Dealing with snarky parents

[Blackcat31]

Ok forgive my slowness this morning (It's below zero here so my brain is cold ) but I thought according to your original post, they were dropping off LATE.

Now they show up early in order to make the 8:30 cut off time and weren't allowed in?

I am confused. I thought you wanted "all children in attendance no later than 8:30"?

Am I missing something? :confused:

[julie]

Ok forgive my slowness this morning (It's below zero here so my brain is cold ) but I thought according to your original post, they were dropping off LATE.

Now they show up early in order to make the 8:30 cut off time and weren't allowed in?

I am confused. I thought you wanted "all children in attendance no later than 8:30"?

Am I missing something? :confused:

I think she gave the parents a window of 8:30-8:45 to drop off instead of the usual hour window they use since she doesn't allow nap time drop offs. I agree that it doesn't give the parents any right to come before you open. 15 minutes is plenty of time and wiggle room to drop off and still not interrupt the little one's nap time. It is a reasonable request, but some parents might be put off with enforcing the new policy. I think OP is in the right, and the family is being passive aggressive. If they want to leave over that, good riddance. By showing up early, they have shown that they have more control over their day than they have previously shown and are therefore making the conscious choice to come early and force you into a confrontation or uncomfortable situation where you have to accept them. If they can't adjust their clocks to come when you open, that is THEIR problem.

[Cradle2crayons]

I think she gave the parents a window of 8:30-8:45 to drop off instead of the usual hour window they use since she doesn't allow nap time drop offs. I agree that it doesn't give the parents any right to come before you open. 15 minutes is plenty of time and wiggle room to drop off and still not interrupt the little one's nap time. It is a reasonable request, but some parents might be put off with enforcing the new policy. I think OP is in the right, and the family is being passive aggressive. If they want to leave over that, good riddance. By showing up early, they have shown that they have more control over their day than they have previously shown and are therefore making the conscious choice to come early and force you into a confrontation or uncomfortable situation where you have to accept them. If they can't adjust their clocks to come when you open, that is THEIR problem.

I totally understand the 16 minute window, and if my parents lived closer I would totally do that. But with one parent driving an HOUR here to drop off and then an HOUR to back track back to work, I am a lot more open to giving them a bigger window. However, my parents work shift work so their drop off times are different every day.

I agree that they are just trying to push buttons though and are appearing very disrespectful in how they are doing things. It's unfortunate because all you are asking them is to drop off at x time and they can't seem to make that happen.

[childcaremom]

Ok forgive my slowness this morning (It's below zero here so my brain is cold ) but I thought according to your original post, they were dropping off LATE.

Now they show up early in order to make the 8:30 cut off time and weren't allowed in?

I am confused. I thought you wanted "all children in attendance no later than 8:30"?

Am I missing something? :confused:

I have contracted hours. So no early and no late. They were coming on time, within 10 minutes, and over the past few months getting later and later. At the time it didn't affect our schedule.

Now it does. And after verbally and in writing telling him the time I need them here, according to their contract, he still came early. And 15 minutes early.

But mom called at 9:30 (which is when nap ended) and asked to come drop her off. I said yes. Rightly or wrongly. It's done.

I am in the process of writing them an email to clear the air so to speak. I agree, that clearly they can make it here at an earlier time. They only live 10 mins away so not a biggie.

They can make it here between 8:30 and 8:40. That is their window. No more after naps, without a valid reason, eg: doc's appt, and not without advance notice.

If the air is cleared, bonus. If not, I have no problem telling them to take a hike. This is a family that I have had some other issues with, they are very hard to deal with when an issue does arise, and I have tried to pick my battles with them in the past. Should I have just drawn my line in the sand form the beginning and not let them cross? Yes. Lesson learned and moving on.

[Blackcat31]

I have contracted hours. So no early and no late. They were coming on time, within 10 minutes, and over the past few months getting later and later. At the time it didn't affect our schedule.

Now it does. And after verbally and in writing telling him the time I need them here, according to their contract, he still came early. And 15 minutes early.

But mom called at 9:30 (which is when nap ended) and asked to come drop her off. I said yes. Rightly or wrongly. It's done.

I am in the process of writing them an email to clear the air so to speak. I agree, that clearly they can make it here at an earlier time. They only live 10 mins away so not a biggie.

They can make it here between 8:30 and 8:40. That is their window. No more after naps, without a valid reason, eg: doc's appt, and not without advance notice.

If the air is cleared, bonus. If not, I have no problem telling them to take a hike. This is a family that I have had some other issues with, they are very hard to deal with when an issue does arise, and I have tried to pick my battles with them in the past. Should I have just drawn my line in the sand form the beginning and not let them cross? Yes. Lesson learned and moving on.

Oh ok...I understand now. I was thinking that you simply wanted all kids there BEFORE 8:30 and they were late on a regular basis and then yesterday showed up early and were denied access. That confused me but now I understand what you mean... You gave them a 15 minute window and they can't manage it.

In that case, I think with you solution (above) you are handling it right then.

It's not hard to show up ON TIME. Doctor's and dentists don't give you a window of time to just waltz on in. They give you a time to show up. NOT a hard concept to follow.

Thanks for clearing that up for me.