How to Respond

[Unregistered]

Ok no judgments please. I already feel awful and am beating myself up enough. At the end of the day I got an important phone call I had been waiting on so I ran upstairs to grab it. Usually the DCD is always 10 minutes late but today he was early and found me on the phone upstairs with his twin infants unattended but fine and cranky in my lower level. I literally had just answered the phone, but then had to wrap the call up, so to him it probably seemed like I was on the call all afternoon. I explained the situation, and apologized. I've learned my lesson and besides not taking calls during the day, is there anything else I should do to rectify the situation?

[hope]

I would again apologize and explain how important the call was and explain that you normally don't take calls during work hours. We're the kids safe? Could they have walked up or down any stairs, climbed on furniture? I would be upset as a parent if the kids were left unattended in N area that they could be hurt in but if it was completely child proofed and you left for one minute and apologized for it I would be understanding.

[e.j.]

I'd apologize again and assure the parents that it will never happen again. Then I'd make sure it never did. That's all you really can do.

I got a phone call from my brother once. His wife had just told him she wanted a divorce and he was very upset. I tried to make the call as short as I could but he needed to talk and I felt uncomfortable cutting him short. I had 6 kids in my care that day and they were being very loud. I could barely hear what he was saying. I stepped outside on my back deck so I could hear him and try to wrap up the call. The deck is right outside my day care room, there are glass doors and windows (which were open that day) so I could see and hear everything the kids were saying and doing but it was just a tad quieter out there. I had just stepped out when a parent walked in unexpectedly. I apologed and explained what was going on. Dcd seemed to understand but I was incredibly embarrassed. I just made sure it never happened again.

[AmyKidsCo]

I'd apologize once more, but just once. If you keep apologizing you'll blow it out of proportion and the parent might get upset when he wasn't before.

Next time maybe use a cell or cordless phone so you can stay with the children? I have no problem being on the phone when a parent comes - there are things that need to be taken care of even during work hours, like prospective parent calls, CCRR calls, etc.