Child Daycare in ID

[WendyBG]

In a recently-released study of the quality of oversight of child daycare centers, Idaho ranked dead last. Idaho's rank was 52, because the Defense Department and the District of Columbia were included on the list, along with the 50 states.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...03-01-05-40-30

[begin quotes]

"Some conservative legislators object to tougher regulations as "a threat to the family, or a burden on small providers," [ID State Representative George] Sayler said. "

http://www.theolympian.com/101/story/68148.html

On Monday, the Idaho House's Health and Welfare Committee voted down a bill that would have required minimum safety standards and criminal background checks for day care centers. Two committee members commented that mothers should instead stay home to care for their children.

Rep. Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, said he "cannot imagine" ever taking a child to a day care center, adding, "There is no substitute, there is absolutely no substitute for families taking care of children."

Proponents of the bill said they were stunned by the vote, in light of child deaths and injuries at some Idaho facilities, and noted that more than 70,000 Idaho children under age 5 go to day cares.

"It's ridiculous those men live in a time warp, when 60 percent of all mothers of children under 6 years of age take them someplace to be cared for," said Sylvia Chariton, who testified on behalf of the American Association of University Women of Idaho." [end quotes]

It seems so illogical, so totally wrong-headed, to remove protections for children, because you care so much about children that you think that they should never be in daycare . I just can't understand it! Do the ID lawmakers think that, if daycare is unsafe enough, women will quit their jobs, rather than place their children in daycare? Then, women will be home, where they belong?

Is this medieval thinking typical of ID?

Wendy

[kimbercuddles]

To be honest with you, it really surprises me that Idaho is ranked last. I know it's not realistic to generalize, but I assumed that the midwest and even northwestern states were known for their family-oriented ways. It seems if this is so, they would be much more concerned with child daycares.

Rep. Tom Loertscher needs a reality check, in my opinion. I agree, the best case scenario would be to have family take care of the children, but as we all know, many times that's just not an option.

There are times that I find myself a little frustrated and impatient with my 4 year old; I can only imagine how some people who take care of children who are not their own take out their frustrations and impatience on the children.

I am very fortunate to be able to stay at home with my son; we would be much better off financially if I were to go back to work, but at this point in time, at least until he's in school, I would prefer to sacrifice the extra income. Thank goodness my hubby feels the same way. It is a fact of life, however, that many families are not able to the same thing.

[WendyBG]

Originally Posted by kimbercuddles

Rep. Tom Loertscher needs a reality check, in my opinion. I agree, the best case scenario would be to have family take care of the children, but as we all know, many times that's just not an option....

I am very fortunate to be able to stay at home with my son; we would be much better off financially if I were to go back to work, but at this point in time, at least until he's in school, I would prefer to sacrifice the extra income. Thank goodness my hubby feels the same way. It is a fact of life, however, that many families are not able to the same thing.

I think your son will benefit tremendously, because you are taking care of hi, . You are also lucky, in that your hubby feels the same way, and makes enough money, to support you all.

The ones I worry about are the single/ divorced moms, who don't have a choice, or even a partner, to help them support their children.

The issue with the day care workers is that ID doesn't even do a criminal background check. Knowing that you get impatient, with your own beloved child, would you want a criminal taking care of her <shudder>?

Wendy

[kimbercuddles]

Originally Posted by WendyBG

I think your son will benefit tremendously, because you are taking care of hi, . You are also lucky, in that your hubby feels the same way, and makes enough money, to support you all.

The ones I worry about are the single/ divorced moms, who don't have a choice, or even a partner, to help them support their children.

The issue with the day care workers is that ID doesn't even do a criminal background check. Knowing that you get impatient, with your own beloved child, would you want a criminal taking care of her <shudder>?

Wendy

My hubby does okay...we are definitely not wealthy, but that's fine with me.

I am concerned about the same group of people that you are. Child support helps in some circumstances, but not all.

The idahoans need to get together and try to make a criminal background check mandatory...that's borderline insane! That would be the perfect place for child predators to hone in on innocent children. A very disturbing thought...I don't understand the logical thinking (or lack of) some people.

[isabel]

I went from a home private care to a county run day care...because the private, licensed home, I was using for child care...turned out to have someone living there that had not been finger printed and was avoiding the license process of california...by saying they didn't live in the home.

Didn't realize he hadn't been screened until I received a phone call from licensing asking questions about who was in the house, when I dropped off my child. BIG RED FLAG! Pulled my kids out of there that day...and never went back. They were fined $3,000. and closed their business three weeks later.

Now my kids are in a county run program based at the public schools. Everyone is finger printed and licensed.

If I was running a daycare in a state, like ID, were you don't have to be finger printed. I would use that to my advantage by advertising that... I and everyone in my house went down and was finger printed, and TB tested.

Izzy

[kimbercuddles]

Originally Posted by isabel

I went from a home private care to a county run day care...because the private, licensed home, I was using for child care...turned out to have someone living there that had not been finger printed and was avoiding the license process of california...by saying they didn't live in the home.

Didn't realize he hadn't been screened until I received a phone call from licensing asking questions about who was in the house, when I dropped off my child. BIG RED FLAG! Pulled my kids out of there that day...and never went back. They were fined $3,000. and closed their business three weeks later.

Now my kids are in a county run program based at the public schools. Everyone is finger printed and licensed.

If I was running a daycare in a state, like ID, were you don't have to be finger printed. I would use that to my advantage by advertising that... I and everyone in my house went down and was finger printed, and TB tested.

Izzy

How fortunate you were to find out about this person! Excellent idea...I hope something changes soon in ID...I would be very hesitant about taking my children anywhere.

[cleozmom]

Without seeming to bash, simply stating truths, yes this is typical Idaho thinking being as there's a vast amount of LDS church members here and to their thinking women belong in the home raising the children. I will agree with the one Rep. to an extent! He said that there's no place like home, while that's true, it doesn't squelch the need for daycares and safe ones at that.

Here's something more shocking, one of the lawmakers that squashed this from becoming law is a woman!

[isabel]

Yes, I was wondering when you would make the connection between the lawmakers and lds. Both my husband and I agree that they should finger print, background check, anyone dealing with children. As you know cleozmom, we're lds.

I think they have made a mistake and will be forced to correct it...when things go bad for children in daycare...in Idaho. Hopefully they will see the error of their ways before something happens.

Izzy

[WendyBG]

Originally Posted by isabel

I think they have made a mistake and will be forced to correct it...when things go bad for children in daycare...in Idaho. Hopefully they will see the error of their ways before something happens.

Izzy

The article said, "Proponents of the bill said they were stunned by the vote, in light of child deaths and injuries at some Idaho facilities..." So, it looks as if something already has happened, some lawmakers tried to implement regulations, and other lawmakers squelched it.

I simply can't understand it. If you don't want your kids in daycare, fine. But, don't make daycare unsafe, for the families that need it.

Wendy

[cleozmom]

Originally Posted by WendyBG

I simply can't understand it. If you don't want your kids in daycare, fine. But, don't make daycare unsafe, for the families that need it.

Wendy

That right there was a mouthful and I concur.

[OhEe]

Interesting. I live in Idaho and I take my child to an in-home daycare and she is licensed with the state. To be licensed with the state you have to have passed a criminal background check, and my daycare lady does it every year in order to keep her license, as do the people in her home. I guess that it is daycare centers that they are referring to. After reading those articles, I am glad that I chose the daycare provider I did.

I live in Boise and while there are a lot of LDS here, they are not the majority. And in Northern Idaho, their presence is very small. Southeastern Idaho is where they are strongest, so to say that it is LDS driven isn't necessarily true.

[PDXnative]

I have heard some horror stories of daycares in Idaho from my family that lives there. Lots of drug use and other stuff.

[Sekretgardengal]

That is horrible for the children to see that kind of stuff.