Unregistered 12:01 PM 06-17-2009
I am fortunate to have a room off my kitchen that is used for childcare. It has a seperate entrance where parents drop off/pick up. I often gate off the doorway to keep the kids in that room. My own kids roam around the house, play in their rooms, watch cartoons in the morning, etc.. while the daycare kids play in the fully stocked playroom/daycare room. I feel guilty that I let my kids go everywhere and the other kids have to stay in the daycare area. A few times various parents have asked where my kids are. The daycare kids often look over the gate at my kids. My kids also play with the others in the daycare room and at times I let all the kids come into the other parts of the house. However, some things have been ruined due to the kids getting into things they shouldn't. Am I giving my kids special treatment beyond what is reasonable? No one has complained, but I just am internally dealing with what is fair and appropriate. How do you handle balancing family and daycare space? Thanks!
Chickenhauler 10:03 PM 06-17-2009
In our home, the daycare children are treated like one of our own family members-they eat at the dinner table with us family style, they watch TV with us, and go outside with us, sometimes even for walks around the property (we also farm). We do operate 24/7, so it's pretty much impossible not to bring these kids into our "family".
The only places in the home that are off limits is the basement (lack of egress windows, for now), the older daughters BR (no 13 yr old female appreciates little kids rampaging through her stuff) and our personal BR, although both those BR's are used for naps for younger kids (playpens and cribs).
Our son's room (age 4) is pretty much the "toy storage area" of the home. We've never really had a problem with kids messing around in his dresser (knock on wood).
The biggest challenge is setting down boundaries, and enforcing them. That, and child proofing your home so the younger ones don't get into things.
seashell 05:38 AM 06-18-2009
I don't think you post mentioned how old your kids are? If they are older than daycare kids, then let them go where they want to go. It's their house! If they are the same age, I might be concerned about having to watch 2 different groups, in 2 different places in the house.
Unregistered 06:22 AM 06-18-2009
My kids are 2 and 4. Our house is set up in such a way that I can see into the other areas of the house and through their bedroom door from the daycare room. Supervision is not a concern because I can keep a good eye on all the children. I am more concerned with the issue of fairness, both to my kids/family and to the kids in daycare. Should my kids be able to go to their room and play in their own house? Is it fair to say that their room is off limits to the daycare kids even though they are all close to the same age?
mac60 08:38 AM 06-18-2009
If your children are old enough to be in another room on their own, I don't see a problem. The bad thing about home daycare is it no longer is just "our home", it becomes an open book to many families. It is hard to have private space. There are parts of my home I do not allow parents or kids. I keep our bedroom doors shut, and a couple other areas are off limits too. Unfortunately one of the downfalls of home daycare.
kitkat 08:20 PM 06-22-2009
My daycare kids are treated like one of the family, so they are allowed to go where ever my son goes (except basement and the master bedroom, but he doesn't go there either when the kids are here). My son is 4 and the kids I care for are about his age, so he really never wants to leave his friends. If he did need some time alone, he would be allowed to play in his room by himself. Even though it's his house, I think it would be unfair to make his friends be in only one area and he can have freedom to roam. I don't know how I'd be able to explain why it's ok to his friends that he doesn't have to stay where they do. To me, it's a lot easier to have everyone follow the same rules.
Unregistered 04:49 AM 06-23-2009
We have a well defined daycare area. Our living room is only used for naps in the summertime when there are school age children here. All other times it's just off limits as well as the kitchen, offices, and bedrooms. My daughter didn't make the choice to have all of these children in her home, some of which are not her friends, and she keeps some of her things in our living room. She knows the toys and supplies in the daycare are for everyone, that those things do not belong to her, but the living room and her bedroom are her safe areas for her things.
She usually doesn't wander around the house when she is here during daycare hours (just turned 6), but sometimes it's too much for her and she retreats to her bedroom to play by herself (no television when there are children here). I've explained to the kids that she lives here and this is her home. It's kind of like she got picked up and went home. They seem to understand. Of course she's not running around willy nilly, popping back and forth, that I would have issues with.
I feel like sometimes I want her to be in the daycare area to help "entertain" some of the kids, especially if it's just one left at the end of the day. But then I guess I would have to pay her. Child labor laws, geesh.
Unregistered 05:21 AM 06-23-2009
In your situation I think I would do the same. 3 and 4 year olds are learning about fairness and can handle more freedom. My daycare kids are all 1 to 2 years old and my 4 year old daughter likes to play with her older toys and her sister tends to follow her around. When I let the daycare kids into the whole house they get into a lot of things they shouldnt. I guess I'm answering my own question. If(when) I have older preschoolers enrolled I will have them follow the same rules as my own kids. But since I have young toddlers, it is not practical to have them all over the house. Thanks for everyones advice.
Chickenhauler 03:40 PM 06-23-2009
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
In your situation I think I would do the same. 3 and 4 year olds are learning about fairness and can handle more freedom. My daycare kids are all 1 to 2 years old and my 4 year old daughter likes to play with her older toys and her sister tends to follow her around. When I let the daycare kids into the whole house they get into a lot of things they shouldnt. I guess I'm answering my own question. If(when) I have older preschoolers enrolled I will have them follow the same rules as my own kids. But since I have young toddlers, it is not practical to have them all over the house. Thanks for everyones advice.
My mother had different "levels" of the home for different ages-the kitchen, TV room and "main room" (technically a dining room right off the kitchen) were for all ages, then there was a gate across a doorway into the living room, where toys for older kids were kept (video games, toys with smaller pieces, semi-fragile stuff that younger ones could mutilate, etc).