I don't have a daycare yet (but working in a child care center) I'm just curious.

I know in PA especially with Keystone Stars, you have to have your supervision at the kids at all time and in ratio. How have you supervised your kids for this situation, especially when DPW/state/ Stars come to inspect you or even ask you? I meant for a person who own family day care and only there by herself without assistant.
Thanks

Reply

I usually go with the door open and a gate at the door but I have young kids. 10 month old DCG, 15 month old DS, and now enrolled a 16 month old DCG. They will without fail follow me into the hallway and I pee really quick. Not sure what I would do with older children about.

Reply

In the past, I've lined them up outside the bathroom door.

Reply

I try to "go" while they're napping if at all possible. But it would be unreasonable and impossible to expect someone to never go to the bathroom. I'll be interested in what everyone else has to say, tho!

Reply

I hold it for as long as possible lol. I go during naptime. If I absolutely have to go I leave the door open (my bathroom door is right off of the living room). It works for me since most of mine are little (under 3 1/2). The older ones aren't interested in what I'm doing in there and don't bother to even notice that I'm in there (4-6yo).

Reply

I just go here. In fact, at our orientation, they say that using the restroom is one of the very, very few OK reasons to not have direct supervision over the children. I've pretty much got it down though so I go after my big kids are done in the bathroom, and they all just sit on the stairs waiting for me to finish.

Reply

I just go during orgintaion we where told we do not have to provide direct supervision, rather reasonable supervision and going to the bathroom is

reasonable. However, I use the hall bathroom and not the master bathroom so I can atleast hear them. I also, only have school aged children and I do not

provide direct supervision all the time I often prep dinner, do computer work with in particial eye sight and always ear shot. so usually they do not even notice that I am "gone."

Reply

In all my years of running my daycare, my licensing rep has never asked me when/how I go to the bathroom, so I assume they're reasonable about this. I just go.

If I had to provide supervision I suppose I would get a video monitor and herd them all to the spot where I could see them via the monitor.

No way am I leaving the door open - I could just hear the questions from the parents now .

Reply

I try to go during bathroom routines, usually I change babies first then we all walk to hallways and I have a basket with books, I tell them all to sit down and read a book in front of bathroom door and then we start taking turns, first the little ones one by one and when they are done I say "Is my turn" and I go in, I close the door halfway or just enough where they can't see me, I have to put my foot next to the door because the little ones like to push it open . If necessarily I have gone with door open in front of younger ones but don't like doing it with the 3 and 4 year old. I can't wait until nap time because I pee a lot, at least 2 times in the morning, I also have IBS and in the rare circumstance I have to go running to the restroom, the living room is right next to my bathroom and I''l just turn Netflix on and Super Why comes to my rescue.

Reply

If I have to go, I make sure everyone is in a safe space and then just go. If we are upstairs, I put my daycare kids in a booster seat or high chair at the dining room table (I only have three kids right now) and just leave my own kids to do whatever they were doing before. If we are downstairs, I sometimes will pull out a few small chairs and have the daycare kids all sit in a chair while I go. For now, they do all do that and are waiting in their chair when I come back. Again, I always check on my own kids but the liability of them being unsupervised for a moment is, of course, not the same as if the daycare kids were unsupervised and got into trouble.

Reply

Luckily my washroom is right off the main playroom and has the barn door style door where you can close the bottom but leave the top open! It gives me semi privacy but am still able to keep an eye out!

Reply

I would hope that someone asks because it's something that is going to happen daily. I asked a lot of people because I had the fear of not knowing what was best. When a licensing or referral rep asks they are searching for answers to know you're using a bathroom nearby and that all the children are safe. For me I have only one infant and a few two year olds. I use to have to bring my infant to the crib to make sure the infant is safe while I use the bathroom, but now I am able to put the kids into transition mode like "go get your shoes on so they're in the entryway right next to the bathroom and the baby can still be on the activity mat while I use the bathroom then go get baby. Really it's about safety in my opinion. I leave the door open now, but I am 15 feet down the hall and can hear the kids and know exactly what they're doing. If the kids are eating lunch across the hall from the bathroom I shut the door to be open only an inch. I don't want them watching me and who wants to when you're eating. Then I open the door while I wash my hands for a minute.

You know, it will even be first-time parents who will ask what you do when you have to go the bathroom and work alone so you need to make sure you have a good answer. I had to answer this when my infant got enrolled and I shared the option of placing baby in the crib while I went to keep baby safe from the toddlers. Good luck!

Reply

I am a private nanny so thankfully I dont have rules, regulations, laws blah blah etc to follow

However when I do have to use the restroom, I just turn on the tv. As soon as the kids (2 of them) hear the beeping sound of the tv coming on, BOOM! They drop everything and run and sit in front of it. They will STILL be in the same position when I am done!

FYI: The TV is NEVER on unless its first thing in the morning so they can wake up or naptime. They know that TV is a treat not a right.

Reply

I love this question....LOL!!

If I have to use the bathroom, I go. (with the door closed. )

My kids are separated into ages so my infants/toddlers and pre-schoolers are al lin age appropriate areas that allow me to do whatever I need to do (restroom, cooking etc) and not worry about my kids getting into something.

Each area is gated off so no one can wander from one space to another.

My bathroom is also centrally located so it isn't like I am in there for hours. It really only takes less than 3 minutes to pee, flush and wash your hands.

I have also NEVER been asked this question by my licensor, prospective or current clients, or any advisors or higher-ups...

Also, in all my years in this business I have never had a child get into trouble while I was using the bathroom. I guess I either have really good kids or I can pee super fast.

Reply

I know that for me when I am at work, I tend to go quicker

I know, I know, I know....TMI

Reply

I just go too. I will make sure everyone has something to do and is playing nicely and will run quick and go. I only have preschool age though so it's probably not as hard then if I had infants, toddlers.

Reply

These is fun to read and is preety much as I thought. I used to babysit 2 boys (2,4). They played so nice and were always nice to one another. I left them together for the restroom. I came back the 2 yr old's face was so red. He knocked down the brother's toys, so he pushed him to a wall. Oh man! I felt so bad and never again to leave 2 yr old (who can' t talk yet) with any older one ALso I just thought that with having a daycare things had to be more careful with DC kids.

Reply

I have ages 20 months to 4.5 years old. When I have to pee, I tell everyone to grab a book and sit on the circle time rug. Once they are all set, I then make a mad dash to the restroom closest to where I can still hear them.

I drink tons of water and can't hold it...I already suffered a kidney infection because I was trying to hold back all of the time. The doctor told that it was very unhealthy to do that, so I don't anymore.

Reply

I drink alot too, so I'm in and out of the bathroom pretty often. My bathroom is very close to the playroom, which is completely gated in and completely kid-safe. I just go, I close the door and I lock it. There's a one-inch gap at the bottom of the door, so I can hear everything that's going on in the playroom. I've had crazy stuff happen, but it never once has happened while I've been in the bathroom. It tends to happen when I'm sitting right there with the kids . On the occasions where I've had a biter or someone being extra aggressive that day, I'd stick them in the high chair or booster seat to keep them separated from the others.

IMO, if it's a big deal for the kids that I've disappeared for a minute, they'd be more likely to get into trouble, kwim? It's not an event when I go, just a matter of fact.

I've also never had a parent ask what I do with the kids when I go to the bathroom. When I first started daycare, my husband asked though!

Reply

I just go. Holding it in can cause infections and damage... neither of which is worth any job, imo. I can hear the kiddos and they are gated in the playroom safely. I have never had an issue.

Reply

I just go!! The kids will be fine for a minute or two without direct supervision if your daycare is set up safely.

Reply

I agree 100%. How do you go with your own kids around? Same as at daycare. I don't take kids into the bathroom with me, I dont strategically place them here or there or set up Tv. That would take longer than I am even in the rest room. I go when I need to. Don't even give it a second thought.

Reply

I know my own kids and for this reason I've always taken them into the bathroom with me until they were about 3.5.

My kids are TORNADOES! My DS is only 1.5 and is named Alfredo and has already earned the nickname "Fredo Tornado" .

I will not however take DCK's with me to bathroom ... that is not a conversation that I want to have with DCP's

Reply