Thoughts on Parents Walking in...

[momma2girls]

my door is locked at all times, til pick up time. I have had parents scare the crap out of me. THat is when i put a stop to it. I have it written in my contract as well, to please be courtious and knock before entering my home and daycare.

[DBug]

My door is always open (usually during "closed" hours too) because I use my back door as a daycare entrance. I have a small entrance with a gate up so that parents can come inside, but not into the actual playroom. I'm okay with them walking in at any time, but I have been startled a few times with parents showing up at odd times. I was thinking of getting something like this:

Driveway Patrol Sensor Receiver Kit http://www.amazon.com/Driveway-Patro.../dp/B0000645RH

It chimes when someone pulls up into your driveway. I'm not sure how sensitive it is, but in my case I'd rather have it chime when someone enters the backyard (which they have to do to get to my back door).

My biggest problem is the neighbours that think they can just walk in the back door since they see the daycare parents doing it . It's only happened twice, but that's two times too many!

[wahmof3]

Open door does not mean free reign of coming and going whenever they want. I once had a mom show up 1 /12 hours early, walked in, stood in my dining room, and was watching me load the dishwasher....when I turned around she was "there" and it scared the hell out of me. That is why we ask for a courtesy phone call or a knock, it has nothing to do with an open door policy.

BINGO! I couldn't agree more

[JennyBear]

All my parents know to just walk in and I'm okay with that and so far i've never had an issue. However, i do have some guidelines in my handbook regarding drop off/pick up.
It states that my doors are locked daily between 9am and 3pm for the safety of the children. If parents wish to drop off or pick up outside of those times they need to give me notice ( a quick call right before they come even!) and I'll unlock it for them.
Also, I use my front enterance for daycare and I have a wide hallway with lots of room and their cubbies. It's a gated area so parents don't usually go past the gate (one will come in to the dining room table to put her little one in her booster for breakfast if she sees I'm busy - and I'm okay with that) but other then that the parents leave kids on my side of the gate or I'll pass them over (or open the gate) for children to head home at pick up. It works well for me

[EchoMom]

My door is usually unlocked and I tell parents to just come on in. I live in a split level house so I would HATE to be going up and down the stairs all day to answer the door. I lock it though when I know I'm not presentable because I'm cleaning, or if I'm nursing my son, or I want to watch tv and eat my lunch and maybe ice cream during nap time! :P

I do have one mom who is SOOOOOOO quiet I never hear her come in, I turn around and boom there she is. I honestly don't know how she does it!

I HATE when people knock or ring, it makes the dogs bark and wakes everyone up.

[seebachers]

In my home.....it does

[Blackcat31]

I encourage it. All my new parents start off knocking, and I tell them to walk right in. I HATE having to get up off the floor to open the door, and don't allow the kids to do it.

I guess it's whatever works for you. If you don't like them just walking in, put a note on the door "after 8am..please knock", or send a memo to everyone...
Basically, feel free to walk in during normal arrival and departure hours, but if you come during "off" times, knock first, lest you give your provider a heart attack.

I agree with my "twin"

For me, my set up makes it annoying and difficult to deal with parents knocking so I prefer that they just come on in. I have a separated entryway that does not allow for parents to come in any further than the cubbie area so it works well for me.

I don't have a barking dog to alert me but i do have a driveway alarm and video survelance that has sound so I always know someone is here before they even get out of their vehicle.

I also agree with others...to each their own....if it isn't your cup of tea, then simply speak up and say something to your DCP's. It is your home/business so you have to let others know what is and isn't alright.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

My door is always locked. I prefer to know exactly when someone comes in and exactly when someone leaves.

[e.j.]

I guess it's whatever works for you. If you don't like them just walking in, put a note on the door "after 8am..please knock", or send a memo to everyone...
Basically, feel free to walk in during normal arrival and departure hours, but if you come during "off" times, knock first, lest you give your provider a heart attack.

I agree. I have no problem if parents just walk in during expected drop off and pick up times but I've asked them all to knock first if they come any other time. It's scary to look up to see someone standing there when you don't expect it.

[spud912]

I think I've watched too many episodes of "I Survived" to keep my doors unlocked. Everyone knocks on the door to get in, both to prevent bad people out and keep the little ones in.

To each their own, though. You do what works for you, put it in policy, review it with the parents, and enforce.

[momma2girls]

there is too much of a chance to have someone other than a daycare parent, come in your front door. If your door is open, anyone can come thru it. I am not ever taking that chance!!!

[JeepGirl6]

So you know when parents arrive, get a driveway alarm. I don't know if you have a Harbor Frieght Store by you but they are $20 and go up to 400 feet. Every time a parents pulls in my drive the alarm goes off, I love it!

[clep]

During the hours of 7:30 am and 5:30 pm this is not just my house, it is also a business. I have an electronic door code on my door and parents have the code. They can walk in and out at will.

I don't care when the pick up or drop off as long as it is within my business hours.

[nanglgrl]

there is too much of a chance to have someone other than a daycare parent, come in your front door. If your door is open, anyone can come thru it. I am not ever taking that chance!!!

Exactly. It is our job to make sure the children are safe. I have to many single parents who do not get along with ex's to take a chance and even though I live in a safe neighborhood in a safe town I can not tell the future and people are crazy these days .
Another thing to mention is that people may want to check with their state and their liability insurance. I thought the "allowing parents access at all times" meant that I had to leave my doors unlocked and was surprised to find out is doesn't. In fact when I ask the state and insurance both preferred that daycare providers lock their doors.
We had 2 children in our area in the last few years get out of their daycare homes. One happened while the children were napping and the provider was doing lunch dishes. She didn't hear the door opening over the water she had running and the child was found in the road (unharmed), sadly another child drowned.
You never know when a child will learn to open doors on their own. It may be convenient for us not to have to get up and answer the door all of the time and parents may like that they can "drop in" but my job is the kids.
My parents text me when they are close and I get their child ready to go and meet them at the door. I also tell parents if they feel they need to drop in unannounced to check on the quality of care they are provided then they are probably with the wrong provider. I've never had a problem with it.

[clep]

Exactly. It is our job to make sure the children are safe. I have to many single parents who do not get along with ex's to take a chance and even though I live in a safe neighborhood in a safe town I can not tell the future and people are crazy these days .
Another thing to mention is that people may want to check with their state and their liability insurance. I thought the "allowing parents access at all times" meant that I had to leave my doors unlocked and was surprised to find out is doesn't. In fact when I ask the state and insurance both preferred that daycare providers lock their doors.
We had 2 children in our area in the last few years get out of their daycare homes. One happened while the children were napping and the provider was doing lunch dishes. She didn't hear the door opening over the water she had running and the child was found in the road (unharmed), sadly another child drowned.
You never know when a child will learn to open doors on their own. It may be convenient for us not to have to get up and answer the door all of the time and parents may like that they can "drop in" but my job is the kids.
My parents text me when they are close and I get their child ready to go and meet them at the door. I also tell parents if they feel they need to drop in unannounced to check on the quality of care they are provided then they are probably with the wrong provider. I've never had a problem with it.

My door lock has a code for parents. It is has an automatic lock feature so three seconds after the door closes it automatically locks. We couldn't be safer. I got tired of checking to make sure the door is locked after parents because they would forget often. Now it is always locked and I don't have to answer it. It was well worth the 300 bucks to buy and install it.