DCM Wants To Hold Another DCF Baby?

[NeedaVaca]

For some reason this troubles me...I have a DCM that during pick up always wants to hold this other baby I watch. Maybe it shouldn't bother me and I'm sure it's partially to do with being overall irritated at her pick up routine...She's one of those that wants to hang out, doesn't seem to understand boundaries etc.

I tell her she needs to make it short and sweet and why it can be disruptive to the other DCK's. I have her child ready at pick up and pretty much stand by the door and say goodbye see you tomorrow because she never gets the hint. Now her new thing is trying to hold this little 12 month old...It bothers me because if anything were to happen I would be responsible.

How would you handle this?

[Willow]

"I'm sorry, but just as I wouldn't let some other parent come in here and hold your child, I cannot allow you to hold someone else's. He is cute though isn't he!"

Well, we'll see you guys tomorrow! Have a nice night!

[cheerfuldom]

you are going to have to be honest with her.

"Kristen, I know you love to hang out at pickups but I need you to make pickups short and sweet. Its too disruptive to do it any other way and I have the same rule for all my parents. If there is something in particular that you need to discuss, feel free to set up an appt. with me. Otherwise, I will have Junior ready to go so you can get off to your evening quickly and I can get back to my job"

I wouldnt even tell her she cant hold the other babies. Stay focused on the main issue, pickups are for picking up your child and then leaving. If you are already meeting her at the door, make sure her child is ready and then say bye and close the door. Dont let mom in. If she continues to push it, step outside the door with Junior and do the hand off on the porch, then turn and go in and close the door behind you. I have had to do that before....

Either she is wanting for you to watch her child for longer OR she is just lonely and using your house as entertainment but either way, you dont have to let her hang around.

[NeedaVaca]

Thanks, I have been doing everything I can to get her out quickly and have said something to her several times about it being disruptive to the schedule, etc... The holding the baby thing is new. I usually scoop her up before she can get near the DCM and have been trying to hold her but this mom is something else...

I think I have my answer, I will do the hand off outside the door from now on rather than my entryway. Thanks so much!

[sharlan]

I don't see a problem with it. My mothers each hold the other's baby all the time. They also address any of the older kids that say hi to them.

For some reason, my kids don't really get crazy during drop offs and pick ups.

[lovemykidstoo]

I've had moms hold the babies too. No big deal, but it sounds like that's not really the problem. Sounds like the problem is her staying too long. Maybe put the baby in the highchair with some cheerios or something when she comes so she can't pick her up and stall?

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I wouldn't let them hold another child and lingering drives me crazy, too.

[daycare]

nope not here..
moons ago when I did have babies, I allowed a mom to hold one of them and her child got jealous and hit the baby on the head really really hard with a hot wheels car. baby got a black eye......Never again

[Breezy]

I have a DCM that sits here until 6:30-7:00 every night at pick up whining to me that she doesnt want to take care of her baby. Asking him if he'd rather stay here. Yesterday she called me on the way out od my drieway saying "Hey, since you're going to run errands now why dont you drop by and hang out tonight!" Um, no!! It's 7:00 and my ds is in bed by 7:30-8:00 at the latest. I've been with your kid all day!!

[Angelsj]

I don't see a problem with it. My mothers each hold the other's baby all the time. They also address any of the older kids that say hi to them.

For some reason, my kids don't really get crazy during drop offs and pick ups.

This. Unless I did not trust the mom for some reason.
And my kiddos don't get that way either. But I do not ever relinquish control until they are GONE. I have been known to go out to a vehicle and return a child to my porch, because the rule is an adult must accompany you to the car.
I have also been known to tell a child to apologize to a parent for being rude to them. Maybe they just figure they will save the crazy for at home.

[Bugsworthy]

We do not let parents hold the other children. I blame it on insurance. It only happened once, and the dcm received it fairly well. I chose not to allow it, because (if I Didn't work there) I would not want my child held by other parents. I don't want the parents to feel like they have that liberty. I also do not allow the parents to correct other children (but, I guess that's another whole thread:

[Crazy8]

I used to have a little girl who would always ask her dad if he wanted to hold the baby (not theirs) at pick up and every day I said the same thing "sorry, only miss ____ is allowed to hold the babies" but I was always directing it at the girl, not the dad.

I still have issues with parents lingering at pick up. I wouldn't feel right about handing a child out the door but I really wish they could just come in, get a quick "had a great day, thanks, goodnight" and be on their way. I have some who want every little detail of their child's day!!! I have some new families so I get it because they don't really know me that well yet but I am going to really start putting my foot down soon.

[Meyou]

My parents hold the other babies sometimes. But I have a very small group and everyone knows everyone at this point. One of my DCD's said that his favorite part of the day is when he drops off his daughter and the babies swarm his legs for leg hugs at the the door yelling, "Julie's Daddy! Julies's Daddy!" He also likes how they line up at the door and start pounding on it and yelling when they see him pull up. I'm selling the celebrity lifestyle here along with childcare.

[Lianne]

My clients are all friendly and most of them are friends. They have no issue with each other holding their children and neither do I. If a client can't trust me enough to use my discretion to allow someone else to hold their child then they need to find alternate care.