Hey! Let Me Introduce You To Your Children....

[MsMe]

I have one daycare family that has two children that are here from open to close no. matter. what.
*Dad (a teacher) home for Spring Break-not even an extra hour at home, *Babies (3mo) first ear infection-quick trip to the Dr and STRAIGHT back to the daycare. Mom even dropped her off before going to the drive thru pharmacy.
*Mom and Dad take the Day off work...made sure to get them here right at 7:30 even in her PJ's
*One kid stays home sick the other one comes.
...and on and on........

They seem like nice normal loving people. They seem to have it 'all together' and be ready for kids, they just cant be bothered to spend an extra minute with them. It really shows in the kids attitudes and personalities. I get along really well with them and don't mean to sound judgy...I am really confused more than anything.

Point of this post.....I am normaly open on Good Friday as I am not religous. They are the only famiily that ever shows up, and neither have to work. I have given notice and am taking the day unpaid...and my ONLY reason is so the parents will spend time with their children.

[grandmom]

Good for you. Too bad you have to take it off unpaid because they can't stand to be with their kids.

[dEHmom]

yes it is very sad how some parents behave.

as mentioned many times in other posts, most parents see it as they have paid for it. some parents might see it as the kids would be upset missing a day of daycare. I know my kids would.


I actually have the opposite problem, where moms are always picking up early, usually halfway through the day. Now I feel guilty they are paying for time they don't use! . But in all honestly, I've told them, they can go to walfart before picking kids up, I really don't mind. But they want to spend that time with their babies. So I can't complain!

[melskids]

yes it is very sad how some parents behave.

as mentioned many times in other posts, most parents see it as they have paid for it. some parents might see it as the kids would be upset missing a day of daycare. I know my kids would.


I actually have the opposite problem, where moms are always picking up early, usually halfway through the day. Now I feel guilty they are paying for time they don't use! . But in all honestly, I've told them, they can go to walfart before picking kids up, I really don't mind. But they want to spend that time with their babies. So I can't complain!

walfart? never heard of it....::

[Evansmom]

I have a family like this too. I watch their youngest kid and poor thing is here from open to close without fail. No days off except if she's really sick or if I'm closed and when I do have to close for vacation or if my son is sick (really only once or twice a year) it's a big deal to the mom. I know the mom goes to happy hour after work on Fridays before coming to pick up her child.

One time she got home and forgot to pick DCG up so she was 30 minutes late turning around to come get her! I feel the mom just has too much on her plate working full time and having 3 kids. I feel bad for her b/c she's always so frazzled coming and going.

And my DCG doesn't get bathed regularly. I also suspect she may be anemic. I mentioned it to the mom. I know she means to keep up with all these things but she doesn't. She gets home and gets right back on her laptop with work she's told me.

I actually worry that she is at risk of forgetting a sleeping child in a car or some nightmare like you've heard like that. I ALWAYS call my parents if they are late b/c of this.

Even though it's not how I'd choose to parent my kids I just try not to pick it apart. It takes all kinds ya know?

[Lucy]

I have one daycare family that has two children that are here from open to close no. matter. what.
*Dad (a teacher) home for Spring Break-not even an extra hour at home, *Babies (3mo) first ear infection-quick trip to the Dr and STRAIGHT back to the daycare. Mom even dropped her off before going to the drive thru pharmacy.
*Mom and Dad take the Day off work...made sure to get them here right at 7:30 even in her PJ's
*One kid stays home sick the other one comes.
...and on and on........

Other than the occupation, this sounds EXACTLY like one of my families. Dad off every other Friday, but kids still come open to close. Mom stays home for the day, kids come bright and early and are not picked up till closing time. Doctor appointment, mom picks up 15 before appointment and brings then right back to me, then goes home and returns at closing. It makes me sick.

Yes, I have a "no deductions for time not in attendance" policy, and I know they're just getting their money's worth, but it really is sickening. These kids are here EVERY day I'm open. In the 7 years I've had them (boy for 7, girl for 3), I think they've not been here maybe 3 times due to the family going on a weekend trip and they didn't come on Friday. Sad.

[Evansmom]

Oh yeah, one time I had a parent who stayed at home and would drop her son off at my house and then go home two blocks away. Sometimes she'd call and want to chat with me. I was like "Hello I'm working here!"

When it didn't work out with them (the little boy came from a very quiet home where he was the only child and was way too overwhelmed for group care, we tried for a month and he cried the whole time) and I gave them a two week notice she was super mad that I didn't give them longer notice. For what? You don't work lady!!!

[momatheart]

Put them on contracted hours and since you know the dad is home by such and such a time they need to make sure it a reasonable time.

Eg. 7:30 to 3:30 He needs to be at school by 8 and he gets out at 3. Anything passed the contracted hours have to be asked for in writting and an extra fee may be applied. Then it can be mom to pick up which lets say her hours are till 4 so 4:30. Would be reasonable.

[SuperNinjaMommy]

I think there are just parents like this. I say this because I have a family just like this but I don't charge for days not here and I never take paid holidays. They actually asked if I was working christmas eve because even though they had the day off they had a lot to get done. They also have asked me to keep their youngest up only giving him a morning nap (he's 10 months) so that he will go to bed easier for them when they pick up. One will be throwing up (they have 3) and they will pick him up but leave the other two. Even in a snow emergency, when both parents were told by their job not to come in because it was to dangerous, they brought the children and then went back home!!! First kids here and last to leave!

Unfortunately, these are also my most troublesome kids. There is something to be said about consistency and active parents.

[Evansmom]

Unfortunately it's these kids that we as care givers really end up raising. I know we have a hand in raising all of them but the ones that are with us more than with the parents I feel become one of my own.

The little girl I have now that's family is like that I have considered bathing and giving a multivitamin. I would give her a bath if I really thought she was a danger to the other children as it is I think (by the smell of her poor thing) that the parents just push the envelope enough to where I don't have to do that. And with the anemia issue the DCM got a bit offended and brushed it off but this poor girl falls asleep all. the. time. She'll curl up on the couch and fall asleep during free play. And she barely eats. Exhaustion and poor appetite are classic symptoms of anemia. I have been a mom for almost 18 years and worked with children for 15 years and my hunch says this kid is anemic.

[MsMe]

I think there are just parents like this. I say this because I have a family just like this but I don't charge for days not here and I never take paid holidays. They actually asked if I was working christmas eve because even though they had the day off they had a lot to get done. They also have asked me to keep their youngest up only giving him a morning nap (he's 10 months) so that he will go to bed easier for them when they pick up. One will be throwing up (they have 3) and they will pick him up but leave the other two. Even in a snow emergency, when both parents were told by their job not to come in because it was to dangerous, they brought the children and then went back home!!! First kids here and last to leave!

Unfortunately, these are also my most troublesome kids. There is something to be said about consistency and active parents.

this is exactly like the family I have. they will risk their lives to get here. I also don't understand when one is sick why you would leave one at daycare just to pack up the sick one and take him/her out again to come back into town to get the other at the end of the day. If I or my child was sick I would just want to go home and stay there...not have to get back out in the cold again!!

[youretooloud]

I've had parents who took advantage of me. I charge the same no matter how long they are here, so they'd come the second I opened, and pick up the second I closed.

Now, I have parents who can't wait to get here to see the kids. The kids are their favorite people in the world, and they love to be with them. I love these families!

[dEHmom]

I've had parents who took advantage of me. I charge the same no matter how long they are here, so they'd come the second I opened, and pick up the second I closed.

Now, I have parents who can't wait to get here to see the kids. The kids are their favorite people in the world, and they love to be with them. I love these families!

yep both my fams left/are leaving early today! one heard that the other had a dr. appt so was leaving early, and I have an oil change later today. She said "great! now I have a reason to leave early!" she only brings her dd here 3 days a week, and misses her so much that she leaves early when she can.

[cherryhill]

I have this one dcd that drops off early usually before I open at 7:30 and will pick up at exactly 5:30 closing to then take his son to the the gyms daycare while he works out. This dcb always goes to sleep at 7:30 so he pretty much doesnt have to spend anytime with him. This boy is pretty wild so I thinks it is easier this way.

[SuperNinjaMommy]

It's so funny to read what I wrote this yesterday because today the youngest was puking so she came and picked her up and left the other two. Also, both parents were off work today.