Dealing With Difficult Children in Your In-Home Childcare

October 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Children in home day caresNo matter how angelic a child may appear, most children will be difficult occasionally in a childcare setting. Maybe the child did not get enough sleep the night before. Perhaps they are feeling the beginnings of a cold or maybe this is the day they decide to assert their independence  No matter the reason, an unruly child can be upsetting and distracting for you and the other children. As a childcare provider you have several options when dealing with a disruptive child, in order to preserve the safety of the other children in your care.

Public Scrutiny is Not an Option

Do not purposely make the child feel humiliated as a form of discipline. Treating a child in this manner is giving him or her negative attention. Disruptive children usually act out for attention, good or bad. Responding to a child’s inappropriate behavior this way will only worsen the situation.

Stay Calm

Calmly explain the rules and expectations you have in an age-appropriate way.Children feel empowered, too when they are being treated with kindness and respect.

Remove the Child From the Situation

If a child in your care begins acting aggressively toward another child in your care you need to move him or her into another, safe environment. Explain calmly why their behavior has caused them to be removed and then give the child a few minutes to calm down before returning to the group.

Praise and Reward Good Behavior

At this age children thrive on praise. Young children are still learning the proper ways to act when they are in a bad mood, tired or angry. When they make a good choice praise their choice.

Involve Parents

Do not be afraid to let parents know if a child had a bad day. Acting as if a day was happy and rosy when, in fact, the child had three major temper tantrums is unproductive and out of sync with your goals to provide proper childcare. Mostly likely the child is acting out at home, too. Providing accurate information to parents will help them determine the right course of action to help their child.

Have you had a difficult child in your care before? How did you handle the situation?

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Establishing Boundaries with Childcare Families is Essential

October 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment

childcareCreating distinct, precise boundaries with your childcare families is essential for running a successful home daycare. Whether you have two children in your care or you are licensed to provide car for over 5 children, providing your families with an outline of your services and expectations will make your job easier.

Two-Way Interviews

Potential childcare clients will insist on interviewing you. That is a no-brainer. But, do not forget that during the interview you should be conducting an interview of your own. Allow the parents to ask you their questions, but before the interview is over be sure to ask the following questions:

  • What is your work schedule?
  • How often do you work late? If you have to work late, who will be picking up your child?
  • Why are unhappy with your child’s current childcare situation? What makes it less than ideal?
  • What type of environment will your child thrive in? A laid-back childcare experience or a structured environment?
Policies and Procedures

When you are meeting with parents for the first time, it is important to have your policies and procedures clearly written for them to take home and make a decision. In these policies and procedures, be sure to address the following:

  • Your hours and availability.
  • Your rate of pay.
  • Any holidays or vacations. You are entitled to a paid vacation, but you should tell your potential parents this upfront to avoid any awkward situations a few months down the line.
  • Refunds and credits. How will you handle an emergency situation that arises where YOU are unable to provide childcare? Also, be sure to address what is expected payment-wise, if parents keep their child home sick or take their own vacation. Will you still charge them for the missed day or do you allot a predetermined amount of sick/vacation days?
Contracts Are Necessary

Once you have accepted a child into your care, a signed contract between you and the child’s legal guardians is an absolute must. In this contract, you should spell out the following:

  • The cost for weekly childcare service.
  • The due date for each week’s childcare payment.
  • Fee schedule for late payments, missed payments or returned checks.
  • When the child will arrive and when the child will leave on given days.
  • Record any pre-paid deposits. (Side note: When I provided childcare, I required a two-week deposit up front. If families left, they had the option of being reimbursed their two-week deposit or continuing the last two weeks at no charge.)
Why Boundaries are Necessary?

If you are considering watching children in your home, you may be wondering why I am making such a big deal about policies and procedures, contracts and deposits. Shouldn’t it be simpler watching children in your home? Well, the truth is, boundaries are there to protect you and your interests. Chances are you will never have to refer back to these pieces of paper, but sometimes things go wrong. Having a signed paper in front of you to show to mom or dad why you are refusing to allow them to pay in check after the last three were returned, will empower you to stand up for your rights.

I should also note that after you meet with potential families you should allow a 48 hour period before offering a spot to the child in your home. This will help you avoid making compulsive decisions.

Here is a question for parents seeking childcare from in-home providers. Were you required to sign a contract before your child was accepted? What were your thoughts about signing contracts and attending interviews?

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Strategies for Advertising Your In-Home Childcare Services

October 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment

childcare advertising ideasDeciding to offer childcare in your home is the easiest part of the process in making your dream a reality. If you dream it, you can be it, may be true, but dreams do not come to fruition without action on your part. After you have worked out the details of how you will run your in-home childcare and looked into the special rules and considerations set by your local authorities, you are now in the position to start accepting children . But how do you go about finding those families who are willing to trust you with their children and enlist your services?

Home Childcare Can Be Intimidating for Potential Families

While a home environment for childcare makes sense to many families, the truth is a smaller environment can be scary for parents. When someone decides to use a large, well-known childcare center an instant trust is seemingly formed. Why? Checks and balances. These centers have various degrees of management and supervision that automatically ensures accountability; kiddie cams allow parents to always see what is going on in their child’s classroom, daily progress reports are sent home and the overall sense of organization awards these centers their legitimacy. Checks and balances give parents comfort.

I do not say this to discourage anyone who wants to offer childcare out of their home because there is something to be said for childcare services being performed in an individual’s home and there are a lot of parents who are looking for the more personal, one-on-one attention that home childcare providers can offer. But, finding these families can be tasking. I offer to you three easy, affordable suggestions to begin this next journey in your life.

Word-of-Mouth

Make it a priority to let all of your friends and family know about your in-home childcare venture. Friends and family provide networking opportunities that may help find potential families, while their referral is an instant  personal reference. Positive, solid references are crucial to your success in gaining new families.

Social Networking Outlets

When I say social networking outlets, I mean something a bit more than Facebook or Twitter. These two social mediums shouldn’t be ignored, but there are other traditional “social networking” methods that work, too. Church bulletins, restaurant bulletin boards and local mom’s groups are ideal avenues to finding families. Don’t forget alerting the schools in your area. Schools generally keep lists of childcare providers who provide after-care for elementary students or regular full-time care for non school-age children.

Old School Tactics

Computers,innovative software programs and home printers make it cheap and easy to design simple flyers advertising your services. Include pictures of the spaces in your home which will be the primary locations where the children will spend the majority of their day to give potential families a preview. Spend a few evenings distributing these around target neighborhoods that are close to your home to inform families that there is a close and convenient childcare option available for them.

You can also put an ad in your local newspaper. These ads can be pricey, but they attract a large number of potential families.

Final Thoughts

The above tips should help you begin your home childcare business, but there is much more to contemplate once you begin interviewing and accepting families. These include: contracts, policies and procedures, scheduling and dealing with difficult children and parents. The next article in this series will talk about the importance of contracts and clear policy and procedures to make your childcare business thrive.

Do you provide childcare? What advertising techniques did you utilize?

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Tips for Beginning Your Own In-Home Childcare

October 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

childcare service out of your homeAre you considering starting your own in-home childcare business to earn money while being a stay-at-home parent? Providing care for children other than your own can be a rewarding experience, providing you with a decent income while allowing you the opportunity to watch your own children grow. However, starting your own childcare business can be challenging and you should have a plan. As a former in-home childcare provider, here are a few tips for you to consider to make this opportunity work for you.

Before you begin accepting children into your home you need to determine 4 things: your local and state laws, your childcare style, your schedule, and your temperament.

Local and State Laws

States and cities have their own licensing procedures. In order to be in compliance with the laws of your location, it is imperative that you thoroughly research what laws will pertain to you. Certain laws that may affect your business include how many children you can have in your home, in addition to your own. Some locations do not necessarily require you to have a license and not obtaining one can cut down on the red tape you will have to go through. However,keep in mind, being licensed gives families peace of mind. State licensing procedures can be found by contacting your state’s Department of Health and Human Services. For your local licensing guidelines you can contact your city hall.

Childcare Style

What kind of childcare do you wish to provide? Will you operate on a strict schedule that resembles the structured day of a stone and mortar, larger daycare center? Or will the childcare you provide be more flexible and homey? What kind of activities will you provide? Prospective parents will want to know how you plan to engage their children. Do not be afraid to be completely upfront when expressing your expectations of how your day, as the provider, will be. Being honest with prospective clients will help you avoid frustrations due to lack of communication.

Your Schedule

You need to determine the hours that you will provide childcare from the very beginning. Be upfront with this information to prospective families. Work situations will vary and to assume that everyone has 8-5 hours is simply not true. That doesn’t mean you need to be available 24/7. Determine a schedule that works well with your own family’s lifestyle. Do you have after-school obligations that require you finish providing childcare by 4:00 pm? If so, make sure families know this upfront so that your time and their time is not wasted with an unnecessary, pointless  interview.

Also consider if you will you offer part-time and full-time childcare? Or will you just offer one option? These are questions that parents will ask you. Do not adjust your schedule just to get a “job.” Ultimately, you will regret it.

Your Temperament

Children have a variety of temperaments. This obvious fact means that you need to determine your temperament in order to make an informed decision on how many children and what ages you will reasonably be able to handle in your home. Some in-home childcare providers prefer not to take infants, explaining why there is always a big demand for this age group. On the other hand, preschoolers require a lot of stimulation, they have boundless energy and you may find that your energy level will not match theirs. This is especially true if you have more than two children in this age group.

Finding Families

Once you have determined your childcare style and researched your local and state laws, it is time to start the process of advertising your services. Stayed tuned tomorrow. The next  article in this series will offer suggestions on how to find potential families.

Are you a stay-at-home childcare provider? What hurdles did you face in the beginning?

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Are Schools Suffocating Our Children’s Creative Spark?

October 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

creative learning for our kids in schoolThis question was posed six years ago by Sir Ken Robinson, an English author, speaker, and international adviser on education. He spoke candidly, passionately and, quite humorously, at the annual TED conference challenging parents and educators to nourish a child’s creativity. His message was extraordinary and has been downloaded more than 3.5 million times in more than 200 countries. You can listen to his speech below, but for the moment let’s take a second to consider his point.

How are Schools Stifling Creative Thought?

It is not intentional. Let’s begin there. No one would intentionally set out to extinguish the flames of creativity. At least I would hope not. Instead it seems to be a gut-reaction, a desperate attempt to nudge students to conform, to make “right” choices, to follow the path of least resistance. But why?

Schools and teachers are held to high standards based on pressure from national standards as well as community expectations for schools to perform as A+ schools. How are these standards measured? Standardized tests generate scores that can be measured and promoted as proof of success or failure for both students and teachers. This intense focus on tangible test results that typically measure mathematics and scientific skill overlook the immense talent that exists in children who are not androids, yet students who express and learn through their senses, not computer generated tests designed to place them on a statistical grid; highlighting weaknesses instead of promoting talent that goes beyond using a #2 pencil and filling in an oval.

If you have fifteen minutes, take the time to listen to this message below. The message is eloquent and eye-opening. Then tell us your thoughts. Do you think our educational system devalues creative thought?

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The Diverse Landscape of Working Women

October 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment

working women and familyBalancing career and family can be difficult. In fact, let’s not sugar-coat this complex issue. Balancing career and family is hell. No matter how much of a superwoman you aim to be none of us are perfect and often times we feel something is lacking in our lives when we try to do it all. It is this reason that many women strive to find creative ways to support their families while carving out work schedules that can fit in with their family’s lifestyle. Corporate America has made advances in honoring women’s, and men’s, desires to be available more often for young families by allowing flex shifts, 4 day work weeks and alternating schedules. However, the truth remains, that a typical 8-5 corporate America job comes up short for the majority of working women.

Eight years ago, I was a social worker. I worked in a domestic violence shelter helping women and children achieve abuse-free lives. I worked with a group of understanding, devoted women who didn’t bat at eye when one of us called in because of a sick child or a last minute school event. But, no matter how flexible my co-workers were, there were aspects of the job that I could not control. I couldn’t be available in case of an emergency when I was in court. I couldn’t walk out on an inconsolable woman just because my shift ended and I needed to pick my children up from childcare. It was moments like these that helped me make the decision to walk away from a stable job and become my own boss. It took a few false starts, but years later I am happy, my family life feels balanced (as much as it ever can be) and I finally feel in control of not only my family/work situation, but my financial situation as well.

Why am I writing about this to you? Working women are not just the women who put in 40 hours a week at a corporate job with an office and a parking space. Working women are the mothers who watch other working mother’s children. Working women are those perky, pleasant neighborhood women who sell direct merchandise to you at your friend’s candle and purse parties. The face of working women is diverse, rich in variety and passionate about their jobs as well as their families.

Please join me this week, and beyond, as The General Gazette introduces you to the lives of working women. The series begins this week with a collection of articles for the in-home childcare provider. Many women choose this route when their children are younger because of the convenience and flexibility. But, as a former childcare provider(it was one of my first ventures after I left my 40 hour a week job), I can attest that watching your own children and others children is a job and a half that requires planning, patience and persistence.  The four articles in this series are meant to offer advice and direction.

In the weeks to come, I will continue to write to you about other business opportunities and personal stories designed to empower you in your quest to balance career and family. As always, please feel free to share your experiences with us by using the comment section of this post, our interactive blog page or on our social media websites. Your participation is welcomed and wanted.

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Are You a Bad Tipper?

October 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Study Shows Higher Tips The New Standard

tipping your waiterYou may be a bad tipper and didn’t even know it. While 15% – 20% has been the standard that many restaurant patrons follow when settling up their bill for dinner or drinks, the New York Post is reporting that some Manhattan waiters are now expecting more than 20% in tips for their services. Anything less makes you a bad tipper.

Why a New Tipping Standard?

This new tipping standard debate comes on the heels of a study done by a Cornell University professor who studied 9,000 credit card receipts from a Poughkeepsie, New York restaurant. His findings? Over 30% of restaurant patrons left more than 20% for their waiter or waitress.

Does this seem outrageous to you? For a $60.00 restaurant bill a 30% tip would cost you $6.00 more than if you left the traditional 20% tip for average, expected service. That is the equivalent of a small appetizer.

Servers, for the most part, do not receive the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. They rely on your generosity and recognition of a job well done to pay their rent, utility bills, etc. However, there are some that argue that servers have the opportunity to make well over the minimum wage per hour, especially on busy nights  and that raising the tipping standards surpasses the average 3% cost of living wage that many American workers receive each year from their companies.

Still many more restaurant patrons expressed that setting a “standard” discourages wait staff from performing their jobs at a superior effort. Instead, shifting the expectation the patron has for excellent customer service to the expectation that the patron will automatically pay a high tip regardless of service.

It Is Still Your Choice

No matter what new tipping standards emerge from the general public’s tipping habits, the choice is still yours to make when tipping your waiter or waitress for the night. Recognizing a person for a job well-done, acknowledging that your waiter has gone above and beyond to fulfill your request, whether a modest request or an extravagant request, is simply being polite and you should tip appropriately in a manner that makes sense. That’s just common sense and good manners. So here are some questions that we pose to you.

How do you determine how much you should tip your waiter or waitress? When would you tip more than 20%? Should the tips we leave reflect inflation and cost-of-living?

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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

September 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

domestic violence awareness monthDid you know that one in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime? Did you know that an estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year? Did you know most cases of domestic violence are never reported to the police?

These staggering facts and statistics are provided by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Domestic violence is a serious problem that affects not only the person being battered, but it affects the entire family and the community. Chances are you have known someone who has experienced an abusive relationship. Our Facebook page  has  a comprehensive fact sheet available for you, provided by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, to help women who may be in an abusive situation or have a family member who needs help.

Even if domestic violence has never touched your life supporting each other is essential to ending this violent epidemic in our country as well as globally. During the month of October we have the chance to help raise awareness and money for domestic violence organizations nationwide by doing simple everyday things like shopping. The following four companies have dedicated their resources and finances towards ending abuse. By purchasing certain products, you can help, too!

Avon

Source: shop.avon.com via General Gazette on Pinterest

Empowerment of Support Circle Necklace
Price: $5.00
Donation: 100% of proceeds

Beauty Brands

Source: Uploaded by user via General Gazette on Pinterest

Redken Guts 10 Volume Spray Foam
Price: $7.98
Donation: 100% of proceeds

Mineral Fusion

Source: mineralfusion.com via General Gazette on Pinterest

Mineral Fusion Products
Price: Varies
Donation: a percentage of proceeds

Johnson Products

Source: Uploaded by user via General Gazette on Pinterest

General Treatment No-Lye Conditioning Creme
Price: $5.99
Donation: $1.00 per box sold

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Moms Fight the Economy with Sweepstakes and Giveaways

September 10, 2012 by 13 Comments

entering contest tipsIf you ask random people on the street to tell you their opinion about the state of the American economy, the answers you get will most likely be rehashed news propaganda mixed with personal experience, resulting in an answer that will vary from person to person. A mom who is out of work from another retail casualty may certainly agree that the economy is dragging its heels recovering. However, a woman who is carving her way, creating her own unique niche with her small business, selling handmade handbags may be seeing positive sales trends and argue that the economy is on the upswing. The point? The state of the economy is subjective.

Now, let’s take those same women and ask them if they love saving money. Yes! Let’s ask them if they feel flushed, slightly orgasmic at the thought of winning a free trip, a free car, or, quite frankly, free anything. Yes! Yes! Yes! Whether it is rough economic times or times of sustenance, the desire to get a deal never wavers.

Sweepstakes Make Sense for Our Wallets

where to enter contestsThe need to feel victorious at winning a bottle of shampoo or scoring movie tickets half price is universal. Given the desire of so many people to be victors in the battle of the freebies and the deeply discounted, it is no wonder that cable networks score big with shows about extreme couponing. It isn’t surprising that the internet is inundated with millions of websites that lure you in with flashing marquees, promises of big winnings and a life lived completely free. The internet is like Vegas for the sweepstake hungry, the prize may be cash winnings that rival the waterfall of coins that fall from a Vegas slot machine while sometimes the prize may be simply coupons you printed this morning, assuring that you will keep your grocery bill under $30 this week.

If you think that I am making fun, I need to stop you right there. I am not. In fact, I actually admire people who have the tenacity and energy needed to participate in daily contests, sweepstakes and give-aways. I have personally known people who have furnished an entire room from their winnings. I have also known friends who seem to always taking amazing, exotic trips because of these glorious giveaways. No, I am not being facetious. I am jealous that I am too lazy to make the effort for a stellar life filled with amazing goodies.

Do Contests Have to Be Time Consuming?

enter contests onlineEntering sweepstakes is a daily job. It requires effort and the ability to carve out enough time to scour the internet looking for the best deals. But – drum roll, please – my friend Beth, who has won three Alaskan cruises (because one wasn’t enough?) told me about a website where all you do is enter your email and you have a plethora of daily sweepstakes, grocery coupons, rebates and even restaurant coupons! No official joining or membership fees. The website, for all you contest fanatics, is Free-Goodies.com. I haven’t actually entered my coveted email address yet. I have a slightly addictive personality, so I am not sure I want to take that first sip just yet. However, for those of you who can hold your contests, this site has giveaways for gas, cash for your opinions (hmmm. . . I have a lot of those), rebates, coupons, etc, etc, etc. This site looks a bit like the Mecca for sweepstakes lovers.

saving money on groceriesIf your one of those mother’s who are ALWAYS looking for ways to save on grocery bills, a site called Freebies is giving away an entire ebook entitled “How To Cut Your Grocery Bills” simply by signing up for newsletters from them for even more free samples and free products in the future!

So, ask me what I think of the state of our economy? I have friends and family that are struggling while some are seeing a rebirth of their personal economic state. My response is I don’t know what the true state of our economy is. I am not an economist and, thank goodness, not a politicians. What I do know is that saving money always makes a person’s situation better. The more money you have in your pocket at the end of the day, the more choices you have in life. Sweepstakes, daily giveaways, contests; these are fun, innovative ways to add joy to your life, bring thrills into your day and add a little extra money into your pocket. I suppose what I am saying is that free never hurt no matter the state of our economy.

Tell me why giveaways and contests are important to you? Are they just for fun? Or, do they help you and your family sustain a certain lifestyle?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Twin Babies, Arrow and Jasper, Pass Out Goodie Bags on Cross-Country Flight

September 7, 2012 by 2 Comments

When I was a little girl I rode in airplane just as much as I rode in cars. Some were quick jaunts up to Chicago while others were mind-numbing, sanity testing journeys across oceans to islands no bigger than my thumb when viewed from high above out an airplane window. This was in the 80′s when flying was truly a luxury. You were given peanuts, airplane wings from the pilot and you could actually relax because the flight was not overcrowded with weary passengers.

Misbehaving was not an option, especially since my dad worked for the airline and employees (and families) were expected to be on their best behavior. Have a toddler prone to temper tantrums? Too bad. You left them at home. These days air travel is the quickest way for families to get somewhere fast. Who wants to spend 14 hours in a car with screaming baby when you can spend 2 hours on an airplane with screaming baby? Well, you may be fine with your child’s temperament and lack of tolerance for recycled cabin air, but your fellow traveling companions on your flight may think otherwise.

Check out what this couple did to prepare the strangers on the five-hour flight from San Francisco to Washington, DC for the possibly of fussy 14-month old baby boys.

Here are Christina Diaz and Michael Rubenstein.

Parents:

We are sharing these pictures with you that were originally posted on www.dailymail.co.uk.com

Here are their precious little babies, Arrow and Jasper.

Cuties

We are sharing these pictures with you that were originally posted on www.dailymail.co.uk.com

Here are the “goodie bags” they passed out to fellow passengers on the bi-coastal flight.

Goodie bag

We are sharing this picture with you that was originally posted on www.dailymail.co.uk.com

What an ingenious idea! I am sure that took days of hard work, expense and forethought. There are not many, if any, people who would go to such trouble to make other people’s journeys less inconvenient. Bravo, Ms. Diaz and Mr. Rubenstein! You have set the bar high for parents with small children and brought back the in-flight snack. I sincerely hope the next flight I am on, Jasper and Arrow fly, too. Because, seriously, who doesn’t love Jolly Ranchers?

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