One of the things we learn early in life is that being a good neighbor is important. How many times did we hear Mr. Rogers sing about it? But it seems like Michigan officials don't agree.
A Michigan mom is being told by the state that she needs to immediately stop watching her neighbors' children before school as she is running an illegal daycare! Yes. Seriously. Michigan officials are obviously running low on things to do or foster children in their system. I'm thinking that whoever turned in the neighbor may need to find a life as well.
Good neighbor mom, Lisa Snyder, faces fines and possible jail time for watching two children for less than an hour without pay. Apparently she makes sure the children get to the school bus on time.
Part of foster parenting is mentoring birth families and helping them utilize natural, healthy resources to assist them in day-to-day life. Foster parents and social workers try to teach birth families to seek out appropriate child-care options or helpful, appropriate family and friends. I know I have helped out a single-mom by watching her son before and after school. What are the alternatives for some families? This is when due to the high cost of child care, some parents leave children at home landing many children in foster care.
My parents set an early example of being a good neighbor and to remember to reach out a helping hand to those in need. I don't know about you, but I was taught the golden rule, to treat others as we wish to be treated. I would think these lessons would be especially important in these hard economic times, but perhaps not in Michigan.
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- Helpful Michigan Mom Accused of Running Illegal Daycare - Work-at-Home Moms
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SOURCE:
State to MI Mom: Stop Baby-sitting Neighbors' Kids - Chicago Tribune
This is ridiculous! It seems they should be encouraging this method with children getting kidnap from bus stop areas. Plus, she not even getting paid any money, just watching them to make sure they get on the bus or whatever, at least they are out of harms way. What is the world coming to? We need more neighbors like her because Daycare rates are outrageous plus they put that much focus on your children, don’t believe me, just show up one day to check on your baby and see what’s happening.
Our world is becoming vey complex. My wife and I owned and operated several day cares. We got out of the operations when during licensing a law oficer told our group that if a male is interested in children he may be a predator. A college professor teaches that tactile stimulatiion is a no-no by iether male or female. The licensing has gottten so redicules that only the large companies interested in the dollar is the only facilities that will be open in the future. A friend tried to open a center, because she loved working ewith children, ran out of money fighting with the building department over renovations.
Besides our child care center we also fostered and then adopted 6 children. Due to the adoption they were left out in the cold when as teenagers they got into trouble. As a foster child they would have gotten counceling-as they were adopted they got jail time. One got arrested for domestic violence for throwing a jar of jelly at his brother. By not hiring an attorney and using a public defender is a sure fire way to get time in jail.
I am in the process of setting up a non-profit legal defence fund for adopted children and 18 yr or older foster children. we will be seeking donation as operating funds. We used both a paid attorney and the public defender. The paid attorney cases always worked out with needed counceling and no jail time.
so, is it illegal for my in-laws to be watching my son one day a week? Is that an illegal daycare?