Feeling Guilty/Embarrassed During Pick Up Time...

[hawaiianscorpion]

Hi all! I am a very new provider watching only 2 kids right now..the rest will be coming next week. One part of my job that makes me feel uncomfortable is pick up time. My dcbs is always in some way or another dirty...a smear of something on his shirt from playtime, maybe a milk mustache..a couple of times his diaper wasn't fully dry, etc. Gosh, it makes me look like a horrible provider but I'm not! I do a lot with the boys (I check for wet diapers every hour) and time flies..next thing I know the parents are here! I guess I don't want the parents to think that just because their child peed in the last hour and I happened to not change his diaper, that I am neglectful. Do parents expect their child to be completely clean at pick up?

Another thing...I feel as though I have to explain to the parents what we did all day long! I quickly go over our schedule for the day, I send a pic or two via phone, I show off their art work, etc.

I know that I am insecure due to me being a new provider but I was just wondering, do you all make sure that your dck's are "presentable" at pick up time and do you share what you guys did that day or do you just smile and "bye" to the kids and their parents?

Thanks in advance! I guess I'm trying to prove my worth and it's messing with my mind!

[SilverSabre25]

At the end of meals or during diaper changes I wipe off faces, hands, and clothing. I don't worry about dirt if we were outside at pick up (hey, proof we play hard and have fun!)

I don't go over our day in too much detail, although I try to cater the explanation to each parent's need for information.

But I'll tell you a secret: I hate pick up time too :hug:

[Familycare71]

I am guessing you will get a wide variety of responses-
Personally I do a diaper change after nap and about 1/2 hour before pick up I check wetness... If there was a BM I would change whenever it was needed- I would never send a kid home stinky unless I knew they just started and were not finished yet.
My dck are sent home with clean face and hands. If there is a stain on their clothes it is removed to the best of my ability.

As far as sharing about the day- I talk about some highlights. I also send texts through our the day of cute moments. If you are really packing the day full think about making a what we did today sheet to hand out.
Most parents will show you by their reaction how much info they expect in my experience.

Good luck to you!!! You'll get it in no time

[SilverSabre25]

OH--and every hour? That's crazy to me! I change every two hours or when there's something smelly.

[daycare]

I work on contracted hours. I know when parents will drop and pick up. This helps me run a very smooth schedule for my preschool program that I run here.

about 10 minutes before parents are to arrive, I make sure little billy is all ready to go. We clean him up, gather his stuff, have him put on his shoes, coat and anything else needed. I sit there with them and read to them until parent arrives. Usually by that time parents are there in just a few minutes.

This method REALLY REALLY helps cut down on bad behavior during pick up time because the child is ready to go and the parent can sign out and leave.

I send out a weekly schedule, so no need for me to tell them when they pick up. If something happened with the kids day that NEEDS to parents attention, I will usually have already emailed them or I would send home a note. I don't talk about what bad things happened at the door, never know when another parent may walk in, plus talking at the door takes my attention off of the other children that need me.

hope this helps some.

[daycare]

OH--and every hour? That's crazy to me! I change every two hours or when there's something smelly.

ditto on that as well....I change every two hours or as needed

[Play Care]

I work on contracted hours. I know when parents will drop and pick up. This helps me run a very smooth schedule for my preschool program that I run here.

about 10 minutes before parents are to arrive, I make sure little billy is all ready to go. We clean him up, gather his stuff, have him put on his shoes, coat and anything else needed. I sit there with them and read to them until parent arrives. Usually by that time parents are there in just a few minutes.

This method REALLY REALLY helps cut down on bad behavior during pick up time because the child is ready to go and the parent can sign out and leave.

I send out a weekly schedule, so no need for me to tell them when they pick up. If something happened with the kids day that NEEDS to parents attention, I will usually have already emailed them or I would send home a note. I don't talk about what bad things happened at the door, never know when another parent may walk in, plus talking at the door takes my attention off of the other children that need me.

hope this helps some.

this is exactly how I do it.

I think because you are so new you may be sweating the small stuff. There is a huge difference between normal "had fun playing" kind of dirty and "holy cow does she even clean this kid?!" really nasty dirty:: It's always good to evaluate your procedures and make changes if needed. Good luck!!

[Blackcat31]

Hi all! I am a very new provider watching only 2 kids right now..the rest will be coming next week. One part of my job that makes me feel uncomfortable is pick up time. My dcbs is always in some way or another dirty...a smear of something on his shirt from playtime, maybe a milk mustache..a couple of times his diaper wasn't fully dry, etc. Gosh, it makes me look like a horrible provider but I'm not! I do a lot with the boys (I check for wet diapers every hour) and time flies..next thing I know the parents are here! I guess I don't want the parents to think that just because their child peed in the last hour and I happened to not change his diaper, that I am neglectful. Do parents expect their child to be completely clean at pick up?

Another thing...I feel as though I have to explain to the parents what we did all day long! I quickly go over our schedule for the day, I send a pic or two via phone, I show off their art work, etc.

I know that I am insecure due to me being a new provider but I was just wondering, do you all make sure that your dck's are "presentable" at pick up time and do you share what you guys did that day or do you just smile and "bye" to the kids and their parents?

Thanks in advance! I guess I'm trying to prove my worth and it's messing with my mind!

I approach this topic during the interview. I make sure ALL families know and understand that we are very hands on. I tell them that their child WILL be getting dirty and that often times pick ups vary so much in times that parents are bound to catch their child in the middle of something.

I ask parents to send their children in clothes they don't mind getting dirty. I also make sure parents know my definition of dirty. I am talking about paint, mud, food, bubbles, markers, ANYTHING a child can get dirty from.

Honestly, I was raised that if a child isn't dirty at the end of a long day of playing, then they didn't play hard or deep enough.

My daycare parents LOVE seeing their children be dirty and especially love the pictures I post showing them HOW they got so dirty.

I try my best to keep faces clean and hands washed but kids ARE dirty.

Don't stress about it and relax! Dirt = FUN!!

[daycare]

I approach this topic during the interview. I make sure ALL families know and understand that we are very hands on. I tell them that their child WILL be getting dirty and that often times pick ups vary so much in times that parents are bound to catch their child in the middle of something.

I ask parents to send their children in clothes they don't mind getting dirty. I also make sure parents know my definition of dirty. I am talking about paint, mud, food, bubbles, markers, ANYTHING a child can get dirty from.

Honestly, I was raised that if a child isn't dirty at the end of a long day of playing, then they didn't play hard or deep enough.

My daycare parents LOVE seeing their children be dirty and especially love the pictures I post showing them HOW they got so dirty.

I try my best to keep faces clean and hands washed but kids ARE dirty.

Don't stress about it and relax! Dirt = FUN!!

yes yes yes....good point BC..

I also have in my PHB that we WILL get dirty. We will make mud pies, explore in nature and are very hands on, so be sure to send your child in clothing that you don't mind getting dirty and possibly ruined.

Most of my families have started a share program. THe bigger kids parents pass down to the little ones here and the clothing just stays here over time. I am pretty proud of the families for doing this. It's a very kind thing to do for each other...

[coolconfidentme]

We are usually outside during pickup time. I have a pack of wipes ready to wipe down a kid when they leave. One parent says something from time to time & I will reply, "Kids having fun I guess."

[crazydaycarelady]

Don't worry about this! The kids get dropped off to you shortly after getting clean clothes on in the morning. I am sure if you saw one of them at the end of an at home day they would look a little grubby too.

I change the kids after nap, clean their hands and faces, comb the girls hair and call it good (unless someone poos.)

[Jack Sprat]

Honestly, I was raised that if a child isn't dirty at the end of a long day of playing, then they didn't play hard or deep enough.

YES!!! I was raised this way too and approach my children and my daycare kids this way as well. I have no idea how to quote by the way

[jenn]

About 30 minutes before pick up time I wipe faces, hands, and change diapers. During the day, I wipe everyone down after meals and outdoor times. If they are filthy, like food/dirt covering their whole outfit, I will change them. If they are just dirty from normal play/eating, that's fine with me. I kind of base it off of the parents too. If they are overly picky about "dirty", I will make sure they are shiny clean at pick up, as long as they are good about sending extra clothes.

[LK5kids]

I make sure they are clean (faces and hands), noses wiped all day, and I change diapers 5-10 minutes before pick up if they are wet.

If kids get paint or marker on them or say spaghetti sauce got on the side of their shirt (escaped the bib), I do rinse out the spot. I use all washable markers and paint and it comes right out. I am not comfortable sending them home stained. My parents are not picky, send them in play clothes, etc. I am the picky one. We do tons of messy play inside and out. I don't have mud available....I draw the line there , but but they pour tons of water in our sand table and make big, soupy messes. I am a huge fan fan of messy play...somehow my dck's stay fairly presentable.

It's important to me that they are cleaned up when they go home. If my girls' hair has come down from a rubber band, I pull it back up and straighten it. I feel like this little things make an impression that they are cared for well all day.

[Josiegirl]

I am right up front with dcps and tell them your child WILL get messy here. If they need him/her to be changed before they leave for an appt., etc., please let me know and I'll be happy to do that. I try to have their faces and hands cleaned and diapers fairly fresh. But of course, there's always that parent who picks up 15 minutes early by surprise and I haven't gotten to change a diaper yet. I don't like sending them home wet.
And if they get excessively messy(as someone else said with spaghetti sauce or something) I do change them. I try to have the little girls' hair at least neat.
Sometimes it doesn't always work out but hey, what are ya gonna do?