Michigan threatens mom with fines - AND JAIL - for watching friends' kids

[Planogirl]

So are teen babysitters illegal in Michigan? I find this very bizarre.

 

[Pikester]

That is just wrong!

 

[maxiesmom]

Fwiw, they are already fast tracking legislation to change that law.

I keep thinking what lovely neighbors they must have to report them for something like that. Halloween is coming up, I'm thinking someone may want to stay up all night watching their house.

 

[DarthKTrava]

I guess if they had that nonsense here in NC, Mom would be in trouble for watching my sister's kids and making sure they get home from the bus stop (which is at the end of the street) instead of making them walk while Sis is recovering from surgery and her hubby is out of town...

 

[diznygirl]

Holy cow! This is insane.

What about birthday parties? The parents rarely stay - it's a great opportunity to go run errands. And we have playdates every week with a group of friends. We're all going to jail!!!

 

[Missy1961]

I guess if they had that nonsense here in NC, Mom would be in trouble for watching my sister's kids and making sure they get home from the bus stop (which is at the end of the street) instead of making them walk while Sis is recovering from surgery and her hubby is out of town...

No, it's for people who are watching kids that aren't related to them. Grandma would be OK.

And for the record, I think this is totally stupid. Glad to hear that they are fast tracking legislation to end this stupidity.

 

[DarthKTrava]

No, it's for people who are watching kids that aren't related to them. Grandma would be OK.

And for the record, I think this is totally stupid. Glad to hear that they are fast tracking legislation to end this stupidity.

Ok. Sounds though if it keeps up, then Grandma WON'T be ok.....

 

[agnes!]

How much you wanna bet the reporting parent has a child who was not invited to wait for an hour inside the house?

I hadn't thought of that. It'e either Johnny's mommy and Johnny wasn't invited *or* it's Miss Nibby-Nose who hates kids and has forgotten that she was young. Once. A loooooooooooooooooog time ago .

Fwiw, they are already fast tracking legislation to change that law.

I keep thinking what lovely neighbors they must have to report them for something like that. Halloween is coming up, I'm thinking someone may want to stay up all night watching their house.

Yeah, I'm sure this is a HUGE topic of conversation around that neighborhood and amongst the parents of all the neighborhood kids... Who exactly turned this lady in.

agnes!

 

[allison443]

*** Unbelievable.

Watching someone more than 4 hours a week requires a license. Whats next requiring someone to obtain a license if their kid's friends are over your house playing for more than 4 hours a week.

Is it really 4 hours a week? Everything I saw said the limit was 4 weeks a year...it's still ridiculous either way, imo.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I am glad they are fast tracking a change. What utter craziness and such a waste of resources It sounds like one or two people have gone very overboard here and the rest of the state understands this has to stop.

The line about if the parents are home it is a playdate but if they are working or running errnads it is babysitting really floors me. Do they expect people to interrogate parents when they drop a kid off to play? I generally have no idea what the parents of my kids' friends are doing while the friends play here. It is not my bussiness to know.

 

[Carly_Roach]

Just another example of people sticking their nose in where it doesn't belong. The state didn't just up and decide to investigate this person; God knows we don't have enough money for that. Someone had to go to the trouble of notifying the state that children were congregating every morning at this house. Find that person and you'll find the bottom line in this story.

The state is mandated, by law, to follow the laws created by well-meaning people who go a little too far in their desire to "protect the children" at all costs (except costs to them of course). It isn't government who created these laws - it was people who wanted their representatives to enact the laws. Once that report was made, the wheels started to turn and the inevitable happened.

I'm sure there is more to this story than what we are seeing. There always is when you see something on TV or in the news that seems unbelieveable. All that really happened was that this woman got a letter. If she had continued the behavior and the neighbor called the state again, then a representative would have visited the house, found that there was nothing to the allegation, closed the case and life would have gone on as normal.

But there's no drama in that. Hence the 15 minutes of fame for this Michigan mother.

 

[mlynn]

This really made me mad!!!
On the Today show yesterday she said she asked the Division of child services lady."What if it's raining" and the women replyed"tell there parents to get them umbrellas" Come on now.I wish I had somebody to help me in the morning for 45 to 1hour(the longest she has these kids)then maybe I could get a job.
People need to mind their own Business!!!!!!!I really hope the nose bag is happy with herself and Karma comes back to her.

 

[Jennasis]

Saw it on the Today Show...just ludicrous. I would bet the parents all have an inkling as to who made the complaint. I would be sorely tempted to have the kids wait for the bus on the doorstep of the loons house. UGH.

 

[luvmy3]

Is it really 4 hours a week? Everything I saw said the limit was 4 weeks a year...it's still ridiculous either way, imo.

Okay, where in the heck did I get that info about it being 4 hours a day. I swore I read it in the link in the OP, but it doesn't say that. I must have been really really tired last night
Anyway, I agree with you- 4 hours or 4weeks its still unbelievable.

 

[jodifla]

This really made me mad!!!
On the Today show yesterday she said she asked the Division of child services lady."What if it's raining" and the women replyed"tell there parents to get them umbrellas" Come on now.I wish I had somebody to help me in the morning for 45 to 1hour(the longest she has these kids)then maybe I could get a job.
People need to mind their own Business!!!!!!!I really hope the nose bag is happy with herself and Karma comes back to her.

It absolutely makes me furious that this JERK of a state worker had the nerve to say that. She should be out of there...as should the other pencil pushers who misinterpreted and misapplied this law.

 

[AndyLL]

I don't get the outrage?

The state tried to write a law banning unlicensed daycare. When writing the law they had define what daycare was. They did.

The definition turned out to be too broad and they are addressing it.

If they refuse to change it and throw her into jail then get outeraged.

If you have to get outraged get outraged at those who wrote the law... not those that enforce the law.

Bad/stupid laws are still laws. The authorities should not have the right to pick and choose which laws to enforce.

 

[Free4Life11]

Has the media "outed" the nosy neighbor yet? I'd like to hear their side of the story.

 

[momof1princess]

this is outrageous-laws like this weren't designed to punish people who help their friends and/or neighbors out for a little while each morning or afternoon for free. it's getting pretty cool in the mornings up north already-i can't imagine seeing kids standing at the bus stop in front of my house shivering, or soaked from rain and not being allowed by the state to invite them in to warm up/dry off until the bus shows up. i hope the new legislation is passed quickly and that the nosy neighbor who tattled gets what's coming to them. that is just so small and petty, it defies explanation.

 

[luvmy3]

I don't get the outrage?

The state tried to write a law banning unlicensed daycare. When writing the law they had define what daycare was. They did.

The definition turned out to be too broad and they are addressing it.

If they refuse to change it and throw her into jail then get outeraged.

If you have to get outraged get outraged at those who wrote the law... not those that enforce the law.

Bad/stupid laws are still laws. The authorities should not have the right to pick and choose which laws to enforce.

Because the state made the decision that daycare means anything over 4 weeks a year. Most people people I know use daycare (licensed or non) for about 52 weeks a year. They could have defined it according to the norm. They defined it like that so they can nickel and dime every resident that does what the OP does and stick their noses farther into people's personal lives, I guess thats what the outrage is about.

 

[mlynn]

it absolutely makes me furious that this jerk of a state worker had the nerve to say that. She should be out of there...as should the other pencil pushers who misinterpreted and misapplied this law.

ita!!!!!