Who DOES this?!?!

[MichellesKiddos]

So we were about mid-way through the morning and the baby was napping when the doorbell rings. Of course, I wasn't expecting anyone so the dogs weren't put away and the living room was a master disaster. Anyways, the doorbell rings aaaannnddd 'cue the dogs' the house goes into massive chaos! Does anyone else's dck's have this response to the doorbell? For some reason they are just sooooo excited to see who is at the door I go answer the door and there is a lady standing there with her young daughter...and in walks the girl..mind you I have NO clue who these people are! She explains that she is the sister-in-law of one of my current families and that she tried to get my number from dcm but she didn't answer the phone (go figure..she's at work) She is looking for someone to watch her daughter on wed. for 4 hours in the afternoon and wondering if I could do it. I told her that I don't generally take kids for less than 3 days/week due to difficulties in transitioning. I told her we would do a trial run and just see how it goes...the girl is 3 so not quite so young. I said that I would print out all of the paperwork for her and I could drop it off in their mailbox tomorrow evening (they live 4 houses up the street). Here comes the good stuff....She then asks if I could just print them off now for her...while I have all of the kids running around SCREAMING in the play area and minutes before the baby woke up crying. I said, while trying not to laugh, NO I need to get more ink for my printer and don't have the time to do that right now anyways. Then she proceeds to tell me that they are "kinda in a bind today" and she needs somebody to watch her daughter today!!! Are you kidding me??!! I've never met you before, you show up at my home-unannounced AND you want me to watch your kid TODA?!?!?! WHO DOES THIS?!?!?!?

Now I'm having a really hard time trying not to laugh in her face as I tell her..ummmm no!

[laundrymom]

I think I would have taken her if I had room at the emergency care rate of $15 per hour 6 HR minimum. In advance. :-)

[sharlan]

Yeah, I had a neighbor do that years ago. Her provider was unreliable and the lady had called in so much that if she didn't show up that day, she would have been fired.

I kept the baby for 3 days until she could find a new provider. I didn't want another baby.

[MichellesKiddos]

I think I would have taken her, had I actually known her. I had never met her before or her child for that matter...plus I don't think that's really fair to the little girl to pretty much just drop her off at a strangers house that she has NEVER seen before.

[Hunni Bee]

I think I would have taken her, had I actually known her. I had never met her before or her child for that matter...plus I don't think that's really fair to the little girl to pretty much just drop her off at a strangers house that she has NEVER seen before.

You would be surprised at how much that happens at centers. I have come in many mornings to find a kid in my room I've never seen/heard of before and who I didn't know was starting. The parents had literally spotted the daycare from the road, came in and registered the child on the spot, and dropped them off the next morning. I hate that.

[Oneluckymom]

Wow....that's all I can say

[countrymom]

its happened to me too, they see my sign and think that they can drop off when needed. I've had calls too, you can always tell when they call.

[Kaddidle Care]

Sign in window:

SHHHHH! Baby is sleeping.
Do not knock, Do not ring,
Phone (555)555-5555
Thank you!

There's usually a very good reason they are in a bind for childcare - be cautious.

[C'est la vie.]

Are you kidding me? We have this on a monthly basis, and our Child Care fees are astronomical. We have kids brought to us that we've never met are told.. "this is so and so, his nap stuff has been put in your room. These are his parents. "
Parents say hello. go pay office and leave. It astounds me, both that the managers let this happen and that parents are willing to leave their children with complete strangers. I actually worked with a boy who for half a day before I learned his name.

I've since addressed it with out Regional Director and a gradual entry procedure will be written and enforced. I sure hope it does happen. I've only been at this new centre for 5 months and have been shocked that this is considered okay by managers.

[MichellesKiddos]

So from the sounds of it, it's pretty common in centers? Where I live, it's just plain rude to show up at someones door and pretty much expect care like that. Maybe I wouldn't have been so astounded if this parent had called or something..but to just show up at my door?! I am now putting a sign up on my door during nap hours that will read 'Under penalty of losing your fingers, DO NOT ring door bell or knock! Please come back later' We'll see how that goes . I did find out from current dcm that these children are basically spoiled brats and the girl is very whiney (sp?). Also, that she has a case of entitlement syndrome...but I had gathered that one already! haha

[ammama]

I had a father show up who had never heard of me, found my house from my daycarebear.com add (since they post a map and it gives your approx. location) and then driving down my street and figuring out which house must be the daycare (from the stroller in the front yard). He rings the bell, asks if I have space, and if he can leave the child with me right then and there as he had a meeting to attend. Ummmm, no.