Registered NO MORE!!

The day that I’ve been waiting and planning for the last 9 month has finally come….it’s not new baby news…it’s not a fancy vacation news.  The news is this.  My childcare registration expired.  I couldn’t be happier.

I know previously I’ve told you that I was feeling frustrated with the childcare system registration and the requirements they have.  Well my registration expired as of today.  I am still going to be providing the same childcare I always have, I’m simply not going to be registered.

What a huge relief.  I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that although I’m happy, the ending is bittersweet.  I think providers should be registered.  I think there should be simple requirements in place.  I think there should be a monitoring system….what I don’t agree with is how overboard the regulations have gotten to be.  It is ridiculous.

I never in a million years thought I would get to this place.  I used to teach continuing education classes.  I was the first person to encourage people to be registered.  I tried to lead a campaign in doing what was required in home childcare settings.  Every year it got to be a little more…and a little more and a little more.  Well now, this camel (me)’s back is broken.  NO MORE.

Part of the requirements included me taking a class on pool safety.  I don’t have a pool.  Another class was for car seat safety.  I don’t transport kids.  Why should I have to sit through that?  It makes no sense.

One thing that really frustrated me was that my daughters could no longer provide substitute care if I had to be away unless they went through a 12 hour training….the same training that I would have had to attend that included classes on SIDS, pool safety and car seat safety.  What sense is that?  Again, I don’t have a pool and I don’t transport…and as far as the SIDS training goes, the girls are nurses.  I’ve talked to a couple of the parents and explained how ridiculous I thought it was that the girls could no longer do substitute care and the parent laughed saying that my girls likely know the kids better than their own aunts who rarely see the kids.

Another think that was frustrating is the the girl take MEDICAL first aide CPR.  For my program I need them to have pediatric.  Well Medical is more advanced than pediatric…but their Medical didn’t meet the requirement even though pediatric CPR was covered in the Medical class.  DUMB.

I was required to keep a sign by my doors to show people how to exit my house in case of fire or tornado.  I don’t think who ever is making these regulations realizes that the people who I provide care for, have become my family.  They know where the exits are and my house isn’t no big that a person can’t see them.  I completely understand that this is needed in centers.  Not everyone realizes where all the exits are….but in my home, silly.

One of the concerns Hubby and I had was that being I am not registered, I would no longer be eligible for meal reimbursement for the children.  I thought I’d end up taking a big hit on that but honestly, I don’t think I will.  For example today it was time for lunch.  I had leftover spaghetti from Monday and leftover chicken macaroni casserole from Tuesday.  I didn’t have enough of either to feed all of the kids.  Normally Hubby would have grumbled because he hates all things noodle related.  I would have tried to eat some of one of the dishes and on Saturday when I cleaned the refrigerator, I would have thrown them out.  Today, not so.  The four big kids ate the spaghetti and the one little one had the chicken macaroni.  It worked out better for everyone because the little one could feed herself the chicken dish but wouldn’t have been able to feed herself the spaghetti.  No nutrition was compromised.  They all had a healthy meal with grapes and green peas added.  Normally, all kids have to eat the same.  I can see that this will work out really good for me in some aspects.

I was always and forever nagging parents to turn in their paperwork.  There was so much paperwork.  It drove me crazy.  Each time a little one got a shot, I needed a new record that was signed, dated and came from the facility that provided the shot….as far as I’m concerned, I don’t need a shot a record. I have never in the 10+ years I’ve provided care EVER looked or read the paper.  The only time it was touched was when state came in to check my records.  What a waste of time.  What a waste of energy.

When I previously wrote about this someone wrote, rather nastily, stated that they would never bring a child to a non registered child care provider.  Well, this person obviously doesn’t live in rural Iowa.  Seriously, ALL of the people I do care for were either in the same class or were a few years younger or older than my own kids.  They all know me.  I know their grandparents and many of the siblings…or I take my vehicle to be fixed where they work.  It is so rural around here.  I have a waiting list.  Right now, three families are waiting to get in this fall and I just got another call this week.  This person was someone whose name I didn’t recognize.  I messaged Kelli and she gave me the scoop.  This is the reality of small town.  There is a big shortage of providers in our area-people are willing to go to a non-registered provider.

Anyway…this is freedom day for me….I am basking in the freedom of operating my own business….I am going to feed kids when it works into our schedule not by a demanded time.  Once the weather is good I am going to have a picnic at the park and not worry that this day we won’t have milk for lunch and will have juice instead because it’s more easily transportable.  I am going to spend time with the kids and not shuffling paperwork.  GLORY BEE!!  DHS doesn’t have a hold on me!