Do Parents REALLY Think That's What Is Going to Happen?

[VWMom]

It never ceases to surprise me what parents expect from their daycare provider...I've been doing this for 20+ years, and I still get laughs from new parents "directives" when they leave their child with me for the first time
"Little Timmy is potty trained, but he will be arriving in a pull up so as not to have an accident in his car seat. Please promptly change him into his big boy underpants when he gets to your house as to not confuse him on potty signals. I will need him in a pull-up upon departure for the trip home. At nap time he prefers a semi dark room. We only read him two stories before he naps. He should sleep for at least an hour." Is this mom for real? Is she forgetting little Timmy also has a 10 week old sister I am also caring for, in addition to my other DCKs?

[Thriftylady]

It never ceases to surprise me what parents expect from their daycare provider...I've been doing this for 20+ years, and I still get laughs from new parents "directives" when they leave their child with me for the first time
"Little Timmy is potty trained, but he will be arriving in a pull up so as not to have an accident in his car seat. Please promptly change him into his big boy underpants when he gets to your house as to not confuse him on potty signals. I will need him in a pull-up upon departure for the trip home. At nap time he prefers a semi dark room. We only read him two stories before he naps. He should sleep for at least an hour." Is this mom for real? Is she forgetting little Timmy also has a 10 week old sister I am also caring for, in addition to my other DCKs?

I hope you told mom that if he needed a pull up in case of accident he needed to stay in a pull up.

[Play Care]

It never ceases to surprise me what parents expect from their daycare provider...I've been doing this for 20+ years, and I still get laughs from new parents "directives" when they leave their child with me for the first time
"Little Timmy is potty trained, but he will be arriving in a pull up so as not to have an accident in his car seat. Please promptly change him into his big boy underpants when he gets to your house as to not confuse him on potty signals. I will need him in a pull-up upon departure for the trip home. At nap time he prefers a semi dark room. We only read him two stories before he naps. He should sleep for at least an hour." Is this mom for real? Is she forgetting little Timmy also has a 10 week old sister I am also caring for, in addition to my other DCKs?

"Dear dcm,

If Timmy is having accidents then Timmy will be in pull ups all day. If you think urine in a $60 car seat is a big deal, just imagine the bill I'll send you when he ruins my $3,500 carpet or $2,500 sofa. Timmy will get the same routine as all the day care children at nap and be expected to lay when the others do. If you have any questions regarding my policies please reread the contract and handbook that you signed and agreed to upon enrollment.

Sincerely,

The boss"

[Leigh]

"Dear dcm,

If Timmy is having accidents then Timmy will be in pull ups all day. If you think urine in a $60 car seat is a big deal, just imagine the bill I'll send you when he ruins my $3,500 carpet or $2,500 sofa. Timmy will get the same routine as all the day care children at nap and be expected to lay when the others do. If you have any questions regarding my policies please reread the contract and handbook that you signed and agreed to upon enrollment.

Sincerely,

The boss"

ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY! That's true guts: Please take off the pull up that I use to keep him from ruining MY stuff, and let him pee through his underwear onto YOUR stuff.

[e.j.]

It never ceases to surprise me what parents expect from their daycare provider...I've been doing this for 20+ years, and I still get laughs from new parents "directives" when they leave their child with me for the first time
"Little Timmy is potty trained, but he will be arriving in a pull up so as not to have an accident in his car seat. Please promptly change him into his big boy underpants when he gets to your house as to not confuse him on potty signals. I will need him in a pull-up upon departure for the trip home. At nap time he prefers a semi dark room. We only read him two stories before he naps. He should sleep for at least an hour." Is this mom for real? Is she forgetting little Timmy also has a 10 week old sister I am also caring for, in addition to my other DCKs?

I try to remember that most parents have never done this job and don't see how their "directives" look from our point of view. It definitely helps to keep a sense of humor in this job! Little Timmy would definitely be keeping his pull-ups on at my house if he couldn't be trusted to hold his pee for the ride over.

[Josiegirl]

I try to remember that most parents have never done this job and don't see how their "directives" look from our point of view. It definitely helps to keep a sense of humor in this job! Little Timmy would definitely be keeping his pull-ups on at my house if he couldn't be trusted to hold his pee for the ride over.

Oh 100% definitely. And I agree that sometimes parents don't have a clue how it looks from our POV.
I had to chuckle with the note about the couch that was offered. I bet it would click then.

[Ariana]

My current mom started with a 10 point list of how to get her child to sleep :: no wonder she doesn't sleep for them at home. I threw the list away and made my own 3 step 30 second routine.

[Unregistered]

ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY! That's true guts: Please take off the pull up that I use to keep him from ruining MY stuff, and let him pee through his underwear onto YOUR stuff.

I've lost many parents over this. "Our child is potty trained, but..." "No, your child is NOT potty trained. I can train them". I love love long list of "My child is reading, writing, performing surgery, but really can't do any of that unless you do it for them" isms. I once had a parent literally tell me "My child can read, but only with books she is familiar with". I.e. memorized. She also thought it was amazing after watching movies several times, said child could quote the whole thing. Another provider I know ended up watching the child and it really made me glad I didn't take them on. I'm just too old for people who can't face reality.

[Laurel]

Well....when I got those kinds of parents I just remembered what "I" was like as a new parent. I was a stay at home mom but asked my mother in law to watch my firstborn for a few hours. I packed everything under the sun that he could possibly need in a month and then some. Also, I had a written out page full of directives (for only a few hours mind you). This was a woman who had raised 4 children and my adult sister in law was there too.

My mother in law just kind of chuckled and said "You do know I know what to do with a baby." ::

Actually when I had a new baby I used to ask the parents at the interview to write out what their baby's day was like. Things like how much they ate, how often, how long they napped, what the parent's did to calm them, etc. I think it made them feel better and I liked to know what they were used to. I didn't necessarily do the same thing but it was a nice reference.

[e.j.]

I had to chuckle with the note about the couch that was offered.

Me, too! I've been tempted to send similar notes many times!

[kitykids3]

I had a parent come in on Monday and said she did well over the weekend and went on potty all weekend (except #2). She didn't train her over her long weekend a few weeks ago like it says in my contract (to train over a long weekend or week off), plus nobody has been working on it otherwise. She says Monday the plastic pants will be here end of week so we can put her in underwear. I had to tell her that I will let her 'try' underwear here for a couple days to see how it goes, but she is NOT trained, or even close yet, and I can't put her on the potty every 30 min and she does not stay dry for even an hour and she has no idea how to tell me she needs to go. If she is not having too many accidents and not leaking, then we'll continue underwear with plastic pants over. and NO, she is not wearing underwear, or pull up for nap yet as she poops every. single. naptime. This one bugs me because she's always acting like she knows more than me and comes in here acting like I have to listen to her. I don't know why I've kept her this long. :confused:

[childcaremom]

Well....when I got those kinds of parents I just remembered what "I" was like as a new parent. I was a stay at home mom but asked my mother in law to watch my firstborn for a few hours. I packed everything under the sun that he could possibly need in a month and then some. Also, I had a written out page full of directives (for only a few hours mind you). This was a woman who had raised 4 children and my adult sister in law was there too.

My mother in law just kind of chuckled and said "You do know I know what to do with a baby." ::

Actually when I had a new baby I used to ask the parents at the interview to write out what their baby's day was like. Things like how much they ate, how often, how long they napped, what the parent's did to calm them, etc. I think it made them feel better and I liked to know what they were used to. I didn't necessarily do the same thing but it was a nice reference.

I get parents to do this, too. For the same reasons.