Inconsistent Drop Offs (Time)

[hgonzalez]

I am about going crazy here. All week, 3 out of my 4 families have been dropping off inconsistently. A family scheduled for 7:45 drop off showed up at 7 am. My first drop off is usually 7:15, so it was a huge surprise as I was busy getting ready for the day. Now today, that same family dropped at 8:05.

A second family is scheduled for 7:30....showed up at 8:45 one day and then at 7:10 today. They brought their infant in with a blow out diaper...nice, 20 minutes early.

Now another 7:30 family is still not here and I know they will show up and their kids have not eaten. My breakfast cut off is 8 am.

I am so frustrated. My policy is that if you are going to be late by more than 15 minutes, you need to notify me and if you need an earlier drop off....you have to ASK if it works for me on that particular day.

I want to be flexible, but this is ridiculous.

I have reminded parents before and it doesn't seem to matter. Any suggestions? What do you all do?

[bunnyslippers]

Put your foot down. Make the families commit to a drop off time, and do not allow them to come earlier, ever, without first talking to you. Then, let them know that if they are 15 minutes later than they are supposed to drop off, you will assume they are absent for the day. Demand that they notify you of late or early (and I would never allow early...sets a bad precident). State that breakfast ends at ___ time, and you will NOT provide breakfast to late drop-offs. If they arrive after breakfast has been served, inquire if they have eaten. If the answer is no, then send them home to get something to eat before returning. If someone hands me a baby with a dirty diaper, I hand that baby right back and point them towards my changing table.

It is incredibly difficult to be firm with policies, and we all have been there. That being said, you are going to burn out quickly if you don't take some control back immediately.

Write a letter, hand it out, and post it in your entryway. If you have to, write up a new contract with reminders of all ofyour policies, and have each family sign it again. If you give them an inch, they will take it. Don't let them!!!!!!

[Heidi]

PP is right. You just have to be direct and firm.

Each parent needs to be told verbally AND in writing.

"I am sure you can appreciate that managing 5 children and a family is challenging. We have had an issue lately with drop off time, so I am making it clear to EVERYONE that I open at 7:30. I CANNOT have people arriving before that, and breakfast is served at 7:45-8:00. If for some reason you're running late, then please make sure dck has breakfast on the way".

As for the diaper, I wouldn't address it again until it happens, and then say "oh...here are the supplies....". That's a seperate issue.

[cheerfuldom]

I dont answer the door before my opening time. yesterday a mom was out on my porch earlier. i did not answer the door. she texted me that she was here and I ignored the text and did not open till right at 730 thats an easy one to solve.

if they come later than their contracted drop off time with no notice, they dont get to drop off at all, period. or you can start doing a $1 a minute late fee. charge $5 if their child has not had breakfast and you have to feed them. i personally wont let a kid go hungry and if the parent has to pay me an extra $25 a week because they never feed their kid, thats cool with me.

[wdmmom]

Is there a way for them to not come early?

For example: I don't open until 730am. If it's 705am, I'm more than likely going to be upstairs still getting ready since my own kids don't get up until 730am.

My parents know if the curtains are still closed, I'm still closed.

If my curtains are open and you see the light on, I'm open.

What is your policy for early or late drop offs/pickups?

Here's mine. If they're early (before 730am), I don't answer the door. I would follow Cheer's suggestion if they text too.

If you're open and they show up early, I'd do this: "Wow! You guys are super early! More money for me! Yay! Now don't forget to add that extra $5.00 per hour to my check at the end of the week!"

If you don't or can't use that type of approach, I would simply tell them that earlier dropoffs need to be scheduled in advance and turn them away at the door.

[hgonzalez]

The problem is that I am open at 7 am, but each family has their own specific drop off time. If certain kids are absent or I have been given notice of a later schedule, then I technically am not available until the first child is scheduled to be dropped off. Some days I am not expecting anyone until 7:30, then someone shows up while I am vacuuming or in the bathroom etc.

I can be flexible, as long as I know what is going on. Today, I had both early drop offs and late. The early infant being dropped off delayed breakfast as she had a blowout diaper and was fussy. Then when I finally got breakfast on the table.....someone else showed up 30 mins late...and needed to eat. It's really fustrating. Text messaging is so easy and I don't understand why they can't let me know.

[wdmmom]

The problem is that I am open at 7 am, but each family has their own specific drop off time. If certain kids are absent or I have been given notice of a later schedule, then I technically am not available until the first child is scheduled to be dropped off. Some days I am not expecting anyone until 7:30, then someone shows up while I am vacuuming or in the bathroom etc.

I can be flexible, as long as I know what is going on. Today, I had both early drop offs and late. The early infant being dropped off delayed breakfast as she had a blowout diaper and was fussy. Then when I finally got breakfast on the table.....someone else showed up 30 mins late...and needed to eat. It's really fustrating. Text messaging is so easy and I don't understand why they can't let me know.

Send out a newsletter:

Dear DCF's

I have noticed a lot of early and late drop offs occuring. Please know I have these arrivals spaced out so there is minimal congestion at the door and in the driveway/street.

If your child will be attending late, please notify me no later than your designated drop off time indicating the approximate arrival time.

(Please note that breakfast time is 8am, if your child will not be here before then, it is your responsibility to make sure they have been fed prior to arrival.)

I do not permit early arrivals unless overtime arrangements have been submitted in advance and approved. Please do not come sooner than your designated time. If you arrive early, please park on the street and wait.

Early arrivals will now be charged in correlation with late departures. $1.00 per minute per child.

Thank you for your understanding.

[hgonzalez]

So I sent out an email about the drop off troubles. I tried to make it very 'policy oriented' and not crabby.

One of the families that showed up 45 mins early now says they need an open window of an hour for drop off, between 7 and 8 am. I replied that I can handle that as long as I know that and that should have been something they discussed with me and we could have worked it out.
Now they seem angry.

The other inconsistent family also responded like they are angry. All I am asking for is a quick text message if they are going to be coming early or more than 15 minutes later than their designated drop off time. Is that so difficult?

The only 2 families that responded with an apology and understanding are those who aren't doing anything wrong!

I can't afford to lose any more families, but the disrespect is driving me crazy! They complain about how diffcult it is to handle their kids in the morning, well how the heck do they think it is for me when I have no clue on a daily basis as to when they are coming, and if they need to eat breakfast or not. Walking in to my home in the middle of breakfast with your hungry baby screaming and an egg mcmuffin falling out of your other kids' mouth....do they think that is easy to deal with?

I am so tired of dealing with this. Can they just show up to their other appointments when they please without a consequence?

I hate this.

[wdmmom]

I would start advertising.

If there is no consequence to them just showing up whenever, chances are, theyre going to continue doing it.


I actually added a $10 convenience fee to my policies. Failure to notify the daycare at or before your designated drop off time of late arrivals or absences will result in a $10 convenience fee in addition to your normal daily rate.

Ive never had a charge it.

[Angelsj]

I am incredibly flexible and charge hourly, so I don't really care when they drop off or pick up, BUT.. I like communication. That would be the deciding factor for me. You need to decide when you are open, and be open. If you want that to be 7 am, then you need to be available at 7 am. If you don't want to be available til 7:30, say so.

If communication is highly important to you, make it a priority. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting you at this time, and I cannot take Jimmy right now. If you let me know next time, we can avoid this." Then DON'T take the child.
The other posters are correct. If you don't stand up for your needs and policies, no one else will.

[UrKidnMe]

I also open at 7. To me that does not mean that I am available at 7 for anyone to drop off anytime they feel like it. I open at 7 so that I can enroll families that have to drop their children off that early to be at work on time. I am having the exact same situation and am also trying to figure out how to deal with it. I had a verbal and written agreement with a family that did not need to drop their child off until 9am. I enrolled the child because the family seemed to be a good fit and a 9am drop off time would give me time to get my other baby and toddlers in and settled first. Well the 9am drop off was short lived and now they think they can drop off anywhere from 730 to 930. For various reasons which would take WAY too long to explain. (It is always something) It is very frustrating. And I feel it is very disrespectful. Yes I have opened my home to you and your children, no that does not mean that I am a doormat and am at your disposal for 12 hours a day. I have tried to communicate with them and explain my policy on drop off and pick up times but we are really butting heads and I dont seem to be getting anywhere with them. The last thing I want to do is terminate them but I dont see any other option. I work long hard hours as it is and feel like I am helping parents to raise their kids! I love it and I wouldnt change what I do but lately the way I have been treated by these new families that I have enrolled is very sad. I am not seen as a person that is loving their children, caring for them, teaching them and keeping them happy and safe. I feel like I am seen more as just an employee to them that they pay and will use and abuse as they see fit. I am really struggling with this right now and I can really relate to the issue here!

[hgonzalez]

UrKidnMe....thanks for putting my feelings into words. I explained it to them verbally this morning, and I think that helped. I explained how I may not be expecting anyone until 7:30 and to have someone show up at 7 is like their boss calling them at 7 and saying you have to be available in 5 minutes. I am not a center, I am a home daycare provider. I live here.

I also asked the two families that were abusing my policies if they felt that the drop off and pick up times that they signed up for were not working for them and if we needed to make an adjustment to the contract and their fees. They both looked stunned. They both said 'no'.

I told them also that I am willing to be flexible as long as there is communication. I can't just decide not to open my door until 8 without telling them and they can't decide that I have to open early without telling me.

We will see.......hang in there!