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Kiddies 10:19 AM 08-22-2016
For the first time I am at my capacity limit with children. I have twin boys who are in 4th grade (these are my own children) I do not allow any friends in my house during daycare however, the neighbor kids do come over to see if my kids can play at there houses or outside. How picky is DHS about this?
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grandmom 03:17 PM 08-22-2016
Why would they care that your children aren't there? Its when you have children you shouldn't that they care. Right?
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Blackcat31 04:56 PM 08-22-2016
Originally Posted by Kiddies:
For the first time I am at my capacity limit with children. I have twin boys who are in 4th grade (these are my own children) I do not allow any friends in my house during daycare however, the neighbor kids do come over to see if my kids can play at there houses or outside. How picky is DHS about this?
How old are your child and their friends?

MN is pretty laid back... But it depends on where you live.
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e.j. 05:29 PM 08-22-2016
In my state, they wouldn't care if my kids were playing at someone else's house. Their concern is more about how many kids I'm supervising at my house. If the kids were all playing outside, it wouldn't matter as long as they weren't playing in my yard. If they were to come in to my yard to play, they would count in my numbers. I would check your state's regs, though, because all states are different.
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Kiddies 06:58 PM 08-22-2016
I'm up for my two year inspection and I am at capacity for the first time. I have twin boys who are in 4th grade and a neighborhood full of kids looking to play with mine. I'm worried that my licensor will show up and these kids are going to be outside looking for my kids and throw me over capacity. How reasonable are they? It's not like I can control who and when someone shows up at my door. I do not let them in the house during daycare but they would still technically "be on my property". Perhaps I'm being overly paranoid..I've never had any issues with my license or anything and I would like to keep it that way. This is the first time I have maxed out my capacity so I'm a little worried and not sure what to expect if the situation arises. Especially because with school agers they are in and out so much. Hope this makes sense.

I guess I should also say that I do not let them play on my property either. They are just literally picking up my kids and leaving back to their houses because they know I run daycare.
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Meeko 06:48 AM 08-23-2016
Different states have different regs.

In Utah, a provider's own children can have friends over and they do not count in the ratios as long as the following can happen....

....if licensing shows up and the provider says "these are not my daycare kids, they are my own kids friends"....the provider must be able to immediately sent those kids right out the door and tell them to go home. If the provider is not able to do that, the children must be included in ratios.
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Blackcat31 07:04 AM 08-23-2016
Originally Posted by Kiddies:
I'm up for my two year inspection and I am at capacity for the first time. I have twin boys who are in 4th grade and a neighborhood full of kids looking to play with mine. I'm worried that my licensor will show up and these kids are going to be outside looking for my kids and throw me over capacity. How reasonable are they? It's not like I can control who and when someone shows up at my door. I do not let them in the house during daycare but they would still technically "be on my property". Perhaps I'm being overly paranoid..I've never had any issues with my license or anything and I would like to keep it that way. This is the first time I have maxed out my capacity so I'm a little worried and not sure what to expect if the situation arises. Especially because with school agers they are in and out so much. Hope this makes sense.

I guess I should also say that I do not let them play on my property either. They are just literally picking up my kids and leaving back to their houses because they know I run daycare.
If your children are 11 yrs old or older they do not count in your ratios. If their friends are over 11, they do not count either so they could all be there and licensing would not care. (Liability and insurance might be different but licensing laws say they don't count after age 11)

If they are under age 11, they WOULD count in your ratios if they are not with an adult. If they want to play with your kids, I'd have them call and ask verses just coming over.

You should also make sure to tell your children's friend's parents that they need to call and not just pop in....explain that it's a business and you have certain rules to follow when open and operating.

MN is definitely cracking down on citing providers for being over ratios so its not something you want to risk it.
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Kiddies 09:21 AM 08-23-2016
Thank you that was what I was afraid of. Ugh. Guess I will be making some phone calls.
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Kiddies 09:33 AM 08-23-2016
It just seems weird how they can demand that when I can't control who shows up at my door step.
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Controlled Chaos 09:39 AM 08-23-2016
Originally Posted by Kiddies:
It just seems weird how they can demand that when I can't control who shows up at my door step.
I wouldn't stress it, just don't let them in.
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laundrymom 09:44 AM 08-23-2016
Originally Posted by Kiddies:
For the first time I am at my capacity limit with children. I have twin boys who are in 4th grade (these are my own children) I do not allow any friends in my house during daycare however, the neighbor kids do come over to see if my kids can play at there houses or outside. How picky is DHS about this?
I can think of NO REASON DHS could bust you for answering your door. It's not like they are over playing. They are inquiring about your kids playing. You aren't supervising them.
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Blackcat31 09:50 AM 08-23-2016
Originally Posted by laundrymom:
I can think of NO REASON DHS could bust you for answering your door. It's not like they are over playing. They are inquiring about your kids playing. You aren't supervising them.
If they are under age 11, they should have an adult present. If they do, the license holder can't get in trouble for being over ratios. If they are alone and knocking on the door, yes....it seems silly to cite a provider for that but according to DHS, way too many providers have used the "Oh, they just stopped by to see if my kids were here" line when caught operating over ratios.

DHS's response to this is that as business owners we need to make sure our children's friends' families understand this.

Once in a blue moon, every once in a while....probably not a big deal. But if the friends are spotted too many times on the providers property, DHS will choose to feel they are daycare kids.

Sucks, but too many dishonest providers out there that have ruined it for the rest of us.
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Mike 02:28 PM 08-23-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Sucks, but too many dishonest providers out there that have ruined it for the rest of us.
In so many different ways too.
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laundrymom 06:56 PM 08-23-2016
An adult present to knock on the door to see if her kids can play?

Walking away from the helicopter practice. Lol.
Don't mean disrespect to anyone. But just find it ridiculous that a provider has to even worry about someone knocking on her door. I mean, really? What's next, no FedEx deliveries between 11&2? Like a restaurant?
Sometimes some regs make me crazy. But I'm in a mood tonight. Lol. So ignore me.
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
If they are under age 11, they should have an adult present. If they do, the license holder can't get in trouble for being over ratios. If they are alone and knocking on the door, yes....it seems silly to cite a provider for that but according to DHS, way too many providers have used the "Oh, they just stopped by to see if my kids were here" line when caught operating over ratios.

DHS's response to this is that as business owners we need to make sure our children's friends' families understand this.

Once in a blue moon, every once in a while....probably not a big deal. But if the friends are spotted too many times on the providers property, DHS will choose to feel they are daycare kids.

Sucks, but too many dishonest providers out there that have ruined it for the rest of us.

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Blackcat31 07:27 PM 08-23-2016
Originally Posted by laundrymom:
An adult present to knock on the door to see if her kids can play?

Walking away from the helicopter practice. Lol.
Don't mean disrespect to anyone. But just find it ridiculous that a provider has to even worry about someone knocking on her door. I mean, really? What's next, no FedEx deliveries between 11&2? Like a restaurant?
Sometimes some regs make me crazy. But I'm in a mood tonight. Lol. So ignore me.
I hear you!
ALL the regulations make me crazy lately!

Fed-Ex isn't an issue... unless the driver is young enough to be counted in her ratios

People knocking on her door is perfectly fine but any child considered young enough to need supervision or not be alone IS an issue for ratios.
If it's pretty obvious they just came over to knock on the door it really isn't a big deal...
It's stopping a minute to play in the sandbox or staying in the yard or on property just a bit too long that could bite her.
We all know how many licensors give providers the benefit of the doubt.
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Mike 08:01 PM 08-23-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Fed-Ex isn't an issue... unless the driver is young enough to be counted in her ratios

That would be scary. I live in the country, at the moment, and I've seen 4 wheelers going down the road with drivers that I swear are not more than 8 years old. Do parents not realise that we have real cars going down the road too.
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Blackcat31 06:32 AM 08-24-2016
Originally Posted by Mike:
Do parents not realise that (fill in the blank)
The most dangerous and yet truest statement ever.....



......and no, most don't realize.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 10:17 AM 08-24-2016
Originally Posted by e.j.:
In my state, they wouldn't care if my kids were playing at someone else's house. Their concern is more about how many kids I'm supervising at my house. If the kids were all playing outside, it wouldn't matter as long as they weren't playing in my yard. If they were to come in to my yard to play, they would count in my numbers. I would check your state's regs, though, because all states are different.
Same here.
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Play Care 10:27 AM 08-24-2016
Originally Posted by laundrymom:
An adult present to knock on the door to see if her kids can play?

Walking away from the helicopter practice. Lol.
Don't mean disrespect to anyone. But just find it ridiculous that a provider has to even worry about someone knocking on her door. I mean, really? What's next, no FedEx deliveries between 11&2? Like a restaurant?
Sometimes some regs make me crazy. But I'm in a mood tonight. Lol. So ignore me.
I imagine if my licensor was here and my neighbor's child came knocking, as long as she could see that I can send her right home would be fine. But like others have said, it's the providers who ruin it by trying to be sneaky and lie about numbers. We have heard the story about the provider who sent her "extra" school aged kids out the back door as the licensor was coming in the front...
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