How Do Parents Enter Your Home?

[childcaremom]

Split level, (gates at top and bottom of stairs) door is always unlocked, parents enter and bring children down to daycare area and hand them over the gate to me there. I have bells on the door handle so I always hear them coming

At pick up they come down, I hand child over, we chat for a minute and then parent lets themselves out.

I used to do this method. There was one family who would take forever to get out though (asking their child permission to get ready, etc) and once, dropped off the child, went back upstairs as if to leave, and then walked around the upper level of my home.

Now, the door remains locked. I meet the parents at the door, we say goodbye, and kids come in. At pick up, I have the little one ready 5-10 mins ahead of parent arrival and I bring them up. It is more work on my part but I no longer have people walking through my house, either.

[nanglgrl]

They come to my side door that leads directly down to the basement daycare. I have an alarm on the screen door so as soon as I hear that I go open the door. We also stay upstairs from 7:30-8:30 and 3:15-4 so I usually see their car pull up. The doors are always locked. My families all drop off/pick up at the same times every day but some are 7:30, some 8, 8:30 or 9 and pick up can be from 3-4. They usually stand outside and hand me their child or the child walks in, some parents step inside and chat a bit. My doors are always locked, it's a habit I have that drives my husband nuts.

We live in a safe neighborhood in a safe town but the town next to us is horrible with crime and every so often kids from that town come here and commit crimes. We had several houses broken into and a home invasion a few blocks over during the week around Christmas.

A long time ago I used to leave the doors unlocked and a father came to drop his son off WAY before my opening time. My husband left the door unlocked when he left for work and since my clients at that time were allowed to just walk in that's what this client did. I was still in bed and he came to my upstairs bedroom and woke me up...I was sleeping in my birthday suit (thankfully I was covered by a blanket)! Never again did I leave my doors unlocked after that.

Having the doors locked and being right there when they arrive has also helped with issues of children or parents damaging my property. In the past I had several instances of parents not holding on to my screen door on windy days (and it's an expensive door) causing us to have to replace a part that was around $100 at least twice. I also removed the doorbell on the side so children can't mess with it and since its on the side of my house next to the driveway and I'm right there the instant they open the door there is no reason for children to play with the landscaping.

[Meeko]

Locked all the time. Parents ring the bell and I open the door.

I personally feel that it is a security risk to have the door unlocked. Strangers could walk in.....I have had people look up my location and try and walk in because they are looking for daycare services. I open the door and tell them they have to make an appointment.

Non-custodial parents could walk in and snatch a child....etc.etc.

This is a daycare. But first and foremost is is a HOME. A private home and guests must be INVITED in.

[Crazy8]

It's generally unlocked during drop off and pick up times. They give a little knock and walk in. The playroom is right when you enter the front door and I can always see people pull up in the driveway from the playroom window.

same here. I will keep the screen door locked between parents sometimes (if kids were near door) so then they just give a little knock and I unlock it.

[mommiebookworm]

They enter through the front door which is always unlocked. I only have one dcd who knocks and waits for me to answer. Everyone else just opens the door.

[Jazzii]

We are an in home daycare, and in the basement. Door is locked at all times. Parents knock and we go and answer the door. Our parents have VERY varied schedules and drop off on a regular day is from 6:30-9:30

[Controlled Chaos]

Locked all the time. Parents ring the bell and I open the door.

I personally feel that it is a security risk to have the door unlocked. Strangers could walk in.....I have had people look up my location and try and walk in because they are looking for daycare services. I open the door and tell them they have to make an appointment.

Non-custodial parents could walk in and snatch a child....etc.etc.

This is a daycare. But first and foremost is is a HOME. A private home and guests must be INVITED in.

This is where I think it is neat how varied we all are. Just like we all run very different types of daycares we have different types of communities, clients and families. My just recently started locking our house when we leave. When I grew up, the joke was everyone in town had a key to the house but me :: Literally the fed ex guy had a key. Lenny was our delivery guy for over a decade and if a box was left on the porch the neighbors dog would pee on it :confused::: Everyone I know knocks on my door and then lets themselves in along with a hollar of "everyone have pants on?!" That's just how we roll. Obviously if there was a security risk (estranged non custodial parent etc) I would take the proper measures to keep the child safe.

[Unregistered]

thanks for input, everyone! i think i'm going to keep my front door locked at all times. seems easiest and least amount startling with all the things everyone has said.

[Alwaysgreener]

I have a driveway alarm plus contracted hours and the door locked. I hear the alarm get the child/ren around and meet them at the door when they knock.

[AmyKidsCo]

My child care entrance is all around to the back of the house so usually I see their heads go by the windows as they go up the driveway. ::

My other door are always locked but the back door is unlocked most of the time.

[Meeko]

This is where I think it is neat how varied we all are. Just like we all run very different types of daycares we have different types of communities, clients and families. My just recently started locking our house when we leave. When I grew up, the joke was everyone in town had a key to the house but me :: Literally the fed ex guy had a key. Lenny was our delivery guy for over a decade and if a box was left on the porch the neighbors dog would pee on it :confused::: Everyone I know knocks on my door and then lets themselves in along with a hollar of "everyone have pants on?!" That's just how we roll. Obviously if there was a security risk (estranged non custodial parent etc) I would take the proper measures to keep the child safe.

My youngest is 19 and my oldest is 33. Our door was a revolving one for many years...with an endless stream of kids and then teenagers. But they are different. They are friends (some considered family) and I have no problem with people coming and going.

Clients are different. They are not my friends or relatives and don't have the same rights. My son's best friend and family walk in the back door with yells of "Hi Mom!" But I would term any daycare parent who walked right in.