Sarah Heinz Boys and Girls Club? (ski resorts, daycare, public schools)

[jhprentiss]

Hi--

I've heard of this club for kids and it sounds amazing.

I was looking at the website (Sarah Heinz House) and I noticed that they do not allow parents into most of the building, just in the main hall to drop off and pick up the kids. This struck me as very odd. Maybe it's a bit of the Mother Bear showing up, but does anyone have any experience with this boys and girls' club? Apparently it's been around for a very long time, and has pretty lofty goals.

It sounds great, but a few of my red flags went up...

[Pitt Chick]

My kids have been to plenty of places that don't want parents hovering and/or kids distracted by their meddling parents.

I don't consider it very odd at all....

[Hopes]

I don't think it's odd at all either. Parents can really hinder their children's development. There's a time for parents to not be around.

It's also a safety issue. They can't let adults just walk around the property. There's no way to know if someone is really a parent.

Schools don't let parents walk around freely either.

[Katiana]

I agree with some of what all of you said. Whenever you read an article about daycare, they always say to beware of places that won't let you visit,etc. I always hated the places at the ski areas for that reason. IMO, they have untrained workers who don't know how to deal with a kid who gets upset after the parent leaves.

RE: this club, I know nothing about it. If it is of the "old school", that may just be a policy from the old days when such policies were common. I would ask.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

IMO, they have untrained workers who don't know how to deal with a kid who gets upset after the parent leaves.

The drama is all for the parent's benefit. Most children calm down as soon as the parents are gone.

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

RE: this club, I know nothing about it. If it is of the "old school", that may just be a policy from the old days when such policies were common. I would ask.

It's a new policy for protecting safe environments. That's the way the public schools are now.

[Pitt Chick]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

RE: this club, I know nothing about it. If it is of the "old school", that may just be a policy from the old days when such policies were common. I would ask.

There is nothing 'old school' about this policy.

In the "old days" as you call them, doors were left unlocked and anyone - even those with no business there - could wander in and out.

I think buildings are safer when they limit access.... especially where kids are involved.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by Hopes

The drama is all for the parent's benefit. Most children calm down as soon as the parents are gone.


It's a new policy for protecting safe environments. That's the way the public schools are now.

#1: Yes, most parents and skilled caregivers know that. These people the ski resorts hire don't. Most of them will take any job just to work at a ski area, and some don't even like kids, in my experience.

#2. I know the public schools have gotten stricter since Columbine. But my youngest just graduated two years ago, and we could always go in, just had to register at the desk.

I would ask the reason for the policy.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

stricter since Columbine. But my youngest just graduated two years ago, and we could always go in, just had to register at the desk.

I don't think Columbine is the cause of it. I think it's 9/11, terrorists, no child left behind act (which includes a safe schools section), and a ton of other reasons. It became much more strick here within just the last year. I wasn't permitted to walk through the school even though I stopped at the office to sign in first. They said that they knew I was his parent, but that the rules had to apply to everyone.

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

I would ask the reason for the policy.

I guarentee it's for safety.

[Katiana]

Out here, Columbine changed everything. Everything got stricter. Everything.

[Hopes]

Columbine started it here, but things have become stricter for other reasons in recent years.