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How long do you, as a provider, feel is an appropriate length of time in a single day a child should be in your care?
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Daycare - How Long is Too Long to be in Daycare in a Day
If it is just one day, then all day is fine depending on the parent's needs and whether I have the ability that day. If you are talking about everyday then that starts to take on a different meaning.
The child needs quality time with parents also. If the parents are just trying to leave the child with me all day then I think 8 hours is sufficient otherwise you are taking over the parent’s responsibilities and your services start resembling foster care. -
I slightly agree with the last reply if they are a once in a while, then what meets the parents needs for that particular day, unless your state child care bureau has a maximum time limit a child can be in care.
In Missouri it used to be a child couldn't be in care for more than 10 hours, but they have changed that since 2002. If the child is a regular child you need to factor in the parent has roughly an 8-9 hour day when you factor in their 30 min to 1 hr lunch break, if they commute to their job they may need 5 min to 1 hr pending traffice and how far they are from where you are. I live in a rural community that most of my parents work a minimum of 10 miles from here, if the child goes over 10 hours in our care I charge by the hour in addition to the daily rate. If they are a one time or once in a while then I charge by the hour so that they don't try to take advantage of working a 8 hour day with 1 hr lunch 9 hrs then go to wal mart to do their grocery and household supply shopping vs they know they'll pay the same amount regardless how long the kid is there so why not leave them longer. Check with your state licensing agent to see if you have a max time in care too.Comment
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While I don't want someones child 10 to 11 hours per day, around my area some parents do work 10 hour days, 4 days a week. I think the parents schedule, commute, lunch hour, etc, have to be taken into consideration with this. All the same, I do not want my parents shopping, running their errands, etc. while I am caring for their children. My services are for when parents are at work.Comment
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Most kids are done with daycare at about the 8.5 hour mark. Most kids are in care 9-10 hours per day.Comment
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What I have observed is that children who are in care past around 9 hours have behavior problems. I ask my parents, those with normal jobs, to not leave them beyond 9.5 hours. That gives them 30 minutes for lunch, and 30 minutes travel time each way.
In many cases one parent has dropped off and one has picked up.
I also have found that it's the parents who leave their child in care 10+ hours that present other problems, like hot checks, leaving owing money, etc.
From time to time I get calls for infants, 6-8 weeks old, and the mother wants to drop the child at 6am and pick up at 6pm. Don't mean to be rude, I know the economy demands alot, but why did she have kids? I decline and suggest that that is far too long for an infant, or any child, to be away from their mother/family everyday.
DinTxComment
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What I've noticed is that kids who stay past 9 hours typically have worse behavior. I ask my parents to leave them no longer than 9.5 hours. That gives them 30 minutes for lunch and 30 minutes travel time each way.
Many times this has required that one parent drop off and one pick up.
I've also observed that parents who leave their kids 10+ hours are problems in other areas such as hot checks, leaving owing money, late to return required forms, etc.
Ocassionally I get a call for a newborn and mom wants to drove the baby at 6am and pick up at 6pm. I decline and suggest that's too many hours for any child to be away from their parents/siblings. I understand economic pressures, and at the risk of sounding rude, why have children if you can't spend time with them?Comment
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I was doing just 10 hours a day but alot of my parents were just making it hard on my as far as being "late". (like they would pick up 10 hours and 5 min.) So i moved to 12 hours and a higher late fee. Now everyone needs to be gone by 6:00pm sharp or else!!(haha)
But boy the 9.5 sounds good!Comment
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Shifts
I do have parents who work 3 12 hour shifts a week, which is a typical shift for nurses and CNA's here. That seems to work fine for me. Even though it's a long day, there's still 4 days of the week they're spending with their parents.Comment
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We have one child who is at daycare M-f for 10 hr everyday! Sometimes her mom is even late picking her up. i think that is way too much time at daycare. This poor girl gets no time at home. I find it funny how the weather and time of year tend reflect on what time the kids go home. I have observed at my center that when its snowing or in the spring the children tend to leave really early cuz the parents want to get home. When its raining they tend to leave later. Around x-mas time the kids leave earlier. And in the middle of summer (when the whole "Yay summer is here" effect goes away) the kids leave later. my parents seem to bring therfe kids everyday all day whether they r working or not (most of our kids are pt and only pay when they come) You would think people would want to spend time with their kids but i guess not.Comment
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I am open from 6am to 6pm and i charge a flat rate so my parents are charged the same regardless of if they are here 12hrs or 4hrs. I do have that one parent that drops both of them off at 6am and doesn't not pick them up until 6pm sharp, M-F. But how do you make them understand that just because I'm open for 12hrs doesn't mean you should leave your kids for the whole 12 hrs. Its like beating a dead horse. So i just raised my late fee. And the door stays locked until 6am.Comment
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We charge $5 per minute for every minute late after 10 minutes. we close at 5:30 and start charging at 5:40pm. We also keep the door locked until we open. Especially since I am getting my own child ready for school until then.Comment
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Time in Daycare
I allow up to 10 hours per day, 50 hours per week for daycare at a flat rate, and I charge early drop off / late pick up fees, or fees for over 10 hours. I get parents who have multiple days off during the week that still drop their kids off at opening time and keep them here until I close. And they have an option to divide my weekly rate by 5 and just pay 1/2 of the daily rate if they dont bring their child. But they still do. If we're open, the kids are here.... we've got them waiting at the door when we open, and running to the door when we close to keep from paying late fees.Comment
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It sounds like I have been very lucky with the kids that I have. I am open from 6am to 5 pm and NEVER have any one child the entire time. The longest are 2 sisters that are sometimes here for 9.5 hours but for the most part the dad picks them up so they are only here for about 7.Comment
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my hours are 6am -5pm and I have 3 kids here the entire time. one of my dck has behavioral problems. She'll be 3 in Jan and an only child. Her dad picks her up late 95% of the time. (After my closing time) and the other times he has someone else pick her up. If the other person picks her up she normally spends the time there and she drops her off at my house. the child was also in foster care before her dad got her. The girl has anger issues and is aggressive towards other children. Sometimes I think it's not worth the aggravation of dealing with her and her dad, but then I feel quilty because she must have it tough. She often says she hates her dad and I always tell her that 's not say about your dad, but she doesn't see him that much. Even on the weekends she spends the night over at his back-up person's family. I can always tell which weekends because she is a terrible mess Mon morning.
My othere 2dck are cousins and seem to be okay being with me for 11 hours. Every morning one of them asks if they are going to Hannah's (my daughter) house.Comment
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