After Hours Do Not Disturb

[lovemykidstoo]

I don't get alot of texts but sometimes I do. If it's a really dumb one like the ones you mention OP, then I would just ignore totally. I have gotten a couple ridiculous ones similar to those and I ignore and the next day when they come I just tell them I didn't notice it or have the phone turned on. Sorry.

[Unregistered]

I think most people put their phone on silent at bedtime too...so a late text wouldn't bother them at all, because they wouldn't see it until morning.

This isn’t an option for me. My dad is 80 and still lives in his home. If he needs help or something i am the closest and need to be able to respond to his call for help

[Unregistered]

This isn’t an option for me. My dad is 80 and still lives in his home. If he needs help or something i am the closest and need to be able to respond to his call for help

I've heard some phones let you put in certain numbers that will still ring when the phone in on silent.

[jenboo]

I used a Google voice number. I give the parents that number. It's all forwarded to my cell phone. I can set a do not disturb message with the Google voice number and my regular cell phone number still functions the same.

[LittleScholars]

I used a Google voice number. I give the parents that number. It's all forwarded to my cell phone. I can set a do not disturb message with the Google voice number and my regular cell phone number still functions the same.

I do this for our rental properties and in the future will do this for parents. I love this option.

And for what it is worth, I'm super happy to ignore parents without a response at all. Sometimes I can respond to a quick text and sometimes I can't (and that reason may simply be because I'm cuddling my baby). My feeling is that if there is an urgent matter someone should call, and nothing has ever warranted a call.

[AmyKidsCo]

I don't set a Do Not Disturb because I want my family to be able to reach me if they need to.

I just don't reply if I don't feel like it. My policies state "Please be aware that even though I do check email and texts in the evenings, weekends, and other times I am not working, I may not be able to respond." So if anyone complains I can just point to my policies.

[meganyoon]

I would suggest putting something in writing that states you will not respond to after-hours correspondence.

In my facility, I do not mind parents checking in and asking questions during after-hours. I prefer that parents discuss issues or concerns with me after-hours, rather than during business hours, as I devote all of this time to the children. However, I do keep most conversations to a minimum after-hours, and my parents know that I usually do not answer correspondence that occurs after 8pm.

In regards to parents asking about what their child ate that day, I would suggest putting a menu up in your facility so that parents can know what their child is eating on a daily basis. You can refer parents back to that menu if they have any questions.

[Ariana]

I would suggest putting something in writing that states you will not respond to after-hours correspondence.

In my facility, I do not mind parents checking in and asking questions during after-hours. I prefer that parents discuss issues or concerns with me after-hours, rather than during business hours, as I devote all of this time to the children. However, I do keep most conversations to a minimum after-hours, and my parents know that I usually do not answer correspondence that occurs after 8pm.

In regards to parents asking about what their child ate that day, I would suggest putting a menu up in your facility so that parents can know what their child is eating on a daily basis. You can refer parents back to that menu if they have any questions.

I have a non stop texting parent and have a clear policy to only contact me outside of daycare hours to tell me about an absence the following day or the day of. She does not listen. I also tell all parents at pickup what we ate for lunch because when I posted menus I STILL got these questions from families. I have even said to them “did you see the menu I posted”? and got “oh yeah but I can’t remember what it said”.

Sometimes the logical solution doesn’t always work!