Bad Mother Or Overwhelmed???

[kayla]

I have a daycare child who is almost 5. His mom drops him off right at 7 waits til 5 to pick him up. Thats when i open and when i close. Today he told me his bed time is 7 oclock. So this means she spends absolutely no time with him. If she picks him up at 5 basically she only has enough time to go home make dinner eat and put him to bed. She rarely gives him a bath, and when she does she doesnt get any time with her 6 kids. I find this so disgusting!!! I do not think people like this should be aloud to have children. Mind you my husband works with her and she gets off at 2 so it would be one thing if she just had to work those long hours. But she dont she just doesnt like to spend time with her own children. This is also my problem child, now i see why hes acting up all the time. It makes me so sad...Also im still waiting for the day he shows up with clothing that actually fits him. I understand people dont have alot of money but when you can go out and buy ciggarettes and booze save that money and buy your kids clothes from the goodwill. I know she smokes cause her child smells like it the moment he enters my house and i know she drinks because my husband works with her.... Get your D*** priorities in order!!!

[youretooloud]

I used to close late every night. I had kids at my house 12 hours a day, even though the parents were off work at 4:00, they would wait til 5:59 and then drive up to my house in workout clothes, all ready to take the kids to the gym daycare so they could get in a two hour workout before having to be at home with the kids.

SOme of the kids never even ate dinner.

[KBCsMommy]

This sounds like the perfect parent to introduce NannyDEs payment plan to!!!!
Basically the longer they leave their child in daycare, the more they pay! An average rate for pickup at 3 pm. After that it goes up $10 for every hour they are in care!!!!!!!

Parents like that drive me nuts too. If they would just parent their child instead of ignoring them and tossing them aside,the kids would act better. It would be better for mom and child!

[bice99]

This sounds like the perfect parent to introduce NannyDEs payment plan to!!!!
Basically the longer they leave their child in daycare, the more they pay! An average rate for pickup at 3 pm. After that it goes up $10 for every hour they are in care!!!!!!!

Parents like that drive me nuts too. If they would just parent their child instead of ignoring them and tossing them aside,the kids would act better. It would be better for mom and child!

Nanny D - I need your payment plan again. One of my first clients just gave notice. She's starting her barely 3 year old in preschool midyear. Ugh. I know the little girl will not do well. She's a wonderful girl and part of our family. But she is not ready for that level of work or school setting for that many hours a day (daycare onsite afterwards. SDA jr academy). So now all of my kiddos are gone by 4:30. New mama and I have been playing phone tag. I told her I close at 4:30 It used to be 5.

[wdmmom]

Payment schedule

Pick up at 3pm, your base rate
Every 15 minutes thereafter, add $5.00

I add $2.50 to every 15 minutes.

She comes at 3pm, great, weekly rate stays the same.

She wants to come at 5pm, that'll be an extra $20 per day!

I work for parents according to their work hours. If DCD works 6am to 2pm and DCM works 9am to 5pm, the DCK comes at 830am and leaves at 230pm. If they want more, they PAY...royally!

The way I see it, daycare is one rate, babysitting is another because it's a convenience. If the parents feel inconveniences by being a parent and caring for their child/ren, charge more!

[countrymom]

I just got rid of the exact same family, heck they even forget to pick their kid up twice, imagine that. Same routine, pick up at 530pm and in bed at 7pm, sad parenting. Acually I think they dispised their kids, and dumped them off at whoever would watch them.

I now ask parents for their work schedual, I do close at 5pm, but I don't have anyone here till 5pm. I took the advice of you ladies and started working around parents schedual, not them working around mine. Its so much better.

[Lilbutterflie]

During the interview process, I ask the parents what their work schedule is; and explain to them that their schedule here is based on their work schedules and commute time. I also have in my contract that anything over a 10 hour day is overtime, at $5 for every hour/partial hour.

[Mrs. CC]

When DH and I both worked we picked our son up at 5 and his bedtime was 7. That was all he could handle and had huge meltdowns if not. I don't understand the idea that children need to be up late.

He still (age 3.5) goes to bed between 7-8 each night. Some kids need more sleep.

[Ariana]

I think if I had 6 kids I'd want to run away and hide from them too!!!

[Country Kids]

When DH and I both worked we picked our son up at 5 and his bedtime was 7. That was all he could handle and had huge meltdowns if not. I don't understand the idea that children need to be up late.

He still (age 3.5) goes to bed between 7-8 each night. Some kids need more sleep.

I don't think its the idea of your child being up late but spending quality time with them. I know myself there is no way I could pick my child up from childcare, get home, make dinner (even in the crockpot you probably need something else with it), set the table, eat, clean up, give the child a bath, get them ready for bed and then put them into bed all in two hours. I would be soooooo frazzled!!!

[Ariana]

I don't think its the idea of your child being up late but spending quality time with them. I know myself there is no way I could pick my child up from childcare, get home, make dinner (even in the crockpot you probably need something else with it), set the table, eat, clean up, give the child a bath, get them ready for bed and then put them into bed all in two hours. I would be soooooo frazzled!!!

Me too, not to mention with 5 other kids running around. Maybe she makes the dinner and cleans up before she comes to get the kid?

[Mrs. CC]

We did clean up after he was in bed and we missed out on many things keeping to his schedule.

meals were not fancy (carb, 2 veggies and a protein) so not hard to put together. Many times they were leftovers, so with less than 10 minutes commute we were home and eating and in tub by 6 pm.

We wrestled with him on the floor, read books and tucked him in.

then had to clean, do laundry, etc after he was asleep.

Like I said, some kids need more sleep so you adjust.

[Mandy_Jane]

I think I'd have to quit my job if it meant only seeing my kids for 2 or less hours a day, of which included driving and cooking time. I just wouldn't be able to handle that as a mother. Thank God that I have been able to afford to stay home with my girls since they've been born. I do understand that others aren't that fortunate, but I just wouldn't feel like I was a good mother if my childcare provider was with my child more than I was

[Unregistered]

Some people don't have a choice. I pick up my DD around 5:45 and we're home by 6-6:15, depending on traffic. Dinner, play a bit, bath and bed. She's in bed by 8. Do I like it this way? No! But there's not a whole lot I can do about it. She sleeps from 8pm-7am, then we're out the door by 7:20 in the morning. She can't go on less sleep. I can't work fewer hours. I'm at work from 8:30-5 each day. It doesn't automatically mean I'm a bad mom or I love my daughter any less. I just have to make the most of the time I do have with her, in the evenings and on the weekends.

[MsMe]

Some people don't have a choice. I pick up my DD around 5:45 and we're home by 6-6:15, depending on traffic. Dinner, play a bit, bath and bed. She's in bed by 8. Do I like it this way? No! But there's not a whole lot I can do about it. She sleeps from 8pm-7am, then we're out the door by 7:20 in the morning. She can't go on less sleep. I can't work fewer hours. I'm at work from 8:30-5 each day. It doesn't automatically mean I'm a bad mom or I love my daughter any less. I just have to make the most of the time I do have with her, in the evenings and on the weekends.

You are right some people don't have a choice and it sounds like you are a very good mother doing everything you can to get good time in with your child. it make s me sad when Mothers have to work so hard and don't have enough time left over. You are also completly right about your child needing good rest. Your daughter is very lucky to have a great mom like you.

The mother the OP is writing about gets off of work at 2 each day and doesn't not pick up untill 5. Not a hard workign mother like you who makes the most of every minute you do get to spend with your child.

I always feel bad when parents who do try hard are teh ones who get offfended or upset when we post about small number of parents that take advantage of care.