Sick of....

[MissAnn]

Parents texting at night. Tonight's was a series of texts asking if her daughter brought home a pink cup. I text back....I sent home their sippy cups. She texts back to say she can't find it.

I'm thinking...who cares? Am I supposed to search my house for a cheap plastic cup that I sent home? Am I supposed to search your house for it? Do you need to go to Walmart to buy a new one for your daughter?

Grandma picked her up last and she spent the night with her.....text grandma!

It's a stupid pink cup that cost me $1!

This is just a small example that just happened.....but sometimes I get several texts in the evening. The worst was at 10:00 PM on a week night asking if her 3 year old daughter saw little boys going potty. She then called and we talked for a long time. Ruined my weekend.

Yes I know.....turn off the phone! Do they not realize I work and hour before the day starts, 10 hours with kids and another hour or two after they leave?

Vent over!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I actually sent home a note last year to every client stating that I would ONLY be returning text messages and phone calls between the hours of 7:00 AM-6:00 PM Monday-Friday. Anything received outside of those times would receive a response between 7:00 AM-6:00 PM Monday-Friday.

Marina, I believe, posted about using google voice. You give them a generated phone number from google voice and it gets sent to your phone. I believe you can even turn it off via google voice if you'd like to on the weekends! Something to possibly consider for future clients?
On the postcards I just sent out I put a google voice phone number on there instead of my actual cell number.

[bunnyslippers]

I do not acknowledge texts or phone calls after 6:00 pm, unless they are about an illness that requires further clarification (usually me saying "yup, he needs to stay home). I also will not answer phone calls on the weekends.

I put it right in my contract, and in my handbook. I also make the parents sign off on it at the beginning of the year.

I have this policy because of exactly what you are describing!

[AmyKidsCo]

I don't give my cell phone number to parents, just my daycare phone and email - both of which I can ignore if I want to.

[Lucy]

I've learned to not let their problems become mine. I will read a text that comes in after hours, but I use my OWN criteria to determine if it requires an answer. If it doesn't, I ignore it. If they ask the next morning if I saw it, I just say "I hardly ever check texts in the evenings".

Also, if they call, I let it go to voicemail and listen to it, using that same criteria to determine whether I should call back.

YOU ARE NOT OBLIGATED.

[lovemykidstoo]

I've learned to not let their problems become mine. I will read a text that comes in after hours, but I use my OWN criteria to determine if it requires an answer. If it doesn't, I ignore it. If they ask the next morning if I saw it, I just say "I hardly ever check texts in the evenings".
Also, if they call, I let it go to voicemail and listen to it, using that same criteria to determine whether I should call back.

YOU ARE NOT OBLIGATED.

This is what I do too. Even if it's during the day and it's one of my pain in the butts and they text. If they bring it up, I just say oh I must not have heard it, I must have been busy, had my phone shut off etc. You are definately not obligated to answer. I absolutely would not have answered a text about a stupid sippy cup. If it's one she brought from home I would tell mom, well, that's why you shouldn't bring things from home.

[MissAnn]

. I absolutely would not have answered a text about a stupid sippy cup. If it's one she brought from home I would tell mom, well, that's why you shouldn't bring things from home.

It was her water cup that I supplied. I bought new ones and let them bring the old ones home. Now...come to find out...they found it at grandma's!

Thanks for the replies and support. I don't know if I can really ignore the texts. I am in some ways such a parent pleaser......and I do realize this is a negative many times. I do stand firm on most issues...but with some I am such a ****er!

[williams2008]

I do not reply back to texts or answer calls after business hours. I put my phone on do not disturb!!::

[wdmmom]

Unless a parent is texting me to tell me their kid won't be in the next day, I don't return texts after closing time which is 5pm.

I also don't respond to emails either.

I tell parents I am available to them for 10 out of 24 hours per day and that is more than enough. If they can't conduct business during normal business hours, tough luck!

[Cat Herder]

Parents texting at night.

I text back....

Vent over!

I bet you can see how to stop it now??? ::::

[Kaddidle Care]

I see $$ in your future. Anything after hours, charge per text.

Time to draw up a notice to be signed by all parents. If it's not a "Johnny threw up tonight, he won't be in tomorrow" type text then it's not necessary and can wait until the morning. Even that can wait until morning unless "Johnny" is your first drop off and a nighttime notification lets you sleep in.

This gotta have it now generation. Yeesh!