What about soiled clothes?

by stephanie
(washburn)

Question:

I have been washing them as it happens and I am finding not only am I having less time to do so (as I’m gaining more children) but I really don’t like going down stairs to do the wash- leaving the kids unattended, but I also don’t want to send home icky clothes? Would it be "unprofessional not to wash them? Or what should I do with the clothes? Stephanie



Reply:

I trust you’re asking about what I do when kids make a mess of their clothes while in my daycare home…

When I contract with families, I require that the parents bring a couple of sets of extra clothing for their child including: pants, shirts, underwear, and socks. You never know what kind of “stuff” may get on them on any given day- from lunch, dirt, painting, spit up, nasty diapers, potty accidents, etc. I keep a huge supply of plastic shopping bags (from various stores) and put their soiled clothes in one and place it outside on my porch. The messy clothes ALWAYS go home with the parents/guardians that same day, and they bring a clean set in the next day or two- because if it happens again and I don’t have anything to put on their child, the parents get a call to come and get them.

It is my/our responsibility to care for the child - including keeping them clean and comfortable. It is NOT my/our responsibility to do their laundry. You are NOT being unprofessional because you don’t. The parents have to deal with “icky” clothes when the child is not in your care. You DO NOT want to leave them unattended, and that’s what you can tell the parents when you hand them the bag! You are getting paid to provide child care services, not laundry services. However, if you want you could charge them laundry fees and do it for them when your day is done caring for the children.

Thanks for the question, Julie.