Male-run Daycare

[Mickey]

Saw this on another board:

Would you put your child in a small male-run daycare center? This daycare center has excellent activites, is liscensed and willing to work with individual parents to meet their childs needs.

Now there are 3 questions go along with this:

1-Would it matter if the man was single?

2-Would it matter if the man was gay?

3-Would you feel more comfortable if the man was married?

[kat]

1. yes
2. yes
3. probably not

No calls or letters, but I really don't think I'd be comfortable at all with a male run day care no matter who was doing it.

[MK]

Yes to all three. I think men who have children, or at least some sort of education or experience with child development can be good childcare providers. But men who have never had kids? (ie single guys) I'm afraid they don't have a clue!

[Diane]

It wouldn't matter to me if he were single... gay or married, I probably wouldn't choose him to take care of my child/ren anyway. I can't really tell you why... but would feel much more comfortable if a woman were doing it.

I feel that most women are a lot more sensative and compassionate... more in tune with a childs needs, and maybe even a little more patient than most men are.

Perhaps it would make a difference if I had son's needing the day care instead of daughter's... but not too sure about that either.

Diane...

[SpeechMom]

Yes, I would use a daycare center run by a single man, and while I don't agree with homosexuality, that wouldn't keep me from using the center either.

I've worked in a childcare setting with both single guys and a young man who is gay - both excellent workers.

[KarlaB]

Good question!! My first instinct is to say I would be apprehensive, but then I think about dh and how he interacts with kids. He is so fun and kids love him. I also think of some of his friends and the dh's of my friends and I could see some of them doing that - so then it's hard to say no I would never do it. I guess it just depends on the circumstances and my gut feeling once I met the person.

[Marla]

I'd probably say yes to all three, but like Karla said, like in any other situation, it would depend on my first impressions on the owners/ teachers etc.

[RCT]

I don't know, I would like to think I am open minded, but in a reality situation.....I probably would look for something else. sad huh...

[Jeff]

i don't think I would be comfortable with it, but then I am not comfortable with daycare period.

[JAK]

It would depend on how I felt around the man, not if he was single or married, straight or gay. I do daycare though so that I don't have to sent my dks to daycare.

[SpeechMom]

Originally posted by Jeff
i don't think I would be comfortable with it, but then I am not comfortable with daycare period.

Jeff - you're a stay-at-home Dad - what makes you uncomfortable with this?

[Linda/NE]

Gut reaction-- I'd feel most uncomfortable if he was gay.

I would definitely have to visit a few times (planned and surprise visits) to determine if it would be right for my children.

My BIL is excellent with kids and someone like him I would feel more comfortable watching my kids than some daycare providers I know.

Every child, Every Family has different needs when it comes to daycare. There isn't one facility/provider/curriculum that works for each and every child. It all boils down to observation on more than one occasion (both planned and surprise) to determine if it's feasible for a family's needs.

[Jeff]

Originally posted by SpeechMom
Jeff - you're a stay-at-home Dad - what makes you uncomfortable with this?

My issue isn't with who is doing the daycare. We just aren't comfortable putting our children in any care outside our own.

[littlesista06]

Flat out - no.
Sorry, but I don't want to take any chances w/dd and I am suspicious of everyone that I don't know very very well. I don't get thrilled leaving her at a friend's house to play if I don't know the father very well. I figure you've got many many chances to keep your kids safe, and it only takes once to mess them up forever....

But - dh and I are also like Jeff and his dw - we are not comfortable with anyone else caring for/raising our child.

[Diane]

Originally posted by littlesista06
Flat out - no.
Sorry, but I don't want to take any chances w/dd and I am suspicious of everyone that I don't know very very well. I don't get thrilled leaving her at a friend's house to play if I don't know the father very well. I figure you've got many many chances to keep your kids safe, and it only takes once to mess them up forever....

But - dh and I are also like Jeff and his dw - we are not comfortable with anyone else caring for/raising our child.

This is exactly why I started doing day care in the first place. I didn't/wouldn't trust anyone else to take care of my child/ren... and I was determined that they would never be in a day care... As picky and untrusting as I was/am about everyone else... I'm still nieve enough to think that everyone else should trust me with their's and almost feel insulted when they don't. LOL

As terrefic as my dh always was with our own children... I'd still never want him taking care of anyone elses kids. Not that he'd ever DO anything he wasn't suppose to... just that I feel there are too many people out there who might try accusing him of something he didn't really do. I just don't think that enough people feel that good about leaivng their children with a male... always too suspicious.

Diane...