SOOOO Frustrated right now...

[Mom_of_two]

I accommodate pick up requests at any time, too- personally I am uncomfortable denying a parent access to their child at any time the child is in my care. I would not take my children somewhere if there were certain times I was not allowed access to them. Even at school a parent can pick a child up at any time, I feel that is a parent's right. Just my opinion- you gotta do what works for you. If it is important to you, I like the pp's suggestion of giving them the choice of time. I would do it verbally though as opposed to email, more personal. I do email parents about certain things but anything potentially 'confrontational' I do verbally as to show I am available to discuss and email feels kinda like a cop out in some instances, to me.

[Lucy]

I agree with Crystal on this one. I seldom have more than a couple of nappers at one time... 4-10 year olds- have "quiet time" and read or watch a movie, so this has never been an issue for me.

I've always been flexible with parents picking up early and consider it a blessing when a child is picked up early on a Friday---especially when they would normally be here till 6 pm when I close!

^ What she said!

[Hunni Bee]

I agree with you on picking up LATE......if it is happening regularly, then you put a stop to it. If it is occasional, I would accomodate, but that's just me. What I don't get is the EARLY pick up being an issue. They gave you a WHOLE WEEK notification about naptime pick up. It is absurd to say a parent absolutley cannot pick their child up early.

I cannot stand it when providers INSIST that they MUST have naptime as their break. ANYTHING can happen that disrupts naptime. Personally, during naptime, I'm still on the clock. I regularly have kids wake up early, or a kid who just cannot get to sleep, etc.

If the kids go down at 12:30 for nap, and parents pick up at 1:30 you STILL have a whole hour for your "break time" I don't know any employees who get more than an hour. I just don't get what the big deal is, I guess

I WISH naptime was a break. Yes, its nice to have a break from having to talk non-stop, but my naptime is filled with cleaning, phone call-making, planning, project prep, snack prep, computer work, CDA homework, oodles of paperwork...you name it.

I have parents who pick up regularly during nap. They'll usually find me with a broom/mop in hand, scrubbing the toilet, or cross-legged on the floor surrounded by books and papers. I just put down whatever I'm doing, wake the kid up and potty them, and send them on their merry way.

[e.j.]

I can see both sides of this issue. I try to be as flexible as I can for my dc parents. I'll stay open if a parent needs me to and I have no other plans. I do understand the OP's decision not to stay open late for her dc parents, though. Sounds like she has a lot going on and staying open late is very inconvenient for her. I understand her point that the night the parent's car broke down, he had an hour to make alternative arrangements to have the child picked up on time. He probably just assumed she'd keep the child late and didn't give any thought to what he could do to have the child picked up on time until he was forced to think about it.

Although I would never deny a parent the ability to pick up their child during nap time, I have to admit I don't like it and can understand why a provider would have something in her contract asking parents not to pick up during that time. Just because nap time pick-ups haven't been an issue for some, doesn't mean it hasn't been an issue for others.

There have been times when I've told the parent ahead of time that they have to be quick and quiet when she/he comes into my house for pick up only to have one come in and without thinking yell, "Wow! Why is it so quiet in here?!"....or "Are the kids still asleep?!" (Not anymore!) I've had some who forget and ring the door bell or bang the door into the wall on the way in or use the bathroom near the dc room and flush the fairly loud toilet, etc. If it's not the parent making noise, it's the kid who is woken from a deep sleep who starts to cry loudly or fusses while the parent stands there making small talk with me despite my efforts to guide him/her to the door. In the meantime, the other kids wake up and won't go back to sleep.

A week's notification is all well and good but it doesn't necessarily keep these kinds of things from happening. My concern isn't the shortened "break" time for me as much as the shortened nap time for the other kids. When they are woken up early, I'm left to deal with 5 tired and very cranky kids who didn't get the sleep they needed. I'm also left to deal with their parents who are unhappy with me because their kid didn't get a full nap.

We're all individuals and we all set our policies according to what works best for us. We also seem to experience varying degrees of respect from our dc parents. If there is something in the OP's contract that states no pick up during nap time and the parent signed it, at the very least, the OP has the right to at least remind the parents of their agreement and ask if it would be possible to p/u before or after nap time. It may be the parents have forgotten what they originally agreed to and could make arrangements for a better p/u time if politely reminded of the policy.

[sharlan]

What e.j. said..............
We're all individuals and we all set our policies according to what works best for us. We also seem to experience varying degrees of respect from our dc parents. If there is something in the OP's contract that states no pick up during nap time and the parent signed it, at the very least, the OP has the right to at least remind the parents of their agreement and ask if it would be possible to p/u before or after nap time. It may be the parents have forgotten what they originally agreed to and could make arrangements for a better p/u time if politely reminded of the policy.

[Unregistered]

POLITELY!! so many of these posts sound as if the providers are not polite w/ families but just jump right into terming as soon as a parent does anything at all to annoy the provider. I love the posts in which providers and families give and take -and despise the ones w/ providers being all strict w/ contracts and terming as soon as a parent doesn't follow the rules to the letter. And never mind the kids getting dumped. I don't get it - how can anyone do this and not love the kids and welcome them into their family and want to give them continuity and stability? Yes being paid is important but some of the issues that providers on here are so quick to term about just seem so petty and so forgetful of the welfare of the kids. Makes me sad.

[mom2many]

What e.j. said..............
We're all individuals and we all set our policies according to what works best for us. We also seem to experience varying degrees of respect from our dc parents. If there is something in the OP's contract that states no pick up during nap time and the parent signed it, at the very least, the OP has the right to at least remind the parents of their agreement and ask if it would be possible to p/u before or after nap time. It may be the parents have forgotten what they originally agreed to and could make arrangements for a better p/u time if politely reminded of the policy.

....and that's the beauty of being self employed & running your business the way you see fit! It's up to each individual to decide what they want in their contract and how it will be enforced. It's critical to find a good fit with both provider & parent/child, because everyone is so different!

I feel for the OP, because I soooo hate conflict, but standing firm and communicating what your expectations are is the only way parents will truly understand what you want and be able to abide by it.