Weird Guy Came To My House (And I Don't Like How I Handled It!)

[Texasjeepgirl]

I have total strangers stop by UNNANNOUNCED all the time!!!
Why? Well.. if you've been to my website.. ..or read posts from me describing my daycare set up..
We live inside our retail furniture store... on a main highway...
We have an apartment.. in the back corner inside our building..we've lived here almost 9 years... but.. my daycare has only been here a little over 5 years..
Behind our building is an apartment complex..
So.. I've had people show up at my door who live at the apartment complex..
I've had people find my address on the child care licensing website and show up out in the furniture store..
My mother-in-law owns and runs the store... (she is 87... went to work for the original founder of this store when she was 24 years old...and later bought it from him when she was in her early 50's..)...
She will bring total strangers to the inside entrance.. knock on the door.. and say.. they were looking for the daycare..
OR.. I'll have people knock on outside entrance... same thing..
IS THIS A DAYCARE?

SOLUTION?
A box of business cards sitting next to the sign in log .. just inside my entry door... and .. a website..
I NEVER EVER EVER let total strangers in here...
If they knock on the door... I open it.. after they ask if it is a daycare..
I say.. excuse me a moment..
I close the door..
I step over and get a business card.. I open the door.. hand the card to them..
and say.. you can go to my website..
you can EMAIL me.. you can call me..
for more information.. and to set up a time to tour daycare...
Then I thank them.. tell them I can't answer further questions because I am busy.. and I shut the door.

https://www.tammyschildcare.com

https://www.texasjeepgirl.shutterfly.com

[crazydaycarelady]

The thing that is really wierd is this guy is pretty well known around town. His family owns a car lot and he is in a lot of the commercials. Isn't that weird?

My dh is also a PO so I think I am safe in that regards. I might see if the r&r will send out an email though. I just can't help but think if he wasn't really looking for care than what was he looking for?

[Blackcat31]

The thing that is really wierd is this guy is pretty well known around town. His family owns a car lot and he is in a lot of the commercials. Isn't that weird?

My dh is also a PO so I think I am safe in that regards. I might see if the r&r will send out an email though. I just can't help but think if he wasn't really looking for care than what was he looking for?

Maybe he is casing the place for goodies to steal... :confused:

I don't know, that is weird though that he is a business owner in town and acts so flighty like that.

As long as your DH is in law enforcement, I don't suppose it would be too weird for him to at least document and then if any thing weird happens to yo or your property you would have an idea of who has been around lately.

People are strange sometimes and I guess I wouldn't take the possibility of anything CAN happen too lightly.

[Michael]

I think you dodged a bullet on that one. I would keep some bear pepper spray in the house and stay extra aware of your surroundings. Write down as much as you can remember about thim and his car.

[wahmof3]

Searching this forum for daycare and it lists your entire address....

Search the internet and there are a lot of websites that list your entire address.

Recently we found one that had our SSN listed as well

[Sprouts]

I had a couple show up one time and I did something similar except I checked their drivers license. Anyone who comes into my home I check their ID

[LK5kids]

Never let a stranger into your home with the children there. They could be anyone! I am opening a family child care in about a month after working as an early childhood specialist/parent educator for 14 years. I hadn't thought about people coming to my center that I don't know, even for interviews. I am buying a small home and this is not my main residence. It will be for child care only. My husband will not be there when I interview families. Hmmmmm....something to be aware of. Thanks!

[daycaremom76]

OMG you are nuts! I can totally see your point though cause normally I don't open the door for anyone no matter what! But once I was getting lunches together and one the kids were being picked up early so when the bell rang I didn't think twice to open the door and was completely shocked when a stranger was standing there. Now my kids are all little 2-3yrs so they all bee hive for the door thinking it's their parents. The man wanted to talk to me about care, I told him it was a bad time and he said he didn't mind waiting while I finished getting lunch together. I got chills and slipped him a card and told him to call me later which he never did. It totally freaked me out! Now we have a camera at our front door so I can see it w/o opening the door. I get new parents all the time that want to stop by during daycare hours and I explain that they are strangers and it's not going to happen. If they keep pushing the issue then I just tell them that if they can't respect my rules then they aren't a good fit for my daycare. The safety of myself and kids is far more important to me then picking up another kid! My interviews are done after 6pm when my husband is home and only then! I've still had some shady people over even after hours!

[Unregistered]

A few years ago, my sister-in-law's brother and his wife had a teenager looking after their kids while they worked (during the summer) ...a stranger stopped at the door and asked if he could use the phone...the girl let him in , thinking it would be alright. The kids were school age so were outside playing. The stranger said that there seemed to be something wrong with the phone downstairs and did they have one upstairs? She said they did so went up with him to show him where it was.

He raped her up there while the kids were outside playing...

When the story was published in the paper, another woman came forward and said he had stopped at her house to ask to use the phone but she was wary of him and didn't let him in. She said he gave her the creeps and she was getting nervous . Unfortunately the teenager was trying to be nice...it cost her SO much...her life would never be the same.

I'm always nervous of anyone stopping by whom I don't know and we've had a few but I haven't let them in...our dogs make such a fuss too that I'm sure not too many strangers would want to push their way in...

I'm glad that everything was ok but I'm with the others who recommend that you call the police...don't ever be afraid of thinking you are over-reacting ....it could save your life and I'm sure the cops don't mind making sure someone is safe...

[mysonsmom1]

weirdo

Yikes, this guy was wierd.. that is a big concern.. I tell my parents that the state of Texas does not allow anyone who is not qualified to be at the daycare during operating hours and schedule my interviews when I close or on the weekends. I keep my minimum standards handy just incase I need to show a parent so that they dont take my word for it. I had an angry husband come to my house during napping hours to argue with me because he didnt know his wife signed a contract and they had to pay for a week of care when their child didnt come because grandma had seperation issues. (NOT MY PROBLEM BUT I TOOK THE FALL). I said that to say that men can be somewhat demanding.. TOP PRIORITY IS SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN e IN CARE.. so keep your head up, take it as a lesson learned and you know how to handle it next time.. You already took precautions by ending the ref list. Stay Cool

[dave4him]

Makes me so sad and mad at the same time. I hate leaving my girls alone when i have to go out. I worry