Nothing More Annoying.....

[TSDaycare]

This seems to get on my bad side the most!!

When parents arrive early each morning and sit in my driveway!!! I think this is the most irritating and disrespectful thing I deal with here. They are clearly aware that I don't open until 630 because they don't come in until then, but why do you find the need to sit there in front of my house at 615 and act lime your not watching me?? I'm not a blinds person, I like the sunshine to come into my home but gosh I feel like they are watching everything I do while I'm preparing for them to come in! It sets my tone for the morning-puts me in a bad mood. I find it to be only the dads that do it though- the
ones who really don't have to care for their kids-mom does it all!!

Just my vent for the morning-since its been 3 days in a row this week

I wish I could afford to put a gate at the end of my driveway that wouldn't open until 630 on the dot, and it be far enough away they can't see the house!

[heyhun77]

I think it comes from the need to be on time and then things go more smoothly than they thought or traffic was better than expected. I have this and have always wondered why they wouldn't want to spend that extra time at home with their kids but this was exactly what had happened when I asked why they were getting here early.

[Cat Herder]

I put down the time they pull up in the driveway on the sign-in sheet. I have a driveway alarm.

When they come to the door and sign in, the record would show they were 15 minutes early...that adds up to $15 more per day.

BRING IT ON....::::::

Weird how I rarely ever get early arrivals...hmmmm..:confused:

[Meyou]

I have two families that arrive early for the same reason. If they waited the 15 minutes at home they could potentially get caught in nasty traffic. They both sit in the car and play with the kids until 7:30.

[permanentvacation]

At least yours sit in your driveway and wait til you open. Mine actually knock on my door and ring the doorbell OVER & OVER typically 10-15 minutes before I'm supposed to open. Then I announce from half-way across the house that they are 15 minutes early. So they just stand there at my DOOR!!! This happens with the same couple of parents constantly. When I open the door at the scheduled opening time, I always tell them that I won't be ready until the scheduled time. But they just come to the door no matter what time they get here!

[JenNJ]

Can you get a few orange construction cones and place them at the end of your driveway until opening? At 6:29 go out and move the cones and that is the sign that you are open for the day. Send out a notice that your liability insurance only covers you from open to close and clients on the property before that time are violating the insurance policy. (I know thats how mine works anyway)

[Blackcat31]

I put down the time they pull up in the driveway on the sign-in sheet. I have a driveway alarm.

When they come to the door and sign in the record would show they were 15 minutes early...that adds up to $15 more per day.

BRING IT ON....::::::

Weird how I rarely ever get early arrivals...hmmmm..:confused:

ditto this^^ I rarely have early arrivals anymore either....it is weird.

[nannyde]

Can you get a few orange construction cones and place them at the end of your driveway until opening? At 6:29 go out and move the cones and that is the sign that you are open for the day. Send out a notice that your liability insurance only covers you from open to close and clients on the property before that time are violating the insurance policy. (I know thats how mine works anyway)

Yes this

I think you will find that when they can't be in the driveway that they stop coming early.

Parents often do this because they want their child buckled in the car seat confined when they have the kid. It's way easier to have a kid in a car seat than it is to supervise them and keep them happy at home.

They want to be in your driveway so they have that security blanket that if anything should happen that you are there to take care of it.

They also want to turn their kid over the second it is humanly possible.

If they take over the driveway no matter what they get to be first and they get to do it at the very second you are open.

If anyone else comes and decides to try to get in early they can get in early too.

Psychologically the parent feels better knowing they can get you on the clock in SOME way by doing the vulture in the driveway. It's rarely ever about traffic. If it was about traffic they would just park down the street and wait.

If it's about traffic they will gladly just park on the street. If it's not about traffic then they will protest.

[SandeeAR]

I had a new parent that knew my opening time. The first day, got here at opening, next two days came 10 min early. I was nice since it was the first week and they were ajusting and let him in. But I reminded him that I didn't open until 7:30. Was told he left the house at the same time each day, and sometimes traffic was lighter than others. (not my problem).

Second week in care, he tries it again. I let him stand at the door and ring and knock. About 7:28, I came to the door. Told him sorry, I was still getting ready, that I didn't get up until 7 am, b/c I didn't open until 7:30. He didn't say anything this time, so I pointed to the blinds and told him....The best way to tell if I am open, is if the blinds are open. If they are closed, I'm closed. I don't open them until 7:30 am.

He hasn't been early since.

I also added this to the bottom of my sign in sheet in large BOLD letters.......HOURS 7:30-5:30. Sort of takes all the guessing out of it on drop off or pick up, since they sign it daily!

[Former Teacher]

I totally understand where you are coming from. BTDT. However we all have done that at one time or another at a place of business (grocery store, Target etc). We all have at one time or another waited outside until the door was unlocked.

Granted-this is a childcare business. I get that. I also understand that its a providers home. But when you get to the bottom of it, a provider is running a business. Nothing you can do about early arrivals. They just have to wait until the door is unlocked and the sign says open.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Yes this


If it's about traffic they will gladly just park on the street. If it's not about traffic then they will protest.

If they arrive early, its because there was so little traffic. If they are late, its because there was too much traffic. Traffic. The blame all.

[Sunshine44]

I see this differently. I would be SO happy if my parents came and waited in their car. It shows they ARE respecting you by not coming inside or to the door early. I wouldn't care. Who cares if they like to be on time? I am that person that gets to EVERYTHING early because I like to be on time and yes, I do sit in the car and WAIT. haha. It doesn't mean I'm horrible or trying to overtake someone.

Also, I do not agree with Nan...not every parent wants to be rid of their child. It's so odd that you always think this.

Are they calling you? Ringing your bell? Asking to come in? NO, they are sitting politely IN THEIR CAR until you open. If you don't want them to see you walking around getting ready then close the blinds! It's really not a big deal. If you don't want them in YOUR driveway, ask them to park on the side of the road. And Nan, if I saw someone sitting "down the road" I would think they were nuts. When you take your kids to school or practice early do you sit "down the road"? No, you sit in the parking lot and wait until time! Insane!

[familyschoolcare]

I see this differently. I would be SO happy if my parents came and waited in their car. It shows they ARE respecting you by not coming inside or to the door early. I wouldn't care. Who cares if they like to be on time? I am that person that gets to EVERYTHING early because I like to be on time and yes, I do sit in the car and WAIT. haha. It doesn't mean I'm horrible or trying to overtake someone.

Also, I do not agree with Nan...not every parent wants to be rid of their child. It's so odd that you always think this.

Are they calling you? Ringing your bell? Asking to come in? NO, they are sitting politely IN THEIR CAR until you open. If you don't want them to see you walking around getting ready then close the blinds! It's really not a big deal. If you don't want them in YOUR driveway, ask them to park on the side of the road. And Nan, if I saw someone sitting "down the road" I would think they were nuts. When you take your kids to school or practice early do you sit "down the road"? No, you sit in the parking lot and wait until time! Insane!

I agree with your take on this. BTW when I was a single mother going to school and working part time, I was one of those people that sat in the car and waited for the family day care to open. I would have loved to have some sort of sign like the blinds to know that she was ready for the day I just went by my car clock and sometimes I could tell she could have used another 1 or 2 mins. I did this B/C day care opened at 7:00 and my first class was at 7:30.

[nannyde]

I see this differently. I would be SO happy if my parents came and waited in their car. It shows they ARE respecting you by not coming inside or to the door early. I wouldn't care. Who cares if they like to be on time? I am that person that gets to EVERYTHING early because I like to be on time and yes, I do sit in the car and WAIT. haha. It doesn't mean I'm horrible or trying to overtake someone.

Also, I do not agree with Nan...not every parent wants to be rid of their child. It's so odd that you always think this.

Are they calling you? Ringing your bell? Asking to come in? NO, they are sitting politely IN THEIR CAR until you open. If you don't want them to see you walking around getting ready then close the blinds! It's really not a big deal. If you don't want them in YOUR driveway, ask them to park on the side of the road. And Nan, if I saw someone sitting "down the road" I would think they were nuts. When you take your kids to school or practice early do you sit "down the road"? No, you sit in the parking lot and wait until time! Insane!

Oh it's not insanity. It's experience.

The OP said:When parents arrive early each morning and sit in my driveway!!!

She doesn't have a parking lot for the parents. She only has her own family home driveway. There's a big difference. It's impolite to sit in someones family driveway on their family time. That time of the day the business is closed and they are using her driveway on her PERSONAL time.

Why is sitting down the road nuts? Sit down a few houses down where you aren't in eyeshot of the provider and when it's time put the car in D and scurry into the driveway. Better yet. Park down the street and when you know you are fifteen minutes early get your kids out of the car and take them for a good sprint walk up and down the sidewalk. The kids will love it and by the end of the week you will get a couple of miles of exercise.

The OP said: I find it to be only the dads that do it though- the
ones who really don't have to care for their kids-mom does it all!!

I rest my case.

You said: I see this differently. I would be SO happy if my parents came and waited in their car.

Does this mean you are having parents come early and then COME IN to your house early? If that's the case then I get your idea that it's better to have them in the driveway.

[Kaddidle Care]

I pointed to the blinds and told him....The best way to tell if I am open, is if the blinds are open. If they are closed, I'm closed.

I used to do this as well. Blinds open, porch light on when I was ready. I used to watch my neighbor's child so they could see across the street when I was ready for them.

I don't think I ever had him banging on my door before I was ready.