How Many Assistants, Backups, And Substitutes Do You Have For Your Daycare?

[Abigail]

I was talking to my DH about friends who said they've "love" to stop by my daycare and help me out. When I get down to being realistic, it's not so easy. My DH will be my emergency backup since he'll always be home sleeping while the daycare kids are here. I want to know about who would be my substitute or assistant for sick days or field trips besides relying solely on my DH.

I don't have family in town and my friend who really loves kids and wants to help will always be working a 9-5 job M-F so realistically she'll never be reliable. My MIL did home daycare when her boys were young and she doesn't work summers since she is on a school-year schedule. She would be someone who could be my main person to go to during the summer, but what should I do to line someone up for winter? How many people do you know you could call and see if they're available?

[daycare]

I have no one at all only me.. I dont have any one around that could help me. I have been sick twice, but it was illness that I got frtom the DCK.. I have never closed due to illness. On my sick days, I will just let the kids play or we will watch a movie. It is up to the parents if they want to bring their kids or not. Since I will be open, I will charge and it's up to them....

However, I am thinking about wanting to hire an asst. becusae I would like to take on a few more kids during the summer. However, I just don't know where to start. I am stressed at the thought of what if they dont show up, or call in sick. Then I would be over my limit and in trouble. I think this is one of the reasons that I have not cared to look for one as of now, becuase I have found a way to make it work without one

[Missani]

My DH is my back-up/emergency person, and I don't have anyone else. I really need to get a substitute/assistant, though. I've realized this week how nice and needed it can be to have one. I'd have someone you can call anytime. If MIL is a good person in the summer that's great, but I'd find someone else for the rest of the year. It may be easier said than done, though, at least in my state there are a lot of requirements for a substitute. It makes it rather difficult.

[Abigail]

daycare, how many kids do you have enrolled now? I'm not worried about being over-the-limit because I have one person who wants to enroll her infant and preschooler into my program (I'm not even open yet!) and I can have up to five before I'm licensed. I'm wanting to get licensed as I advertise for spots so then I can have 7 children and 2 b/a school age ONLY if the bus drops off and picks up. I don't want to transport children.

I'm still wanting a "safety net". I guess the daycare I'm at now had me as a fill-in for a long time so I felt special being the safety net. Now I start full time next week (when the old-enough-to-enroll starts) and she has three employees for 18 kids besides herself. She is lucky to not have to work since we normally need two people during the day hours or the rare third person. I just want to figure out how to create a "safety net" when I open. Besides that I am required to have two people listed if I'm licensed.

[daycare]

I have a total of 9 kids enrolled, but can only have 6 present each day. I do not do SA, if I did then I could take 2 more for a total of 8 daily.
I have my own 3.5 year old, so I can only have 5 daily here.

I would like to do a cool summer art program and would like to add a few more kids to it. the issue is just like other PP said, my state also has strict guidelines.. they have to be fingerprinted, neg TB 90 days before starting, Back ground check clearance and first aid/ cpr. So this puts a damper on trying to find the right person that meets all of the criteria.

My husband can act as backup, problem is he is never here. Or just like yours he is sleeping most of the time because he works nights... My husband works to job so he really can't help me much.

I have thought about hiring my son to be my asst. for the summer program, then only issue with that is I can't ever leave the kids with him if I needed to.

[cheerfuldom]

I have 4 DC kids plus my two. I have a part time assistant that is a college student so, sometimes available. My sister could come in emergency. She works part time at another home daycare. My husband is here in the late afternoons. Between those people, there is usually backup but I do everything 99.9% of the time.

[MamaBear]

Just me

Its just me here... But I'm a small home daycare. I always tell the new families that they should find their own back-up childcare just in case I needed to close for an emergency. They've all been good about doing that.

I had a back-up provider before and she turned out to be a total flake, so I dont claim to have a back-up person anymore.

[Country Kids]

Here is my dilema-my mil was my backup but due to back problems she is no longer available to do that. My husband has started a new job (been there a month so no time built up to take off) so when it comes to my own children having appointments or such I have no one to help me. My husband suggested taking the day off but I I can't see doing this for 20 minute ortho appointments and such. I have 2 in braces and one more on his way to get them. Also I need to go to the dentist to have work done but I can't take 2 21 months and 2 3 year olds with me. It would be to hard. So what do you do in instances like that?

[BentleysBands]

I have 4 and 1 coming in July. I have no help. If I'm really sick I close. Which isn't often at all. During the summer my kids like to help out on fieldtrips. The way I see it is ivhave to close for any reason its the dcps responsiblity to have a backup. They all know this and sign the contract. I use to use my dh but he Would take off from work. He looses $ so its not fair.

[KEG123]

None right now. I plan to ask my dbf's mom to get fingerprinted so she can help if the situation arises. She only works weekends as an RN so she could help out if need be (but not normally mondays since she's so burnt out from the wekeends) I plan to ask her to help out after this babe is born. Right now I had 0 kids but soon to be 1 ft and 2 pt. (plus my son)

[Childminder]

My DH is my assistant and actively helps me daily. He's is our 'recess lady' as well and takes the dcks out for 2 hours daily. My sister is my emergency contact and lives close geographically, I've used her twice. My dd is an assistant and fills in if dh and I take a day off also I have a dcm that is in school and I utilize her on occasion for a couple hours or if my children are in labor or something

[morgan24]

I have no one either. Everyone I know well enough to trust has a job. Until things pick up in MI and people get back to work I'm thinking about being a fill in for daycares and centers in my area instead of having my own.

[Meeko]

Myself and my adult son are the main caregivers. Hubby and oldest teen daughter are subs. Works well if I have a doctor appt or something. All our clients know the whole family, so they don't mind who's there (it's me 90% of the time tho')
Hubby is retired military and now a stay at home dad...so it's easy for him to come down to our day care if we need him. For the most part he takes care of everything at home. GREAT housekeeper....Yep....I haven't touched my washing machine in about 2 years.......I am a lucky girl!

[jojosmommy]

Just me. I have my husband who can come in a dire emergency but not when I am sick or would like to go to dr or something. Most of my families leave between 3:30-4 so I try to sched appts for after 4 and my mother in law can help out. Otherwise my mom has come 1 or 2x to stay while kids are sleeping so I can go to dr.

I have tried to find someone interested and qualified to work as a sub but they either want to get paid $20/hr or arent what I call qualified enough to be left alone.

[AnythingsPossible]

Here is my dilema-my mil was my backup but due to back problems she is no longer available to do that. My husband has started a new job (been there a month so no time built up to take off) so when it comes to my own children having appointments or such I have no one to help me. My husband suggested taking the day off but I I can't see doing this for 20 minute ortho appointments and such. I have 2 in braces and one more on his way to get them. Also I need to go to the dentist to have work done but I can't take 2 21 months and 2 3 year olds with me. It would be to hard. So what do you do in instances like that?

For my family appt's, I try to schedule all dentist appts, in one day and I take that day off. So, I am taking 2 days off a year for dr/denstist appointments. I take one of the days and also schedule physicals. It makes for a very long day, but it all gets done.
If something needs to be done like a cavity filled, or something like that, I either schedule them for the last appointment of the day and close a little early, or we get the first appt of the day and my husband goes to work a little late. If there are things that are fairly consistent in the time it takes, maybe your husband could use his lunch hour once in awhile, like for the braces.
I do not have a back up and all my families understand that there are times when I will be closed and they will need back up care.