Babysitter Backlash in Michigan: Why This Mom's Story is Making Waves

[Intrepid_Chef]

OK, I'm not a mom, but this story made my blood boil, and I know some of you live in Michigan, so ....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090929/ap_on_re_us/us_baby_sitter_backlash_mich

Somebody needs to give that mom a batch of cookies baked on a bar pan, of course!

 

[KristinS]

They had this on the Today show this morning. I couldn't believe it! As one of the newscasters said... It used to be it takes a village to raise a child... except now in Michigan, everyone in that village better be licensed!

 

[TrishPCMommy]

I would love to know who complained and ask that neighbor what his/her issue was... How was it affecting them?
Unreal!
I'm glad they're going to ammend the law though!

 

[Sheila]

Exactly one year from today, I'd like to see them interview the neighbor who complained. I wonder how he/she will feel about the whole situation after a full year of the kids running around outside waiting on the bus UNSUPERVISED! LOLIf the caregiver were charging, I would definitely understand that she would have to abide by state laws for a child care center. But when you are volunteering your time or doing a trade-off with other parents for child care it should not fall under "day care" rules and regulations. It a totally different concept.

 

[Shawnna]

more than likely it is someone who has a daycare center. I have seen that happen a lot in my area. All the day care centers are full, but let someone help out a mom that can't get daycare and watch that daycare owner turn them in. Personally, I don't think its anyones...not even the state...business who I get to care for my children, whether I pay them or not, as long as they are getting good care. This is just another way for the government to control us and make money with daycare licensing. It is really sad when you can't even help your neighbor without the state interfering.

 

[Jen1409]

DH is from MI and I know my MIL watches BILs kids all the time

 

[colegrovet]

Wow... When my kids were growing up I always had 3-4 neighbor kids at my house on various days of the week and half the time they would be there all weekend... My house seemed to be the house they all came to.. Per that law I would have been in trouble too..

 

[NooraK]

DH is from MI and I know my MIL watches BILs kids all the time

The article says

a law that says no one may care for unrelated children in their home for more than four weeks each calendar year unless they are licensed day-care providers

so your MIL wouldn't have an issue.

I wonder if the kids coming over to play would be considered caring for them. Would that then mean that you have to watch how many play dates you have with a particular friend? I know that when I was younger, especially around 5 or 6, my brother and I would constantly be at our respecitve BFF's houses or they at ours. We obviously weren't old enough to stay alone, although we could play fairly unsupervised. Would a mom with a child and her BFF have to cut off play dates once she reached her four week quota?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

The article says



so your MIL wouldn't have an issue.

I wonder if the kids coming over to play would be considered caring for them. Would that then mean that you have to watch how many play dates you have with a particular friend? I know that when I was younger, especially around 5 or 6, my brother and I would constantly be at our respecitve BFF's houses or they at ours. We obviously weren't old enough to stay alone, although we could play fairly unsupervised. Would a mom with a child and her BFF have to cut off play dates once she reached her four week quota?

They addressed that issue too - they said that if the parent was home while the child was at the neighbor's house, then it wasn't an issue, but if the parent wasn't home, then it was against the law.

This is a local story, and as much as everyone is hearing about it nationally, we are hearing twice or three times as much locally. Stupidest thing I've ever heard. But I agree with Shawnna - I think it's probably someone in the neighborhood who is running a licensed daycare, and doesn't like seeing that extra income go out the window...because I would think it would have to be someone who was familiar with the laws regarding daycare who reported it...I mean, who else would even think that it might be illegal to watch your neighbors kids?

 

[chefsteph07]

It's the same lines as having sleepovers and such, if you had a group of kids sleep over at their friends house say, every weekend, for a couple months, that would go over the 4 week quota as well. This is a great example of law and govt getting into our private affairs and dictating what is everyday normal behaviour, someone sees wrong w/ it and now that person can get in trouble. People REALLY need to mind their own business!

 

[lauradahl]

I too saw this on YAHOO news early this morning. There was only one small line about a neighbor calling authorities. I thought the same thing...immediately...that it's someone who has a daycare and is miffed. That article, however, made it sound like legislation will be brought quickly to address the issue....we can hope anyway! Clearly, when this law was brought forth, these types of situations were not thought of. Heck, as much as my neighbor and I trade child care to run our DS businesses, we'd be in jail...LOL

 

[Shawnna]

I am sure the law was written from the point of view of protecting children children...there used to be lots of daycare centers that were unfit for kids...abuse, dirty, etc...and since there weren't any laws governing it they decided to make some. I think there are probably a lot of laws that are passed that people didn't think clearly about all the situations that might arise...I bet the original daycare laws weren't meant to interfere with people getting their neighbors or friends to watch their kids for a "date night" or a weekend getaway but as time has gone by more and more regulations are getting in the way of our "normal"...and common sense...lives.

 

[raebates]

This is one of those laws that sounded good at the time--child care providers should be licensed so that we can make sure children are safe. However, common sense has been pushed out by bizarre wording and the spirit of the law is now lost.