MJsbroncs 08:18 AM 05-12-2011
Our in home daycare provider mentioned to us yesterday that she was able to mow her lawn and finish her yard work while the kids were sleeping. We have a 7 month old, and there are 3 other kids in the daycare. This doesn't seem right to me. There's no way to tell if the kids wake up, etc.
Meeko 11:35 AM 05-12-2011
I am a licensed provider in Utah. Our regulations state that we must be able to see or hear the children at all times. It is understood that the provider needs to go the bathroom or get lunch, fetch something from another room etc...hence the HEAR rule.
But mowing the lawn is not within regs. There is no way she can see or hear the children and mowing is not a five minute thing.
It is OK to be outside if she has a monitor she can hear clearly and all the kids are in cribs and confined. But toddlers could get up off a nap mat and create havoc in a few moments and she wouldn't know until she got back inside.
I would talk to her about this.
Cat Herder 11:57 AM 05-12-2011
MyAngels 12:06 PM 05-12-2011
I would definitely talk to her about it. Could it be possible that there was another responsible person inside the house with the children while she mowed and such? If not, I would have a problem with it. As the PP said, it takes no time at all for something to happen.
youretooloud 02:21 PM 05-12-2011
Ohmygosh!
We used to joke about mowing our lawns during daycare hours, but I can't imagine actually DOING it.
I guess I would if my daughter or someone capable were inside with the kids, but I can't fathom leaving the kids inside alone.
daycare 02:25 PM 05-12-2011
I would talk wtih her and see if there was someone else there of age to help supervise the children. I dont even walk to my mail box at the end of the driveway unless my 15 year old is home.....even then i still run down there, because i don't really want my son to handel any of my DC business
grandmom 02:26 PM 05-12-2011
Maybe your provider had someone else (qualified) with the children. Please don't jump to conclusions till you ask her.
GretasLittleFriends 03:14 PM 05-12-2011
I agree, talk to your provider. Usually my teenage daughter mows, but every once in a while I'll mow when my assistant is here.
QualiTcare 04:29 PM 05-12-2011
i couldn't even mow my yard when my daughter was a baby and it was just her! for that same reason - i was afraid she'd wake up inside and i couldn't see/hear. i tried to bring her outside in an exercauser and stuff like that, but it still didn't work well. the mower was just too loud and it took too long to get finished w having to take breaks bc of the heat/sun, etc. i started mowing when my mom or a friend could come over and entertain her - which is why i always disagree with providers who think it's insane for a parent to mow the yard while their child is in daycare. they've obviously never tried it - OR had a very small yard.
i'd talk to her about it for sure.
JenNJ 05:44 AM 05-13-2011
I go out in the backyard to hang laundry at nap time or clean up the toys (or dog poop, LOL), but I have a portable monitor for the kids in cribs and can see the older kids who are on mats through the window. I think mowing the lawn sounds very unsafe. I would ask her how she is properly supervising the kids if she can't see or hear them.
SilverSabre25 06:00 AM 05-13-2011
unless she has one of the person-powered rotary mowers AND brought a monitor out with her, I can't imagine doing such a thing.
Unregistered 06:31 AM 05-16-2011
Wow! I cannot believe that your provider even thinks that this is ok and would have the gaul to tell parents as well thinking they would agree. Good thing your provider revealed what she's doing, otherwise you may have never known until something really bad happened to one of those unsupervised kids. Call your state and file a complaint and then pull your child today and get another provider. Be sure to spread the word in your area about what that provider did. If you have a contract, it most likely requires a 2 week notice, so you'll have to double pay for a while.
This provider is putting all children in her care in danger. I wouldn't even bother talking to her about it other than putting the exact reason into your letter describing what she did. If your provider is doing this, you can guarantee that she's doing other things as well. There's no way in all the time she's been providing care that kids haven't woken up during their nap time. And if there's been an incident, she would have never revealed the truth to any of the parents. Your child is in big time danger! Get your kid out of there!