Departures

[nannyde]

I see this on here allot.. putting coats on before the parent arrives.. Meeting the parent at the door and not 'allowing' them inside your home...etc...
I'm kind of amazed at that concept... but then again.. as I always say on here... it is YOUR DAYCARE BUSINESS... and YOUR RULES should apply..
PERSONALLY ... I would put a stop to pick ups falling during my scheduled naptime... period.... I had to do it.. In fact... I put a stop to parents dropping off any ol' time they wanted..
I had one client a few years ago that would start the day out that her son was staying home for the day with dad.. (he worked from home).. then mid day he would schedule an appointment.. and she'd show up with a cranky, screaming toddler..who didn't want to lay down.. She'd walk in .. middle of naptime.. then she'd STAY to attempt to SOOTHE HIM.. ugh.. just GET OUT...
anyway...
New RULE.. If your child is not here by 9:30 a.m...they can not attend for the day... exceptions to this are... well care visits to the doctor.. if you notify me AHEAD OF TIME... and...
NO NAP TIME PICK UPS except in an emergency situation... (like if the emergency is that I called you because your child is ill)...
otherwise.. you can just wait till my naptime is OVER... so you do NOT interrupt my sleeping room full of children.

My daycare is 1 LARGE room... 730 sq ft... but the entrance opens directly in to the room.. I don't have an entry area... a foyer... like many of you with traditional houses... (see pics at website)...

I have been having an issue with one client the last SEVERAL months...and I finally had to send out an email a few days ago.. addressed to all clients.. but.. targeting HER...
She is a new client.. Since the summer.. and.. I LIKE HER SO MUCH.. she is a teacher... and...she is a single mother.. She put allot of time and research in to choosing me as her caregiver.. her son is 2.. and was in a BABY only care home... but graduated out...
she enrolled during the summer...
For the first few weeks... the afternoon temperature was so high we weren't able to play outside on the playground.. she would arrive.. pick up child.. briefly visit about his day...then leave.
Then one day.. it was cooler outside..
She gathers her son.. and leaves... about 2 minutes later.. I gather my remaining crew... open the door and send them to the playground. She and her son are out in parking lot..
Next thing I know...here they come..
I think ..oh .. he must need to potty...
NOPE..
He saw the kids coming outside to play...and wanted to join.. so she unloaded him... and ... brought him back to play for a few minutes.. At the time.. I thought nothing of it... just stood and talked with her as I supervised the kids. But.. From then on... EVERY SINGLE DAY...
As I said.. she's a teacher.. leaves school each day at 4 p.m... and.. basically drives straight here...arrives...and then .. stays.. watches her son... allows him to continue to play with the kids.. and.. basically.. HOLDS ME HOSTAGE for over an hour every single day.. I mean.. don't get me wrong.. I go on with all the things I do... feed the infant.. change the diapers... referree the scuffles on the playground.. etc.. but... she is HERE... and.. after awhile.. well..it JUST WEARS ME OUT... I made several comments .. You know.. YOU could run errands in the afternoons... before you arrive to pick him up.. so as to allow him to continue to play for awhile.. she made some comment about 'not' having any extra money to shop..so she may as well just come here...
I'm thinking.. go home... do the dishes... take a 45 minute after school nap... read a book...grade some papers... SOMETHING... ANYTHING... just stop spending an hour or more HERE...
When the temperature started cooling off...and we are no longer able to go outside in the afternoons.. I thought... ok.. YES... now we aren't OUTSIDE...so.. she will get him .. and go..but.. NO...
several weeks now that we've been inside in the afternoons....and.. she is still here... LITERALLY STAYS TILL LAST OTHER KID GETS PICKED UP...
so. finally.. Monday.. I sent out an email.. I made it a 'blanket' email that served as a reminder about upcoming closure dates for the holiday season... reminder notice of our bad weather entrance... and. then as a final closure.. hit on the issue of drop off and pick up time... especially pick up time.. being a hectic busy time where the children view the arrival of a parent as a FREE PASS to run around... and...the remaining children notice the distraction and decide to act up also... so I ended with the request that all clients be as BRIEF as possible at drop off and pick up time... That day she was only here 20 minutes.. and yesterday.. about 10... so.. we'll see about today...

See above

This is a textbook case of why I don't allow parents in the playroom and I don't allow open hours.

[BigMama]

See above

This is a textbook case of why I don't allow parents in the playroom and I don't allow open hours.

You don't allow parents in the playroom? Like, ever? That is very strange! I totally understand the quick departures during nap, but on a regular basis I find it ...well strange.

[dave4him]

Just hand the parent the coat and pat the kid on the back as they walk out,

[emmajo]

This seems like another "to each her own." My sister does day care as well and has always had kids coated, booted, etc. ready to go, maybe with a book to look at while waiting. I have never liked that idea - it seems to me to be pushing the kids out the door asap. I can see it if it's a naptime pickup, but on a regular basis I prefer to have the parents come in seeing that their kids are still involved, having fun. I don't think my pickups are any more lengthy than they are at my sister's house - and I like the chance to visit w/ the parents a bit while they're getting the kids ready to go. But if they were coming at naptime that would be a whole different issue and I'd have them ALL set to leave asap.

[nannyde]

You don't allow parents in the playroom? Like, ever? That is very strange! I totally understand the quick departures during nap, but on a regular basis I find it ...well strange.

Yes very strange... but it works OH SO WELL. happyface

They see the play room three times when they interview before starting child care. They are welcome to come in and inspect the playrooms (I have two) at any time. The playrooms don't change over time. They look identical to how they looked four years ago.

I don't allow them to visit the other children in the day care. So if they decided they wanted to inspect the playroom or if I have something new I want to show them in the playroom then they would go see it. I would just have the kids go to the other playroom.

It's too disrputive to have parents in and out of the playroom and it would be very hard on my house to endure that kind of traffic. I've been in this house for ten years. If I had parents picking and dropping off in the downstairs playroom I would have an additional 77 THOUSAND plus trips up and down the stairs just in the last ten years. It's over 7 thousand trips per year with my group.

It's a lot of liability having adults carrying children thru your home and up and down stairs. It's even more liability having parents host their own walking chiid up and down the stairs. If I would allow parents to carry or host their children on my stairs I would have had the same stair accidents here that the parents have had at their own home with their children. Difference is that "I" would be liable.

Parents have immediate access to their own child right when the arrive. I answer the door with the child in hand or the staff assistant brings them up within a few seconds after I answer the door. We do arrivals and departures at the front door. We do all the dressing and undressing so it goes pretty nicely. I don't have conflict at the door. Just a visit on how the day went or a quick toss out the door if it's a family that's been here for ages.

[countrymom]

I have parents who never see the playroom either, its in another part of the house and in order to get there you have to take your shoes off, and trust me, none of them want too.
I have no problem getting the kids ready to go home with everything on, I have 3 kids that are schedualled for pick up at the same time, so its easier with me, this way I can have the kids with me and not running around the house while I talk to their parents.
Like on thurs. dcm comes in (last kid to be picked up) it took 20 min. of me calling him and talking to his mom for him to come and put his coat on. I know he loves my house, some days they call and ask if he can come early because he has a melt down because he can't come early (he's my 1pm kid and he naps at 2pm but he's 3 and really good kid) its not that I'm pushing out the door, I just don't wan to chase the kids around. And I have 3 dads that pick up, its just easier for them, unless dh is there then they don't want to leave and hang around talking to dh.

[AnneCordelia]

All my parents appreciate that I have their children dressed and ready when they arrive. It means that they can hit the road quickly to spend time with their kids before bedtime, and I appreciate that POV.

Quick pick-ups make it easier on the rest of my group too, who are visible from the front door, and are sad when it's not THEIR mom at the door. Quick in and out is easier for them to get back to playing.

[Texasjeepgirl]

Wow.. it's been weeks since I logged in ... I didn't realize I had messages...and replies to my post...

I didn't say I thought the 'quick-pick-up' policy was strange..
I think it's strange that you don't allow parents to set one foot inside your home.....
I LOVE the quick pick up concept.. I just can't imagine meeting a client at the door...stuffing the kid out.. and not allowing the parent to walk inside? Do you open the door... see who it is... close the door again... call the kid.. gather their stuff and send them out?
In Texas.. we are required to have a sign in/out log.. so parents come inside... sign the child in.. or out... put their stuff away in the cubby.. (coats.. backpack/bag... extra clothing or whatever) then kiss the kid and leave.. evenings they do same in reverse .. (except for that 1 mom... )
I have an infant.. her mom brings her in.. takes her out of car seat.. and stores it for me... either hands the baby to me...or... puts her in an infant seat of the crib... says goodbye to the 2 year old sibling...then leaves..

My kids cubbies are just 1 foot inside the entry door... also.. my sign/in and out log is inches inside the entrance door... ..so they don't have to venture far...

Anyway... since my EMAIL... it's been MOSTLY good... this mom KNOWS that it was directed at her..there's no doubt in my mind...
She did have one day last week.. Friday I guess...we were sitting at the tables doing Mr. Potato heads... and he didn't want to leave..
She kept saying.. now...we need to go... it's time to go now.. you need to get ready to go... I thought.. oh MAN...are YOU KIDDING ME...just get the kid...and get OUT...took awhile.. but the rest of the days have been really good... far better than before...so.. I'm pleased..
MOSTLY...

[WImom]

I only do it for one family because otherwise they are here 25 minutes. The kids will get ready quickly for me so I feel it helps them and myself out.

I have most of the kids picked up between 4-4:15 so we now clean up at 4pm and they do an activity with me at the table until parent arrives. It has helped with the not wanting to stop playing issue I was having.

[hoopinglady]

I have a lingering dad. He takes forever to get the shoes on, talks on his phone, tries to chat with me, etc.

I also have a just right at the end of nap time pick up.

I have been getting the nappers ready so mama can easily scoop them up and get them out and that is fine.

I put shoes and coat on lingering dad's dcd the other day trying to be helpful and get them going and he says, "oh, I guess hoopinglady is ready to get rid of you today."

I just said sweetly, "no I saw you pull up and wanted to be helpful, have a good night".

ugh.

[mac60]

So it has been a few days, and I have not put their coats on. And she does not know what....coat, hat, zip and go means.....Every pickup is minimum10 min, which may not seem like a lot to some, but when you have her asking "them" (kids) 10 questions, a loud 3 yr old, by the end of the first 5 min they have woken others up. That is the problem....not being quiet when coming in. Save the questions for the ride home, save the loudness,etc. This is why I get frustrated. And I have been putting a sign on the door "Quiet Please", guess they can't read.

[jojosmommy]

Lock the door and when she knocks get the kid (who is already 2/3 ready and waiting on the step) in their coat and say good bye. Or tell her she can no longer pick up at that time becuase she can not control herself and her kids at that time. I dont allow nap time in/out. Also, as soon as I see mom/dad pull up kids are escorted down the steps to leave. By the time parents walk up the driveway (yes park on the street) they are mostly ready and they leave. If not they and the other kids act up and the stress/annoyance of that is enough to ruin my evening.

[Kaddidle Care]

So it has been a few days, and I have not put their coats on. And she does not know what....coat, hat, zip and go means.....Every pickup is minimum10 min, which may not seem like a lot to some, but when you have her asking "them" (kids) 10 questions, a loud 3 yr old, by the end of the first 5 min they have woken others up. That is the problem....not being quiet when coming in. Save the questions for the ride home, save the loudness,etc. This is why I get frustrated. And I have been putting a sign on the door "Quiet Please", guess they can't read.

Oh I have no qualms about shushing ANYONE that is making a lot of noise when the children are sleeping. Demand it!

At least tap, tap, tap on the sign and do the finger over the lips thing.