Have You Hugged Your Caregiver Today?
Author/Source Unknown

How would you like a job where you work 7am to 7pm or longer, with no breaks for lunch or coffee, and you are lucky if you get a chance to go to the bathroom?

How would you feel if your paycheck was constantly late, sometimes by as much as a month, and you constantly had to remind people to pay you? I would not be very happy, and I doubt if you would either. You might have second thoughts about staying with that job.

That is what many Family Child Care Providers put up with, month after month, because they care about your child, and don't want to see the children get hurt because of the actions of others. Caregivers are encouraged to have a contract with the parents for the care they are going to provide for the child. The hard part is enforcing that contract, because careegivers worry about the consequences for the child.

Parents need to work with their caregiver to ensure their child has a full, happy, rewarding day. The best way to do that is to follow the commitments you have made in the contract.

PAY YOUR FEES ON TIME

Just because Family Child Care providers work out of their homes doesn't mean they don't have bills to pay. If you get a Government Subsidy to help with your fees, make sure you make the appointment to get the subsidy renewed before it expires.

DROP OFF AND PICK UP YOUR CHILD AT THE AGREED-UPON TIMES

Children like routine, and if you are late, it can bey very upsetting for the child. Also, the caregiver may have other plans.

KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME OR FIND ALTERNATE CARE WHEN
YOUR CHILD IS TOO SICK TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.

It is very difficult for caregivers to change their day around because a child is sick. It isn't fair to the other children present. Also, they (as well as the caergiver) may get sick.

LET YOUR CAREGIVER KNOW ABOUT ANY CHANGES AT HOME,
EVEN IF IT IS JUST THE GOLDFISH DYING.

Children talk about everything, and if the child says they are sad because Goldie died, and the caregiver doesn't know who Goldie is, it could be confusing.

Fill out the registration form completely. Make sure you include:

· Your child's care card number
· Doctor's and dentist's name and phone number
· An emergency contact the caregiver can reach if you are unavailable (who is authorized to pick up your child)
· The dates of your child's immunizations.

Caregivers are required to have this information on file for each child before they begin to provide care.

FINALLY, REMEMBER TO THANK YOUR CAREGIVER.

Give them a hug. Let them know you appreciate all they do for you. If caregivers charged parents what their child's care was really worth, no one could afford to pay!

~ By Yvonne Betts, for the Nanaimo Daily Free Press ~

*Submitted by Terri

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