Meet the Babysitter

Hi there! I'm Judy and I'm your friendly neighbourhood home daycare provider. Although I abhor the title "babysitter" I use it here because sadly, most of the population sees the people who care for their most precious gifts as mere babysitters. And, as you can already tell I am quite sarcastic and quick to make fun of myself. Therefore I will continue to use that term in the postings contained in this blog.

This blog began as an outlet to vent many of my frustrations. However, after a few posts and some self reflection I realized that perhaps the posts could help parents to understand the true world of daycare. If you are a parent who has a child in daycare you undoubtedly, at first, will be shaking your head in complete disagreement or perhaps naivety. You will tell yourself that YOUR daycare provider would never share my views. I am here to tell you that unless you have the one per cent of daycare providers who are super human, non-biased, non-thinking pushovers then chances are very good that your provider is also reading these posts and shaking her head - up and down - in agreement.

So, welcome to the blog. It is my hope that you are able to read through the sarcasm and in the simple, relaxed language you might find some humour and also gain a better understanding of what it is that your daycare provider manages each and every day. Understanding always leads to a better relationship.

I also invite you to visit our forum, the Daycare Provider Connection, to find support, advice and encouragement from other providers.

Happy reading.

Primary Caregiver

I was recently on a parenting/daycare forum wherein both parents and providers were discussing the protocol with regard to informing parents how was their child's day. There were as many different approaches to the relay of information as there were both providers and parents participating in the discussion. But it was one particular post that lead me to wonder - who is the primary caretaker of the very children everyone was discussing?


One particular parent thought it more than necessary for a provider to take time out of her day to complete a written report accounting for everything the child ate, any bathroom activity and general attitude of the child on any particular day. In fact, the same parent contended that any "respectful, considerate" provider would complete a written daily summary. I beg to differ.


It dawned on me while reading that particular parent's reply that the daycare provider is not given the same "respect and consideration" from the parent that is expected of them.  I don't know about all providers but I can attest to the fact that many mornings I am lucky to get a "Hello, how are you this morning" from parents while dropping off their child let alone an account of everything that has happened since that child left my care a mere 14 hours ago. I can not imagine a parent coming in and handing me a written summary of everything the child ate for dinner, breakfast, how he/she slept, if in fact he/she had a bowel movement. The thought in and of itself is absurd to any parent and, I dare say, most providers.


After this train of thought I started to realize that perhaps the parents should provide us with the very information they expect at pick up each and every day. When you really start to think about the hours most full-time children spend in daycare the daycare provider, is, after all, the primary caregiver of that child.


I can feel a collective wincing, followed by raw outrage, as parents read that last line. But it's true. The math does not lie. Most children in full time daycare spend more time with a daycare provider than they do their own parents. And, of course, this does not take into consideration any time a child might spend with a grandparent or teenage babysitter on the weekend while their parents run errands, go on a date etc..


Full-time children in daycare spend, on average 45-50 hours a week in the care of a provider. Those same children, when factoring in waking hours, are lucky to spend 30-40 hours a week with their parents. It's sad but it's also true.


Who then, is the primary caretaker? Who then should be relaying information to whom? Perhaps that which is asked of the provider should equally be given by the parent.


I understand that parents miss much of their child's youth while working to maintain a home and a lifestyle. I also understand a parent's need to understand the events of their child's day. But to place their demands for written communication under the guise of what is deemed as "respectful and considerate" is unfair. Let's be honest here; the reason most parents want the information is NOT because they necessarily want to know how much their child pooped but because they realize, with clarity, that the only way they will truly know their child's early years is to get it second hand from a daycare provider. That is not a judgemental remark but an observation and an urge to parents to at least be honest with their feelings instead of deferring their emotional fragility onto the provider.


Parents need to understand that child CARE is a shared responsibility. Simply handing over a cheque to a daycare provider each and every week does not buy you, the parent, a guilt-free life. You are not paying for therapy. That cheque pays for the wonderful care of your child. Give the provider a break. Instead of asking her to spend time filling out paperwork just talk to her like a normal human being. You might be surprised what she could tell you about your little miracle that she would not take time to write down on  that precious piece of paper.






For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@gmail.ca