Angry!

[Meeko]

while i like a lot of the suggestions on here, especially the closing the door in his face after a big smile.

BUT i feel this may also create a war. As much as we all would like to do this stuff, it is a business, we want to be treated as such, as professionals.

Once again, I would LOVE to do all the suggestions on here, however, i think simply handing it back and not saying anything, would prove a point and he will know that he lost. or even just saying, no food from home as you hand it back would suffice.

Yes...I just handed it back with a big smile and he got the message. To the lady who asked about the food program.....they don't go through cubbies etc. They do take a look around the kitchen, look in the fridge and take the temperature of it, check fire extinguisher, check paperwork etc. If they show up at meal time, they will inspect all aspects of the meal. They will also check your menus and make sure you have the next meal or snack ingredients on hand. You are allowed to have kids NOT on the program if the parents so wish...but their food must be kept completely separated from the day care food etc. I don't allow this because of all the problems it causes. (No kids wants to eat the nutritious meal I cook when little Johnny has a happy meal).......

Kids on the program must all be offered exactly the same foods. They are very strict on that. It just so happened that a child showed up with a baggie full of cookies right when she was here. I had been meaning to remind parents of the rules anyway...but the timing was bad! I can see the logic behind their rules. It is their mission to make sure kids have balanced, healthy meals. They also worry about the health aspects of kids sharing food from home. If Susie brings a bag of cookies and lets all the day care kids dip their hand in the baggie and get one....and Susie just picked her nose and has strep........well you get the picture. There is method in the madness!

I keep things simple....no food from home...everyone on the food program.

[Meeko]

while i like a lot of the suggestions on here, especially the closing the door in his face after a big smile.

BUT i feel this may also create a war. As much as we all would like to do this stuff, it is a business, we want to be treated as such, as professionals.

Once again, I would LOVE to do all the suggestions on here, however, i think simply handing it back and not saying anything, would prove a point and he will know that he lost. or even just saying, no food from home as you hand it back would suffice.

What I love about this forum is that we can vent and say what we would LIKE to do...even if we don't so it! Makes us feel better!

[Meeko]

Back up... really you make $1000 per month on the food program?? Wow!

I agree it isn't a silly rule... the majority of providers have that rule. That said, the food program really wouldn't or at least shouldn't have an issue with it. If that became the child's breakfast or a snack you could just not document her for that meal.

I have that rule, however I do give exceptions when needed. I have one little guy whose parents decided not to participate in the food program as they wanted to provide all of their childs food.

So... has dad came to pick her up yet? What did you do? I do agree that you don't have to be nasty nasty... but yes, demand respect!!

I have 16 kids and am tier 1. That's how I get so much.

The problem with kids bringing stuff is we don't know how it was prepared at home...could have been under filthy conditions.

Kids don't understand why their buddy can have a chocolate granola bar for breakfast and they can't.

My kids would want to eat the granola bar AND what I prepare...but I couldn't claim it as they ate a different meal from the other kids...which means the food came out of my pocket. Times all this by 16 = chaos.

[Meeko]

you ladies are way too nice. I would have given the child chocolate, and let it melt in her hands just as dad was coming up the door, push her out the door with those yummy delicious hands so she can smear it all over him and the car, "oh, whats that no food in the car allowed" bahhahaha!!!

::::::::::::::

[wdmmom]

I am a firm believer in kindness. Nasty notes? Slamming doors in faces? Tape and super glue? Why not take the high road and personally tell him why you have this policy? (Btw, seems like a silly policy). As a business person, I would never be rude or nasty. Why would this dad want to have someone so mean and angry care for his child? I wouldn't. You get a lot further with sugar and honey than piss and vinegar. Finally, there are WAY more things in the daycare world to get angry about, liked bounced checks and no-notice-quitters. Why expend so much energy being angry about a granola bar?

Have you ever dealt with 6 children on your own and they are all screaming and whining and pointing saying they want what "Sally" has?!

Do you have rules in your house? Like, no eating in the living room or no eating anywhere but the table? I have new carpet...I don't want shoes on let alone a kid carrying in a granola bar because if you let it go, before you know it, they are coming in with a Capri Sun. Do you know what little kids like to do with juice boxes??? They like to squeeze them all over! I'm nip that in the bud now and avoid the bigger issues later too!

Have you ever been completely belittled in your own house? It's not something that I'm prepared to tolerate let alone be completely defied. Rules are set forth by providers that they deem fit. They are in place for a reason! Why question the reason and just follow the rules by the contract that you signed?

As for being mean and nasty...it's not that at all. It's complete disregard for rules and regulations. No one is exempt and that is the point that the provider was trying to get across. If it's been mentioned numerous times before and nothing works, there comes a time where getting smart works!

If it weren't for the poor sick mom, I would have told DCD to hit the road a long time ago. And with that smirk he gave the provider when handing the child that damn granola bar!::::::

[Symphony]

Food program inspection here is pretty laid back. She comes in, watches us prep and serve the meal. Looks at the menu and writes down what he had the past five days and which children were in attendance. I have a completely different person and organization that checks temperatures and fire extinguishers. So it must vary by state.

No matter what your state does though, I agree with everyone else, you have to stick to the rules because it is OUR livlihood on the line, NOT the parents!

[MamaBear]

Stick to your rules...

Stick to your rules... As soon as you start to fold, they will walk all over you. Good for you for not giving in.

[cheerfuldom]

hey if honey and sugar worked on every daycare parent, what would we have to talk about?! Unfortunately, most people interpret niceness/politeness to be that something isn't that big of a deal and the provider doesn't care that much. The reality is that sometimes you have to get really firm (which can be viewed as being mean if a person is really sensitive or is just not wanting to cooperate) in order to get your point across. It wasn't the granola bar, it was the fact that the provider set out a reasonable rule that was completely disregarded by a parent. If the granola bar wasn't that big of a deal, why couldn't the parent just follow the rule? The provider has half a dozen families to coordinate into one program, the least this dad could do is respect a very basic rule. you did the right thing OP!