Okay, is this fair? This is one particular family...

I sent home notice middle of april to bring summer stuff by may 1st (including swim suit). Didn't come.

I send home another notice last day of care last week (wed) to bring first day of care this week (mon). Parents got married this weekend, so they were busy. Didn't get summer supplies.

Send home notice last night. Didn't come this morning.


This is our second day of warm enough weather to play in the water. What do I do? Do water activities and exclude this daycare girl and tell parents, sorry, didn't have supplies or let her get her clothes wet and tell parents, sorry, didn't have supplies? I do not have an extra swimsuit she could use. The only reason I'm questioning this is because parent's got married this weekend...

What would you do?

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Personally I would do water activities and have the little one sit out....

I would then make a big deal about how badly you (and DCG) felt about it but since parents didn't bring the requested summer items, their child was left out.

I bet they bring it tomorrow.

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I would let the DCG play in the water in the clothes she has on and remind the parents that you need summer stuff for her, and that it would be upsetting to her if you leave her out of water play.

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I'd find something for her to wear--it doesn't have to be a swimsuit. It's not dcg's fault. Then I'd remind the parents by text the night before her next day of care.

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Have you actually *spoken* to the parents to be sure they actually received and read the notice? "Dc mom, we need x,y, and z or Susie won't be able to participate in our summer activities, please send those in tomorrow, thanks!"

I know some providers will say they shouldn't have to hold the parents hands, but I disagree. I always try to communicate things to parents three different ways - newsletters, daily note home, and verbally, AND I'll put a huge sign on the front door if I want to really hammer it home. If after that they don't send them in, then you know they know and are choosing not to comply.

I know in my dc for those types of "non essential" items (the ones I won't turn kids away at the door for not having) the second a child has to sit out, the items usually come in the next day...

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I would do that (not to make the girl have the parents' consequence the first time) and tell them that now there's no extra clothes and next time she would have to sit out. Hopefully that will be an adequate reminder when they have her wet, dirty clothes at home that she played in!

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Getting married over the weekend isn't an excuse for forgetting to bring a swimsuit. Does your contract say anything about "Children must be dressed (or prepared) for the day" including out of the ordinary activities. She may be able to take off her shoes and put them in a little kitty pull but I won't let her play and get wet and then have to walk around all day in wet clothing and wet underwear (very uncomfortable). I would just remind them one more time that if she wants to participate in the activities she needs to have the appropriate attire (better yet if the DCG can talk tell her to remind her parents- some kids love having jobs like that). Chances are if she doesn't get to play today she will get upset and will let parents know she really wanted to participate for the day. And then you can just remind them "I only let kids participate in certain activities when they have the right supplies and clothing". Then its on them, not you.

Are there any type of water activities she can participate in that don't require a swim suit? If you have water balloons or water squirt activities, do you have any plastic ponchos from the $1 store she can wear or a giant t-shirt she can temporarily change into?

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Yes, parent's received and acknowledged all 3 notices.

Sorry, DD wants my attention, can't respond to everyone else. Thanks though!

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Honestly if it was something that she was going to get really wet doing I'd have sit out and do something else. Its more of a headache to change her and if you start doing it parents will just see it as "oh well if we forget it, Bluemoose will figure it out"

I've made kids sit out from activities like sprinklers when parent's forgot sunscreen (we have no shade in the yard). They never forgot it again because as soon as they walked through the door (even if it was hours later) DCK was instantly crying that they couldn't do it because "you (DCP) forgot my sunscreen...waaaah"

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Just clarifying why I said to have the child sit out.... as other posters have said it isn't fair for the child to miss out because of the parents.

...however whenever a child does have to sit out of an activity the guilt a parent feels because their child missed out is a far better motivator than just letting the child play in her clothes and AGAIN having to talk with the parents about bringing the necessary supplies.

If you (the provider) are going to make accommodations for her (DCG) to participate anyways despite the lack of necessary supplies, I see no reason why a parent would suddenly remember to bring her a swim suit the next day because after all, she is going to get to play anyways....

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Depends. I had a dcm that want sparlking clean children at pick up. For that parent, I may make sure we do lots of water and sand play right before pick up so they are soppy and dirty getting in the car. Dcm would set child on ground on top of a piece of plastic, wipe off the bottom of their shoes with a clorox wipe, pick them up, wipe off their pants with a clorox wipe, and then place them in the car. Pretty sure that dcm would have brought a few swimsuits the next day.

Others, would be better off with the, sorry, dcg couldn't play in the water today-she didn't have the right stuff. Look at dcg, but tomorrow we will

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I have no issue with sitting out a child over them not having a "non essential" item. If it were essential they would have been turned away that morning.
My issue is that it seems many providers communicate in writing when a quick verbal communication would be so much more effective. Sounds as though this provider did that, so sitting out would be the next step.

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Since they just got married I'd give them another chance. Write a note on a Post-It and send it home at pick up.

Then tomorrow let her get nice and wet in her clothes... at the end of the day right before pick-up.

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I would do water play at the end of the day and send the child home wet. we do water play in my front yard and could do this around pickup time. I would "try" to keep the child from getting wet because they didnt have a suit and then let the parents know that I would have happily changed their child to dry clothes, if they had provided a swim suit.

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Thanks everyone.

We did go outside, and I *tried* to keep dcg away from water. We didn't stay out too long, and she didn't get to wet.

I did send home a notice, again, and tell dad, again, about said notice. Told him we did water play, and that the bottom of her pants might be wet. Told him she would sit out on Friday if we did water play and she didn't have swim suit.

That is, if she is even let in the door, because they didn't pay me on the their due date for the month (the 8th, because they forgot ). They said they would pay me when dad got paid on Thursday. If I don't have payment by Friday morning, then I will refuse care.

Oh, and apparently my late fee isn't enough cause when they asked how much it was, they replied with, "oh, that's not to bad." Totally not the point!

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this. It is not the child's fault that the parents have not brought it.

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Eh, this sounds more like total disrespect of you than an issue with them forgetting some items. Not getting paid? I call B.S.

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I would say that you should make the child stand outside while all the other kids are swimming. This would make her feel awkward and make her parents pay attention to your notices.

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Knowing I was going to do water activities that day and after 3 notices I had no swimsuit, if it bothered me, I would ask them at drop off. "Did you remember her suit, we will be getting wet today?" If the answer is no, then I'd say "Well I really need it so for today I guess her clothes will just get wet and I'll use her extra outfit to go home in." If they're not happy I'd say. "Well what do you suggest I do? Do you want her to sit out and miss the fun or can you drop it by before 10:00 when we'll be going out?"

That puts her having to sit out on THEM. If the parents decided to have her sit out then I'd have something fun for her to do too...just not something wet. I really wouldn't let someone sit out normally because it is not the child's fault. Most of the time I just have spare clothes here. The parents I have had are not the type who neglect their children so I choose not to make it an issue. Usually they'll do it after a time or two of reminding. I've never had a family that just wouldn't give me something.

Laurel

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If your contract states the child must be properly dressed for the day I would turn them away at the door. Another option is sending home a notice that if they don't bring in the items needed they will be charged a rental fee for their child to use items that you provide, and just pick up a spare bathing suit, water shoes, etc.

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