Bambino Bungalow Q & A Page
The Semantics of Childcare
There will be some who confuse the meaning of Baby Sitting, Nannying, and Childcare/Daycare
In the world of professional childcare, Babysitting is seen generally as a family or non-family member who provides care and supervision for a child while the parent leaves for a Dr appointment, to go on a date, to a meeting where it will be easier to conduct business without a child present. The parent generally is not required to report the babysitter's income to Federal or State agencies.
A Nanny generally is someone who has had professional background checks, screenings, and training and is hired to work inside the family home, long-term. They may be as a live-in employee or as one who works set hours and set days. Nannies can come from agencies or are hired privately. The Nanny's income generally is reported to Federal or State agencies.
Legal Child Care Providers in the State of Kansas are required to:
If you happen to call your care provider a babysitter, and they correct you, this is why.
.
What are your credentials?
While I do not currently hold formal credentials with varying national childcare organizations, I possess a State license in good standing since 1990. In 2010, after undergoing a selection process, I was one of 50 childcare providers across the state of Kansas selected to serve as a mentor for other childcare providers in a program facilitated by The Family Conservancy. I participated in a second TFC mentoring program in 2018. I have been awarded grants for program improvements from various private and public entities and the Kansas Department of Education. Since 1990, I have participated in constant and continuing education and training, including all required training toward a Child Development Associate. Examples include Child Nutrition, Child Development in the areas of physical/cognitive/ emotional as well as developmental challenges, CPR/1st Aid, Abuse and Neglect, Safe Sleep, business management State of Kansas regulations, and participation in feedback with the State of Kansas concerning improvements to childcare regulations during meetings in Topeka. I have experience working with children with Down Syndrome, ADD/ADHD, Oppositional Defiant, Autism Spectrum, Anxiety, Sensory Processing Disorder, Bi-polar, abuse, children in the Foster Care System , and children experiencing changes due to divorce.
I have completed several Strengthening Families and Step It Up projects through The Family Conservancy.
In October 2019 Bambino Bungalow was one of three homes to participate in a pilot program and receive the distinction of Child Care Prepared through the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment.
What is your philosophy concerning Early Childhood Education?
I integrate early childhood education programs I have purchased to permanently own, subscription-based programs, free resources available through the Internet, training classes, networking ideas with other providers and employing traveling teachers, specialists, and other outside resources. This allows me to tailor learning to the current needs, and ages of children enrolled.
You are set up as a home rather than a pre-school so, how is this possible?
My home, versus a center that may have to follow the Standard Operating Procedure of the respective franchise they are a part of, has the freedom to make adjustments to what the NEEDS of the children are from day to day and ages & stages. My PHILOSOPHY concerning ECE is that the place your child spends time at while you are at work need not be set up like a mini university in order to be beneficial. Learning through Play is an important tool in a child's development that has experienced an unwarranted devaluation in recent years. Most children in a formal education setting will spend hours of time behind a desk from the rough ages of 5 through 18 and beyond. NOW is the time to develop a love for learning through exploration, experiences with different stimuli, different activities, and different children and adults coming to my home. I believe learning to be a good friend, good listener, good participator within the child's comfort level, etc. is just as important as academics.
I do not see where my child can spend time on a computer.
I have made a conscious effort to not have lessons or entertainment from a computer and prefer that children experience these activities, unplugged. Many children today have access to their parent's tablets, smartphones, and personal computers and can engage in learning and entertainment if their parents feel this important. On occasion, I allow extremely limited time on a game system. It was not until the early 21st Century that computer learning was an affordable consideration before a child was old enough to be enrolled in elementary school, yet the world produces scientists, literary geniuses, political leaders, etc. in spite of it!
What then can I expect my child to experience while at Bambino Bungalow?
Being separated for the day is difficult for the parent and child. Whether your child begins attending at 6 weeks, 4 years, or after elementary school is out for the day, Bambino Bungalow strives to give your child a sense of home & family where they feel safe, accepted, content, and genuinely cared about.
What of the current shortage of childcare in the state of Kansas and other states? Please explain the dire shortage of Infant care availability and why it has become increasingly expensive in comparison to the availability of care for ages 18+ months?
Nationwide there is a crisis of childcare by what each state deems as qualified and legal. While many seasoned childcare providers in homes and centers will agree uniform regulations that raise the bar of minimal health and safety requirements can be good for all children, some increased regulations have been interpreted by a significant population of home and center providers as intrusive, redundant, and nonsensical.
1 This has caused a significant population of providers to move on to other vocations as well as many highly skilled and wise providers nearing retirement age choosing to close down sooner than they imagined.
2 People considering going into childcare can be overwhelmed with the financial investment for education and making their center or home compliant before being able to earn an income.
3 Of those who choose to stay, increasing requirements mean increased operational expenses and more time during their closed-door hours meeting educational, legal, medical, and dwelling modification requirements.
4 Regulations limit the number of children, as well as the allowed hours to be open, for the safety of children. Providers cannot increase their income by adding one or two more children if they have already reached their maximum capacity nor work extra hours the way a standard employee can opt to work overtime to gain more income.
5 In the state of Kansas, if a provider needs to go to a health care provider, for example, the provider has the choice to hire the near non-existent state-qualified substitutes (Johnson County currently has two), close for a day, and cause possible problems for every family they serve, or find a service provider with atypical business hours.
6 A primary reason Infant care is in a crisis is regulation regarding age restrictions and legal liability. The addition of one infant to a group of children can equal a loss of operating income. In the case of a lone provider holding a Group License; should the provider choose to provide care for up to nine children ages 30 months through Four years of age, the addition of one Infant means the maximum attendance capacity now drops to six children. The dismissal of three preschool-aged children and the crisis that creates for those families, and the loss of operating income from 2.5 of those children may result? Infant care requires much more hands-on care, increased diligence for well-being for the child, and increased legal risk even when taking measures to safeguard that child's health and safety. Some providers feel this is not worth the financial loss coupled with legal risk and refuse infants. Those who are willing to take on the risk and capacity downgrade may charge more for this service.
The overhead for Centers is compounded as they must provide for employee KDHE training, facility training, background checks, health insurance, payroll accounting, rent/mortgage, etc. Additionally, Center employees typically work for lower pay when considering the long hours required of them. Many center employees choose to leave for a different and higher paying career, for fewer hours on the clock.
And the process of financially investing in a new employee begins.
Home-based providers and Centers do much more than buying food and coloring books.
The crisis stems from:
Regulation limitations
Significant financial investment even before being granted a license.
Finding qualified substitutes
Liability
Income limitation
The fact that many states, including ours, do very little to prosecute illegal childcare providers only increases the frustration.
If you have found legal childcare for your child, know that the provider is trained and educated.
Cherish them.
There will be some who confuse the meaning of Baby Sitting, Nannying, and Childcare/Daycare
In the world of professional childcare, Babysitting is seen generally as a family or non-family member who provides care and supervision for a child while the parent leaves for a Dr appointment, to go on a date, to a meeting where it will be easier to conduct business without a child present. The parent generally is not required to report the babysitter's income to Federal or State agencies.
A Nanny generally is someone who has had professional background checks, screenings, and training and is hired to work inside the family home, long-term. They may be as a live-in employee or as one who works set hours and set days. Nannies can come from agencies or are hired privately. The Nanny's income generally is reported to Federal or State agencies.
Legal Child Care Providers in the State of Kansas are required to:
- As of 2019, all LEGAL childcare providers- and all who reside in the home when reaching the age of 18- are obliged to submit to fingerprinting at a regular cycle. All LEGAL CHILDCARE PROVIDERS and all who reside in the home, including children over a specified minor age, must submit to annual criminal background checks, along with others who regularly visit the home for longer than 15 minutes at a time.
- Keep health records for themselves, all family members who live in the home or others who regularly visit the home for longer than 15 minutes at a time, family pets, and all of the children who are in care at any given time.
- Pay for and complete a specified amount of training before being granted a license and, pay for and complete a specific number of hours annually, which will be recorded by the State of Kansas.
- Pay initial application fees and annual renewal fees.
- Submit to annual, unannounced inspections from the agencies the State of Kansas contracts to perform surveys.
- Submit to annual fire inspections, if required by the city or county.
- Remain in compliance with hundreds of Federal, State, county, and city regulations.
- Report and pay taxes on income earned.
If you happen to call your care provider a babysitter, and they correct you, this is why.
.
What are your credentials?
While I do not currently hold formal credentials with varying national childcare organizations, I possess a State license in good standing since 1990. In 2010, after undergoing a selection process, I was one of 50 childcare providers across the state of Kansas selected to serve as a mentor for other childcare providers in a program facilitated by The Family Conservancy. I participated in a second TFC mentoring program in 2018. I have been awarded grants for program improvements from various private and public entities and the Kansas Department of Education. Since 1990, I have participated in constant and continuing education and training, including all required training toward a Child Development Associate. Examples include Child Nutrition, Child Development in the areas of physical/cognitive/ emotional as well as developmental challenges, CPR/1st Aid, Abuse and Neglect, Safe Sleep, business management State of Kansas regulations, and participation in feedback with the State of Kansas concerning improvements to childcare regulations during meetings in Topeka. I have experience working with children with Down Syndrome, ADD/ADHD, Oppositional Defiant, Autism Spectrum, Anxiety, Sensory Processing Disorder, Bi-polar, abuse, children in the Foster Care System , and children experiencing changes due to divorce.
I have completed several Strengthening Families and Step It Up projects through The Family Conservancy.
In October 2019 Bambino Bungalow was one of three homes to participate in a pilot program and receive the distinction of Child Care Prepared through the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment.
What is your philosophy concerning Early Childhood Education?
I integrate early childhood education programs I have purchased to permanently own, subscription-based programs, free resources available through the Internet, training classes, networking ideas with other providers and employing traveling teachers, specialists, and other outside resources. This allows me to tailor learning to the current needs, and ages of children enrolled.
You are set up as a home rather than a pre-school so, how is this possible?
My home, versus a center that may have to follow the Standard Operating Procedure of the respective franchise they are a part of, has the freedom to make adjustments to what the NEEDS of the children are from day to day and ages & stages. My PHILOSOPHY concerning ECE is that the place your child spends time at while you are at work need not be set up like a mini university in order to be beneficial. Learning through Play is an important tool in a child's development that has experienced an unwarranted devaluation in recent years. Most children in a formal education setting will spend hours of time behind a desk from the rough ages of 5 through 18 and beyond. NOW is the time to develop a love for learning through exploration, experiences with different stimuli, different activities, and different children and adults coming to my home. I believe learning to be a good friend, good listener, good participator within the child's comfort level, etc. is just as important as academics.
I do not see where my child can spend time on a computer.
I have made a conscious effort to not have lessons or entertainment from a computer and prefer that children experience these activities, unplugged. Many children today have access to their parent's tablets, smartphones, and personal computers and can engage in learning and entertainment if their parents feel this important. On occasion, I allow extremely limited time on a game system. It was not until the early 21st Century that computer learning was an affordable consideration before a child was old enough to be enrolled in elementary school, yet the world produces scientists, literary geniuses, political leaders, etc. in spite of it!
What then can I expect my child to experience while at Bambino Bungalow?
Being separated for the day is difficult for the parent and child. Whether your child begins attending at 6 weeks, 4 years, or after elementary school is out for the day, Bambino Bungalow strives to give your child a sense of home & family where they feel safe, accepted, content, and genuinely cared about.
What of the current shortage of childcare in the state of Kansas and other states? Please explain the dire shortage of Infant care availability and why it has become increasingly expensive in comparison to the availability of care for ages 18+ months?
Nationwide there is a crisis of childcare by what each state deems as qualified and legal. While many seasoned childcare providers in homes and centers will agree uniform regulations that raise the bar of minimal health and safety requirements can be good for all children, some increased regulations have been interpreted by a significant population of home and center providers as intrusive, redundant, and nonsensical.
1 This has caused a significant population of providers to move on to other vocations as well as many highly skilled and wise providers nearing retirement age choosing to close down sooner than they imagined.
2 People considering going into childcare can be overwhelmed with the financial investment for education and making their center or home compliant before being able to earn an income.
3 Of those who choose to stay, increasing requirements mean increased operational expenses and more time during their closed-door hours meeting educational, legal, medical, and dwelling modification requirements.
4 Regulations limit the number of children, as well as the allowed hours to be open, for the safety of children. Providers cannot increase their income by adding one or two more children if they have already reached their maximum capacity nor work extra hours the way a standard employee can opt to work overtime to gain more income.
5 In the state of Kansas, if a provider needs to go to a health care provider, for example, the provider has the choice to hire the near non-existent state-qualified substitutes (Johnson County currently has two), close for a day, and cause possible problems for every family they serve, or find a service provider with atypical business hours.
6 A primary reason Infant care is in a crisis is regulation regarding age restrictions and legal liability. The addition of one infant to a group of children can equal a loss of operating income. In the case of a lone provider holding a Group License; should the provider choose to provide care for up to nine children ages 30 months through Four years of age, the addition of one Infant means the maximum attendance capacity now drops to six children. The dismissal of three preschool-aged children and the crisis that creates for those families, and the loss of operating income from 2.5 of those children may result? Infant care requires much more hands-on care, increased diligence for well-being for the child, and increased legal risk even when taking measures to safeguard that child's health and safety. Some providers feel this is not worth the financial loss coupled with legal risk and refuse infants. Those who are willing to take on the risk and capacity downgrade may charge more for this service.
The overhead for Centers is compounded as they must provide for employee KDHE training, facility training, background checks, health insurance, payroll accounting, rent/mortgage, etc. Additionally, Center employees typically work for lower pay when considering the long hours required of them. Many center employees choose to leave for a different and higher paying career, for fewer hours on the clock.
And the process of financially investing in a new employee begins.
Home-based providers and Centers do much more than buying food and coloring books.
The crisis stems from:
Regulation limitations
Significant financial investment even before being granted a license.
Finding qualified substitutes
Liability
Income limitation
The fact that many states, including ours, do very little to prosecute illegal childcare providers only increases the frustration.
If you have found legal childcare for your child, know that the provider is trained and educated.
Cherish them.