PFCCA Online Family Child Care Provider Support Group

Posts:

June 27, 2008 10:52AM

- Hi. I'm a new provider and am having trouble managing my own children during daycare hours. They are 2 boys ages 3 and 7. Any ideas would be great! - anonymous

Responses
- That is a tough question. Based on the ages, I am sure that some of the problem could be that these children are not easily able to share their parent's attention with other children and area bit jealous. I am sure that the parent has chatted with the children about the situation but this age child is very egocentric and would have a difficult time understanding the parent giving attention to the other children. Some ideas would include:
* Separate the children's toys. There are toys for the child care and toys that belong to the children who live there. While the child care children are in the home, use only the toys that are for child care and vice versus.
* Make sure you use lots of positive attention with all the children but especially your own so they are looking for positive rather than negative attention...it is always faster and easier to get negative attention.
* At the end of the child care day, after the last child leaves, make sure you have a little down time with your own children. Read a book, just chat and snuggle, etc. for 5 or 10 minutes before jumping into your evening activities, reminding them that they are the most important children in your life.
Good luck. - Claudia L.

- I have a very bossy 5 year old at the daycare, and love it when he can go and help his dad during daycare hours. We live on a farm and my husband also has his own excavation machinery that he runs so sometimes it works out that my son can stay with him. When he is here we have to remind him of the rules a lot. Like he is not the boss, everyone has to help clean up before we move on to the next activity, and yes he has to wait his turn, and no he can't go help himself to whatever he likes in the kitchen. It might help to sit down with them when all the other children are gone and tell them what you expect from them during daycare hours and maybe have a special reward for them if they follow the rules and help you. Like going to the park or a popcicle or something else they like. Good Luck - Stephanie N.
- This is a common question or complaint I heard from other providers. What Nyla and I did (and could only because there were two of us) was that I got involved with her child and she does mines. If my daughter who is still with us acts up she will step in an take care of the situation. I will generally try first but if it is not working then she will. That way the parent is removed from the situation and my child will respond to this in more of a child-teacher manner than a child-parent manner. Then all the manipulation and nagging a child will often do to it's parent aren't any longer an option. - Robyn S.
- I think that your own kids are always the most difficult to handle in a group of children. It's important that your own children have their own toys that they do not have to share with the daycare children. This is important and they need their own space whether it be their room or another place in the house. You need to approach the children and let them know that the other kids are "mommy's" work and that you need their help. They need to know that when they are in the group they must follow the rules with the other children. When the day care children leave, then special activities need to be planned for just "mommy's" kids because then they can have special treatment. I'm having the same problem with my own grandson who thinks everything is his here. I'm paying for him to go to preschool two mornings a week so that he can have someone else (non-family) to work with him and he can have a break from me. It's helped however, it is still more challenging with your own kids. Whenever possible, have another adult working there with you handle his/her discipline. It works better. The only books that I can think of our written by Becky Bailey. Hope this helps. - Colleen L.

April 15, 2008 6:53PM

- I just joined the PFCCA and I'm wondering when you are going to have a any local meeting, trainings or get togethers for the Weber county area? Is anyone going to start a support group in weber/morgan county. There isn't much going on in this area. Is the Chapter Director going to start one? If so when? And where? - anonymous

Responses

- Thank you for your interest in helping with PFCCA chapter groups in your area. Please email me directly, and i can giveyou some information and get some information from you concerning our chapter group program. Thank you. - Stephanie N. stephanie.nuttall@yahoo.com

April 10, 2008 9:09AM

- I am in need of some tips on helping my child age 6 to stop bossing my daycare children around. - anonymous

Responses

- My son is the oldest child at my daycare most of the day, and he also tries to become the boss too! I haven't found a great way to have him stop being bossy, but I do try and give him jobs or assignments that makes him feel like he is still a "leader".

- REWARDS - every 15 minutes if he does not, then every 30 minutes, then until he stops being bossy. Rewards - behavior

- I allow each child in care, including my own, to be a "helper". They help me "care" for kids, clean up, pass things out, etc. That way, if my child is bossing, i can remind her she isn't the helper.

March 15, 2008 8:32AM

- I set up my non profit to host various community servies. I am going to open a daycare now and I want to give the daycare a different name than the non profit but run it under the non profit status. is this duable.

Responses

- I have been trying to figure out our own non profit info. It is really complicated and I don't think any of us are authorized to give this kind of advice. I called the IRS and left me a message, and he even stated he wasn't qualified to answer the questions that we should consult a non-profit law firm and CPA. I would recommend you due the same. - Leslie (PFCCA President)

- You need to see a tax attorney. There are certain rules. I don't think you can, but what do I know, I'm not a tax expert. - Nyla

February 4, 2008 1:30PM

- I am a family child care provider in Massachusetts. Do you have any knowledge of a group such as yours in Massachusetts?

Thank you!

Responses

- There are CCR&R’s all over the country and the one in Massachusetts should know who your local Provider Association is. The National CCR&R’s web site is http://www.naccrra.org/ - Lyn B.

January 30, 2008 11:12PM

- Hi Everyone, my name is Sherry and I am new to this state, but not the family child care profession. I was licensed and certified in the state of Wisconsin for over eight years. Did you know there is a major movement happening with family child care throughout the nation? Specifically, family child care professionals are growing tired of the social stigma given to our profession. To put it bluntly, we are not "babysitters" but serious men and women in the business of early childhood care.

There are serious issues that must be addressed if we ever wish to hope for some kind of financial security. I was fortunate enought to be heavily-in-the-trenches-involved with the organization and development of Wisconsin's first child care union.I was even elected by my peers to represent them in bargaining state contract negotiations. I am here to encourage you to take notice of future PFCCA chapter and regional meetings. I am here to tell you that I have a testimony of our combined strength, I have seen and witnessed it move mountains that never moved before. We are very powerful, and we need each other now more than ever. I will be working with our local PFCCA leadership to educate everyone further on these topics in the future, but for now, please accept my gratitude for havingthe oppertunity to write to you on this site. (It is really a wonderful tool...and hopefully it will be utilized more and more!) I welcome any feed-back or questions you may have, but understand my affiliation with the union ended when I moved to Utah. In fact I am not interested in talking about unionizing. I am talking about NFCCA/PFCCA organizing the same campaign with the same results. Providers may choose whom represents them. The main point I wish to stress is that better organization is vital to our industry! The old saying is true that you don't know what you are missing until you have "experienced" the difference of something and then lost it by moving out of state, ask me what it feels like to be involved within all the aspects of state-wide child care reform...When was the last time your legislator told you before he cut a budget that was important to children and your business? We can make that age old practice disappear forever! The future is bright and exciting! See ya! Sherry W., check me out online at wilsonfcc.com, or email me at bishopmomma@yahoo.com

January 1, 2008 2:34PM

- PFCCA rocks! It has really helped me get involved within my profession. Family child care is a career that brings in a professional income but allows me to be a mother first. - Robyn S.

December 13, 2007 5:58PM

- why is there not that many posts on this site?//?? - ruthy

Responses

- The PFCCA online support group was just put up a few months ago and only advertised in the last PFCCA newsletter. As more members hear about it, I expect there to be more comments posted. - Jai H.

December 13, 2007 5:50PM

- why can't you make your membership more affordable for providers that don't have alot of extra money to spend??? - helen

Responses

- As the PFCCA Treasurer I know how much money it takes to run PFCCA. We get a small grant from the State but most of the money we need comes from memberships. It costs a lot to send membership packets, send out a quarterly newsletter, support the chapters, pay for a P.O. box and operate a toll-free phone line. All of the board members and chapter directors are strictly volunteers. They spend many hours each month working for providers and receive no money for it. They are all busy people with families and childcare businesses to run just as you. We are working on some fundraisers to help keep the cost of membership down. Last year we had a half-price membership drive. The cost of membership is only $2 a month and it is a tax deduction as a business expense. We waive the membership fee for board members and chapter directors. We can always use more volunteers for our board and in each chapter. We also need many people for committees. Maybe you would consider volunteering your time. Just let anyone on the board know. - Lori T.

October 24, 2007

- Although this web page serves a important purpose to connect all of us, I would like to recommend that all providers get involved in a PFCCA Support Group. I became licensed 2 years ago and started in my group at that time. My group helped me get through all the hurdles of being a new provider, and they provided great ideas and support through the difficult times with their knowledge and positive thoughts. I know that the past two years would have been lonely and tough had it not been for my group’s amazing commitment to child care. I urge you all to find a group to attend on a regular basis, not only do they provide support but also wonderful friends.

THANKS GROUP!! - Leslie H.

October 18, 2007

- would like to know if it is better for my child care business to be a non-profit corperation. If not how can i get assistance from the gov. to help w/start up/renting a center and supplies. - anonymous

Responses

- I don't think that you can have a child care business as a non-profit operation unless it is government sponsored or a public school. There may be some assistance in the form of a grant but it would probably have to be paid back. She should see what is available through CCR&R. I'm not aware of any other opportunities. - Colleen L.

- The following information is from Tom Copeland's 2004 Family Child Care Legal & Insurance Guide, Redleaf Press, page 172: If you decide to seek tax-exempt status, you should first consult an attorney and a tax professional. Bear in mind that nonprofit corporations must register with their state, follow the relevant state laws, and observe most of the same business formalities as other corporations. They must also make their federal tax returns available to the public when requested. I hope this helps! - Jai H.