Woo Hoo for family day care mums!

HELLO!! sorry bit of a ramble here but just very happy :)
Juts wanted to share with SOMEONE!!! DH not home till late and ALL my friends are at work and Uni!! I have to start work again full time on the 2nd april........ had Jacob booked in ABC day care... i was SO impressed with this paticular centre, it was clean, friendly, organised and very very parent information friendly....... We are moving a few suburbs away in 2 weeks so this day care centre was not viable to drive him 30 minutes every morning...
blah blah.....
Went and looked at the ABC centre where we were to move... and OMG... it smelt horrible, it was definitly NOT parent friendly, there was no information available for me at hand....there was a gay guy working there (not that im against that, just dont want it around my boy till he is old enough to understand)..... it was just a BIG let down....
So i was really bummed out about this... quiet upset to the point of tears... this is my little man... I dont want him in a place that is below the standard we have in our own home.
I thought there is no way I will be able to get a family day care spot with 3 weeks notice..... found a website... emailed and got a call this morning..... they gave me a ladies phone number and I went and met her today at her home... SHE WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
I was sooooooooo excited... I am just so relieved.. I can rest easy now and know that my precious precious little man will be cared for and will be taught new things one on one...

Thanks for letting me say YAY... and I just feel so very very relieved about this

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoox

Woohoo thats excellent news!
and Wow at getting a call back so soon. I've had to wait ages for calls back from chidcare places.

That's great!
I think family daycare is soooo underated you know....my DD goes to an awesome family daycare mum. She has her house set up like a little childcare centre, it's babyproofed to the max, and she plans out every day for them with all their activities and has a little board next to her sign in book that shows the parent dropping off what they're going to do for the day....DD LOVES this woman, I drag her out of her house kicking and screaming every time I pick her up, she doesn't want to come home! She's making me look bad! LOL.
Actually we got her in there really quickly too, we got a call about 3 weeks after we put her name down and this lady was the first one we saw. She's just awesome, can't say enough good things about FDC. Hope your little man has just as good an experience!

YAY!!! I agree, I LOVE FDC.......they are so underrated! I would never send my kids anywhere else at least not until they are at school ( I also work at a vacation care centre!). My kids have gone to FDC since they were both 4mo and they love it too. We have moved and although I was nervous about finding another FDC as good....it was no problem. I don't think you can beat the personal care.....it's very special.

That is great - my mum as a FD Carer and the kids had a ball with us! FDC would be my childcare preference if I ever needed it
Best of luck ;)

Hi Kitty,
I appreciate your frustrations regarding finding a good day care but I do take great exception to your words:
"there was a gay guy working there (not that im against that, just dont want it around my boy till he is old enough to understand)"
This kind of attitude is discriminatory. Being gay has nothing to do with how good you are at looking after children. This shouldn't even come into it. Displays of sexuality aren't (or shouldnt) be seen in a daycare situation, whether they be hetero- or homo-sexual.

Im happy that you found a good day care as well but I too was offended by your words. A persons sexual orientation really shouldnt come into it.

Jo

I too love FDC - have had great experiences with my child carer since i've started back at work - it makes working so much easier!

But have to say I haven't heard anyone speak about homosexuality like that for a very long time. Male child care workers already face enough discrimination. Children don't need to 'understand ' sexual preferences they usually accept everyone for how they are.

I would prefer FDC but after meeting 3 carers am a little disillusioned. 3/3 not suitable due to obvious safety concerns, that when spoken about, either surprised or defensive about (eg. unsecured TVs at toddler height). The scheme's administration must obviously make a difference. I have now gone back on leave as can't find suitable care and have been on the list for over 6 months with only the 3 I've seen as options of carers. Well done finding great care.

Must admit - the gay comment surprised me. I would leave my kids with the gay guy any day if he was a good carer, nice person and the environment was safe. I really can't see how his sexual orientation matters or for that matter how you know he is gay - did he offer a male nearby?

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The scheme's administration must obviously make a difference.

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Yep Sim unfortunately I think this is very true.
When I first went back to work DD was under a different scheme and they were much more blase and lax than the scheme she is with now.
The old scheme was based near where I work which is in a low income area. Her new scheme is based near home, which is inner-city and professional (hence higher expectations from the parents I suspect). Perhaps it might be worth your while to see if there are other schemes operating in your area.

I am looking for good family day care, I live on the Gold Coast in SOuthport but will move if it means I have good day care, my bubba is not born yet and I am a single mum, with not alot of offer to help from my family, so as I am studying and working I need the care and help..

ideally would love a fdc that does some weekend nights as I work nights as well but anything is beeter than nothing.

please girls if you ahve any suggestions for Gold Coast or Bris ill move. or websites or companies I should try appreciate all the help.

can email me on karahoff109@hotmail.com

Can't help you with that as I am in NSW.
My DS goes to FDC and I am soooo happy with it, he loves being there, he is the youngest by a year and all the other kids dote on him as does the carer. My daughters both were minded by my mum when they were little but she died 5 years ago so this is the next best thing. I am lucky in that I have known my FDC lady for 12 years and taught 2 of her kids so I have complete faith in her too.

Ive only just looked into FDC, i have an appointment today to arrange a carer for my DD. I hope i find some one as good as all you ladies did!!

Good luck Kim, hope you get someone lovely too.

Hey MrsMac - can I ask where abouts you live in Sydney - I have unfortnately got to a point where I must return to work and am struggling to find anywhere around here - needless to say I called every day care centre in the Sutherland Shire - well almost (I called 12) and only one had 2 days available - which makes me wonder why?? (the paranoia kicks in...)

I'd be interested in FDC but don't really know of any, i have looked on the councils website and will call some on Monday but it would nice to know someone who has used someone - iykwim - i'm so protective of my precious little boy, as no doubt you are also.

Thanks in advance

ETA - it makes me feel really sad to even think about it :(

Northern Sydney, unfortunately nowhere near you Dianna. I go through a Catholic one- Centacare Broken Bay cause thats who my carer is with and I knew I wanted her. I know how you feel about leaving them, I cried the first day!

Thanks for that - I might call my local Parish or look on the net to see if there is a service like that around here - that would be great - fingers crossed - although I'd much prefer to not have to put him in - who knows I might win lotto!!! - wish me luck ;)

You can't win lotto until I have LOL. When I drop Riley off on Mon. I'll ask his carer if they have offices all over Sydney.

Thanks for that MrsMac - It'll be really helpful - now i just need to get that dreaded job - thats the part that's really YUK!!! - I'd like to use other more offensive words to describe it but it's not going to make it any better :(

I was a bit shocked about the gay guy comment. I just want to express how impressed i am by guy's in childcare. I worked in childcare centres for 5 years before i had my son and there were 2 guy's that worked there. They weren't gay but they were amazing with the children. The children were just drawn to them more than they were to the female carers, they loved playing with them and listened to them (which was great when i had one in my room, i looked after the under 2's).