11.5 Hours A Day In Daycare?

[Angelwings36]

I just got an email from someone looking for childcare. The hours that the mother said they would need are from 6:30am - 6:00pm. My hours of operation are from 7:30am - 5:15pm so obviously I'm not even considering taking in this family. However, I just feel that 11.5 hours a day for a 12 month old to be in daycare full time monday to friday is extremely excessive. Would you email her back and say anything? It's just bothering me....

[Meyou]

That is a long, long day.

[TBird]

It is a long day, but most parents that work full time need a 1/2 hour to an hour to get to and from work. That's at least a 10 hour day.

If your hours are until 5:15, why did she call you if she needed care until 6:00??? Some people think they can call you in hopes that MAYBE you'll do an extra 45 minutes just for them. Uh uh....if you need care until 6:00 don't even call me!!!

[Unregistered]

I wouldnt say anything. But that is a long day. My hours are 7-5:30.

[Maddy'sMommy]

It is a really long day, but I know the nurses in my area work 12 hour shifts, so do some other professions. Some people can't get around needing 11-12 hour care for their children.

[daycare]

you are free to voice what you think, but it won't change anything. I would just email her back and say sorry I don't offer services for the hours you requested...

[BentleysBands]

i would just say the hours wont work...as for it being a long day..i disagree. my parents ALL work fulltime M-f and i'm open from 630-6p ..yes a long day but its the hours they have to work . i think it depends on your area and travel times. around my area most jobs are 10+ hrs NOT including the1-2hr traffic/travel time esp those who travel thru the area tunnels. traffic is horrible. i've always had long days as you guys say but its the norm here.

[daycare]

12 hours is way too many hours for any child to be in child care of any age. With that being said, I do understand that parents need to work. But I really think that parents should have thought about that before having kids. Why have a child so someone else can raise your child? I get needing to work, location, and so on, but I think that it is sad that the child knows the provider more than their own parent.

[Meyou]

12 hours is way too many hours for any child to be in child care of any age. With that being said, I do understand that parents need to work. But I really think that parents should have thought about that before having kids. Why have a child so someone else can raise your child? I get needing to work, location, and so on, but I think that it is sad that the child knows the provider more than their own parent.

I have to agree with you. I have parents that work 12 hour shifts and others than work long hours and travel. All of them manage to work things so their kids don't need to be with me all of their waking hours. It makes me sad when I think about those little ones away from Mom and Dad for so long.

I have 2 kids that are here my max of 10 hours a day most days and they are by far the most needy, least well behaved kids that I have at drop off and pickup. They just lose all control because they're frantic for their parents.

I'm not saying there isn't a need for 12 hour a day care but it should not be the norm IMO.

[Missani]

I worked 10.5 hour days when I used to work away from home-with a 30 minute commute each way. The thing is, I only did this 3 days per week and did this so I could be home with my children more often. I worked 3 days/week at 10.5 hours/day and 1 day/week 6 hour days. We made it work just fine.

First, I started before daycare was open, so my DH brought the kids around 8:00am. Then, I worked until 4:30, so I was able to pick them up by 5:00. They did this 3 days/week (9 hours/day in daycare). The 4th day, they were in care from 8:00 (when DH dropped them off) until 12:30 when I picked them up. Sometimes my family would watch them for the 4th day so I didn't have to disrupt the other kids schedules at daycare with the early pick up. The 5th day, I was home with my kids.

So, yes, some people do have to work long days. However, it is unusual that they do not have another person who can drop off later or pick up earlier. It is also unusual that someone would have to work this many hours all 5 days/week. I'm not saying that there aren't single parents who work 55 hours plus per week, but I am saying that it isn't usual.

I, too, find that many of my dcks are here when the first parent goes to work and are here until the last parent gets done. I know that many of my kids don't live nearby, so it might be a matter of who works closer. However, while I don't care as long as they are dropped off and picked up within my open hours, I've always wondered why the last parent to go to work doesn't drop off and the first parent off of work in the evening doesn't pick up. I'm not judging, I just wonder why that's easier.

I think daycare is a great place for kids. But, I do think 57-58 hours a week is a lot. I probably wouldn't say anything since these hours don't work for you anyway, but I don't think you're alone in thinking that is a lot.

[nannyde]

I don't offer services to families that need more than nine hours of care per day or 45 hours total per week. I prefer families that have at least five hours per day of AWAKE time with their child.

It does limit the families I can work for but it makes for excellent relationships with the child and the parents.

[Crystal]

12 hours is way too many hours for any child to be in child care of any age. With that being said, I do understand that parents need to work. But I really think that parents should have thought about that before having kids. Why have a child so someone else can raise your child? I get needing to work, location, and so on, but I think that it is sad that the child knows the provider more than their own parent.

I REALLY think that that statement is unfair. I highly doubt that most people enter the world of parentning knowing that they will NEVER have a job change and work hours increased, or commute time increased, etc. Life changes, you assimilate to survive. I think MOST parents would prefer to parent their child and not send them to daycare at all....but the fact of the matter is that parents have to work to feed, shelter and clothe their children and most will do whatever it takes to ensure they can meet those needs...


I have parents who need 11 hours of care. They work and commute. I'm open, so I offer them what they need.

[masquedxangel]

I'm a live-in nanny, and I have the kids from 7:30am to 5/6pm and then their parents have them from around 6 to 8 when it's bedtime. It makes me sad for the kids. I've noticed more and more frequently even with mom and dad home the youngest will seek me out (his brother is in school now from 8:30-3:30) and want to sit with me/talk to me/ask me to do things for him because he's gotten so used to being just with me all day. Their parents try but they both work full time, there's a commute, and unfortunately people tend to over-extend themselves and have to work super hard to pay for the big house/nice cars/expensive crap they buy their kids.

[daycare]

I REALLY think that that statement is unfair. I highly doubt that most people enter the world of parentning knowing that they will NEVER have a job change and work hours increased, or commute time increased, etc. Life changes, you assimilate to survive. I think MOST parents would prefer to parent their child and not send them to daycare at all....but the fact of the matter is that parents have to work to feed, shelter and clothe their children and most will do whatever it takes to ensure they can meet those needs...


I have parents who need 11 hours of care. They work and commute. I'm open, so I offer them what they need.

I don't think it’s unfair to state that, I know "life happens" and the tough gets going when the going gets tough. I just don't offer services to those families anymore, as I don't think it is fair to the child.
I do feel that adults should be the one to have to make sacrifices. Why is it necessary for every family to have to keep up with the Jones’s?

I was once a single parent with two kids for a long length of time and I had to do what I had to do to make ends meet. But I did not let that stop me from coaching their soccer teams, spending quality time with them outside of work and so forth. I went without a lot of stuff and lived my life for my children. I could have worked the 45 hour work week plus commute time, as I lived in Orange County and that is commute He!!....

But it was not my children's fault and therefore I gave up everything I could that would help better their lives. I sold my fancy car and bought a used one, I kept healthy so I could wear the same clothes for 10years.. I did everything in my power to make sure that dad and I were the one's raising them. When they were at dad's I worked more hours, worked weekends or odd jobs to make ends meet.

Parents don't stop to think about who is really affected and just except that working 12+ hour days as their way of life.......
I think that it is selfish and sad............ I know that if I could do this with two young kids as a single mom and finishing school at the same time that ANYONE could do it too.

If only parents realized that their kids really only want time with their mom/dad to be held, read to, played with, sang to or just be near them, parents would not be killing themself to work many hours to buy all of the uncessary things...........

[wdmmom]

I would at least return the call or email and tell her your hours of operation. If she actually works within those hours, perhaps you can schedule an interview. If she is in fact needing care for 11.5 hours per day, she probably needs to look elsewhere.

I won't work for families for more than 10 hours per day. That gives them an 8 hour work day, an hour for lunch and a half hour to get back and forth each way.