I'm on another forum and the subject of subs came up. There were a few comments that we should be ashamed for using subs, that the parents pay us to watch their children and we shouldn't be having people in to watch while we do appointments etc. I've used my sub about 5 times since October. Mostly for medical appointments but once for a hair appointment. I also plan to have her in 2-3 times over the summer for an afternoon so I can start an early weekend with my own family . Is this wrong?? If I was working at a center I would be booking off the afternoon or day. I don't really see the difference.

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For 8 years I had a sub two afternoons while I taught 1/2 day preschool in a private preschool. I loved it and it enabled me handle working from home the rest of the time.

I was happy and my families enjoyed the benefits of a high quality program and the security of me staying in business because I loved both jobs. I needed to get out these few hours each week. It felt so great. I was gone from 11:45-3:45.

Then for two years I left at 3:00 two afternoons per week to drive to classes as I was finishing my early childhood/elementary degree. My parents loved my subs and they were very reliable.

If parents want long term stay in the business providers I think they need to realize working 10 or more hours a day, five days a week can lead to burn out. They have a really consistent adult caring for their children. If you need to be gone one day a month to be able to stay in the business....go for it.

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That's the opinion of folks who think daycare providers work for parents.

I am a self-employed business owner that provides a service to parents. When parents purchase this service, they are provided a safe, nurturing, loving place where their child is supervised and cared for while they are at work.

Whether it is myself or someone I hired, their child is receiving those services. Much like parents that pay taxes that support their local school districts.....their child has a right to attend those schools but the taxes parents pay does not give them the right to dictate when the teacher gets sub or when the teacher chooses to have reading time or art time etc....

I wouldn't even bother engaging in a discussion about something like that with people who have such crazy ideas and assumptions about child care and what it means to be a paying client.

What each provider does and whether she/he uses a substitute or simply closes for the day should be discussed with families prior to enrollment and if a family does not like how a provider handles his/her need to personal appointments etc, then they are free to move onto another facility and not enroll in a program that doesn't align with their needs/beliefs.

It's that simple.

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Where do you guys find your substitutes? I am thinking it may be helpful to get one in coming but have no idea where to look

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I have two subs. One is a former K teacher turned SAHM, the other a TA during the school year who just comes in the summer.
One was word of mouth, the other saw my ad posted in the library (kids section) I pay well, which helps

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Yes, paying well definitely helps. I lose money when my sub comes but it keeps me sane and i don't have to ask the families to take time off of work because I need some time off. I pay well because I have high standards for the sub and because I am not offering steady hours.

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If you want to use a sub and you explain to your parents in the beginning, I feel your clients should respect your policy on sub use. Personally, I tell my clients in the interview that my assistant or I will ALWAYS be here but it is possible for a sub to be with one of us.....and if something arises that my assistant or I CANNOT be here, then we close. I tell them this is my home and my livelihood. So far this has worked!

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I do not even have a sub except for my DH and I only leave him here occasionally in the afternoons during nap time if I have something I really have to attend to. I do not use anyone for routine appointments, I schedule those in the evenings. If a doctor/dentist, etc. does not do evening/weekend appointments I find a new doctor! Although that has all gotten easier now that I work a 4 day week (but for 13 years I worked all 5 days).

I don't think its wrong to use a sub, I just don't have one and am not really comfortable with the idea of leaving someone else alone in my home with the kids that ultimately I am in charge of.

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I meant to mention - I've never had any parent complain about my sub. But I typically utilize her as an assistant (my state has a limit on how many hours a sub can be alone) so she's here *with* me a few mornings a week. That way, the kids and families are used to her, it's not a change for me to pop out for an appointment. I never worry about the kids safety while she's here and I'm not, because I've seen her in action on a daily basis. If I was being honest, she's probably more diligent than I am when it comes to supervision

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I saw a client at a ballgame once who told me "he liked how his kids loved my daycare and how his kids loved me" but finished the quote by saying "but I can't say the same about your helpers".???? That has been a few years ago, and I never did know if he meant my assistant, or my subs which probably only get used three or four times a year..My mom is my assistant and she is much like me...I will drop my ratio if she ever retires...We make a great team and always have since the beginning...It caught me off guard and I didn't reply back. Just kept watching the game!

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That's weird! I would have done the same. If a parent has an issue with something in my program, approach me at the appropriate time and we'll conference. Shoot passive aggressive lines at me while I'm out trying to enjoy myself and I'll forget I ever heard it.

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I just recently hired a sub/assistant. I am going out of town twice this summer, without her I would be closing 7 days, but with her covering some of the days I am only closing 3. I use her 3 hours, twice a week. Knowing I have the flexibility in the week to run to the bank, take my child to the doctor or even take a walk with one of my kids...it has taken a huge amount of stress out of my life. I was feeling exceptionally frazzled before. It costs me a little, but it prevents me from burning out. I want to continue offering parents my services for many years to come, me having a sub, I think is the only way I will make it in the long term.

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When a sub is hired what needs to be done licensing wise for them to be alone with the children?

Is there any amount of time you can be under ratio? In example while the provider or assistant is going to pick up school age kids. I assume the answer is NO to this but what do you do have two assistant in those cases?

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I typically use one when I get my tb test each year. And I make the appt at nap and my hubs or one of my adult
Kids stays for 20 minutes.
But other than that, I'm here daily.

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In IL it's the same as hiring an assistant: background check, physical....that sort of stuff. We can only use a sub for a certain amount of time. If I remember right it's 25hrs/ month).

As for being out of ratio-probably not. It's pretty set in stone.

I use my wife and a family friend for my sub, although this fall I might hire someone for 1 afternoon a week so I can get more time in the shop/ do the errands that stack up. I can't ask my friend to do it because she runs a cleaning company. I can't pay her what she makes cleaning, and it wouldn't be fair to ask her to take that kind of $ hit on a regular basis. I'll probably hire an ECE student from the local community college, although that could pose a problem. I've already got a neighbor who likes to spy/ gossip about everything going on. If a girl (assuming I can't find a guy student) starts showing up and spending time here on a regular basis who knows what she'll starting spreading around.

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I don't use one often. When I do, it is my daughter. I don't use one often, because I don't usually have a need to. I do wish I could find a good sub in my area for those times I need someone and DD can't do it.

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This thread is from last year

If you have a question or comment you are ALWAYS welcome to create your own thread.

When you do, more people are apt to respond or give input as many posters do not bother with older threads. Too much to scroll through to get to a new topic or additional question.

Plus new threads generate readers and the more readers and members we have the wealthier our resources are for everyone.

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Thanks ladies that is about what I thought!

BlackCat I do create new threads however often people then do a quick search and just refer me to a link with the old threads. Also there is value to bring up some of the older topics.... there truly is a wealth of treasures to be learned from older threads and more to add them when they are refreshed. I aim to balance both old and new

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I agree to a point but am sharing feedback I receive daily from members.... Many are frustrated that they have limited time to read/learn and participate and are often annoyed at having spent time and energy replying to a thread that is older or that they already replied to.

Information definitely has no time limit and sometimes taking what you need and leaving the rest is good too

That's more or less why links to old threads are shared...so the poster or readers can read them and take the info/resources that apply to them.

Your goal may be to balance both old and new but doing so across the board often creates more moderation/attention and work for me and other mods.

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