Pennsylvania

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What Terri doesn't realize is that the state is only interested in complaints. There was probably someone down the street with fifty kids, but no one complained. As a home provider for over eight years, I can attest that the numbers really do vary. In the olden times, I had 67 children on my family day care roster because of the need in my town. Sometimes I saw 30 children every day in shifts of fifteen. Fifteen school kids for breakfast, fifteen for preschool, and fifteen more after school.

They were generally not there all together, but sometimes the need was outrageous, and the most I ever had in my big pre-Victorian home was 31, and that was a fluke. I had lots of help, and I never watched babies, and the kids all had a good time. I know that because I still know a few with kids of their own, and they still ask me for recipes. We did all kinds of things including go to the pool every day. I live next to the school, and my home is made for children, so it worked.

What the state is looking for is quality care, and they regard quality care as "all the paperwork filled out correctly." That's as far as it goes. I've never met a state official who understands what bonding means, or trust between a parent and a provider.


State Should Change Rules on Child Care

This is in response to the letters about child care printed on Oct. 15. I care for children and had the same thing happen to me. A man from the state dropped in one day, and I just so happened to have a couple too many children (he said).

The parents I worked for knew the adult-to-child ratio and never had a problem with it, mainly because I have two children of my own, ages 13 and 16, who helped me when I had more than three. But, according to the state, that does not matter because they were in the same house all together.

I have been watching children for over four years and without major mishaps. The children listen to me better than they do their own parents. But regardless, I am down to just three children to care for because I didn't have my license. It didn't only hurt my income, but it also hurt those families I had to release immediately.

I am in the process of getting my license and so far it has been close to a month since I started and the state is taking its good 'ole time sending me paperwork that I filled out with everything I needed. I guess when you deal with any government agency it is always "hurry up and wait."

I had thought about stopping watching children and going to work myself, but I know how hard it is to get a good dependable, reliable and affordable person to care for your kids. Frankly, I enjoy staying home and watching children to help someone else out.

The only conclusion I can come to about the rules the state has about child care is this: The rules must have been made up by someone who can afford to send their children to those expensive facilities or they are someone who doesn't care who watches their children or they are someone who has no children at all.

It is also my opinion that these rules need to be looked at and revised immediately.

Terri Knepper
Chambersburg