Do You Worry About What Your House Looks Like For Pick Up Time?

[Soccermom]

I am constantly trying to tidy before DCPS arrive but most days I can't keep on top of it. There are crumbs all over the floor from snack time, dishes in the sink from snack time, books lying about, my own SA kids papers from school that day all over the counter, little rocks and dirt all over the floor in the entrace from the kids coming in and out, not to mention the toys and markers all over the place !
I want things to be neat and tidy for when DPCS arrive but it never is and I hate it!
I scramble every afternoon to get things in order but a DCP always arrives early to pick up and I feel so embarrassed.
Before doing childcare my house was my priority and it was always spotless. Now I find it hard to find even one area that even comes close to what it used to look like!
Does it bother anyone else when their house is not in tip top shape for pick up?

[dave4him]

Really i do not. I do worry about what it will look like when my wife gets home though. Shes the only one who i really care what she thinks.
Kind of annoying when my MIL says i need to get a maid

[Michelle]

as long as it's safe and there are no marker lids or crayons that kids can choke on laying on the floor, I wouldn't worry about it. I wouldn't want anything sticky stuck to the floor or half eaten sandwiches.... but little crumbs... eh don't worry

I know what you mean about enjoying a clean house though, Every Friday night my dd and I do the Friday Night "toy purge"We throw all the toys, baby devices , etc. in the playroom, I do all the floors and surfaces and just love how the house looks on the weekend!!!

[originalkat]

I don't worry about it, but usually I have the kids all clean up by 4:30 so we can get ready to go for pick-ups. Most of my kids leave between 4:30-5:30. While we wait for parents we usually:
- Go outside
-Storytime
- Color at the table
-Books or puzzles on the rug
-A math box that has to stay on the tables
That way I dont have to worry about everything being a wreck at pick-up. As far as crumbs and stuff I usually try to sweep them up directly after snack (or better yet we eat snack outside so there is no mess!).

[countrymom]

I clean up at nap time and after the nap, the kids have been taught that they can't make a big mess. Also, when my kids come home they put their own stuff away and leave the lunch pails on the counter with their papers under their lunches bags. Its rare that my house isn't neat when dcp's show up.

[sharlan]

Nope. My house is pretty spotless when they come in the morning. I tidy through out the day, but don't really clean.

[daycare]

I clean as I go all day long. After each meal I vacuum, beucase I can't stand food on the floor.

at 4:45, everyone starts to clean up for our day. This means everything cleaned up. Including all the tables and chairs cleaned, put up, every toy away in their place and everything wiped down. All dishes are done and all trash gets taken out. It is all usually done by 5:15, which is when most of my kids leave for the day.

those that are here until 6, we read, color or draw with color books.

I dont care what my house looks like, but I do have it cleaned by pick up.

[sharlan]

I clean as I go all day long. After each meal I vacuum, beucase I can't stand food on the floor.

at 4:45, everyone starts to clean up for our day. This means everything cleaned up. Including all the tables and chairs cleaned, put up, every toy away in their place and everything wiped down. All dishes are done and all trash gets taken out. It is all usually done by 5:15, which is when most of my kids leave for the day.

those that are here until 6, we read, color or draw with color books.

I dont care what my house looks like, but I do have it cleaned by pick up.

My #1 failure as a provider is to make the kids clean as they play, or to even pick up at the end of the day. After 28 years, I probably won't ever get it down.

[Blackcat31]

Nope. I am who I am and you get what you see.

I am a clean as you go along kind of gal but if at the end of the day, the place is a mess, I couldn't care less as long as the kids are happy and safe and had a great day.

If I spent my whole day deep clenaing and making sure the house looked presentable, there wouldn't be anyone to have watched the DCK's so....I totally think parents "get it".

[daycare]

My #1 failure as a provider is to make the kids clean as they play, or to even pick up at the end of the day. After 28 years, I probably won't ever get it down.

I think we all have one thing that we could really improve on,,,,I must say that I have a lot more than one thing.

But the clean as you go thing is a must. We have a lot of toys and 3 huge rooms, so imagine the mess they could make if I let them. I also can't stand to step or trip on toys after having broke my arm 8 years ago taking flight over a small dump truck left on the ground. plus I think that it teaches them a good habit of being responsible for their actions...

Now if I can only get all of the other things I need to improve on checked off my list..

[daycarediva]

I clean up at nap time and after the nap, the kids have been taught that they can't make a big mess. Also, when my kids come home they put their own stuff away and leave the lunch pails on the counter with their papers under their lunches bags. Its rare that my house isn't neat when dcp's show up.

this is what I do. I got heavy duty magnets and put my kids names on them. Papers go on the magnet/fridge. They toss lunch pail crumbs and put their things away. If it isn't perfect, I don't care anymore. I am getting paid to take care of the kids, and honestly if I was a parent and it was ALWAYS clean I would wonder, kwim? That being said, my house always is always clean in the morning, I am a stickler for a clean house.

[Brooksie]

I try to clean as I go throughout the day to maintain safety for the kids. My big pet peeve is hazards strewn about the floor; Blocks and play food and farm animals. . But if there are dishes in the sink from snack/lunch and the counters are a little cluttered I could care less. Whats important is that the kids are enjoying themselves in a safe and loving environment, not if your house is spotless. Not to mention, if there are multiple kids in the house its unrealistic to walk into a room and expect it to be spick and span.

[Alice Of Legend]

I don't worry about it, but usually I have the kids all clean up by 4:30 so we can get ready to go for pick-ups. Most of my kids leave between 4:30-5:30. While we wait for parents we usually:
- Go outside
-Storytime
- Color at the table
-Books or puzzles on the rug
-A math box that has to stay on the tables
That way I dont have to worry about everything being a wreck at pick-up. As far as crumbs and stuff I usually try to sweep them up directly after snack (or better yet we eat snack outside so there is no mess!).

This is what I do as well. I try to clean as I go as well most of the time but in reality there is a lot of little things that need to be done by the end of the day. The majority of my kids go home between 515-545 so at 5 we clean up, get everyone stuff together, and then do activities at the tables or one group activity on the floor together.

Thankfully my kitchen sink is just out of view of the front door so DCPs don't get a view of that mess!

If I spent my whole day deep clenaing and making sure the house looked presentable, there wouldn't be anyone to have watched the DCK's so....I totally think parents "get it".

I agree!

[spud912]

I clean before and during nap time. When the kids all wake up at around 3ish, they eat snack. As the kids get down from snack, I wash their hands and faces, their dishes and their seating area (the table and sweep the floor). The kids don't usually make a huge toy mess, but I do have them clean up around 4:30/4:45ish. Then we usually play table games for the remainder of the day. The house is clean, but the parents who pick up before 4:30 will usually see a minor toy mess. The parents who pick up after 5 frequently comment on how clean it is. The cleanliness is the same as always, it's just tidy.

My only kryptonite is the daily laundry. I usually pile it on our loveseat and I don't always get to it by the end of the day. I always do a load of laundry during nap time for white noise (and because it needs to get done), so if I have a busy day, I don't always fold it and put it away.

[Nickel]

I always make sure the house is clean in the morning for drop off, for pick up not so much unless I have to leave right after pick up. But it is never a huge mess. We clean up several times a day as far as toys go. mainly before we go outside, before meals, etc. But sometimes its all I can do to get lunch dishes IN the sink.

I do not let my SA throw their stuff around though! Papers must be put nicely on the counter, lunch pails in their designated spots and book bags and jackets put up. My SA can make a bigger mess than all 3 kiddos with just what she comes home with! I do attempt to sweep the floor but if it's still messy, oh well. We played hard!!!