How do you get parents to comply with your rules? Okay, I know it's a dumb question but I feel like all I've done this week is feel upset at my daycare parents. Everyday this week someone has broken a rule (or 2!), and made my job way more difficult than it already is. We're licensed for 12, all enrolled are between 1 and 5 years old, so it's a fine tuned balancing system to have things run smoothly.
I've had 2 kids show up this week at 11am, right in the middle of preschool. We have a rule of no arriving or departing between 10 and 3 because I can't teach preschool with kids crying that don't transition well, and because they sleep in at home, don't nap here, and wake up the kids that have been up since 6am. Both days I ended up working 11 hours with no break.
I've had one kid that has shown up with a toy nearly every day this week when we have a rule about no outside toys because they can be choking hazards for the babies and it causes too many problems. His mom has been told every single day. As I type this. he just walked up to me with a bouncy ball in his hand that I'm pretty sure he must have snuck into my home in his pocket. He is a very delayed 4 year old so I'm sure mom helped him to do this.
His sister showed up with a banana and threw a huge tantrum when asked to sit at the table because we don't allow outside food. The tantrum blocked the front door so mom couldn't leave, which resulted in me having to throw the banana in the trash and carry the 2 year old to the bathroom screaming and crying, and smearing banana all over in my hair, face, and clothing in the process to go wash up. Mom stood there watching the whole thing and the only thing she said was, eeew you got banana on my work pants. Meanwhile I was fresh out of the shower, make-up done, and dressed for the day, as it was right at opening time, and now I was covered in banana. I was so upset!
Today, I had a parent show up with adult strength ointment that she wanted me to put on her 1 year old baby. I had to tell her that licensing mandates if her child's age group isn't on the directions I'm not allowed to give it. I told her this same exact thing over cold medicine last week.
I just had a parent show up right at 8am (when our breakfast time is over & kitchen has just been cleaned) and has a McDonald's burger in her hand and wants her 5 year old to sit and eat it "since she missed breakfast". Now mind you, I have 8 other kids here at this time, all between 1 and 4, that want a McDonalds burger too. I tell mom it isn't allowed and she offers to go buy burgers for all the kids. Obviously I had to tell her no and let it slide "just this once".
I make my own 3 year old twins comply with the rules and my 11 year old too, so why is it okay for no one else to comply? My kids aren't allowed to have special treats during daycare and they can't have their own personal toys in the daycare area of our home either. I've tried writing really nice newsletters of our current events and added in 1 or 2 reminders of rules in there, but half the parents never read the newsletter. I know this because they showed up for pj day in regular clothes or would ask what the food drive box was for when it was the main purpose of the newsletter. I've tried telling them it's against the rules, but they argue or make excuses as to why "it should be okay just this once because we were running late" or "just this once because Johnny is having a really hard day". Meanwhile I have to deal with the aftermath and I have to feel bad for telling parents and kids no all day long. I've even tried posting signs on the outside of my front door. It stops them from breaking the rules for a week or so but then they go right back to it, and frankly it looks terrible if tours show up and see a bunch of rules posted all over the front door.
I'm at my wits end. I really need advice! Am I being too hard or should I stand my ground? How do you get grown adults to comply with your rules? Do any of you have techniques you have used that work?
I've had 2 kids show up this week at 11am, right in the middle of preschool. We have a rule of no arriving or departing between 10 and 3 because I can't teach preschool with kids crying that don't transition well, and because they sleep in at home, don't nap here, and wake up the kids that have been up since 6am. Both days I ended up working 11 hours with no break.
I've had one kid that has shown up with a toy nearly every day this week when we have a rule about no outside toys because they can be choking hazards for the babies and it causes too many problems. His mom has been told every single day. As I type this. he just walked up to me with a bouncy ball in his hand that I'm pretty sure he must have snuck into my home in his pocket. He is a very delayed 4 year old so I'm sure mom helped him to do this.
His sister showed up with a banana and threw a huge tantrum when asked to sit at the table because we don't allow outside food. The tantrum blocked the front door so mom couldn't leave, which resulted in me having to throw the banana in the trash and carry the 2 year old to the bathroom screaming and crying, and smearing banana all over in my hair, face, and clothing in the process to go wash up. Mom stood there watching the whole thing and the only thing she said was, eeew you got banana on my work pants. Meanwhile I was fresh out of the shower, make-up done, and dressed for the day, as it was right at opening time, and now I was covered in banana. I was so upset!
Today, I had a parent show up with adult strength ointment that she wanted me to put on her 1 year old baby. I had to tell her that licensing mandates if her child's age group isn't on the directions I'm not allowed to give it. I told her this same exact thing over cold medicine last week.
I just had a parent show up right at 8am (when our breakfast time is over & kitchen has just been cleaned) and has a McDonald's burger in her hand and wants her 5 year old to sit and eat it "since she missed breakfast". Now mind you, I have 8 other kids here at this time, all between 1 and 4, that want a McDonalds burger too. I tell mom it isn't allowed and she offers to go buy burgers for all the kids. Obviously I had to tell her no and let it slide "just this once".
I make my own 3 year old twins comply with the rules and my 11 year old too, so why is it okay for no one else to comply? My kids aren't allowed to have special treats during daycare and they can't have their own personal toys in the daycare area of our home either. I've tried writing really nice newsletters of our current events and added in 1 or 2 reminders of rules in there, but half the parents never read the newsletter. I know this because they showed up for pj day in regular clothes or would ask what the food drive box was for when it was the main purpose of the newsletter. I've tried telling them it's against the rules, but they argue or make excuses as to why "it should be okay just this once because we were running late" or "just this once because Johnny is having a really hard day". Meanwhile I have to deal with the aftermath and I have to feel bad for telling parents and kids no all day long. I've even tried posting signs on the outside of my front door. It stops them from breaking the rules for a week or so but then they go right back to it, and frankly it looks terrible if tours show up and see a bunch of rules posted all over the front door.
I'm at my wits end. I really need advice! Am I being too hard or should I stand my ground? How do you get grown adults to comply with your rules? Do any of you have techniques you have used that work?
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