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Things You Should Know to Keep a Good Provider
Things You Should Know
A very basic but often overlooked courtesy is to arrive & depart at your scheduled times. That means arrive on time & leave on time. It is very hard on providers & children when parents come & go as they please with little or no regard to schedules. Children waiting on the late arrival of other children to do planned activities get very upset & rightfully so. They were on time, ready, & waiting for their activities to start. Children ready to be picked up in their winter coats & hats get very hot & crabby waiting for a late parent. Providers waiting on parents to drop off or pick up that are not on time waste valuable activity time with other children or time they planned to spend with their own families. I cannot stress enough the importance of keeping to your scheduled pick-up/arrival times. If that isn't possible please be courteous enough to call. It is very disrespectful to not have the courtesy to place a simple phone call if you are running late. You may not think it is a big deal but many providers struggle with this issue because it makes a hard job that much harder. Most providers work a 9 -12+ hour day with no overtime pay. At the end of the day a parent being late can be very hard on a provider.
Your scheduled hours are when most providers will charge a late fee not the hours they are open. That means stick to your schedule & don't try to run errands after work & show up after your scheduled departure time thinking it is okay because your daycare is still open. This says to the provider that your time is more valuable than theirs.
Pay on time. If you forget your checkbook go home & get it. You may also leave a blank check in your car's glovebox if you are forgetful. Also some banks allow for automatic deposit into your providers accounty. Providers depend on their paychecks to meet their financial obligation just like you do. If your boss gave you your check late by a day or even a week would you be able to pay your bills on time?
Plan for your provider to have a raise at some point. Some providers have an annual raise built into their contracts, while others raise their rates at their discretion. Regardless of how a raise is implemented just as your cost of living expenses go up so does your providers. Planning ahead gives you time to adjust your budget accordingly.
Plan to pay whether you child is in attendance or not. Many providers are guaranteed their pay. If grandma wants to keep your child/children for two weeks that doesn't mean that your provider doesn't have the same bills to pay. A steady income is what most people have to depend on. It is hard for providers to plan ahead for these unexpected absences.
It is always thoughtful to give a year-end bonus. Remember this person takes loving care of your most valuable possession. Set a little aside each month to give at the end of the year. Two weeks of pay is usually given. If you know your provider well enough to know what they like a gift card is a great option also.
Bring your child appropriately dressed for the weather. There is nothing worse than having to keep everyone inside because one parent didn't bring mittens or coats, or skipping a fun day in the sprinkler because parents did not provide a swimsuit.
Providers try their best to incorporate each families parenting style & be flexible to meet everyones needs. Realize though, that you must let providers do things the way that works for them. You may have 1 to 3 children to take care of but they could have 5 to 10. They must do what is best for all the children not just one or two. Try not to be picky. Ask yourself is it really important that the childcare provider do this my way, & is it possible with that many kids? If you feel strongly about something bring it up in a non-confrontational way. For example; this is the way we do this at home with Joey & it really works. Would you be able to try it that way here? Try not to be demanding, this is the providers business & they have the right to say no. Most often bringing things up in a nice way gets better results
Keep sick children home. Remember when you bring in a sick child you spread that to the provider & her family usually resulting in her having to take a sick day & you finding a back-up. Always let the provider know of any medications that your child is taking. Don't try to mask their symptoms with Tylenol & bring the to daycare or take your sick child to urgent care & try to sneak them back into daycare on antibiotics thinking that the provider doesn't need to know. We do need to know. The rule of thumb is to keep a child on antibiotics home for a full 24 hours after the first dose has been administered. If your child is sick enough to be on antibiotics they are sick should be kept home. A sick child needs lots of extra TLC from mom & dad & the comfort of home. Even when a child has been on the same antibiotic several times they can still have an allergic reaction. Safety of your child should always come first.
Always have at least 2 back-ups to call. Most providers can provide you with names for back-up childcare in the event of illness or vacation but ultimately it is the parents responsibility to have a back-up. Waiting until the last minute can have you scrambling to find care for your child & leave you stressed out. After you initially find daycare interview for a back-up one so you are prepared & don't have to scramble at the last minute.
Ask your child/ren about their day. It makes them feel good that you take an interest & makes their time away from home easier. Get them excited about the activities they do & praise them for learning something new or trying a new food. Participate in your child's daycare. Bring treats, offer ideas for crafts, bring child's favorite CD or book to share. Refrain from bringing to many toys they are hard to keep track of & could get broken. Help make seperation easier if your child is anxious by not lingering at the door and making the goodbye last too long. Children can sense a parents tension & this will make them more uneasy about you departure. A quick reassuring goodbye makes the transition easier for you child.
Ideally your child should be in daycare 8-9 hours a day. This is a long day for a child to be away from home. If dad goes into work later & mom gets home earlier arrange for your child to be away from you for the least amount of time.
Communicate with your provider. There is always a nice way to bring up any issues you may have. Don't assume your provider already knows. Providers work with many different families and just as many different preferences. Don't be afraid to talk about it. Communication is a must! Never be afraid to talk about it.
I talked with many providers to put this page together. This represents a summary of some of the issues providers are facing today. Non-confrontational communication is the best way to ensure that everyone is having a great experience.
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Latest page update: made by Hanson'sPlayPlace
, Aug 28 2007, 9:59 PM EDT
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Keeping good childcare.
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