TIME. I understand that she's not doing well financially, but I'd like for her to realize that her financial problems are a result of her own choices in life, not mine. I will never ever bend on my no discount rule but it annoys me that she keeps asking (especially because her child is out sick a lot!).

She texts me at all hours of the weekend/evening. I have asked her a few times to please only text during daycare hours, but she has made a habit of texting me questions or letting me know what's going on with her child. I think anytime a person of her generation has a thought, it goes straight into a text or snapchat (what an unholy, ridiculous app btw).

I will never ever ever friend a client on fb, but I do have one or two mutual friends and her posts sometimes come across my feed. Once she was griping about having to pay me all of her hard earned money, to which all of her friends were sympathizing and saying how heartless I am. You signed a contract, you need to live up to those obligations and not gripe about it. Facebook is the devil, if you ask me. I blocked her so that I would not have to see any more of that bs.

In conclusion, I hope that you set extremely clear boundaries and enforce late fees just like you would any family. If this is her first venture into the world of daycare, you would be doing her no favors by being lenient. Good luck!
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permanentvacation 05:08 PM 02-03-2015
I've had two parents that had recently graduated high school. One was absolutely horrible, just unbelievably immature.

The other was a perfect parent. She was extremely mature. She worked two jobs and was determined to be able to buy a house. Right around her 19th birthday, she bought a townhouse on her own! She had no help from the baby's father for anything. He didn't help pay for daycare, he didn't even buy the child one diaper! The girl, the baby's mother did everything for herself. She didn't have help from her parents. They were completely broke themselves, and actually, after she bought the townhouse, she rented out a room to her mother! Honestly, the girl was probably more on top of things than I am! She was determined to make it as a young single mother and I think that she felt she needed to prove that to the general public, her parents, and herself.

I think you should have the interview with an open mind. Just think of the parent as any other parent. I've had extremely immature 40 year old parents. And I've had extremely mature 20 year old parents. The age doesn't matter. It's how they were raised and the experiences they've had that has made them who they are and how they will behave. Have the interview and treat her like any other interview. See what vibes you get from her during the interview like you would any other potential clients. If you get a good feeling from her during the interview, take her own as a client.
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grateday 06:18 PM 02-03-2015
I am worried because it is new to me. Preconcieved notions no just wondering about others experiences....and what I have to do when working with another child who has a child.

I always give people the benefit of the doubt and treat people equally.

The high school thing is a conditonal thing that is ran by the state for those on a scholarship.....it is to help them graduate

So I kind of do have to worry about it and I did not bring it up, so if they don't try in school it could effect them having this form of childcare and would force them out looking for a job and the GED route.

Again not really my business but does effect my business. All of this was a call from the state and it is so new to me and I am just trying to prepare myself so that I can be a better provider.

I could care less if a high schooler is a high schooler with a child. But behaving poorly does effect business. Younger generations are apt to post and write things for the public to see everywhere and that is really messed up and one sided, instead of dealing with the concern/pressing issue.

I say the social media thing because this parent called me in the past complaining about the place they were in and they were not dealing with it and I directed them to the director of the center to deal with the problem. I could not get a direct answer as to what the problem was in the center. I think when it comes to your kid you gotta speak up sometimes and you gotta be open and willing to learn or move on to another place. See what I mean??? The level of dealing with things is different for some high schoolers but not all of them by any means.

.I will want to know the family dynamics though a little more so it seems for a lot of reasons.

Silvre sabre 25 I am really just thinking the same thing you are thinking here and yes the 40 year old parents can sometimes be like high school kids.

Teacher parent....Yes, I will have to assess her knowledge and expectations and treat her the same, hope she has a great support system in place.

Great perfect parent story by the way permanent vacation....

Thank you everyone for your comments constructive and well thought out
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butterfly 07:10 AM 02-04-2015
I had a high school mom a few years ago. She was actually the one of the best parents that I've had. She was well organized, because she had to be. She had a lot on her plate with a little one and trying to keep up with school and all the activities. I wouldn't be afraid to interview/sign on a young parent. I had a great experience - except for the grandma... but that is a whole other situation... Nothing to do with the parent or child that I worked with.

I would interview them the same that I would anyone else.
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