Didn’t Answer My Phone So They Stopped Over....Last Night

[mismatchedsocks]

For me, if you call at a reasonable hour ( my contract says 8pm) and leave a message I will return your call. After 8, I dont like phone calls, its my time for getting kids to bed, relaxing and getting to bed myself. If you need to get a hold of me after that but before 5am ( when you can first call me, since i open at 530 for one family) then you can text, or email. I would love to know if your child is not coming or coming late IF they are an early child. I am up anyway, but whether or not I want to be out of pjs is debatable.

[AnneCordelia]

How do parents request a change then if you don't allow business to be done after hours? For example, what if dentist calls and can get kid in first thing the next morning, but parents don't find out until after they get home from work and you're closed and they're contracted hours are different then their request? Or what if mom or dad are having car trouble and need to get the vehicle into the dealership early the next morning and thus need to get kid to you early and their contracted hours are different then their request?

I have a few thoughts about this.

First, I'd rather know about an early arrival or late arrival even if I find out through a phone call after hours. I have an answering machine and have a good history of calling back. The need to FB, call AND come over is overkill and unnecessily taxing on MY time. If I get a call I will call back within a reasonable amount of time to confirm.

Second, changes in the schedule sometimes happen but I can't always accomodate them. So, NO, I do not want parents showing up unscheduled in the morning and, NO, I don't want them taxing my personal time either. If they can get through to confirm then that's great, if not then they might have to reschedule THEIR plans. I am not available 24/7 and sometimes last minute changes cannot be accomodated beyond their contracted hours although I make an effort to try.

[cheerfuldom]

parents leave a text or voicemail for a change in schedule. no one drops by and no one is allowed unexpected drop offs. if someone just popped over to drop off, I would say no even if I had the room just to make the point that you can't come and go whenever. I am very good about responding to text or message. I don't FB with daycare parents. emails are for non urgent requests only. you can contact me after hours but don't expect an immediate reply. if you are asking a question, you assume the answer is no unless you get a yes. thats put the parents in responsibility for a backup plan, not me.

[squareone]

I have a few thoughts about this.

First, I'd rather know about an early arrival or late arrival even if I find out through a phone call after hours. I have an answering machine and have a good history of calling back. The need to FB, call AND come over is overkill and unnecessily taxing on MY time. If I get a call I will call back within a reasonable amount of time to confirm.

Second, changes in the schedule sometimes happen but I can't always accomodate them. So, NO, I do not want parents showing up unscheduled in the morning and, NO, I don't want them taxing my personal time either. If they can get through to confirm then that's great, if not then they might have to reschedule THEIR plans. I am not available 24/7 and sometimes last minute changes cannot be accomodated beyond their contracted hours although I make an effort to try.

AGREE.

It's as simple as this: If you call the provider after hours and get no answer then leave a message or send a text. If you do NOT hear back from the provider then your last-minute request is NOT approved. Do not keep calling, do not show up at the providers door, and do not show up earlier than your scheduled time. Make other arrangements.

[MsMe]

I have never had a parent 'drop by' after hours.

I can not think of anything a DCP could so that would be more rude.

I agree with cheerfuldom.

[SandeeAR]

I make it clear with my families, don't call or text after 9pm (unless an ER emergency) or before 6:30 am. I have great parents. We have a mutual respect for each other.

I have some of my families sending me kids pics at night and on the weekend. I love the close contact. If it is a bad time, I just don't respond. They all know I'll get back to them when I can.

I even had one parent bring me a dozen of my favorite cookie shops, cookies for our camping trip last weekend!

[jojosmommy]

How would you have reacted if they showed up early without calling?

I had a grandparent leave 2 messages on my cell and 1 on my home phone last week to say they were keeping the child overnight and he wouldn't be there in the morning. All 3 calls were after 8. I greatly appreciated the fact that I didn't have to get up at 4AM to open the door for this child.

I could care less if they showed up 10 min early. I am ready for kids at 7. Period. And like some other posters said if you have a last minute schedule change that does not mean I have to jump to accomodate you. If you call/leave a message and I do not answer then I am busy. If you waited until late the night before to make a change in your schedule you have to figure that it may not always work out for the provider. Next time plan ahead. In this case the 10 min did not matter to me- what I was annoyed about was te fact that they assumed I have nothing better to do. Stopping over late was too much for me.

[Unregistered]

Parents were disrespectful!! OP is not on call for then 24/7!

Just because providers run a business out of their home DOES NOT give parents the right to JUST SHOW UP when they feel like it.

The parent was RUDE! As OP said they should of planned better!

I would of told parent that an emerengcy fee would be added to their daycare fees, just like a plumber would for after hours and then laughed.

[Unregistered]

Parents were disrespectful!! OP is not on call for then 24/7!

Just because providers run a business out of their home DOES NOT give parents the right to JUST SHOW UP when they feel like it.

The parent was RUDE! As OP said they should of planned better!

I would of told parent that an emerengcy fee would be added to their daycare fees, just like a plumber would for after hours and then laughed.

And yet you give me yet another reason why my family has chosen center care and would never hire a home based provider.

[nannyde]

Personally, I don't understand why you were upset.

You were still up as you were on the phone, so it probably wasn't that late.

I would much rather the father run over to ask if it was ok when they weren't able to make contact, than have him show up early this morning, unexpected.

I don't agree with this.

If the father couldn't get ahold of the provider then he needed to accept that the answer is NO.

He DID have the option to just bring his kids at the regular time. It's OKAY that she wasn't available to give an answer.

No answer doesn't mean FORCING the question onto the provider by showing up at her house or showing up early without permission. No answer means NO you can't bring them early.

[AnneCordelia]

And yet you give me yet another reason why my family has chosen center care and would never hire a home based provider.

Likewise, centers don't deal with this kind of issue as when they close for the day the doors are locked and the building empty. It's a tricky spot to be in when you run a business from your home.

[PitterPatter]

I have a few thoughts about this.

First, I'd rather know about an early arrival or late arrival even if I find out through a phone call after hours. I have an answering machine and have a good history of calling back. The need to FB, call AND come over is overkill and unnecessily taxing on MY time. If I get a call I will call back within a reasonable amount of time to confirm.

Second, changes in the schedule sometimes happen but I can't always accomodate them. So, NO, I do not want parents showing up unscheduled in the morning and, NO, I don't want them taxing my personal time either. If they can get through to confirm then that's great, if not then they might have to reschedule THEIR plans. I am not available 24/7 and sometimes last minute changes cannot be accomodated beyond their contracted hours although I make an effort to try.

I actually took the time to read all replies before throwing my 2c in.
This is how I feel also!! Well said!

And yet you give me yet another reason why my family has chosen center care and would never hire a home based provider.

I don't want to start a debate here but what center takes calls after closing? What center allows a parent to visit the provider/teacher at home after hours? What center allows children to be dropped off earlier before opening at all? Why is it ok to expect the provider to do more? We too have private lives.

In my opinion home daycares are MUCH more flexible (depending on who the provider is but at least it is an option where centers do not give the option)

[Unregistered]

And yet you give me yet another reason why my family has chosen center care and would never hire a home based provider.

So your saying you could call your CENTER after hours and someone would take your call?

And your saying that there IS SOMEONE at your center after hours?

WOW you must have an awsome center!!

Sounds like you must abuse your center!

I bet you are one of those parents that the Center workers talk about behind your back..hehe

[Kaddidle Care]

[blessedmess8]

And yet you give me yet another reason why my family has chosen center care and would never hire a home based provider.

I'm sorry, but I am laughing at this! Try popping in your center after hours! I'm sure she was not rude to the parent, but she was just taken aback at their insistance that she take time out of HER personal life (mind you, most of us devote 10-12 hours a day to daycare as it is!) To give them an answer. She was on the other line, for goodness sakes!! If you were dealing with a center, as if most of them would allow early drop off, you would be required to handle your BUSINESS with them during BUSINESS hours.