Example: I want my basement to be exempt, meaning that the children in my care will not go in the basement during childcare hours. This is because we use a wood stove as the primary heat source for our home. If I were to allow the children to use the basement, I would have to put some sort of fence around the stove. More trouble than it's worth, really. Thus... the exemption.
Well, the gal tells me while she's at the house this am that if the basement is exempt, MY OWN CHILDREN can't go down there during my childcare hours. How on earth can they tell me that my own children can't go into a part of OUR own home. Riley is not allowed to go into his own bedroom and the boys can't play video games or watch TV in the family room. WHAT?
She goes on to explain that all the rules that apply to the children in my care, apply to my own children as well. That means I must use gloves when I change Quinn's diaper, and I have to put a monitor in Quinn's room while he naps (even though I can hear him from anywhere in the house when he calls to me from his room) AND I'm not allowed to spank my kids during operating hours. Dang. I guess their spankings will have to wait until after 5:00 (: Settle down. I'm just kidding). But, I do find it bordering on absurd that my children can't be at home in our home until after 5:00.
Am I overreacting?
I guess rules are important, but sometimes they border on ridiculous! Good grief! Who thinks of this stuff?? You are not overreacting.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you are overreacting. I think somebody sits in an office all day and thinks of these ridiculous "rules and regs" you have to follow. I could see if you were taking care of 10+ kids, then it wouldn't be home daycare. That's why I put my kids in home daycare I didn't want institutionalization for them. I wanted it to be homey...dangerous table corners, germs and all!
ReplyDeleteYes, this kind of thing DEFINITELY irks me. I, um, have a problem with authority as it is, and I would be FUMING if I was told these things about MY OWN children. I want to protect the little people as much as possible, but man. Red tape sucks.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem absurd that you have to limit access in your own house with your own children. It hardly seems worth going through all of this hassle to become a licensed daycare provider. The only reason I ever wished you were was so I could have paid you out of my flex money, but that was the ONLY reason.
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