When I was a teenager the "B" word didn't bother me. It didn't bother me as I grew up. Didn't bother me when I got married. Didn't bother me when I became a mother. To be honest it never bothered me until....I became a family child care provider.
Once I became a family child care provider, everything changed. It seemed like everyone was calling me the "B" work - my family, my friends, former colleagues, people at my church, and most shockingly other family child care providers! Had I just never noticed how frequently the word was used? Had I in fact turned into the "B" word? Had I always been the "B" word? When did I become the "B" word?
With deep thought and soul searching I had to admit, yes I was indeed, the "B" word. It started when I was 13. It went on for years and I was very, very good at it. In fact I was probably the best in my neighborhood. I also realized that while I might have been a "B" word when I was a teenager, I am certainly no "B" word any longer!
The "B" word I am referring to is babysitter. As a provider do you do everything you can to remove that word from the vocabulary of your family, your friends, the families in your child care program, decision makers - from your own vocabulary?
It is up to us as family child care providers, to educate those around us about our profession. Do they realize everything we are required to do to be a provider? While not all states are the same I can speak to what is required in my own state.
- I am required to be licensed
- I must pay a fee to be licensed
- I must be CPR/First Aid certified
- I must have 30 hours field related training hours every two years
- I am inspected by DFS twice a year
- I am inspected by the Fire Marshall each year
- I am inspected by the Department of Health and Sanitation every year
- I am inspected 3 times a year by the CACFP program
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