Just Came On In!

[Unregistered]

The nerve of some people

I would seriously have a talk with DCM about boundaries and safety.
1) She was there way too early (from what it sounds like she didn't call ahead of time)
2) She was techniquely there before your hours of operation
3) She just left the kid in your house without even trying to talk to you or make sure an adult is there (didn't she see ur car was gone?)

I'm not sure about ur state but my family is considering moving to Oregon and I looked up the regulations and it says that during drop off parents must not leave a child until the provider is aware of the child's presence and has accepted them into the program. That should just be common sense, but apparently some people just don't have common sense.

[craftymissbeth]

JoseyJo, here is the reply from my licensor.

Bethany,
There is no rule that says you have to leave your door unlocked.* For fire code a locked door cannot take more than two steps to open – turn lock, turn door handle.* That is two steps.* Parents have right of entry but that does not mean the door has to be unlocked.* If your door is locked, they knock and you immediately let them in.* You are right concerning safety of the children and yourself.
I hope this helps,
Jamie

The way I understand it now is that fire code could potentially dictate that your doors must remain unlocked, but apparently where I'm at it doesn't. We just have to be able to get out in two step.

Hope this helps!

[JoseyJo]

Thank you so much! I haven't heard from my surveyor yet, but I think I will call the fire department and ask about the 2 step thing...

[Unregistered]

My mother did unlicensed daycare for 35 years and when I think back to some of the things that was acceptable back then I cringe. She did 3rd shift care and parents would just come in,lay their child on the couch or bed and leave.My mom would be sleeping and they wouldn't let her know they were there. Can you imagine that nowadays? The door was always unlocked and no one seemed to think anything of it! Wow!
She also had a lot of kids in the summer(20-25) and the parents would drop off or the kids would ride their bikes over and play outside all day.They would play with all the other kids in the neighborhood,go to the park,basically just run around town unsupervised.They came back for lunch and that was it. Every parent knew and was perfectly okay with it. I guess 50 years ago that's how people did it? Blows my mind!
She was considered the best place in town too!

[jenn]

I am in KS (Sedgwick county-maybe the fire rules vary from county to county?). All of my doors are locked at all times. I have been inspected every year, and it has never been mentioned.

[JoseyJo]

Surveyor responded back to my email- she said the door can be locked if it is the kind that is always unlocked on the inside (so no 2 step, must be able to get out by just turning the handle) and we must let the parents in when they knock/call/ring doorbell (which we always do anyway!)

So- I am going to switch out the handles and start keeping it locked after drop offs and before pickups.

Oh! And DCM who dropped of dcb before hours tried it again this morning! This time I was home though, in the kitchen where you can see me through the glass window in the front door, and the door was locked :: They tried the handle, then knocked, then knocked louder, then just stood there looking in the glass at me. I kept making me coffee and checked my email on my phone until 7 am, then I went over and unlocked the door

I greeted them with "Boy! You guys got here early today!" She mumbled some comment about the commute from her new house was messing up her time- I had to bite my tongue not to ask her if it messed up her clock or clock-reading ability too ::

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Good grief!

Glad you will now be able to lock your door.

[My3cents]

I got a response back from my surveyor- she says "Children must be able to get out in case of fire and parents must have access"

I sent another email asking for clarification- is that yes or no on locking the door? What does "able to get out in case of fire" and "have access" actually mean?

they have access all they need to do is knock and you can let them in or call when they pull into the driveway and you can unlock the door.

You can have the door lock on the outside but not the inside so that if the kids had to get out in the event of a fire they would be able to.

I wouldn't want a stranger to be able to just walk into my home at any time. There have been robberies in the day time while people are home and in their house happening all over the place- Your outside with the kids and some nut knows this in he goes and robs you. This would be one rule I would be breaking and using my own common sense with.