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Hi - I'm a long-time "lurker", and have learned so much from this forum already. I have an issue now that I'd appreciate any input. I have a very small in-home daycare, with only three families. In the five years or so I've had my daycare we never had an issue with the families parking in our two car wide driveway to drop off and pick up - until recently. A couple months ago my husband bought a truck that doesn't fit in our garage (too long). It's often parked on one side of the driveway, leaving just enough room for another car to pull in. The way our house sits I can't see the driveway when parents pull in. Now at least a couple times a week someone has been driving on the grass to the side of the driveway. The sod is torn up for about 2 feet by 6 feet. I tried to stop it by laying the sod back down and putting decorative signs on the patch that's all torn up, but today it's been driven over again and my sign is bent. I've figured out who is the biggest offender just from checking the yard before and after different parents drop off/pick up. But I don't know if she's the only one doing it. Can you please help me with wording a note to the families? The next step is putting a large rock out there, but I don't want to be sued if there's damage to someone's car.
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What you allow is what will continue. -
I'd send out a generic memo to all daycare families...
Dear Daycare Families
Please park in the designated parking spots ONLY. As of late, someone has been parking off of the driveway and damaging my grass and it has become a costly issue.
As of today, anyone caught parking anywhere but the designated parking spaces will be invoiced for any damages.
While I do run a business here, it is still my home and consideration to this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
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Thank you so much - that's perfect!What you allow is what will continue.Comment
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I wouldn't let them park in the driveway anymore. Mine park in the street because of too many issues. Not sure if that is an option for you, but I would be so fed up!Comment
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If it were my parents I would probably say, "All ya'll need to stop parking on the lawn before I have to throw roofing nails out there to catch who is doing it." I would smile of course & get away with it. Sometimes they don't know if I'm serious or not & afraid to find out I think. Sometimes I don't know either.
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I have this same problem .
I put up those reflectors on a tall stick and they ran those over as well . I tell everyone and it stops for a while only to start up again .Comment
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Our driveway is an odd shape. Two cars wide at the bottom, 3 cars wide at the top, so there is a curve about half way up where it gets wider.
Last year, several of my dcp's pulled straight out of the spot by the curve, and ran over the yard. 2 of them got stuck in the snow bank (ok, everything is white, so it is hard to see, I'll give them that). So did my QIP consultant.
I planted a garden there over the summer with a nice little crabapple tree. So far, no one has backed into that. By next year, hopefully it will be sturdy enough to be a real problem if one runs into it.
For the winter, I plan on hanging ribbons all over it or something. Without foliage, it may be harder to see. I will also be writing a memo like similar to the one above!Comment
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I would say this and to be honest, I would DO this. Hello...it is my lawn...don't drive on it.If it were my parents I would probably say, "All ya'll need to stop parking on the lawn before I have to throw roofing nails out there to catch who is doing it." I would smile of course & get away with it. Sometimes they don't know if I'm serious or not & afraid to find out I think. Sometimes I don't know either.Comment
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I would have my dh park at an angle across the entire driveway and tell all parents to park in the street.Comment
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I like the rock idea. I don't personally think that you can be sued if someone drives across your lawn and hits a big rock.Chief cook, bottle washer & spider killer...Comment
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(joking of course)
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