Multiple Pick Up and Drops Offs? Half Day Preschool?

[Crazy Baby]

I have a family who is going to start sending their child to half day preschool. It would be in the afternoons from like noon-3 pm.

This is going to require me to serve an extra meal solely for their child before he gets picked up for pre-school. Also, I am under the impression that they are wanting to bring him back after preschool for only about an hour and a half. I really don't want to deal with 2 pick ups and 2 drop offs everyday. That seems like it would be a lot to deal with since pick-up drop-offs are always quite the big production.

Do any of you have children that attend half day preschool? Are any of your daycare kids being dropped off twice in one day?

Advice to make this go smoothly?

[Crazy Baby]

also....

What should I charge? How much money would you take off of the initial rate?

[Controlled Chaos]

What should I charge? How much money would you take off of the initial rate?

I would charge full price, as they are taking a full spot.
I would not do any extra meal...I would have them pack a sack lunch - you shouldn't have to deal with that hassle
I would do it with the understanding that it would only work if pick up and drops offs were super fast and drama free. I would give it a 2 week trial period and let them know if it is working or not.

[daycare]

I personally would not do this for any amount of money.

I can't change my program to meet one child's needs.

I also adopted the rule from someone on here.

one drop off and one pick up per day.

In all my years of experience I have maybe met 3 kids out of hundreds of kids that can deal with having to say good-bye two times in one day.

If you really need the money, I would then do what the PP said and set a two week paid trial and would charge the full rate since the child will be taking up the full day.

[Crazy Baby]

I would charge full price, as they are taking a full spot.
I would not do any extra meal...I would have them pack a sack lunch - you shouldn't have to deal with that hassle
I would do it with the understanding that it would only work if pick up and drops offs were super fast and drama free. I would give it a 2 week trial period and let them know if it is working or not.

How would you word the pickup and drop offs should be fast and drama free without offending them? I feel I will sound like I am dogging on their kid if I say anything about the chaotic pickups and drop offs.

[daycare]

I know you didn't ask me, but I would just tell the parent.

due to the stress that pick up and drop off time causes, parents need to be very proactive about informing the child of when they will be dropped off and picked up. Parents need to rip it off like a band-aid, the faster they drop and leave, the faster the child will normally transition.

I would make certain that you do tell them that you are very concerned that it MAY not work out and therefore, you are requiring a two week paid trial. I would say something like:


I want for everyone to be comfortable in our program and happy with our services, however, the person that will be affected by this change the most will be the child. To make sure that this new schedule will work for the child, I am requiring a two week paid trial period. During this time I will be observing to make certain that the child is adjusting well and that this new schedule works well for everyone, including me.

After the two weeks, you will evaluate the situation and decide if it's something that you can work with. I would also add in that at anytime it the child starts having issues with it that you may need to term.

The main reason i would not do this, (just some caution) is that if you let this family do it, you have to let all families do it and you could find yourself in a huge disastrous situation.

[LostMyMarbles]

I have had many thoughtout the years leave for preschool and come back latter in the day. It's only a couple of hours two or three days a week. I change the full rate...I am a mom. I get schedule changes. I don't think it's a huge deal for a child to leave for a great opportunity and to return later. I'm flexible, life happens. I can either be a uptight and ridged or go with the flow. I choose the flow. I have moved my lunch time slightly to accommodate. I look at things like this...if this was MY child, what would I do? My parents love the fact I am understanding.

If you run a tight ship and stick to a ridged schedule, then this situation is not for you.

If you want to keep this family, I don't feel bending is so terrible. Maybe having them pack a lunch to eat on the way.

[daycare]

I have had many thoughtout the years leave for preschool and come back latter in the day. It's only a couple of hours two or three days a week. I change the full rate...I am a mom. I get schedule changes. I don't think it's a huge deal for a child to leave for a great opportunity and to return later. I'm flexible, life happens. I can either be a uptight and ridged or go with the flow. I choose the flow. I have moved my lunch time slightly to accommodate. I look at things like this...if this was MY child, what would I do? My parents love the fact I am understanding.

If you run a tight ship and stick to a ridged schedule, then this situation is not for you.

If you want to keep this family, I don't feel bending is so terrible. Maybe having them pack a lunch to eat on the way.

this is true....We all run very different programs. With my program, there is no way I could do this.

If you think it's possible and you could do it, go for it.

[Crazy Baby]

Thanks so much for your words of wisdom.

The situation is a tad delicate because these people are my friends and neighbors. Their kid has been in my care for 2 years now. We have a close relationship and I want to keep it going. I know that you shouldn't really mix friendship and daycare, but it happened.

Because we have this relationship, I will most likely choose to be flexible with their needs. I also can't really afford to lose them right now. However, I will be honest with them and let them know my concerns.

thanks again!

[Controlled Chaos]

I know you didn't ask me, but I would just tell the parent.

due to the stress that pick up and drop off time causes, parents need to be very proactive about informing the child of when they will be dropped off and picked up. Parents need to rip it off like a band-aid, the faster they drop and leave, the faster the child will normally transition.

I would make certain that you do tell them that you are very concerned that it MAY not work out and therefore, you are requiring a two week paid trial. I would say something like:


I want for everyone to be comfortable in our program and happy with our services, however, the person that will be affected by this change the most will be the child. To make sure that this new schedule will work for the child, I am requiring a two week paid trial period. During this time I will be observing to make certain that the child is adjusting well and that this new schedule works well for everyone, including me.

After the two weeks, you will evaluate the situation and decide if it's something that you can work with. I would also add in that at anytime it the child starts having issues with it that you may need to term.

The main reason i would not do this, (just some caution) is that if you let this family do it, you have to let all families do it and you could find yourself in a huge disastrous situation.

[Leigh]

I have had several leave for preschool and then come back. Never had an issue with it, personally.

Yes, the food thing has been a PITA sometimes, but I have had nearly all of my kids have morning class, so I just make them a plate and lunch and they eat it when they return. You know you don't have time to make a special meal, and you'll resent the family if you say yes to that! Kids who go to afternoon class always leave after my lunch period, so that helps.

I do have a one drop off/one pick up rule, but I don't enforce that for preschool. For the younger ones, it can be a horrible hassle, by age 4 (I haven't had a 3 year old go to preschool yet), they can handle it.

[Poptarts22]

I have a couple kids that are in preschool and require more than one drop off / pickup. My policy is that and transportation to and from school-parent stays in vehicle and child walks to/from the car alone. If they are old enough to go to preschool they are old enough to walk to and from my door/parents car unaccompanied...just as they would a school bus.

[Blackcat31]

My schedule is X

If your child needs to be picked up before a specific activity (lunch and snacks included) then that is simply an activity your child does not get to participate in.

I don't "hold" painting time because a child was scheduled to be picked up early.

As for the multiple drop offs and pick ups, nope.
ONE pick up, ONE drop off per day per family.

Too much chaos and disruption for myself and for the other kids.

I know it's not a huge deal but I always imagine ALL or several families asking for the same thing and what that would be like and since I can imagine a dozen families doing multiple drop offs/pick ups would be pure crazy....I won't allow it for just one.

I also charge the same weekly rate. Not MY problem a family is choosing to not use part of their daily/weekly space.

Also, ALL children MUST be signed in and out by an adult and I would never allow a child to walk to and from the vehicle on their own.

[childcaremom]

I have a family who is going to start sending their child to half day preschool. It would be in the afternoons from like noon-3 pm.

This is going to require me to serve an extra meal solely for their child before he gets picked up for pre-school. Also, I am under the impression that they are wanting to bring him back after preschool for only about an hour and a half. I really don't want to deal with 2 pick ups and 2 drop offs everyday. That seems like it would be a lot to deal with since pick-up drop-offs are always quite the big production.

Do any of you have children that attend half day preschool? Are any of your daycare kids being dropped off twice in one day?

Advice to make this go smoothly?

I do the one pick up and drop off per day, also. I, too, would not be altering the group routine for the child. If this was me, the child could attend in the morning and must be picked up by noon at the latest.

You said that this is your neighbour, though, and you want to accomodate it. So what I would do is lay down the ground rules of what you can deal with (eg: lunch is served/not served and if it is a separate time maybe mom and dad need to send it in; pick up by x time at the latest, drop off between y and z; whatever other issues you foresee) and then I agree with a 2 week trial period. That gives both parties a chance to see if it will work or not.

If it does turn out to be too disruptive, then you can say, look we tried it, it didn't work for me, I'm sorry, but I will no longer be able to provide care. I can't imagine hard feelings if you've given it a shot. I also can't imagine hard feelings if you just say: No, I can't accomodate that. I'm sorry.

[DaveA]

I have 2 in half day preschools: one 5days/week with the school and one 2 days/ week through a local church. Both provide transport to and from, so it is no trouble. As for meals they get back before lunchtime and DCPs are responsible for breakfast before they come. I used to have to transport to the school before they started busing. If they stop doing it I would charge a fee in the future because it was a bit of a hassle. They only real requirement I give DCPs is that it has to be an AM class. I don't hold activities for DCKs while at school, but I do try to schedule favorite things they miss doing on days there is no preschool.