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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>DCK And Your Own Child's Activities. What Do You Do?
E Daycare 06:10 AM 09-19-2012
I recently went to a mon, wed and fri schedule so I could do more things with my own ds who just turned 3. The past two years all my kids were mon, wed, fri to begin with so I figured there wouldn't be an issue.

OF COURSE THERE ALWAYS IS

One dck now needs full time mon-fri for the foreseeable future. I agreed because its a few months and the full time money is nice (as the other kids are part time). I'm having some issues now though.

Tues and thurs are days I have signed my son up to do extracurricular activities as late as possible and the parent has known that's why I chose to go part time and knows we do things. So instead of picking up said child when they get out of school (dcp is a teacher), dcp goes home, waits for eldest to come off bus an hour later and then comes to get the kid at 5:15. I'm open till then so it's not an issue really but it is. My sons activities are around 4 on one day and 4:30 the other. Instead of coming to pick up the child right away dcp is ok with me taking their child (3yrs) with me to activities and then will come pick them up when I get back at 5:30. Dcp even mentioned I could sign up their son too so I could have a "break" too.

The thing is, there is no "break". A parent still has to be around to make sure if a kid gets hurt they are there. Plus they have waivers to sign. I'm not wanting to be liable for that. So the dck has to sit out with me and watch as my kid goes out to participate.

Does anyone else take their dck to things their kids are involved in? If so i have some questions:

Do parents ask to have their kid participate too and do you say "ok"?

Do you have a parent meet you to pick up the kid if it goes past your hours?

If not, do you charge for going past your hours even though it's your activity?

Do you say "no you need to be here by_______" and if they don't arrive by then take the kid with you or risk being late for an activity by waiting for dcp?

This kid is with me 53+ per week. He's ready to go after nap and yet I have to drag him with me and I feel so bad. I've recently postponed the early evening activity till spring and signed my son up for a later evening class because doing this 3x a week is a lot on me (and not fair I think to the dck who can't participate).
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wahmof3 06:40 AM 09-19-2012
I require all of my DCP to pick up their kids when my kids have scheduled activities.

My youngest has dance on Monday afternoons so pick up is 4p

Here is how I deal w/ my son's games:

Away games= early pick up

Home games= I leave my house at such & such time and if they can't be here by then I will take them with me.

I left my outside of the home job making $25 plus per hour to be home for MY kids. This works for me too because I do have mainly all teachers kids.

In return there are times when they have meetings before or after school & I will keep their kids earlier/later and I won't charge them extra.

It all works for me
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cheerfuldom 09:43 AM 09-19-2012
You know that she CAN pick up and chooses not too. I would absolutely insist on her picking up. I would never pay for, take, or supervise another child at these activities that you are doing....too much liability. I also would never allow a child in care for the amount of time you are allowing. 50 hours is my absolute max....10 hour days and I only have one child out of my 5 daycare kids that is here all day every day.
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countrymom 10:25 AM 09-19-2012
do you find that the parents are jealous of your kids activities. I have a mom who hates the fact that my kids have activities. I close at 5pm, she needs care till 630pm or sometimes 8pm (which the 8pm is a big fat no) in may I was helping her out and watched them till 630pm. She started to hate the fact that she had to go and get her kids at my kids activities. This sept. I stopped offering the extra, dh hated the fact that they were here too. Well now she is so resentful and all she keeps saying is that she doesn't have time to do anything with her kids and just because her kids don't take extra activities they are not missing anything. Oh she works 3 days a week and her kids are older. sorry to highjack but stuff like this makes me mad.
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Nickel 11:11 AM 09-19-2012
I have a similar question. I started my dd in dance but it is at 330 onmon. I occassionally have dcg but sonetimes not. Do i ask or just say hey btw mon is dance i will take your dcg with. She is contracted till 730pm
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MNMum 11:50 AM 09-19-2012
You are doing this family a "favor" and taking the child FT. If you don't want the kid with you for the activity, insist mom pick child up. This is why I do contracted hours. Why wouldn't mom just pick kid up on way home. I don't get that?
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busymomof2 12:09 PM 09-19-2012
I had this problem in the Summer. I had my kids signed up for swim lessons and Summer camp. I am not about to deprive my kids of fun activities because I do daycare. I let the daycare parents know and they were ok with me taking the children...lessons were in the am. However, the kids hated that they were not going to participate. They were also not happy when I dropped off my kids at day camp when they would not be going.
My son also has speech therapy at home and outings with the program. The dc kids particpate in therapy (play) and the outings. It's the only way he can get services because it is during the day. I do lead a church group that my daughter and I participate in after dc hours. The parents know if they are not here by 5:30pm on the dot, I will take their kids with me but don't bother bringing them back. I know that's mean but I too left a well paying job to be home with MY kids. You need to decide what is best for you and your family. Hope that helps.
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rhymia1 01:48 PM 09-19-2012
I run things a bit differently. I plan my kids activities outside my day care hours. If a parent needs me for extended time on a night when we have soccer practice, then the answer is no. But I don't typically sign my kids up for things that conflict with my working schedule. I enjoy what I do for a living (well, not this week!) and am blessed to make very good money doing it. It benefits me to treat it like I would any other job. So while I may close early once in a while for a "big" game - many working parents also skate out early for the same reason, I wouldn't do it weekly. I also have a substitute for my program that allows me to remain open during my hours of operation and do some things with my own kids (volunteer in their classrooms, camps in the summer, etc.) All my families are aware of this, know the sub, etc. I make my working hours work for me 7:30-4:45 M-F - I know I'm spoiled This takes the worry over having to wonder what my schedule will be and makes it easy to schedule outside activites.
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daycare 01:55 PM 09-19-2012
I don't operate like you do, but am so jealous....lol

I would communiate to the mom this.

DCM, as you know, I have planned activities for my son on Tue and thur. I know that you normally don't pick up until after your son gets off the bus, but would it be possible for you to pick up DCB before your son gets off of the bus.


The reason that I ask this, is because after contacting my insurance company, they feel that because I would have to take DCB with me so much that now I am creating a bigger liability therefore my insurance premium will go up. If I have to take him with me, I will have to pass on whatever additional cost are charged by my insurance company and I would hate to have to increase your daycare fees.

I do understand that there may be times you will have a late meeting here or there and as long as it's only once in awhile and let me know in advance, I think that would be ok.

What would you like to do???

You just gave her to options...pick up early or pay more?? I think that is fair. Because this is what my insurance company would do if I had to take a kid with me that much
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E Daycare 12:51 PM 09-20-2012
I went ahead and cancelled my sons activities that are within daycare hours and will be doing stuff later with him.

What peeves me the most is everyone was well aware of my schedule change come the new year for MONTHS and day of drop off I get a "backup sitter is broken" type deal. So yeah I agree to do this as a temporary thing but I don't want to screw my kid over.

I'm open from 7-5:15. Kid is here all that time (give or take) but now mom is looking to quit work and stay home till she figures stuff out the kid has been coming at off times. Pickup is still my closing time. Kid will still be here when mom is home.

This is my last year of home daycare. My ds got a wonderful job and we should be moving closer to home next year at this time. I don't plan on doing this much longer. I don't have to do this anymore financially but it's a good thing for my kid to have his friends over. So I'll continue. It just seems to always be something.

Too bad that something wasn't a beer. Jeeze
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Country Kids 01:00 PM 09-20-2012
Believe you me, I know what your going through! With three kids doing activities and everyone seems to cancell them either in the afternoon when I can't get there or something like 5 when I still can't get there.

I have missed more of my kids stuff because of parents being late (with in my open time but being late on their pick up time). It makes me sooooooo mad!

I think I'm going to tell my kids that unless they can do something in the evening 7ish or something, thats they only way we can do it. Most school stuff now is right after school though and they seem to forget not everyone works the schools schedule.

Tonight is a great example:
One child needs picked up at 5:30 (hubs can do it)
Same child needs to be somewhere at 6:30 (hubs has a meeting opposite way and can't do it easily without being late)

Another child needs picked up at 5:45 where other child needs to be dropped off at 6:30. So it will be a back in forth night!

Don't ask about Tuesdays! lol
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