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Ah... The "joys" of owning your own business. Or, in this case, the horrors of being an in-home daycare provider.
In-Home Daycare Provider stuff:
As an unlicensed IHDP I am able to care for 2 (that's TWO) children not related to me in my home. Since I am a stay-at-home mother this means a few things. 1) I may have my own children in my home while I watch up to two other children. 2) I can (and do) set my own hours and days. 3) I can (and will) charge whatever I feel is a fair price. And (most importantly) 4) I am not required to offer my services to everyone. In fact, I can decide what type of people I am willing to provide daycare for.
Number 4 is important. Very, very important.
And on to the story...
I have a niece who is... shall we say "challenged" mentally. She has a few issues that caused problems at every regular daycare she went to. She is normally a very sweet little girl... but has severe issues with change and being around other people.
My mother is her primary caregiver (read that as "My brother was an ass and got thrown in the clink, so now my mom has custody of this little girl.") and does her best, but has to have a place for my niece to go to daycare... The whole "having a job" thing.
I, being the wonderful (and trusting) daughter and Aunt that I am, was asked to babysit my niece "for a few weeks... Just until we can find a "special" daycare that can handle her." I agreed to watch her for the unbelievably low cost of... get this... $50 a week!
Any of you with children know that this is a steal and any of you that have experience with children that need special attention know that this price is something to go
over.
Two months later.... My niece had broken 4 sets of blinds, punched my (then) 3 y/o daughter in the stomach, bitten me 16 times, tore apart a brand freaking new XBox 360, destroyed more than 30 stuffed animals/dolls/toys/kids books, ripped the playpen apart, pulled the fur out on my 13 y/o cat, bit my dog on the ear, punched 2 holes in my apartment's walls... But it was the kicking my (then) newborn daughter in the head that made me lose it completely. I had been asking my mother for weeks to find another place for my niece, but I lost it. My words were this:
"I love you, Mom, but you have only one choice right now. You can pay for ALL of the damages that "A" had caused and you can find another daycare. I will not be taking her back after the end of this week."
Her reply, in true SC fashion:
"But you have to accept her. She's family and she's disabled! If you don't let her continue to go to your daycare, I'll have (insert lawyer's name here) file a suit against you for discrimination!"
I had a good laugh right then and managed to choke out, between giggling fits:
"Go right ahead, Mom.... I'm an unlicensed daycare. I don't have to comply with anti-discrimination laws. In fact, I can do pretty much anything I please. So I'll just remind you about the policy that my daycare has that deals with destruction of property. You should know it since it was on the contract that we both signed in front of a Notary of the Public. That's the only legally binding agreement that we have and it says ..."any damages caused by (the client's child) are to be paid by (the client).".... and you agreed to that! If you sue... I could legally file a counter-suit to get the money you still owe me for all the things that "A" broke in my home!"
Two days later my niece was in a proper daycare that takes very good care of her and charges my mom nearly $400 a week.
Somehow I had had the impression that she just couldn't find any place... then I find out that it was just "more expensive"??????
What did she expect????
So much for expecting to have a family that didn't take advantage of my kindness... What was I thinking?
In-Home Daycare Provider stuff:
As an unlicensed IHDP I am able to care for 2 (that's TWO) children not related to me in my home. Since I am a stay-at-home mother this means a few things. 1) I may have my own children in my home while I watch up to two other children. 2) I can (and do) set my own hours and days. 3) I can (and will) charge whatever I feel is a fair price. And (most importantly) 4) I am not required to offer my services to everyone. In fact, I can decide what type of people I am willing to provide daycare for.
Number 4 is important. Very, very important.
And on to the story...
I have a niece who is... shall we say "challenged" mentally. She has a few issues that caused problems at every regular daycare she went to. She is normally a very sweet little girl... but has severe issues with change and being around other people.
My mother is her primary caregiver (read that as "My brother was an ass and got thrown in the clink, so now my mom has custody of this little girl.") and does her best, but has to have a place for my niece to go to daycare... The whole "having a job" thing.
I, being the wonderful (and trusting) daughter and Aunt that I am, was asked to babysit my niece "for a few weeks... Just until we can find a "special" daycare that can handle her." I agreed to watch her for the unbelievably low cost of... get this... $50 a week!
Any of you with children know that this is a steal and any of you that have experience with children that need special attention know that this price is something to go
over.Two months later.... My niece had broken 4 sets of blinds, punched my (then) 3 y/o daughter in the stomach, bitten me 16 times, tore apart a brand freaking new XBox 360, destroyed more than 30 stuffed animals/dolls/toys/kids books, ripped the playpen apart, pulled the fur out on my 13 y/o cat, bit my dog on the ear, punched 2 holes in my apartment's walls... But it was the kicking my (then) newborn daughter in the head that made me lose it completely. I had been asking my mother for weeks to find another place for my niece, but I lost it. My words were this:
"I love you, Mom, but you have only one choice right now. You can pay for ALL of the damages that "A" had caused and you can find another daycare. I will not be taking her back after the end of this week."
Her reply, in true SC fashion:
"But you have to accept her. She's family and she's disabled! If you don't let her continue to go to your daycare, I'll have (insert lawyer's name here) file a suit against you for discrimination!"
I had a good laugh right then and managed to choke out, between giggling fits:
"Go right ahead, Mom.... I'm an unlicensed daycare. I don't have to comply with anti-discrimination laws. In fact, I can do pretty much anything I please. So I'll just remind you about the policy that my daycare has that deals with destruction of property. You should know it since it was on the contract that we both signed in front of a Notary of the Public. That's the only legally binding agreement that we have and it says ..."any damages caused by (the client's child) are to be paid by (the client).".... and you agreed to that! If you sue... I could legally file a counter-suit to get the money you still owe me for all the things that "A" broke in my home!"
Two days later my niece was in a proper daycare that takes very good care of her and charges my mom nearly $400 a week.
Somehow I had had the impression that she just couldn't find any place... then I find out that it was just "more expensive"?????? What did she expect????So much for expecting to have a family that didn't take advantage of my kindness... What was I thinking?
He's an awesome kitty.
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