Question: Should You Let Caregivers Transport Your Kids?
Many family child care providers and daycare centers promote field trips and excursions to libraries and parks as a reason to choose them as your child's caregiver. Kids can have a blast going to a weekly story hour, eating lunch at the playground, or heading to the zoo. But some parents think transporting kids at all is a bad idea and won't let their kids participate for safety reasons. Is letting caregivers transport kids to places a good idea or not?
Answer: No surprise here. The answer is that "it depends." Consider these points before making a decision. First, you should ask yourself whether you support your child going places outside of the home or daycare during the day. Taking a trip to a local park, attending story hour at the local library, or touring a store or other special field trip can be exciting for kids. As one child care provider says: "I take my charges on the same exciting trips and play places as I would my own kids. Remaining at home all day, every day can get boring, and I want my kids to get to take nature walks and do fun things outside of the home." On the flip side, it also exposes them to risks associated with travel and injury. If you've decided it's okay for your kids to take trips, consider the next point. Is your child's caregiver equipped to safely transport kids? Are there appropriate car seats and seating arrangements in the vehicle for every child? Is a commercial license required, and if so, does your provider have one? And finally, and perhaps most importantly, what safety protocols are in place to prevent a child from being left in a vehicle (a tragedy that unfortunately happens every year and can have deadly results during hot, summer months). If you elect for your child not to participate in field trips and your provider keeps kids in her home with plans to transport kids, chances are that you'll be asked to find a new care arrangement. Remember that she doesn't need to stop taking field trips because one parent is against it and others support it. However, if your child stays in daycare, most likely your child can stay with another classroom while his regularly-assigned class leaves. Of course, that can create problems with your child wanting to go and not understanding why he is left behind. Since daycares vary on taking trips or not, your best option is to decide your thoughts ahead of time and pick child care that matches your preference.
