Licensing Fun

I know, I know, you’re thinking, first of all, didn’t she just go through this like 5 minutes ago?  And, second, will she ever stop whining about it?

Yes, and No.

So today was the Announced Inspection for my Annual Yearly License Renewal. This means that a guy (no Sheila, she retired, this guy is new, his name is Russ from Idaho) showed up this morning and I knew he was coming. He looked through the house, every room, every drawer, ever door. He scanned the floor for choking hazards, looked over my cat, observed a diaper change, and inspected the backyard. He examined vaccination records, attendance records, health forms, information forms and training certificates. He measured the height of the blinds pull in the bathroom from the toilet seat. (exactly 36″ by the way, whew!) He watched me give the kids snack, and checked my CPR certification (expires this month), the cat’s rabies certificate (also expires this month).  He gave me the list of additional trainings and certifications I will need to produce should Blair take this thing on with me.

Then he left. I’ll fax the required papers, including the current CPR and rabies thing to his office as soon as I get them.

He’ll be back. Sometime in the next 90 days for an Unannounced Inspection, where he will show up unexpectedly at the worst time possible and want to go all through the house again.

I would just like to say, that you may think daycare is not for you. You may have told yourself that you are not a ‘kid person’. In your heart, you probably think you are too smart, or too educated, or too good to waste your time sitting in a spot keeping kids alive. Sure, you say, ‘kids are important’ and ‘children are our future’ and ‘boy, you sure don’t get paid enough!’, but, until you have walked a mile in my shoes, you have no idea.

I take 20 hours of childcare training courses every year. I sit through a 9 hour first aid and CPR class every year, take 5 hours of Nutrition training, and sign up for an additional 10-20 hours of training for a program called Career Ladder certifications. My first kids arrive before 8am and the last ones leave around 6 if I’m lucky. I feed 5 meals a day, change diapers and wash hands.

The rules binder is 3 inches thick. And there’s a training course to explain it that takes 5 hours to get through.

In the end, I get to make some money and call myself a Licensed Child Care Provider. I get to participate in food program that means more inspections. The Health Dept comes to my house every other year, and I’m required to maintain a Food Handler’s Permit.

Ok, now I’m just bragging:) It is a lot of work, but it’s my work, and I love it. I do love these little people, and I love feeling like I’m part of shaping these tiny lives.

So, the next time you are tempted to look down your nose (even secretly) at daycare and the people who do it, DON’T.

Just because I watch people who eat dirt, doesn’t mean I couldn’t have been a rocket scientist if I’d wanted to:)