All of you have warned against taking Drop Ins!!

About 2 months ago, I had a family come to interview for what I thought was my part time spot- Mon, Tues, Fri. During the interview they said they actually had already found a provider, but they wanted me as their backup provider. I explained to them that I might be available to them as a backup provider IF I was not able to fill the part time spot.

I haven't filled the part time spot- it's a weird mix of days that no one around here seems to be able to work with. So DCM contacted me last week asking if I was available to watch her 18 mo little girl two days this week. I agreed.

I've done drop in care before and it has worked out pretty well. Oh boy; not this time. Yesterday morning was okay, but I come to find out this 18 mo girl is still getting 6oz bottles whenever she wants them, and does not sleep on a schedule!! Her mom has her all but 2 days a week, and she just recently started going to daycare a month ago. I didn't cover any of this during the interview because they surprised me by saying they already had a provider and I didn't want to waste my time with any other details, KWIM?

So this little one wants to constantly walk around with a bottle, which I do NOT allow here. I sit her down with the bottle in the kitchen; and she gets up and takes the bottle wherever she wants to play. "No, no, DCG. We drink in the kitchen." Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. She also constantly has a blankie, and if I take it away for meal time or to go outside, she throws an absolute fit. Not to mention she is not sleeping here and I am getting NO break. That was yesterday!

Today is 10 times worse!! Me and my poor kiddos have heard her crying and whining pretty much all day so far. Even through naptime. She is making my normally fabulous group tired, whiny and crying, too. I don't blame them! I am too!!

I have notified DCM that she is having a really hard day, and DCM says she will be picking up early. There is light at the end of the tunnel. I can do this!

I think Drop Ins for this kind of child are just too hard on everybody. Too hard on this poor little girl, too hard on the mom hearing their child is having a hard day, and too hard on me and my group to deal with the crying and whining all day!

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Well the good thing is that next time DCM calls you can tell her you are full for the day

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Oh girl. You have the patience of a Saint so that child must have done a number on you for you to be complaining!

So many hugs coming your way. Should I bring a bottle of wine to our get together this month? I'm kidding.

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so she started at another daycare a month ago but now mom needs drop in care with you? i dont understand what is happening here or why mom even needs you? was it just for this week?

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It was just for this week. Her work days changed this week and I think the other provider did not have the openings.

The absolute biggest problem I determined is that at home she is allowed to roam free with a bottle at all times. She is 18 mos! That does NOT work here, nor any other daycare that accepts toddlers. Not to mention how bad it is for her teeth! And that she is relying on the nutrition of milk instead of nutrition from food and she is super skinny and tiny for her age. She drank 18oz of milk both days with me during a 9 hr period and barely ate any food at all. Poor thing, there is no way that she can do well in any daycare setting when her parents are still treating her like she is a tiny baby and only bringing her to daycare 2 days a week. She also determines her own sleep schedule at home. No consistent routine at all, and they both admitted that. Oh boy.

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Thank you for the kind words!

Wine is good! Cookies won tonight over cocktails, though! Cookie dough AND fresh baked cookies. Yum.

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I'm assuming it's cows milk, too, not the supplemental formula for toddlers kind (that MIGHT have the extra calories/vitamins maybe?). I can't imagine she is getting enough calories, good fats, vitamins, etc.

Glad the cookie dough and cookies wound down the evening nicely!

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