Kinda Freaked Out, Probably Shouldn't Be

[Josiegirl]

Friday afternoon, during naptime, a dcm stopped by to pay me. I didn't know she had stopped in until a dcg came out to the computer and handed me the check. I assumed dcm has dropped it off at the door and left. Later I noticed the bag of stuff she had left earlier in the week, was gone off the shelf.
I am mostly in the playroom(that's where my computer is) during naptime, except for walking around checking on everybody. That afternoon, 1 dcg was reading in my room, 2 dcbs were playing a video game on tv, and 2 dcgs were watching a video on an ipod. Three dcgs were sleeping. Kids were out of school so it'd been an extra busy week and my kitchen shelves were so messy with dc stuff, my fridge needed to be cleared out(yes, she had something in there too).
I'm not sure how I feel about the whole thing, except it left me with a very strange awkward feeling. She never announced herself and I never heard her. With some dcms I wouldn't give it another thought but this dcm can be quite fastidious. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.
Any thoughts?

[Imagination's Creations]

No, thats definitely weird! Ive never had a dcp come in and not announce themselves, yet alone walk around my house collecting their things. I think I would be bothered by it. Maybe she was just trying to get in and get out to not wake kids, but still. I would say something to her and start keeping your door locked so just anybody cant just walk in your house without you knowing.

[sharlan]

My concern would be that somebody was able to completely walk around your house without you knowing. Anybody could have come in or any one of the kids could have gone outside without you knowing.

As a daycare parent, that would concern me.

[CraftyMom]

Friday afternoon, during naptime, a dcm stopped by to pay me. I didn't know she had stopped in until a dcg came out to the computer and handed me the check. I assumed dcm has dropped it off at the door and left. Later I noticed the bag of stuff she had left earlier in the week, was gone off the shelf.
I am mostly in the playroom(that's where my computer is) during naptime, except for walking around checking on everybody. That afternoon, 1 dcg was reading in my room, 2 dcbs were playing a video game on tv, and 2 dcgs were watching a video on an ipod. Three dcgs were sleeping. Kids were out of school so it'd been an extra busy week and my kitchen shelves were so messy with dc stuff, my fridge needed to be cleared out(yes, she had something in there too).
I'm not sure how I feel about the whole thing, except it left me with a very strange awkward feeling. She never announced herself and I never heard her. With some dcms I wouldn't give it another thought but this dcm can be quite fastidious. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.
Any thoughts?

I'd be freaked out too. She went in your fridge? That would annoy me. My doors are kept locked, mostly so the kids can't escape but also because I like to know who enters my home and when. Creepy thinking anyone could be walking around your home

[momofboys]

My concern would be that somebody was able to completely walk around your house without you knowing. Anybody could have come in or any one of the kids could have gone outside without you knowing.

As a daycare parent, that would concern me.

This! If you can't hear your door opening & are unaware of who is coming & going this is a huge concern. I would install a bell or something if you are unable to lock your door so you know when someone has entered!

[Scout]

Do you have to have an open door policy? As soon as the last dck arrives in the morning I lock the door, which includes a chain on the top of it to keep any kids from escaping or anyone else from coming in. I would not feel safe with unlocked doors and all the kids here. We originally put the chains on the doors when we moved my ds's room away from ours(in case he became a sleep walker and we didn't know) but, they work great for this as well. You never know when you can have a runner on your hands!::

[Josiegirl]

I'm sure she was just trying to be quiet because it was naptime.
I have tried keeping the door locked more lately but it's a habit I haven't developed yet so I keep forgetting. Need to focus more on that.
I don't have a doorbell and unless I'm in the same room as the front door, I never know when someone comes. My dogs used to alert me but they've gotten too good at not barking lately. I definitely need to see about installing a chain.

[Naptime yet?]

I have an open door policy, but when the last parent leaves in the am, I lock the doors (unless I know someone is coming). They generally stay locked until after nap.

Hopefully Monday she'll bring up what happened (or you could mention it) and ease your conscious.

[Josiegirl]

I emailed her last night and haven't heard back yet. So we'll see I guess.
Ya know what they say about hindsight, live and learn and all that....

[Blackcat31]

Attach a bell to your door.

It will alert you to someone entering or someone trying to get out.

Just hang it around the door knob.

[Childminder]

I have an alarm on my door because of a situation similar to yours also a driveway alarm that buzzes when someone pulls in the drive.

A parent called licensing on me because she came into my home and stood in my living room but didn't see me. Did she call out? No. She was supposed to drop off her child and was late, as usual, and she was notorious for just standing inside my front room. She had been spoken to about it on more than one occasion and was what we considered one card short of a full deck.

Licensing came out and I was cited for leaving a 2 ½ yr old child unsupervised even though I was in the next room. I did not hear this parent so technically I did leave the child unsupervised even though I could see her from the angle I was at in the other room, just couldn't see the parent.

We tell parents that we put the alarm on the door to keep children from escaping.

[jenboo]

I'm sure she was just trying to be quiet because it was naptime.
I have tried keeping the door locked more lately but it's a habit I haven't developed yet so I keep forgetting. Need to focus more on that.
I don't have a doorbell and unless I'm in the same room as the front door, I never know when someone comes. My dogs used to alert me but they've gotten too good at not barking lately. I definitely need to see about installing a chain.

you can buy battery operated door bells at walmart for cheap. I have one and love it. You just stick the button on next to your door. You can put the chime anywhere you want (in the room you are most in during daycare hours). I have even taken the chime piece outback with me when I was expecting someone to drop by.

[TwinKristi]

You can also buy alarms for doors and windows that chime when opened and closed. Very cheap and they just double stick on the door. If they are together they don't chime, but when they separate they chime.

That's very weird and makes me glad I'm in the main part of my house for daycare and lock the door otherwise.

[Josiegirl]

I feel like such an idiot.
All she did Friday was come to the door and hand the check to a dcg. She had already picked up the bag Wednesday p.m. while we were all outside playing. I didn't realize it was missing until after Friday.
BUT I am being more mindful of keeping the door locked most of the day.

[TheGoodLife]

I feel like such an idiot.
All she did Friday was come to the door and hand the check to a dcg. She had already picked up the bag Wednesday p.m. while we were all outside playing. I didn't realize it was missing until after Friday.
BUT I am being more mindful of keeping the door locked most of the day.

Glad you didn't have any snooping/ unknown presence in your home- that would freak me out, too!