Your Number One Most Annoying Thing In Business?

[cheerfuldom]

Prospective clients that have unreasonable expectations of childcare. It is so time consuming to weed thru all these people and questions but thankfully, I am good at that now and rarely have to deal with them from current dc parents.

Everyone wants a lot of hours for dirt cheap prices, all supplies included, plus curriculum and fancy extras. I cant tell you how many people lately have asked for sign language, a second language, special diets (not allergies just special requests), therapy here at my home (I can work around some of it but I am not going to coordinate everything for your child!), hard core school curriculum, music or other lessons, ap style parenting where every person expects their child to be held or worn constantly, asking not only for no CIO but also no crying, care on weekends or night, date nights, etc, etc.

it is exhausting to weed thru all the special requests to find a good daycare families!

[SSWonders]

Having vacant spots that I can't fill.

[Unregistered]

Parents who quit their jobs and go from FT to technically drop-in with no notice. Then I get an "I'm sorry about the drop in hours". Yeah well, I'm sorry I am going to fill you FT spot ASAP and will not have room for your child !!!! Going through this right now.

I just went through this! Mom got "laid off" went to part time 2 days a week. Then changed it to 1 day a week. She put him in preschool 4 days a week (free) to get a break (her words) she couldn't handle the child full time. She wanted me to hold a full time position for her and be ok with me loosing all that income. Then to too it off my husband ran into her at the grocery store and she told him that unemployment gives her almost as much as she was making minus paying for daycare so she has no reason to get another job. TERM! It still upset me.

[Kimskiddos]

Definitely inconsiderate parents that don't call or text and never stick to a consistent drop off time. Drives me nuts to wait around for a child that may or may not show up somewhere between 8:30 to 11:00am.

[Patches]

ok this is going to sound bad but my number one thing I hate about this business is:

Parents who don't follow my policies/rules

Parents who don't listen to a thing I say.

Parents who bring their kids to me on their days off and then say how much they miss them while their at work.

Parents that pull there kids from my dc because they say they cant afford me and them go out shopping and buy fancy running shoes and go on trips out of town.
Deb

Parents who can't seem to grasp that I have multiple children to care for.
i.e. the DCM who was shocked that I didn't go into the bathroom with her 3.5 year old to make sure he puts his pull-up on correctly. That would mean me leaving 7 kids alone to ago assist a child with something he should be perfectly capable of doing by himself.

On the same note, Parents who don't have high enough expectations for the children. And parents who would rather save time and do things for their children rather than teach them how to do them.

Parents who quit their jobs and go from FT to technically drop-in with no notice. Then I get an "I'm sorry about the drop in hours". Yeah well, I'm sorry I am going to fill you FT spot ASAP and will not have room for your child !!!! Going through this right now.

Only one?? That's cruel.
Hmmm, I think it'd have to be the parents who are very concerned with how they're going to pay for daycare, yet are the ones with the most expensive 'toys', expensive clothes, new car, nice trips, yada yada.

You did mean one per reply right?
Also, the parents who get time off but their kid comes anyways. It happens so often and makes me so sad. Granted if I wanted the day off, I'd take it(course I'd lose pay) but I know these kids would be much happier in their own home with their parents.

Rude parents who don't let me know their children aren't coming. MANY times I have gone to school to pick them up and they aren't there. I stand there waiting until everyone leaves, then go ask for them only to find out they never even went to school. Wasted trip, wasted time, lost money, and it really pisses me off when it's raining out and I have to take toddlers out in it for nothing! I text or call DCM to get things like "oh forgot to tell you they are sick" How about SORRY!!! AND usually they aren't sick they tell me the next day DCM just didn't want to get up so they played all day. Oh and the icing on that poop cake is they are state assisted so I can't fine them for no show, it's just a total loss for the day for TWO spots EVERY time!

Definitely inconsiderate parents that don't call or text and never stick to a consistent drop off time. Drives me nuts to wait around for a child that may or may not show up somewhere between 8:30 to 11:00am.

Hmmmmm, I believe I'm starting to sense a trend here ::
My answer is all of the above

[daycare]

I always say jokingly. If you find a bus load of orphans send them my way. I'll take them all.

I didn't want to say it. Lol

[e.j.]

Not being paid on time.

[Familycare71]

^^^^ . All of it!!!

Right now it is varied drop offs... I would like to start my day and not sit in holding pattern until you decide to drop your kid off!! A reminder note will be going out soon!

Also a specific one... I had a mom pull her pt SA and ft pre-schooler to stay home with grandma (who didnt even want them!) and went on and on and on! about how sad she was they wouldn't be here and how she would bring them if there was any possible way... Blah blah blah- apparently the financial hardship was she wanted a new car!!!

[Tdhmom]

Parents who bring their kids to me on their days off and then say how much they miss them while their at work.

[Blackcat31]

diapers/diaper changing. ANYTHING diaper related.

That is the ONLY part of the day that I cannot "fake" enjoyment or even willingness of any kind.

[daycarediva]

Only one? No fair!

Late pick ups! I am SICK TO DEATH of them, especially when they don't communicate and I am waiting around forever for them to p/u and only ONE child is left. DRIVES ME CRAZY!

Wish I could term, but it would put me in a bind financially and there is a dry spell here.

[Moppetland]

When parents arrive on Monday without your fees, saying they forgot, but they didn't forget to show up with their child.

[TwinKristi]

Rude parents who don't let me know their children aren't coming. MANY times I have gone to school to pick them up and they aren't there. I stand there waiting until everyone leaves, then go ask for them only to find out they never even went to school. Wasted trip, wasted time, lost money, and it really pisses me off when it's raining out and I have to take toddlers out in it for nothing! I text or call DCM to get things like "oh forgot to tell you they are sick" How about SORRY!!! AND usually they aren't sick they tell me the next day DCM just didn't want to get up so they played all day. Oh and the icing on that poop cake is they are state assisted so I can't fine them for no show, it's just a total loss for the day for TWO spots EVERY time!

Oh this happened to me once and I was so mad I was shaking. I had an extra baby that day and made special arrangements to have mom bring a seat and packed up 3 infants and a toddler to go get her son and waited there for 15 min, no answer on her phone... Someone finally told me that she picked him up and left 15 mins earlier. ugh I don't think I've ever been so mad at a DCM. And to think this mom is my friend!!

[TwinKristi]

Parents who can't seem to grasp that I have multiple children to care for.
i.e. the DCM who was shocked that I didn't go into the bathroom with her 3.5 year old to make sure he puts his pull-up on correctly. That would mean me leaving 7 kids alone to ago assist a child with something he should be perfectly capable of doing by himself.

On the same note, Parents who don't have high enough expectations for the children. And parents who would rather save time and do things for their children rather than teach them how to do them.

For reals!!! I had a DCB (hmm, same one I just complained about!) who's in 1st grade and cannot tie his own shoes, can barely figure out which one is R & L, doesn't know but maybe 5 letters (not even the ones in his name!) and can't read at all. Mom was so worried about going from a SAHM to working FT yet has time to run 6mi a day, go shopping for herself, get lunch with friends, go out for drinks with friends at night... Yet your kid knows very little of what he should know. Maybe spend more time with your kids?!? Maybe?

[Msdunny]

The kids who come in sick and mom tries to cover it or tell me when I call, "she wasn't sick this morning." Or the child that tells me about her yummy medicine this morning. Or the drop off today where I was told, "she's teething". I think that was to head off the fever text she got later - temp was only 99.5 but I am sure I'll see higher after naptime.

I know I can end this with a 3 strikes you're out policy, but I don't have a waiting list and haven't received a call in a while. I send them home every.single.time, but it still doesn't stop the dope and drops.

I cannot understand a mom (or dad in some cases) who can't take a day or two, or even a week if necessary, to take care of their own sick child! And before you tell me that times are hard and folks have to work, none of my families are struggling. They are all simply career driven and can't let kids get in the way.

Other than that, things are peachy!