Brought Baby Late, Hungry & Thirsty Again...

[Unregistered]

Hi all....I'm new here but so glad to be able to run things by you all.

I have a DCB (17 months) whose young mom is not working now (don't ask me why she needs childcare now). But anyway, she treats this like it's drop-in care when I'm a full time establishment. She brings the little one at 10:00 most days and just showed up here at about 11:45 today. Okay, fine...but he misses circle time every day AND she knows I do things by a strict schedule. He missed breakfast AND morning snack today. She flies in the door, EMPTY CUP IN HAND, saying he's thirsty. My daycare is upstairs so I'm supposed to leave my other kids in the middle of program or allow her to go into my refrigerator to fill up his cup.

WHY is he thirsty and unfed most days if they're not arriving until well after 10:00 every day??? This may sound mean, but I told her NO about going into my refrigerator and I told her that we'd be downstairs in about 5 minutes to start lunch & get drinks. She left looking all worried. Needless to say, I went downstairs and got him a cup anyway but REALLY??? You bring him at 11:45 without having had a cup???

[laundrymom]

I'd return the cup to her and say great! Have a wonderful day! Then fit him in wherever we are.

[Autismworld]

You need to establish some rules with this parent.

Some rules I have that might help.
#1. If their child is going to arrive later than their contracted time I expect a phone call within a half an hour of their contracted time. If I do not receive this call I will assume that your child is not coming for the day.

#2. If their child is arriving late... it is expected that their child has had any meals missed prior to arriving and their child cannot come hungry unless they are expected to arrive with prior notice right at a meal time.

#3. I also have a no arrivals after a certain time in the morning as it disrupts everything, including their child too much. Allowing exceptions now and again is expected, but this helps cut down on the 'drop in' type parents. I also do not allow any arrivals or departures during quiet time.

Having a parent like that would make me crazy!!!!

[Blackcat31]

Hi all....I'm new here but so glad to be able to run things by you all.

I have a DCB (17 months) whose young mom is not working now (don't ask me why she needs childcare now). But anyway, she treats this like it's drop-in care when I'm a full time establishment. She brings the little one at 10:00 most days and just showed up here at about 11:45 today. Okay, fine...but he misses circle time every day AND she knows I do things by a strict schedule. He missed breakfast AND morning snack today. She flies in the door, EMPTY CUP IN HAND, saying he's thirsty. My daycare is upstairs so I'm supposed to leave my other kids in the middle of program or allow her to go into my refrigerator to fill up his cup.

WHY is he thirsty and unfed most days if they're not arriving until well after 10:00 every day??? This may sound mean, but I told her NO about going into my refrigerator and I told her that we'd be downstairs in about 5 minutes to start lunch & get drinks. She left looking all worried. Needless to say, I went downstairs and got him a cup anyway but REALLY??? You bring him at 11:45 without having had a cup???

I am NOT being rude, but she does this (above in bold) because you are allowing her to do it. If you have policies and rules and she is ignoring them, it is because there are no consequences to her actions. She does it and you let her. If she needs to be there by a certian time, do not allow drop off after that time. If you don't care, then no problem. If he is not fed before he comes and you won't serve any food until a specific time...tell her. If she brings a cup and you don't want him to...tell her.

Rules and policies will NEVER be followed or respected unless YOU do it first.
She is behaving badly because she is allowed to.

[missnikki]

^What she said^

Take action or you will lose the battle. It's not like she's going to say "Oh, is it OK that I'm late all the time and he's hungry?"

It never hurts to make it expensive to pull stunts, too. Just sayin.

[Cat Herder]

I am NOT being rude, but she does this (above in bold) because you are allowing her to do it. If you have policies and rules and she is ignoring them, it is because there are no consequences to her actions. She does it and you let her. If she needs tobe there by a certain time, do not allow drop off after that time. If you don'tcare, then no problem. If he is not fed before he comes and you won't serve any food until a specific time...tell her. If she brings a cup and you don't want him to...tell her.

Rules and policies will NEVER be followed or respected unless YOU do it first.
She is behaving badly because she is allowed to.

True.....

You can also have a set "no drop off after *****" policy to discourage this.

And there is no way a parent would be in my refrigerator, ever... Family space is off limits here..

Register, stay a while, grow a backbone..... It is worth it...