Nice Parent With No Social Skills?

[Unregistered]

Hello! I'm new here and have never posted, sorry for the unregistered. I will register, I'm just tired tonight.

I have been doing inhome daycare for just a little over two years. I have this family who WILL NOT pick up time. They are great parents, the child is good, and they pay me faithfully every week. But mom just can NOT seem to get things thru her head. My issue right now with them is that I close at 5:15 everyday. Mom shows up in the driveway at 5:15 or 5:16. She comes in and is VERY slow about getting her DD's shoes and coat on, and she plays with her, sits on the floor and talks about her day, chases her up and down my hallway (yes, she really does). She will stay for 15-20 minutes sometimes after I'm closed.. so I can't leave or do anything. I have talked to her and told her my hours and even said to her that it doesn't matter when she pulls in, it's when she leaves. I think part of it is she has no concept of time, so I purchased a little sticky back clock, and I now have a sign in sheet, with a clock right in the binder. I was hoping that she would notice when she had to write down the times... but she's even screwing that up. Today she pulled in at 5:15 and left at 5:23. I checked the book when she left and she wrote down 5:15.

I have considered changing the book to 5:23 but I feel mean. But I'm tired of being made late or made to rush. I have my own child and things to do. Help!!

[nannyde]

Hello! I'm new here and have never posted, sorry for the unregistered. I will register, I'm just tired tonight.

I have been doing inhome daycare for just a little over two years. I have this family who WILL NOT pick up time. They are great parents, the child is good, and they pay me faithfully every week. But mom just can NOT seem to get things thru her head. My issue right now with them is that I close at 5:15 everyday. Mom shows up in the driveway at 5:15 or 5:16. She comes in and is VERY slow about getting her DD's shoes and coat on, and she plays with her, sits on the floor and talks about her day, chases her up and down my hallway (yes, she really does). She will stay for 15-20 minutes sometimes after I'm closed.. so I can't leave or do anything. I have talked to her and told her my hours and even said to her that it doesn't matter when she pulls in, it's when she leaves. I think part of it is she has no concept of time, so I purchased a little sticky back clock, and I now have a sign in sheet, with a clock right in the binder. I was hoping that she would notice when she had to write down the times... but she's even screwing that up. Today she pulled in at 5:15 and left at 5:23. I checked the book when she left and she wrote down 5:15.

I have considered changing the book to 5:23 but I feel mean. But I'm tired of being made late or made to rush. I have my own child and things to do. Help!!

Just tell her she needs to write down the time she LEAVES with her child not the time she arrives to get her so that you can calculate your late fees for her next check. Bring up the 5:23 as an example and show her the amount it would cost.

Can you have the kid ready to go and scoot her out the door? Whenever parents are dressing kids there's a window for drama. There are also a lot of parents who want to keep their kid at day care so they have something to DO with them that is free and easy. Take away the free and start charging for it.

[SilverSabre25]

I would definitely have the child pretty much ready to go at 5:10 or so, then watch out the window and when you see mom drive up, quickly stick the girl's coat on her and greet mom at the door with the dressed kid--"Hey Mrs X, here's Sally, she really had a great day today. Sorry for the rush but I've got to scoot. Hope you guys have a great evening!"

[MyAngels]

Change the closing time for this family to 5:00 ::. Impose a giant late fee if they walk in after 5:00.

[Unregistered]

Thanks! I have had her coat and shoes on twice.... both times I needed to leave at 5:15. Both times they played on my front porch long enough I had to ask them to move their car so I could get out of my driveway. /

[countrymom]

have the child dressed and ready to go and when she pull up walk the child to her car and hand her over. Trust me it works, couple times of this and she'll get the hint.

[momofboys]

I agree with Nannyde. Tell parent anytime they are in your home after 5:15 you will charge your late fee. Good luck!

[Unregistered]

Come 510pm, get the child's socks, shoes on. When you see mom pull up, get the child's coat on and meet her at the door with the child.

Have someone call you daily at 515pm, put your coat and shoes on and tell her you have appointments, etc. If she don't get the hint after a week, tell her it's $1.00 per minute and it starts at 515pm and will continue until both her and child have walked out the door. Once money is brought up and late fees, etc, parent's usually get the hint.

Good luck!

[Abigail]

I've done the "call me so I can get out of here" excuse tactic before! Not in this situation, but it does work. Even have a friend call who knows why you want them to call and just say something like "OK, I'll be there in TWO minutes!" and hang up. You can also do this with a cell phone that is TURNED OFF so it doesn't ring while you're doing the fake call. :: Just make sure the dcm hears you. It's best to go with someone actually calling you so she can hear the phone ring or else she'll think you're always on the cell phone.

Do you have late pickup fees? Put it in your newsletter or hand it to her again giving her one week to abide by the rules of leaving at 5:15 pm. $1 per minute is starting to be average. I know how some don't always follow the clock, so if you don't want to be direct with her have parents sign in and out on a computer that logs and "automatically" adds the late fees of which you cannot change. That will work!