DCM Tops The Cake

[cara041083]

So all of my families have switched to drop off at 8am except for 1 mom. This mom drops off at 7, and then picks up at 5:30. She works from 8-5 so It was agreed to and all was fine. I found out this week that she actually works in the town we live in 5 min away from my house. I had thought she worked 45 min away so that's why I agreed to the times I did. Plus she is always getting here at 5:30 and pushing it. She never told me that she didn't work so far away, I just assumed because where she works have 3 locations. So it was my bad not hers. Well one day when talking to each other she was telling me how she brings DCB here, then goes to the gas station or her moms house or gets things done before work. When I asked her how she could do all that and still get to work on time, she says "oh I only work 5 min away" So she wasn't hiding it. Like I said I assumed so its my bad. Well I told her yesterday that starting next week I would be opening at 7:30 instead of 7 and she would need to wait until then to drop off. She said ok no big deal. Well she showed up at 7 this morning and said " why don't you find out what time your kids need to be at school, and I will take them to school for you so they don't have to wait out in the cold for the bus. That way I can still bring DCB at 7". I'm sorry, but um no. I am grateful for the offer and yes it would be so nice for my kids to not have to stand at the bus stop in the cold. But really???? If you don't want to spend the extra 30 min with your kid (he is a big handful but good for me) Then what makes you think I want him that much extra? I was speechless. Like I said Thanks for the offer but I really just want the extra 30 min without everyones kids here.

[daycarediva]

Sounds like a former family of mine. They left when I wouldn't accommodate their 12 hours for no additional fees (I have a 10/hr max). Mom tried to push her drop off time to 6am, because she had to go in to work early. I said "What doctor's office opens before 9!?" (she is a medical secretary in an orthopedic office). She then readily admitted to wanting to go work out before work and run errands after work. NO.

She wanted 6-6 for the same rate as her previous 8-5:30.

[CraftyMom]

So this mom would rather go out of her way and bring YOUR kids to school as opposed to spending 30 minutes with HER OWN child.

So now she doesn't even want time to herself, she'd just prefer not to spend the time with her child in the morning.

Wow! That is all, just WOW

[Soccermom]

I think the world would be so much sweeter if all parents actually wanted and enjoyed spending time with their children.

Imagine if all the DCMs took that extra time in the mornings to sit down at the table with the family to eat before work.

It would be so nice if parents rushed to pick their children up from daycare as soon as work finished in order to squeeze in as much family time as possible, despite having to work.

I have had some of these amazing families in the past...ones who truly valued being a family and their children were just delightful.

Out of the 4 current families I have - 3 of them pick up their kids about 5 minutes before I close even though they finish at 4pm because they all go workout after work. The other one is a workaholic and is more interested in work than she is in her own kids. Always the first to drop off and last to pick up.

It is possible to balance working and raising a family but priority always needs to be the family.

Last year, one DCD was often late to pick up because he would go home and make dinner before picking up DCG. One day he walked in and I had her plus my 3 lined up at the counter preparing the meal with me. They were laughing and preparing the salad together. He was in awe that I let them in the kitchen with me :confused: I said to him - Meal preparation is such a wonderful way to spend time with your family and kids learn from watching their parents. How will children ever learn to cook for their future family if dinner is just magically sitting on the table every night when they get home?

He doesn't do meals before he picks her up this year...he goes running instead.

I try to not think about it...it is the only way I can manage to not shake some sense into these parents when they arrive.

[Indoorvoice]

Oh my. I have a dcm who asked me to stay open an hour later than my closing time because her work hours changed. I agreed. Come to find out dcd wasnt working at all and was going to the bar while dcm finished up work. Wth? I don't normally care what parents do within my hours, but NO, I am not staying open an hour late for one family so dad can go to the bar. No no no.

[cara041083]

Its just crazy to me the things that these parents do. I don't think I have 1 family that would spend the extra time with their kids if they could. It really is sad. However It always gets me that these parents think that we want to be around these kids all the time. I mean don't get me wrong, I love these kids, but they are my job, and I want to get off work by 5:30 just like them. and start my day at 7:30 just like them.

[Baby Beluga]

Wow, she does take the cake.

I open at 6:30. A few months ago I had one DCD ask me if he could drop DCG off at 5:45am because it was too "hard" for DCM to drop off her daughter and get ready for work.

[ColorfulSunburst]

I do not care what parents are doing between drop off and pick up time.

It is not my business.

[cara041083]

I do not care what parents are doing between drop off and pick up time.

It is not my business.

Its not my business either, but If I open early for her, it should be for her to go to work not to go hang somewhere. Other wise she can come at 7:30 like all my other families. I refuse to have a child for 11 hours a day when she works 8 and has basically no travel time on a contracted time. Now is she wants to pay for the extra 2 hours, then great. Then she can do what every she wants in her free time that I have her her child.

[melilley]

Wow, she does take the cake.

I open at 6:30. A few months ago I had one DCD ask me if he could drop DCG off at 5:45am because it was too "hard" for DCM to drop off her daughter and get ready for work.

My neighbor is like that. She is a sahm and one of her kids goes to school and the other is at home. She will pay our neighborhood teen babysitter to come over an hour or 2 before she leaves and has her watch the kids while she gets ready!

Yet somehow, we providers, can get things done with multiple children that aren't even our own, plus some of us do have our own. I don't know how it can be done.

I guess it's easier for some than others.?

[melilley]

Its not my business either, but If I open early for her, it should be for her to go to work not to go hang somewhere. Other wise she can come at 7:30 like all my other families. I refuse to have a child for 11 hours a day when she works 8 and has basically no travel time on a contracted time. Now is she wants to pay for the extra 2 hours, then great. Then she can do what every she wants in her free time that I have her her child.

I was going to say that that's what I got from your post, not caring what she did.

I would have done the same as you. It's rude that dcm would even do that.

[Annalee]

Its not my business either, but If I open early for her, it should be for her to go to work not to go hang somewhere. Other wise she can come at 7:30 like all my other families. I refuse to have a child for 11 hours a day when she works 8 and has basically no travel time on a contracted time. Now is she wants to pay for the extra 2 hours, then great. Then she can do what every she wants in her free time that I have her her child.

I am open 6:00 to 4:30 and my parents get 9 1/2 hrs a day....no matter where or how long they work.....most of my kids get picked up by someone other than the parent.....if a parent wants a child care program's services they will make it work....I do not cater to anyone! Like I said on another post, the first 10 years I worked for the parent, hard knocks taught me how to work for myself the last 10 plus years! I may sound rude but I gripe less about parents now since I MAKE THE RULES!

[craftymissbeth]

I do not care what parents are doing between drop off and pick up time.

It is not my business.

I don't care either as long as I'm getting paid extra for those extra hours. It sounds like OP doesn't get paid extra for opening early... I would definitely care in this situation.

[cara041083]

I don't care either as long as I'm getting paid extra for those extra hours. It sounds like OP doesn't get paid extra for opening early... I would definitely care in this situation.

You are right basically I opened early to help her out because I assumed there was alot of drive time. That was not the case. When I found out I changed it to my normal opening time. I just thought it was funny that the mom was trying to work it so I would let her still come early so she didn't have to deal with her child. I don't care what they do as long as I am paid

[ColorfulSunburst]

Its not my business either, but If I open early for her, it should be for her to go to work not to go hang somewhere.

why? It is your business hours. You make a decision to start working since 7am. If you want to change your decision you may do it. Because it is YOUR business, not because your customer doesn't go directly to her job after her drop off time She has right to do what she wants. It is her life.