What Time Do You Start To Close Up Shop?

[greenhouse]

I get most of my cleaning done in the am- but it's "princess" who is messing up the house all day,so I clean all day. There is no cleaning staff, and as another poster said- she sounds like the type that would be upset if she saw a mess at pick up. This sounds like a mom who might be happier at a center and I would suggest it to her.

[Lianne]

I feel like a slob. I never sweep or vacuum or mop my floor daily. I sweep as needed and vacuum/mop weekly. I detest cleaning my floors. My bathroom, at most, needs a quick swipe with a lysol wipe once a day but even that's not necessary everyday. I do the dishes and keep the kitchen tidy after each snack/meal and the kids tidy the toys up before lunch at before everyone gets picked up. I tidy up my own trail as I go through the house and I can't remember the last time I dusted although that's on my to do list for this weekend. However, my house is 'drop in guest visit' tidy 90% of the time. I have four cats and a small dog in a small (800sq ft) house and people always say that if they didn't see the animals themselves then they'd never know I had any.

I don't 'close up shop' at the end of the day. After the kids tidy up their toys and as long as I tidied the kitchen after snack, there's nothing left to do except start my own dinner or sit on my butt

[AfterSchoolMom]

Wow. Maybe you should NOT clean for one day, and see what she thinks of it then.

Honestly, if it were me...she'd be out for speaking to me that way in my own home. People never cease to amaze me.

[littlemissmuffet]

So for as long as I can remember, I have always started my clean up around 5:30PM. I normally never have more than two kids here after that time anyways. Right now I only have one here around that time.

Today, DCM comes in while her daughter is playing with a puzzle at the kiddie table and I am vacuuming. I did not hear the door the first time over the vacuum and for some reason the door was unlocked so she was able to walk right in. She yells over the vacuum, HELLO... I look up a little shocked. Shocked because I have a strict rule about always locking the door behind you when you leave. Dont want people coming in or kids going out with out my knowledge, but that's a whole different thread.

So the DCM says to me why are you cleaning while there are kids still here. I look at her with this face:confused:.... Ummm your child is the only one here and I always clean at this time everyday. You came a little earlier than you normally do and I was not expecting you, so I was still in the middle of vacuuming when you arrived.
DCM says well I am not paying you to clean while my child is here..... Again the face. I tell her Mary, I clean all day. If I didn't my house would be knee deep in poopie diapers, dishes, art paper and toys. If I am not teaching the kids, I am cleaning. If I did not start my clean up while I have kids here, i would not get done until 7:00 PM every night. I can wait to clean if you want, but then that means now I am working 13.5 hours a day instead of 12. So we would need to negotiate a new rate.

She just looks at me, rolls her eyes and says come on princess, we need to go.

I could not believe my ears.

So my question is, what time do you start to close up shop? AND have parents ever said anything to you???

:: I would have literally laughed at her... and then said exactly what you did. I get extremely aggravated when people come into my home and tell me how to operate things... these people have NO IDEA what running a daycare is like so they can shove it.

Most days, my last kiddo leave around 5:15 - I start cleaning up and cooking supper around 4:30 when the majority of the others get picked up. If anyone said anything about it I would let them know they are welcome to look for new daycare. I will not cater to the whims of each parent.

[Lianne]

I was feeling guilty because of this thread that I went and vacuumed my floors, . Going to mop at naptime.

As for the daycare mom, I'd be insulted that she thinks she can tell me what I can or can't do with my day/business. You're cleaning up mess caused partly by her kid. If she doesn't like it, she can go elsewhere but I would not be changing how I close up at the end of the day.

[Zoe]

I agree with everyone here. If we don't clean throughout the day, omg...I have a hard enough time keeping up with all the clutter my hurricane hubby leaves behind when he gets home, I'm not about to wait until he gets home to start cleaning up the daycare too!

The kids don't need us to play with them 24/7. When they're occupied with free play and are behaving themselves, I'm not going to just sit there and stare at them! Ugh, I'd go crazy. So yeah, I'm going to sweep, wipe down a counter or two, or dust if I'm feeling crazy.

The "I don't pay you to..." would anger me so much. I'm sorry that happened to you.

[countrymom]

I feel like I clean non-stop from the time I wake up to the time my children go to bed at night. It's part of watching children and keeping their environment safe and sanitary.

What I want to know is what would this parent think if little Timmy vomits in the playroom or baby Sally has a blow out while doing tummy time. Would it be "wrong" to take out cleaning materials and clean immediately? I guess in her opinion, we should leave the vomit or feces because (heaven forbid) we clean while the kids are around! I guess we should also leave food debris on the table and floor after meals, dishes in the sink and on the counters, urine all over the toilet seat, feces on the changing table, sand on the floor after returning from the park, and debris in the carpet.

The only thing a parent has ever said (in a positive way) was: "Your house is so clean. I don't know how you do it with all of the children! I can't keep my house clean and I only have one child!" As far as "closing up shop," I usually don't have anything to clean at the end of the day besides some toys and closing the blinds. I have each child clean up his or her toys about 10 minutes before their parents arrive. Then I have them put on their shoes. If there is additional time to kill, I will read a book.

thats what I do. I tell the dck's that after their nap that they can't make a mess because the big kids will be mad (the big kids are my own kids) and that they don't want to clean up their mess, always works. I wish I had a janitor to clean my house when my business is done for the day.

[countrymom]

I forgot to add, I can't believe how many children are afraid of the vaccum and brooms. I kinda wonder if at home their parents ever clean. I know my sister doesnt. She has rugs everywhere and her dd is 4 yrs old and hates the vaccum because my sister never cleans.

[renodeb]

I think that parent was being a little petty. Her kid was the last kid there? Good grief.
I close at 5:30. I have one kid here on Monday, tues, wed, mom picks up every other tues and wednesday and almost always late. As soon as its just down to him I turn the tv on. (I know, I know) and start picking up. Im usually done by the time he leaves or almost done.(sometimes the child helps and sometimes not) Knowone has ever said any thing to me. My dc is in the middle of my home so its nice to have it picked up for the night.
More often than not in the morning the parents walk in and Im unloading the dw (or loading it) they never complain. I drop what Im doing when that first child comes and wait until later when I cna finish it. To me theres nothijg wrong with that!
Debbie

[Blackcat31]

I do ALL my cleaning while the kids are here.

If they want to help, they are more than welcome! I have two right now who are excellent window washers!

I do not visit or think about daycare outside of my operating hours.

Like a PP'er said...they helped create the mess so they can help me clean it.

[Sunchimes]

Lianne, what kind of kitty litter do you use? I have 2 cats with the litter box in the back of the house and some days, you can still tell I have cats when you go in that room (which is my sewing room and no one is ever allowed in there but me). I've been testing brands and nothing does what I expect so far.

[satcook]

Wow. Just wow.

These are our homes. We are not a "facility" with a cleaning staff. We are not their nanny or babysitter (who, incidentally would be expected to clean while on the clock!).

Sorry you had to deal with that. She sounds like a real peach.

I am a director at a center and we have no cleaning staff. The teachers start cleaning when there are about 4-5 kids in a room. We vacuum one side, and then have the kids move to the other side to vacuum it. We clean the tile part while they are on the carpet, etc. We all want to go home as soon as we can. :-) No parent has ever complained, and it definitely is a physical reminder that we do clean!

Of course, we also clean after morning snack, after lunch, after afternoon snack, etc. We are always cleaning around here!! :-)

Lori

[TBird]

Hold up....wait a minute.....QUESTION....

What gives these parents the AUDACITY to even ask such questions and in such a tone??? I WISH one of my parents would ask me why I'm cleaning or use that kind of tone with me. They would be DISMISSED after they got an earful!!! This parent obviously thinks you work for her personally instead of providing a SERVICE for your clients. I would have put her in check on the spot!!!

First of all.....I clean all day long (in some form) for the safety of the children in my care. It's MANDATED that we do so. If I vacuum, or mop up a stain, or clean up a table, or sop up a spill......isn't it benefitting your child???? And for her to throw in your face what she 'pays you for' is out of the box because we all know, at the end of the day, we've put in WAY more than we get paid for.....JUST SAYIN'!!!

Okay....getting off of my soap box now. I'm sorry....it's just pure ignorance if ya ask me.

[daycare]

I do ALL my cleaning while the kids are here.

If they want to help, they are more than welcome! I have two right now who are excellent window washers!

I do not visit or think about daycare outside of my operating hours.

Like a PP'er said...they helped create the mess so they can help me clean it.

hahah Could you imagine what this mom would have said to me if I said your child helped make the mess, they can help clean it...

While I agree with that, I know this mom would have fallen out of her porshe....

Oh this morning at drop off she says with a big bright smile, I have a gift for you..I think um ok. She goes into her purse and pulls out a business card. DCM says, it's my cleaning lady, she is expensive, but she's great, give her a call.

LMAO really lady, now you want me to pay to hire someone. I just looked at her and said yeah I am the cleaning lady, except you don't have to pay me any extra...

She laughed, I was serious..

BTW awhile back, I did hire a lady to deep clean every friday and LIC said I could not have her here while kids were present, because she had chemicals out where the kids could reach them......

[Blackcat31]

hahah Could you imagine what this mom would have said to me if I said your child helped make the mess, they can help clean it...

While I agree with that, I know this mom would have fallen out of her porshe....

Oh this morning at drop off she says with a big bright smile, I have a gift for you..I think um ok. She goes into her purse and pulls out a business card. DCM says, it's my cleaning lady, she is expensive, but she's great, give her a call.

LMAO really lady, now you want me to pay to hire someone. I just looked at her and said yeah I am the cleaning lady, except you don't have to pay me any extra...

She laughed, I was serious..

BTW awhile back, I did hire a lady to deep clean every friday and LIC said I could not have her here while kids were present, because she had chemicals out where the kids could reach them......

Now you tell her at pick up that you have a gift for her.....

a new contract with a new rate that affords you the ability to hire a cleaning lady!