Michigan residents with children?

Question

Does anyone know if there is a law that makes the daycares and schools keep the children inside if the temp is anything below 20 degrees (including wind chill)? My son's preschool won't let them go outside when we have cold temps, but my daughter's daycare (an in-home daycare) goes outside EVERYDAY. They even went out when we were in the negatives a few weeks back!!

This is my ONLY complaint that I have with her daycare. So please don't suggest that I take her out for this reason. This woman loves my child (along with the other children that are there) as they were her own.

Answer 1

We live in Michigan. I am a mom to 4 children (ages 27, 25, 22, and 9) and I have volunteered in the school system for the last 23 years. I also have been a licensed in-home child care provider for 20 years. Individual school systems have their own regulations about what temperature is the cut-off for allowing outdoor recess. For my daughter's school, below 0 (including windchill) is the cut-off temperature. The State Licensing Rules For Family and Group Child Care Homes does not have a set temperature. It simply states that as part of a "daily activity program that indoor and outdoor play is offered, except during inclement or extreme weather". So, that is open for individual interpretation by each provider. We did have some pretty frigid temperatures a couple weeks ago. We did not go outside at my house, but most of my daycare children are little (3 and under). I think if the children were properly dressed and they didn't stay out too long, that going outside was OK. Did your provider or your child tell you they went outdoors? Not that your child would lie, but sometimes little ones unintentionally say things that aren't true. If your provider told you they went outside, perhaps next time it is frigid like that (hopefully not until next winter!), ask her if she plans to go outside and express your concern at how cold it is. Our local weather encouraged everyone to stay inside unless it was necessary to go out and our local schools were closed for 2 days.

Answer 2

I checked with Michigan legislators I am in contact with and there is no law about taking kids out in certain weather conditions. They tell me it is a common sense issue. They also suggest you take to the lady, if she cares as much as you say, then she should be receptive to your wishes. It could be considered child endangerment they tell me because there were warnings out at that time about the wind chills and about keeping the old and the younger ones inside out of the weather. I'd be concerned no matter how much this woman loved my kids. She intentionally endangered your children and others. That doesn't show good parenting skills or common sense. I'd also be questioning if there have ever been any complaints about her. But I would definitely talk to her about it and tell her I didn't appreciate her thoughtlessness in putting my children out in those dangerous temps. Hope this helps. I'm mom to 3.

Answer 3

I can tell you that recently school was closed in Buffalo, NY because the wind chill temp was negative 30. If you dont want your daughter to go outside, or feel she has gotten sick because of it ...just talk with the day care provider and tell her you dont think its a good idea....

Answer 4

I live in Michigan also. My day care lady (in her home) does not take the kids outside if it is to cold.

I looked through all the licensing rules for family and group child care homes and did not find any rules about the weatehr and taking the children outside.

Answer 5

If this woman loves your daughter as much as you do, why is she taking her outside when the temperature is below zero? She obviously lacks sound judgment. If you must leave your daughter there, why don't you just tell this woman at what temperature you would like your daughter to be kept inside. If you're not willing to take your daughter out of that situation, why even ask the question?