Do You Feel Taken For Granted?

[ruckey04]

I'm a fairly new daycare provider, I started back in September. Since then I've had to take a day off, my 3yr old was running a temp of 102.4 that day and I told all the parents at pick up I would be closed the next day due to son's temp. Everyone was fine except one parent. (My gosh I'm sorry my child is sick and I have to inconveince you by closing my home).
Today I only had 3 kids, everyone knows I now close at 3:30 on Friday because the 3 kids get picked up by 3:30 anyways. I needed children to be picked up on time because I had a very important Dr. Appt today. One mother was late so I rescheduled Dr. appt for next Friday, couldn't get in a later time so I scheduled in the morning. Second mother, (same one as before) acted like it was such a huge ordeal I was taking off again and asked if I would be closed the whole day, when I said yes she just huffed at me and says she doesn't know what she's going to do.... Um well, it's stated in my contract that I require everyone have back up care in case things like this come up! Well I'm sorry that I had to reschedule a Dr. appt because people can't pick their kids up at scheduled time, I'm sorry that I had an irregular breast exam before and now have to schedule 6 month check ups, which I'm late for anyways. I feel bad for having to close a day but I have no choice. She's had an attitude with me before and I'm just tired of people coming into my home and not giving me any respect. Sorry so long just had to vent!

[snoodles26]

Agree!

I totally agree that parents take us for granted. I am also sick of day care parents thinking we don't have lives besides taking care of their children. I have parents pick up late all of the time or just assume that they can be 10-30 min late and it is no big deal because we have nothing better to do. I also had one mom come in and tell me that her son would be at my house until 5:30 2 days next week (I close at 5). How about you ask me if I am available to watch him until then...grrrrrr. Or that same mom telling me I should wait at least another year to have a baby because that is when they will be ready to move and won't need me to watch thier son anymore. So I am supposed to base my whole life around what is convenient for you. She also tries to get me to schedule my appointments around her schedule. I don't know why she thinks she gets special treatments, I have other families and if I tried to work around all of their schedules it would never happen.

[TwinKristi]

Yeah today I felt it... DCGma decided just not to show up for her prescheduled drop-in day, no call... So basically I have nothing better to do but be here anyway to wait. No, I could have taken a nap, I could have gone to lunch, I could have taken a shower... So many things that I can't do with DCB here. It's my job so if she needs me I am available, but I have a life outside of this too!

[Play Care]

Not really. But I've been doing this a long time (almost 10 years! ) and have no trouble being assertive (for the most part) "DCM, this is in my contract which you agreed to when you signed on. It sounds as if my program isn't going to be able to meet your needs so I completely understand if you need to give your two week notice"

At the same time I'd be putting out feelers and interviewing for a replacement.

[Laurel]

Yeah today I felt it... DCGma decided just not to show up for her prescheduled drop-in day, no call... So basically I have nothing better to do but be here anyway to wait. No, I could have taken a nap, I could have gone to lunch, I could have taken a shower... So many things that I can't do with DCB here. It's my job so if she needs me I am available, but I have a life outside of this too!

What I would do is tell her that I waited and she didn't come. Therefore, from now on, if I do not get a call from you by Xtime then I will assume you aren't coming and will not be available for the day.

I did that with a parent and she always called after that. Her job's starting time varied and I wanted to take the others to the park. We weren't going to wait around for her child unless she called ahead.

Laurel

[Laurel]

I totally agree that parents take us for granted. I am also sick of day care parents thinking we don't have lives besides taking care of their children. I have parents pick up late all of the time or just assume that they can be 10-30 min late and it is no big deal because we have nothing better to do. I also had one mom come in and tell me that her son would be at my house until 5:30 2 days next week (I close at 5). How about you ask me if I am available to watch him until then...grrrrrr. Or that same mom telling me I should wait at least another year to have a baby because that is when they will be ready to move and won't need me to watch thier son anymore. So I am supposed to base my whole life around what is convenient for you. She also tries to get me to schedule my appointments around her schedule. I don't know why she thinks she gets special treatments, I have other families and if I tried to work around all of their schedules it would never happen.

Only once though. After that, if we allow it, then it is our fault.

Laurel

[Blackcat31]

Not really. But I've been doing this a long time (almost 10 years! ) and have no trouble being assertive (for the most part) "DCM, this is in my contract which you agreed to when you signed on. It sounds as if my program isn't going to be able to meet your needs so I completely understand if you need to give your two week notice"

At the same time I'd be putting out feelers and interviewing for a replacement.

Only once though. After that, if we allow it, then it is our fault.

Laurel

This^^^

Things are only an issue if YOU allow them to be.

It's YOUR business... Be assertive.

Deal with those things you must but don't agree to do anything you aren't ok with.

This job is as easy or as hard as you allow it to be.

[TwinKristi]

What I would do is tell her that I waited and she didn't come. Therefore, from now on, if I do not get a call from you by Xtime then I will assume you aren't coming and will not be available for the day.

I did that with a parent and she always called after that. Her job's starting time varied and I wanted to take the others to the park. We weren't going to wait around for her child unless she called ahead.

Laurel

Thanks, we've actually solved the issue by switching to a full 5 day schedule at a discounted rate prepaid. They're currently only contracted TWTh and often drop in Mon & Fri. They've done this a couple times in the past which is why I offered the 5 day deal. If she chooses not to come than so be it, I've been paid. I have another thread for this but also am trying to figure out a way to do the hours. Right now it's different every day of the week because of their schedules and such but I need to get some normalcy. I just felt irritated yesterday because she specifically said she would be there shortly after 12 and then just never shows. She didn't pay in advance so she didn't think twice, but I know if she had already paid she would have brought him.

[Jack Sprat]

This^^^

Things are only an issue if YOU allow them to be.

It's YOUR business... Be assertive.

Deal with those things you must but don't agree to do anything you aren't ok with.

This job is as easy or as hard as you allow it to be.

This was hard for me to learn! Its still hard! I have one family that makes me feel this way. The others are awesome and I feel blessed to have them.