Usually I don't care what people do while the kids are at dc but this family has more issues than I can handle. "Im off at noon, I'm going home to mow." Third week dcd has done this, he gets off at noon every Fri in the summer. "Oh, I figured so. Wouldn't expect any different." Couldn't help myself. Maybe he will check CL for a new dc while hes at home .

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I had a family with 3 sibs once whose mom had a half day every other Friday but never told me, she picked up at her normal time (close to 6pm) every time. She let it slip one day; she came to pick them up 5 hours early and when I asked her what the special occasion was, she replied "It's my half day. I get one every other Fri." Then she got this look on her face of shock, like she didn't mean to tell me about it!! LOL She never picked them up early again. The way I look at it is that she paid me the full time rate, so I watched them full time without complaint. As a mom, she DOES deserve some time to herself, but it's a shame that for one solid year she only picked them up early on ONE of her half days.

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In my contract I've plainly stated that I only watch kids while the parents are working. If one is off, baby goes home. Then again my dcps are screwing me rate wise and I have their kid 60+ hours a week. I'm not too keen on keeping baby while she runs errands on her early release day. I can barely use the bathroom with out him screaming. I'm unable to make anymore sacrifices for this family.

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I totally mean NO disrespect at all to you. However I am baffled by providers that say this. What are you going to do when the parent does not tell you? Say they get off of work at 12:00 for the day. They go home, take a nap, go shopping etc. Yet, still pick up normal time, still in their work clothes. How are you going to know?

I understand that the parents are paying for the space. As long as they are within their contract/hourly times, why should providers be upset? The parents are already paying for it. Do I agree with that? Absoultly not. Even though I am not blessed with children, if I had any, I would most certainly spend my free time with them.

I could write a book on the number of parents that take advantage of having time to do all the things they can without their children. Makes me wonder why even have them

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Going home early one day a week and using the time to do something like mow would not bug me in the slightest--mowing with kids is nigh impossible! Saves their weekend for family time. And since it's mostly nap the kids are staying through, it would bother me even less. I frequently tell dcfs that they should just leave dck here through nap and get some time to do chores/run errands/relax alone.

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I completely agree. While I think spending good quality time with your child is ideal, I can't MAKE someone do that.

I provide services and charge according to the hours the parent has contracted me to do so and never ask questions so long as the parent is reachable.

If I have to schedule something or take a day off, I do so and don't give a second thought to it.

I do what I need and want to do and parents do whatever they need or want to with their time.

I currently have a family who contracts for M-F 7:30-5:30 care. Mom only works 9-4:30 M- Th with Fridays off. I couldn't care less that she has Fridays off and doesn't spend it with her child. That is her loss. I can't make her do it.

People have all sorts of different values and priorities in their lives. I know mine and they know theirs. We will all reap the benefits or suffer the consequences, so it is what it is.

As far as having a child who does nothing but scream while in care, I can see how it would be annoying to have to care for them while you know the parent is out running errands or whatever, but is it honestly any easier to care for the child when you know the parent is working vs simply running around in town?

Bottom line is either you care for the child when you are paid to or you don't. If the child is difficult too care for and you don't wish to continue doing it, then term. I don't think it should matter if the parent is working or not.

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Like I said: it confuses me when I read about providers saying they only provide care for the parents working/school hours. As if the parents are going to tell you! You would be lucky if they told you that Little Johnny had loose stools over a weekend rather than saying that they have off

But thats for another thread

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I worked outside my home for years after my first 2 children were born. At one point during my career, I worked 4 days a week and had a 45 minute commute each way. I paid daycare for 5 days a week. On my day off, I would usually take the boys to daycare and clean the entire house and do my grocery shopping and any other errands we needed done for the week. I had 2 small, very active little guys at the time and doing all that with them underfoot would not have created more bonding moments for us. I have seen moms in the grocery store with infants and toddlers...I do not see alot of loving memories being created in the bread aisle. We could afford the extra daycare day and it made our life run more smoothly to do it this way. We were far better off having Friday evening and the weekend free from cleaning and errands so we could fully focus on our family.

Oh...and btw...my boys are 17 and 19 now and they are awesome young men and I am very close to them both. I get compliments on them at church all the time from many different adults on how wonderful they are. So I don't think those days "off" hurt them at all.

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I have a mom that grocery shops every Thursday, I know she does this, she knows I know she does this, and it doesn't bother me at all. Same family-dad is off every Tuesday, he still brings the kids to me, he pays bills, cleans the house, whatever, and I really don't mind. They are paying for the full time spot so they might as well use every day of it. I understand that each provider is different in how they look at this, but my train of thought has always been-if they are paying me for the time, I can't complain when they use it to the max. (And I mean no offense by this at all!)

I have 3 children, I love them to bits and pieces, but seriously, at the store? Sometimes I want to just set them on a clearance rack and walk away. My children have excellent manners, and are very well behaved for the most part, but there are always those wrong moments when they decide to flip their good switch off, and turn the bad switch on to max.

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The parents work in my husbands company. Same hours, same off days. I would probably feel differently if the kiddo didn't scream on average 5 hours a day out if the 12 hours I keep him. All around we are a bad match and I am paid jack squat so I am not lenient in the least. my paid holidays include donsa's and early release days set by the army and it's post wide, applying to every single soldier. I'm not jipping her out of a paid day.

If the parents didn't take advantage and tried to help me with the screaming I would be more flexible. As it stands, I am teeming and hopefully I'll be able to get past being taken advantage of.

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I totally respect this. However because I will never be blessed to be a mother, I would take advantage of every opportunity to be with my children. Now, maybe if I was already a mother, I'd change my mind

I understand. When a child is difficult, and the parents are at home, shopping, etc, the resentment grows. I know. I have been there.

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