WWYD About Former DCKs?

[Play Care]

Last year I had to term a family of three boys. They cried all day long, refused to nap (and were exhausted) and were generally pretty poorly behaved.
The kicker is they are neighbors and I see them all the time. I also bring kids to preschool and the oldest child is also attending (which is fabulous as he really needed it!!) I feel very awkward about it. I also get a vibe from their current nanny that I'm not crazy about but I could be overly sensitive.

So what do you do when you have to term families and you still have to see them?

[jessrlee]

I'm friendly. I just treat them like anyone else .

[daycarediva]

Act as if it isn't awkward. I termed a child for HORRIBLE behavior 2 years ago and he ended up in ds's kindergarten class so now I see him/Mom regularly. I just smile and act like it doesn't bother me a bit. The Mom took my lead and we talked, caught up, and now chit chat. Not weird at all.

I interviewed a lady once with 3 kids and decided not to take them (youngest was a tv addict and spent the entire interview destroying my house) they needed care months down the road, so I said we will wait and see then if I had openings and for her to call a few weeks in advance. Months later the Mom called me on a Friday making sure it was ok to drop them off the following Monday at 6am. Um, NOOOOOOOOO! She had NO paperwork, I had NO openings and she thought I held the spaces for her for free. Fast forward two years later......She is head of the freshman class volunteers. She did NOT take my nice lead and spent 4 hours last Saturday ignoring me while we worked on a homecoming float together.

[Willow]

I agree with daycarediva....."act as if" and hope the overall tone takes a turn in that direction.

[Blackcat31]

Last year I had to term a family of three boys. They cried all day long, refused to nap (and were exhausted) and were generally pretty poorly behaved.
The kicker is they are neighbors and I see them all the time. I also bring kids to preschool and the oldest child is also attending (which is fabulous as he really needed it!!) I feel very awkward about it. I also get a vibe from their current nanny that I'm not crazy about but I could be overly sensitive.

So what do you do when you have to term families and you still have to see them?

SMILE reaaaally big every time you see them....after all only you know the reason you are smiling is because they are no longer your problem.

Plus, they are the ones who should feel uncomfortable when running into you...THEY are the ones with the difficult kids.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

It depends on what happened after I termed. If they threatened me or were completely ridiculous, I just politely smile and keep moving.

If they didn't threaten me, then I fake like I love 'em.

I see people I termed all the time. We live in a very small community and many of them live just a couple of blocks away.