I Strongly Dislike Starting New Families :|

[Pandaluver21]

Finally ended up having to spell it out for her.
I listed several things, and told her to make sure she read EVERYTHING so this wouldn't happen again. She responded basically saying her life is too busy to "catch everything" even though she did read the papers... and that next time I just need to "tell her directly" and she will fix it...
I stated that the app will be the ONLY way to communicate from now on, and that they need to have it to clock in touch-free. She responded and said her husband (the main one to drop off) will not use it because he "usually forgets his phone" and that we need to find another way to communicate because she will be leaving facebook... :confused::confused:

We'll see how this week goes. She said they will "fix" the issues, but seemed like it was such a surprise to her (I have told her face to face, and it is all in multiple pieces of paperwork) I'm kind of hoping they just decided to leave on their own ::

[Cat Herder]

Finally ended up having to spell it out for her.
I listed several things, and told her to make sure she read EVERYTHING so this wouldn't happen again. She responded basically saying her life is too busy to "catch everything" even though she did read the papers... and that next time I just need to "tell her directly" and she will fix it...
I stated that the app will be the ONLY way to communicate from now on, and that they need to have it to clock in touch-free. She responded and said her husband (the main one to drop off) will not use it because he "usually forgets his phone" and that we need to find another way to communicate because she will be leaving facebook... :confused::confused:

We'll see how this week goes. She said they will "fix" the issues, but seemed like it was such a surprise to her (I have told her face to face, and it is all in multiple pieces of paperwork) I'm kind of hoping they just decided to leave on their own ::

I would have let her go at this point. :hug: "Ok. Thanks for letting me know. When will your last day be, today or Friday?"

[Blackcat31]

I would have let her go at this point. :hug: "Ok. Thanks for letting me know. When will your last day be, today or Friday?"

Gotta love parents that are simply too busy for their child. ::

I agree with CH though.... these types of parents are just not something I can manage.

I don't think they ever get better; just lazier (if that's the right word) and that is just not fair to you or their child.

[Pandaluver21]

I would have let her go at this point. :hug: "Ok. Thanks for letting me know. When will your last day be, today or Friday?"

Oh how I wish I would have said that ::

Gotta love parents that are simply too busy for their child. ::

I agree with CH though.... these types of parents are just not something I can manage.

I don't think they ever get better; just lazier (if that's the right word) and that is just not fair to you or their child.

I let one of my other (long time) parents know that this family would probably not be working out. I said "unless things change dramatically, but well.. that's never happened... in 12+ years..." :P They paid through the end of the month, I will get them until then. They attend Tues/Thurs, so that's only 6 more days technically... hopefully they prove me wrong

[Pandaluver21]

Backpack and mask this morning! happyface

(Btw, I hate wearing a mask, but they are super cracking down here and I have parents that are more afraid than others, so masks just make it smoother for everyone)

[Annalee]

I have 10 kids right now....the last two I've taken didn't work out....dcg family gave notice after about four weeks....dcb I termed on the 7th day....not sure if it's me or families, in general, but I'd rather have less kids with families following my rules than to be full and have to fight about rules all the time.

[Pandaluver21]

I have 10 kids right now....the last two I've taken didn't work out....dcg family gave notice after about four weeks....dcb I termed on the 7th day....not sure if it's me or families, in general, but I'd rather have less kids with families following my rules than to be full and have to fight about rules all the time.

Yes!! I don't "need" to be full, and am perfectly happy with a few great parents than a full class and parents that stress me out! So far this family has fixed most of the issues (drop off/pick up times, mask, backpack, etc) the only thing they are "fighting" me on is using the app to check in. She said her husband just "won't remember" his phone. I let her know next week I would be removing the option to check in with a code, so he better start remembering it! She checked out with it today and said was shocked at how "fast and easy" it was!

On the other hand, had a parent ask for an additional morning this week because she has to take a family member in for surgery... This family is amazing, so I said yes. Not only did they pay for the day (tomorrow) but brought me $20 and a gift card for Duch Bro's :P Man I wish I could clone this family ::::

[RepNJ]

Geez, y’all are harsh.

It was their FIRST day. Maybe their first time in *any* care setting. You do realize the massive amounts of paperwork cannot be completely memorized after 1, even 2, reads.

I agree that you could’ve said to refer back to the contract, and the answers are listed there, but to act like you are going to kick the poor family out on their first day is a bit much. Give them at least a week to get accustomed to the rhythm.

[Pandaluver21]

Geez, y’all are harsh.

It was their FIRST day. Maybe their first time in *any* care setting. You do realize the massive amounts of paperwork cannot be completely memorized after 1, even 2, reads.

I agree that you could’ve said to refer back to the contract, and the answers are listed there, but to act like you are going to kick the poor family out on their first day is a bit much. Give them at least a week to get accustomed to the rhythm.

I completely understand it is a lot of paperwork to follow. However, when 10 parents can and one parent doesn't... it's not the paperwork that's the problem.
Also, it's one thing to say that they had too much paperwork to remember, but I literally handed them a folder, with a sticky note in it saying to bring a backpack.. they returned the folder, with the sticky note... plane as day.
This is their 3rd child. They have two middle school/highschoolers... not their first rodeo.
After the 15th time telling this family one of our policy's, she straight out told me "we're not going to do that"...
Aside from ALL that, I verbally told them several of these things multiple times.
I am 100% confident in saying that it wasn't an overwhelming amount of paperwork, and WAS an undesired to follow the rules.

Yes it seems harsh to throw this at parents the first day, but how long do you allow it? How do you go to a parent a few weeks later and tell them "So that thing I've been letting you get away with? NOW i'm serious that you have to follow it." It's just better to get it out of the way right from the get go!

[Snowmom]

Geez, y’all are harsh.

It was their FIRST day. Maybe their first time in *any* care setting. You do realize the massive amounts of paperwork cannot be completely memorized after 1, even 2, reads.

I agree that you could’ve said to refer back to the contract, and the answers are listed there, but to act like you are going to kick the poor family out on their first day is a bit much. Give them at least a week to get accustomed to the rhythm.

Not harsh at all. Reality.
Most jobs and services you enroll in will have a trial period.
If you can't get on board in a certain time period (usually two weeks), you hit the road.

In my own experience, the first two weeks is the MOST important in terms of setting expectations. I am EXTRA hard and diligent in following rules in the first two weeks- no exceptions. If a family thinks they get leeway at all, then the whole relationship will be spent correcting that mind set.

[Blackcat31]

Geez, y’all are harsh.

It was their FIRST day. Maybe their first time in *any* care setting. You do realize the massive amounts of paperwork cannot be completely memorized after 1, even 2, reads.

I agree that you could’ve said to refer back to the contract, and the answers are listed there, but to act like you are going to kick the poor family out on their first day is a bit much. Give them at least a week to get accustomed to the rhythm.

My licensing requirements (don't even get me started on the amount of reading and paperwork it entails) is active from my FIRST day of business until I officially quit.

I am not given a few days to get accustomed to it. I am immediately held to ALL the requirements in the paperwork and am immediately subject to the consequences if I do not.

I manage 10-12 families. So if providers are expected to follow these rules for the safety and wellbeing of ALL clients enrolled, I don't think expecting ONE family to read and follow the enrollment paperwork is harsh at all.

[Pandaluver21]

Shocking news heading your way

This family is OUT! Tuesday I actually thought maybe we could finish out the school year, today... NOPE!

Mom is SO disrespectful, doesn't listen to a word I say, and her daughter is the EXACT same way! I can't do it anymore. I was relaying my day to my roommate this evening and just started shaking I was getting so worked up. (and I'm NOT an outwardly emotional person)

Mom talks to me like I'm an idiot, yet I have to tell her EVERYTHING at least 5 times before she even starts to pay attention. Everything is verbal at least once, and in writing at least twice and she still acts like it's new to her when I bring it up. I'm just burnt out, I can't give any more to this family. Why do I put several hours into paperwork, several hours into lesson plans, and then give 110% to actually teaching their kids, and have parents that could care less? Why am I putting so much effort into the paperwork if you can't even put in a tiny bit to read it/follow it? I'm just done. I have no more to give. I will let them finish out the month (technically only one more day of class) and then I'm done.
Now to figure out HOW to give the boot... I REALLY hate this part! I'm completely expecting her to be "blind sided" that it's not working out

[dolores]

My current issue with new families is the drop off- with new child clinging to parent for dear life while screaming bloody murder. It's like they have to be pryed off.

We moved from indoor to outdoor drop off because of covid. It did not affect veteran families who already knew us. Their kids had similar behavior when they were new but it seemed less of a scene with indoor drop off.

I actually think the indoor drop off with new kid went easier in that it helped them settle in and reduced parents' anxiety faster.

How do you get a screaming child who does not want to separate from parent inside? And how do you make parents feel better about it?

[Cat Herder]

How do you get a screaming child who does not want to separate from parent inside? And how do you make parents feel better about it?

I physically pick them up and carry them in. Then I send a photo of them playing/eating happily with friends 10 minutes later through my parent communication app. (Daily Connect)

I should say that I do not keep school-agers and only enroll birth-12 months, tops. By the time they are big enough to not need carrying, they are well over it.

[dolores]

Mine start at 2 years old.

Toddlers have the ability to make themselves heavier than they are when they don't want to budge .