Ummm, How About NO?!?

[MNMum]

I'm getting my new handbook and contracts ready...just added a few sentances pertaining to this matter! Thanks!

[bunnyslippers]

OK Ladies...here is the kicker! They are my neighbors. Just watched DCM stroll over in jeans and a sweatshirt. I said, "Did you work today?" She tells me she has been home since noon. So has DCD.

SO, not only did they try to dictate how my day would go, but it was avoidable- they were HOME!!!!!! They could have picked her up BEFORE nap, and had her sleep at home.

I truly do not understand people. At all. I am so ready to be done with this whole job!!!!!!

[LaLa1923]

OK Ladies...here is the kicker! They are my neighbors. Just watched DCM stroll over in jeans and a sweatshirt. I said, "Did you work today?" She tells me she has been home since noon. So has DCD.

SO, not only did they try to dictate how my day would go, but it was avoidable- they were HOME!!!!!! They could have picked her up BEFORE nap, and had her sleep at home.

I truly do not understand people. At all. I am so ready to be done with this whole job!!!!!!

This is the reason why most providers around here (myself included)-
We do not care for neighbors children or family/friends.

[lovemykidstoo]

OK Ladies...here is the kicker! They are my neighbors. Just watched DCM stroll over in jeans and a sweatshirt. I said, "Did you work today?" She tells me she has been home since noon. So has DCD.

SO, not only did they try to dictate how my day would go, but it was avoidable- they were HOME!!!!!! They could have picked her up BEFORE nap, and had her sleep at home.

I truly do not understand people. At all. I am so ready to be done with this whole job!!!!!!

OMG!!! So dear daddy could have taken her home and "let her hang out with them" instead of take a nap? UGH!!! Some people. I can imagine your eyes rolling when she said that!

[bunnyslippers]

This is the reason why most providers around here (myself included)-
We do not care for neighbors children or family/friends.

I wish I didn't have friend's and neighbor's children, but with my daycare model it is unavoidable. We live in a very small town, and I only take teacher's children. Everyone knows everyone else!

The DCD just dropped off his little angel for today. He tells me, "Hey, she needs to go down for her nap much earlier today, probably at 11. We had her up really late last night."

I responded, "I can't do an earlier nap for her. My schedule is not something I can change to accomodate one child. If she is really too tired to make it until 1:00, I will give you a call and someone can pick her up."

Again, baffling. I have had this child since she was 12 weeks old. Her parents know the drill around here.

[lovemykidstoo]

I wish I didn't have friend's and neighbor's children, but with my daycare model it is unavoidable. We live in a very small town, and I only take teacher's children. Everyone knows everyone else!

The DCD just dropped off his little angel for today. He tells me, "Hey, she needs to go down for her nap much earlier today, probably at 11. We had her up really late last night."

I responded, "I can't do an earlier nap for her. My schedule is not something I can change to accomodate one child. If she is really too tired to make it until 1:00, I will give you a call and someone can pick her up."

Again, baffling. I have had this child since she was 12 weeks old. Her parents know the drill around here.

Oh my Lord, what is wrong with him? How late did they have her up? Why is that your problem? Did he shush after you told him that?

[bunnyslippers]

He just went on his way. I really don't understand this family. They take days off and stay home, while she is here. He works on his yard, and she can see him from my yard. The dude doesn't even wave to her.

They got home at 10 last night. Not my problem, and I am not altering my day in any way because of it!

[littlemissmuffet]

He just went on his way. I really don't understand this family. They take days off and stay home, while she is here. He works on his yard, and she can see him from my yard. The dude doesn't even wave to her.

They got home at 10 last night. Not my problem, and I am not altering my day in any way because of it!

You really need to put these parents in there place and tell them that they need to ASK for things, not tell you - and then follow up by saying NO when they ask.

Secondly, I only take kiddos when parents are at work - unless there is an appointent - then the child can come for a PORTION of the day. You might want to try and implement this. I CANNOT stand parents leaving kids here when they don't need to... I know many providers are ok with it, but I'm not.

[Hazel]

Ok, so I had watched a friends infant for a bit, and she would come on her lunch to visit.. Which wouldn't be bad except it was in the middle of the baby's nap! I'd tell her she was asleep and she would want to just "peek".. But she forgot I used a baby monitor! (baby slept in my bedroom) I would hear her wake the baby! Then she'd spend 10 mins with her and leave me with a screaming baby! Finally my assistant stepped up and complained to her and my friend became furious! Decided that she didn't want the baby upstairs anymore. Well... Baby wouldn't SLEEP downstairs. She would see the other kids and yell, squeal, laugh and make a fuss.. Thus keeping herself and EVERYONE else awake! After a week I told the father that she hadnt slept ALL day and he laughed! Said "good, that means she'll sleep for us tonight!" seriously? She was 8 months old! She needed at least one nap, if not two! And she was miserable by 5 pm pick up! I finally tried to talk to my friend and she blew up at me and pulled her kid. That was 6 years ago and we still don't speak to each other... No more watching friends kids!

[wahmof3]

You really need to put these parents in there place and tell them that they need to ASK for things, not tell you - and then follow up by saying NO when they ask.

Secondly, I only take kiddos when parents are at work - unless there is an appointent - then the child can come for a PORTION of the day. You might want to try and implement this. I CANNOT stand parents leaving kids here when they don't need to... I know many providers are ok with it, but I'm not.

I totally FEEL this way too- I just have a very hard time enforcing it when the DCP are paying for a space. So I am coming to terms with it. I have 1 DCF that always always does this to me, its so bad I wonder if DCD still has a job. What infuriates me is when they are repeatedly late when I request a certain pick-up and they aren't working. So DISRESPECTFUL.

How do you enforce this policy?

OP- I have this exact same family!!! Exact same. Did I say exact same family?

[melilley]

OK Ladies...here is the kicker! They are my neighbors. Just watched DCM stroll over in jeans and a sweatshirt. I said, "Did you work today?" She tells me she has been home since noon. So has DCD.

SO, not only did they try to dictate how my day would go, but it was avoidable- they were HOME!!!!!! They could have picked her up BEFORE nap, and had her sleep at home.

I truly do not understand people. At all. I am so ready to be done with this whole job!!!!!!

What, you have to be kidding me! or How about the parents who bring their kids in late because they have the day off and the child comes in screaming and wakes everyone up! This happened to me when I worked in a center. I see that many people have adopted a policy of when the children can and can't be dropped off or picked up. How does that work? Sorry, a little off subject!

[melilley]

I think it's so sad when families bring their children to daycare when they have the day off. I can see maybe every once in a while bring them for a little bit to shop or whatever, but not for the whole day unless you really have something such as an appointment where the child can't go. I've had a few families at a center that I used to work at that would bring their child every day that they had off. I would feel guilty if I did that to my kids! I guess they feel that they pay for their child to be there so they're going to be there! To each their own I guess. I can't believe the father was outside and the little girl could see him! I know it is hard to do work with the kids around, but I have 2 and seem to manage! Maybe that's because I'm used to having to multitask with more than one child?

[Bookworm]

What, you have to be kidding me! or How about the parents who bring their kids in late because they have the day off and the child comes in screaming and wakes everyone up! This happened to me when I worked in a center. I see that many people have adopted a policy of when the children can and can't be dropped off or picked up. How does that work? Sorry, a little off subject!

My center just started that policy a year ago and some parents still try to to sneak in.

[littlemissmuffet]

I totally FEEL this way too- I just have a very hard time enforcing it when the DCP are paying for a space. So I am coming to terms with it. I have 1 DCF that always always does this to me, its so bad I wonder if DCD still has a job. What infuriates me is when they are repeatedly late when I request a certain pick-up and they aren't working. So DISRESPECTFUL.

How do you enforce this policy?

OP- I have this exact same family!!! Exact same. Did I say exact same family?

First, during the interview process, I ask if either parent has days off during the week (it's common in my area to have Fridays and Mondays off in some companies) - and if they answer yes, I direct them to page one of my handbook where it discusses that I only provide services to working (or in school) parents and I believe parents should be with their children outside of work time. Getting this out there right off the bat help curbing the issue.

Secondly, if a parent starts bringing their child on a day off and mention they aren't going to work I will say something like "Oh, you're not working today? Ok, so you will be picking up early then right?" or something similar to drive home the point that I am uncomfortable with their child being here unneccesarily.

Between the two of these techniques parents will learn to NOT tell me they have a day off. They won't necessarily lie (they know this would piss me off to no end) but they will omit talking about it - which is what I prefer. Sorry, I don't want to know you are out getting your hair done or getting a massage or going back home to sleep while I am here watching YOUR kid Yes, it's my job, and yes, you pay me - but in my eyes I am providing a service to working parents only, and it's my right to limit my services to strictly working parents.

[DaisyMamma]

I made the mistake of keeping a child up at naptime per the parents request. The parent was an hour late, and I lost my only moments of quiet "me" time, providing 1:1 care for this child when they should have been napping. Then, parents were loud, and woke up the other kids early. Everyone was grumpy.

Lesson learned I guess?
What did you say to them for waking everyone up?