Playdates During Daycare Hours?

[DBug]

I'm curious to see what everyone else does regarding playdates. I have a school-ager that occasionally (ie twice this week) has asked to have a friend over after school. I say no if it will put me over my ratio, but I've been saying yes if my numbers are good. But today I felt a little guilty, since I'm obviously charging my dc kids' parent, but not her friend's.

How do you handle playdates?

[Unregistered]

I'm curious to see what everyone else does regarding playdates. I have a school-ager that occasionally (ie twice this week) has asked to have a friend over after school. I say no if it will put me over my ratio, but I've been saying yes if my numbers are good. But today I felt a little guilty, since I'm obviously charging my dc kids' parent, but not her friend's.

How do you handle playdates?

Ive always looked at it this way my kids are my kids not daycare kids and its there home they live in and they have to have friends outside of daycare so my oldest 10 gets to go outside without me as long as he is in eye sight, he can have 1 friend over at a time, go upstairs etc. because its his home and I tell my older daycare kids this if they as why SO and SO can go outside etc etc etc.

[momofboys]

I'm curious to see what everyone else does regarding playdates. I have a school-ager that occasionally (ie twice this week) has asked to have a friend over after school. I say no if it will put me over my ratio, but I've been saying yes if my numbers are good. But today I felt a little guilty, since I'm obviously charging my dc kids' parent, but not her friend's.

How do you handle playdates?

I do a playdate with a friend of mine on ocassion but I only have 3 kids here during the day & then my friend comes over with her child who is close to the age of the three kids I have here. The parent comes over (& stays) also but then the child is only 2 years old. In reality it is more time with my friend then a true playdate.

It's different b/c this is your child's friend, you wouldn't be charged if your child went over to her friend's home, plus it's not like you are hosting playdates everyday.

[MarinaVanessa]

Personally I don't see how you'd have the energy to take on another child even for just a playdate . I don't allow my daughter to have playdates while my dc littles are here unless they're family and of course only if it doesn't put me over my limit. I'd rather focus on my dc littles and not have to worry about other children. I'd either have to include them and have them participate with the other kids and have them use up daycare resources or have them play in my little girls room which I am not comfortable with for fear that my dc kids might want to join them and not participate in our regular activities. I feel like it will disrupt our activities.

That's nice to be able to have a friend come over but here in CA it's against licensing regulations to have any adult in the daycare home other than a dc little's parent for longer than 15 minutes unless they've been tested for TB, gone through fingerprinting etc. and you've notifies the dc parents. Even people authorized to pick a child up can only come in to pick the child up and then has to go.

[momofboys]

Personally I don't see how you'd have the energy to take on another child even for just a playdate . I don't allow my daughter to have playdates while my dc littles are here unless they're family and of course only if it doesn't put me over my limit. I'd rather focus on my dc littles and not have to worry about other children. I'd either have to include them and have them participate with the other kids and have them use up daycare resources or have them play in my little girls room which I am not comfortable with for fear that my dc kids might want to join them and not participate in our regular activities. I feel like it will disrupt our activities.

That's nice to be able to have a friend come over but here in CA it's against licensing regulations to have any adult in the daycare home other than a dc little's parent for longer than 15 minutes unless they've been tested for TB, gone through fingerprinting etc. and you've notifies the dc parents. Even people authorized to pick a child up can only come in to pick the child up and then has to go.

In my state there is no requirement to be licensed so none of those requirements (regarding my friend/parent being fingerprinted, etc) apply to me (even though I have been fingerprinted & show my reports to potential clients). However, my daycare parents are aware I have occassional playdates & are totally fine with it & in fact are happy I do so.

[mac60]

This is a time where you have to separate bussiness and family. I would definately do it, and when mine were younger they did have a friend over now and then in the summer. It simply is not fair to your own children if they can't "live" normally in their own home.

[melskids]

i allow my 13 yr old to have a friend over and they do their own thing. theyre really good kids though. my 7 yr old has friends his age who ARE part of my daycare so he doesnt need to have any more come over...

i did have an issue once with a friend who would have her son call and ask if he could come over and play, (i could hear her prompting him in the backround....the nerve) and i always said yes. it quickly turned into "free babysitting". she got almost the whole summer out of me. not this year....im much smarter and wiser...

[TGT09]

I'm having issues with a dcg wanting her friend to come over. Some days in the summer, I will only have her. I won't have a problem then but during the school year, it's just too much!

[mac60]

I am not sure I would allow a dcg to have her friend come over. Let her go play at her parents house.

[Unregistered]

If i have room I allow MY kids to have friends over but there is no way i would allow a daycare child to have a play date at my house while i was being paid to care for her, to many things could go wrong, first of all even if though the friend isnt a dck you'd still be responsible for everything, secondly why would you charge the parents of the dck for her being there and not her playdate pal? Not fair, I'd explain to dck that during your business hours when she is there its just not the right thing to do for her to have a playdate, that she needs to ask her parents if she can have one on the weekends or evenings or when ever they are their to supervise. During the summer if she was the only child i would be more tempted to allow her a playdate however i wouldnt because i just dont think id feel right getting paid for one and not the other but thats just me..
Kiddie Care

[TGT09]

I know, I have very mixed emotions about it!

She used to get off the bus at said friends house but dcg's mom just found out that friend's dad is a sexual offender! YIKES!! That's a whole other story!

[Childminder]

Wouldn't want to be responsible for a child that I don't have all the forms filled out on. If the parents want to fill them out then I might on occasion with pre-approval have her come over. I rather allow the girl go to her house if the parents make the arrangements.

[Childminder]

I know, I have very mixed emotions about it!

She used to get off the bus at said friends house but dcg's mom just found out that friend's dad is a sexual offender! YIKES!! That's a whole other story!

Oh My! we posted at the same time. Not a comfortable situation.

[booroo]

My children are allowed to have friends of to play. My 13 year old has his friends come over, most of the time they stay in there bedrooms and play. But I dont really care if the kids what to do what Im doing with the daycare kids....I always have food on hand for the friends to snack on when they come over. My girl are 6 and 7, they can have 1 friend between the 2 of them. SO it doesnt get to hairy around here. I will not allow daycare kids to bring friends over, no way, they can have a play date at the friends house or ask mom and dad to get off early to do this at there house.

I also have a friend that comes over durning the day with her 3 year old and she plays with the 2 daycare kids and my 2 year old that I have.... My friends and I talk and work on stuff while the little ones play. She stays for lunch as well, we have a pinic type lunch that day, it normally subways.

[Carole's Daycare]

I allow my son to have a friend over periodically for a play date- but I let the other parent know that I am working and during the day must comply with regulations- therefore have to have basic paperwork filled out/shot records etc- I don't feel guilty at all about not charging for my son's friend. Clients have a contract and are CLIENTS- not family or friends, no matter how "friendly" and amicable the relationship. My family life is separate from my business, and my son is entitled to the same rights and priveledges, including play dates with friends, as any other child in their own home. I do prefer him to go to his friends house instead, so that is much more usual. It's more fun for my son to have a break from the noise and interference of the daycare.