Never Had A Request Like This...Not Sure What To Say?

[countrymom]

I wouldn't do an interview that far in advance. I had people in the summer contacting me for jan and feb. I tell everyone, to contact me a month before they are to go back to work.

I had a mom who I held a spot for 6months, she paid a holding fee but guess what, she changed her mind and I didn't get a kid, so then I was back to square one.

I agree, children shouldn't be in care for 12 hours. I find it odd that both mother and father need those hours. do most spouses work together, no they don't. Now if one parent works 12 hours, then the other parent usually doesn't so there is no need for 12 hour shifts. Also, this will start to ween out people who abuse the system. Oh those who work 12 hour shifts usually only require care 2 or 3 days a weeks.

[Country Kids]

My husband and I worked at a company together. He worked the 12 hour shifts and I had 8 hour shifts. The thing though his were rotating shifts, so even if he was off he was usually asleep all day while I was at work because he had just got off at 6 in the morning. I worked strictly days. He would work 2 weeks days, 2 weeks nights. Both shifts were 12 hours. So yes, even though he was off he was sleeping hence the reason our child was in childcare.

[harperluu]

Nan you seem to forget that there are some parents that do work 12 hour days. By the way I'm one of them! Every nurse that works in our hospital does, my husband use to, alot of the men in the summer work in the woods 12 hour days, I'm sure there are many more.

So before you start saying the state needs to cap the amount a child can be in childcare maybe it needs to start with the workforce. No one, and I mean no one should have to work more than 8 hours a day-including childcare providers. Is that what you are thinking? You know how messed up it would make the workforce. Firefighters, paramedics, doctors, nurses, manufactures, lumber employers, daycare providers, would all only be able to work 8 hours? I don't see it working.

My husband is a police officer. As a family we bent over backwards to limit the time our children were in childcare before I worked from my home. We all know there are more than just a 6:00 am - 6:00 pm nurse shift available each day. We are not all single parent families. We are not all working from 6:00 am - 6:00 pm each day. Five days a week. No nurse or fire fighter works those shifts. None.

I care for the children of a large number of nurses and police officers because I offer flexible hours to those families. Not one EVER has had their kids in for 12 hours per day, 5 days a week. I've been doing childcare for nearly 8 years. And my nurses and police officers have there children in childcare the least out of anyone, BECAUSE they work shift work and value their time with their children.

In case anyone needs reminding (preaching to the choir I'm sure), but no matter how delightful and educational and warm and cozy a child care home is, it is not home. It is not parent time. It is not meant to be those things. It is as much a 12 hour job for those children as it is for you to work a 12 hour shift.

We also know that the reason these kids are in childcare for 12 hours each day isn't because a family is struggling to make ends meet working a 12 hour daytime shift. Maybe a few, but not enough to even really be notable.

Okay. I'm done.

[daycare]

My husband is a police officer. As a family we bent over backwards to limit the time our children were in childcare before I worked from my home. We all know there are more than just a 6:00 am - 6:00 pm nurse shift available each day. We are not all single parent families. We are not all working from 6:00 am - 6:00 pm each day. Five days a week. No nurse or fire fighter works those shifts. None.

I care for the children of a large number of nurses and police officers because I offer flexible hours to those families. Not one EVER has had their kids in for 12 hours per day, 5 days a week. I've been doing childcare for nearly 8 years. And my nurses and police officers have there children in childcare the least out of anyone, BECAUSE they work shift work and value their time with their children.

In case anyone needs reminding (preaching to the choir I'm sure), but no matter how delightful and educational and warm and cozy a child care home is, it is not home. It is not parent time. It is not meant to be those things. It is as much a 12 hour job for those children as it is for you to work a 12 hour shift.

We also know that the reason these kids are in childcare for 12 hours each day isn't because a family is struggling to make ends meet working a 12 hour daytime shift. Maybe a few, but not enough to even really be notable.

Okay. I'm done.

. We are not all working from 6:00 am - 6:00 pm each day. Five days a week. No nurse or fire fighter works those shifts. None.

the above statement is so not true. My husband has been in the medical field in the ER and has been in fire EMS for almost 15 years. There have been times that both jobs have required mandatory over time and he was working 12+ hour days some times 6 days a week.

During the forest fires, fire season
Also during the H1N1, he was working night and day non stop at the hospital.

this was going on for months....so I know first hand that it can happen

My husband has worked both jobs also for almost 7 years... separately over 15 yrs

[Country Kids]

. We are not all working from 6:00 am - 6:00 pm each day. Five days a week. No nurse or fire fighter works those shifts. None.

the above statement is so not true. My husband has been in the medical field in the ER and has been in fire EMS for almost 15 years. There have been times that both jobs have required mandatory over time and he was working 12+ hour days some times 6 days a week.

During the forest fires, fire season
Also during the H1N1, he was working night and day non stop at the hospital.

this was going on for months....so I know first hand that it can happen

My husband has worked both jobs also for almost 7 years... separately over 15 yrs

And the choir sang "AMEN"!

[NiNi.R.]

I changed my contract at the beginning of November to a rate structure that Nan has. I assumed DCM would switch daycares or magically be able to find someone to pick her child up earlier. She didn't. Her rate went up an extra 15.00 a week as well as shelling out an extra 15.00 a day that her school-ager was in my care during school closures (something she used to get for free.)

She's a single mom and the only family member that can help her out is the grandma. She works at the other major company in town and doesn't get back into town until 6pm. So on nights that DCM won't make it into town grandma picks them up at 6pm. Obviously she needs it....I'd think being a single mom she would jump at the chance to get cheaper daycare if she could make it happen. I do feel for her but I realize as my children get older and begin school working 6am-6pm won't be doable for me.

Unfortunately, I didn't intend on this thread to be a debate about rather or not children should be in care for 12 hours a day. I agree that they shouldn't...but some parents like this particular mom can't work it out to be any other way. I find it sad but realize that some people just can't help it.

I on the other hand would like to change my hours to prevent myself from working such long hours in the coming months. But, as discussed above have been hesitant to do so because I worry the demand for the parents that work 4-10s is greater than parents that work 5-8s.

[dEHmom]

One thing that works well, is standing firm, and saying sorry these are the hours I am open. Many times parents will say "but I work till 5, I can't get here till 530" and you say "sorry I close at 5" guess what??? They magically are able to pick their child up at 5. Not to sound uncaring, but it's not your problem. They need to work it out.

For extra pay you can offer certain families, or all families, the option of a later pickup. I do this simply because I have families that are AWESOME families, who work shifts that sometimes can't always fit in to the hours I am open. And with the brutal winters we have, I know sometimes it can take an hour to get from work to here. So I offer this to them.

I've checked around, and ALL daycares here close at 5. ALL of them. But I offer after 5pm as a bonus. With no receipt provided.

When the bank closes it closes, when the mall closes it closes, when the dentist closes it closes. There is no room for discussion.

[harperluu]

. We are not all working from 6:00 am - 6:00 pm each day. Five days a week. No nurse or fire fighter works those shifts. None.

the above statement is so not true. My husband has been in the medical field in the ER and has been in fire EMS for almost 15 years. There have been times that both jobs have required mandatory over time and he was working 12+ hour days some times 6 days a week.

During the forest fires, fire season
Also during the H1N1, he was working night and day non stop at the hospital.

this was going on for months....so I know first hand that it can happen

My husband has worked both jobs also for almost 7 years... separately over 15 yrs

So his shift was from 6:00 am - 6:00 pm. That was his shift? Those exact hours. You were also working that exact shift? Those exact hours? At one single job. All the time. Everyday. Did he choose two jobs? Yes. Did he choose two jobs over his children? Seems like it. Did your children choose to spend 12 hours a day in childcare 6 days a week? No, ma'am that was your choice.

My point has been made.

[Country Kids]

So his shift was from 6:00 am - 6:00 pm. That was his shift? Those exact hours. You were also working that exact shift? Those exact hours? At one single job. All the time. Everyday. Did he choose two jobs? Yes. Did he choose two jobs over his children? Seems like it. Did your children choose to spend 12 hours a day in childcare 6 days a week? No, ma'am that was your choice.

My point has been made.

Where my husband worked 12 hour shifts many husband and wifes worked there. Everyone arrived about 5:45 and left about 6:15 and yes many had children. So yes they were in childcare a long time but it was an awesome company to work for and they took excellent care of their employees.

I was in an area of the same company that only needed me 8 hours but I did have to have my child in childcare at 5:30 in the morning.

[harperluu]

Where my husband worked 12 hour shifts many husband and wifes worked there. Everyone arrived about 5:45 and left about 6:15 and yes many had children. So yes they were in childcare a long time but it was an awesome company to work for and they took excellent care of their employees.

I was in an area of the same company that only needed me 8 hours but I did have to have my child in childcare at 5:30 in the morning.

A company that has their employees work 12 hour shifts with mandatory overtime 6 days a week, doesn't give a hoot about their employees or their children or their wives. That's just me. No child should be in childcare 12 hour days. Children are paying the tab for this fabulous company.

[Country Kids]

A company that has their employees work 12 hour shifts with mandatory overtime 6 days a week, doesn't give a hoot about their employees or their children or their wives. That's just me. No child should be in childcare 12 hour days. Children are paying the tab for this fabulous company.

I never said my husband worked 6 days straight. Did you even read my post? It would be 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off, 2 on, etc. After two weeks you flipped to the other shift. Yes, there were times that they did have to do overtime but guess what not the companies fault they kept getting orders for the product they made. Kept the company going many years till the reseccion.

[Sunchimes]

I have a baby here (14 months old) 12.5 hours a day. Her parents are both in law enforcement and work 12 hour shifts. She's here 3 days one week and 2 days the next. Her Grandma keeps her when they work on Sundays. For the first 10 months of her life, one parent worked days, one worked nights, so she was always with a parent. Then, their shifts changed and now they work the same hours, and I have the baby.

I've had her for 3 months, and until the last week, she has screamed or whined for 8 of those hours. She had never been around another child, and she hates them. She's fine with me, doesn't cry at drop off. But as soon as another child arrives, she's crying. If another child touches her or looks at her, she cries. I was going to drop her after Christmas, but I'm re-thinking it. The past week, she seems to have turned a corner and there is almost no crying. She isn't fond of the other children, but last week, she didn't cry any more than any other kid, even with the others were near her. Rejoice!! Her mom reports no issues at home and came in happy because she spent some time with a friend's child and actually played. So, at least some good is coming out of this.

Her parent's hate their schedule, but it's their career and it isn't like jobs are common around here. They are glad to have her in a small family setting like mine (I never have more than 3 kids, and most days, 1 or 2).

I got all of my kids because I do odd hours and Saturdays. Some days, she arrives at 5:45 am and the last child leaves at 7:45 pm. I'm getting too old for this, but luckily, those hours are pretty rare now.

[daycare]

So his shift was from 6:00 am - 6:00 pm. That was his shift? Those exact hours. You were also working that exact shift? Those exact hours? At one single job. All the time. Everyday. Did he choose two jobs? Yes. Did he choose two jobs over his children? Seems like it. Did your children choose to spend 12 hours a day in childcare 6 days a week? No, ma'am that was your choice.

My point has been made.

No it was not a choice, it was by force when I got cancer and could not care for my children. and NO he worked from 10 pm to 10 am at the fire house and then would work in the ER from 11am-7:30Pm.

Trust me, there is an exception to every rule...


I didnt choose to get cancer, and my husband did NOT chose to have to work 2 jobs.....But what we did chose is to allow someone else to take care of them so that I could fight the battle........

Also, what about single parents? I have had single parents that have to work crazy schedules of 12+ hr days.....

[daycare]

A company that has their employees work 12 hour shifts with mandatory overtime 6 days a week, doesn't give a hoot about their employees or their children or their wives. That's just me. No child should be in childcare 12 hour days. Children are paying the tab for this fabulous company.

Should and need are two totally different things.

For example, I had a child of a single mom. She worked a regular 9 hour shift, but her job took almost 1.5 hours to get there and back. I guess it was worth the money for her to do the commute. The father of the child was in the Army and her nearest relative was hours away.

I know this woman did not go into a marriage with the hopes of divorcing and becoming a single parent, but that's what happened and she was the sole provider for herself and her son.....

So what is this mom supposed to do?

Ugh, this is a thread that we all have beaten to death in the past...

Bottom like should a kid be in daycare for 12 hours?NO, but some people don't have a choice and NEED their child to be cared for so that they can provide for their family. Who cares if they made good or bad decisions which got them to that point, that doesn't matter to me....

I feel bad for those families that are faced with this and I feel even worse for the children. BUT I will no longer work for them. I just don't have the energy left to do it anymore.....

[NiNi.R.]

Should and need are two totally different things.

For example, I had a child of a single mom. She worked a regular 9 hour shift, but her job took almost 1.5 hours to get there and back. I guess it was worth the money for her to do the commute. The father of the child was in the Army and her nearest relative was hours away.

I know this woman did not go into a marriage with the hopes of divorcing and becoming a single parent, but that's what happened and she was the sole provider for herself and her son.....

So what is this mom supposed to do?

Ugh, this is a thread that we all have beaten to death in the past...

Bottom like should a kid be in daycare for 12 hours?NO, but some people don't have a choice and NEED their child to be cared for so that they can provide for their family. Who cares if they made good or bad decisions which got them to that point, that doesn't matter to me....

I feel bad for those families that are faced with this and I feel even worse for the children. BUT I will no longer work for them. I just don't have the energy left to do it anymore.....

Well this thread wasn't supposed to be about rather or not children should be in care for 12 hours, why parents have the schedules they do, and if there is a way around it. It wasn't about rather or not I should change by hours or how to stay firm with those hours.

What I wanted to know was if it seemed logical or not to schedule an interview for a mom willing to pay a weekly holding fee for a slot 9 months away.

Not sure how exactly it turned into such a debate about the parent's work hours...