Parents in the House?

[CraftyMom]

Aside from the issue of parents lingering at pick up and drop off, has anyone had an issue with parents walking through the house? I am uncomfortable with this in general. I've had parents who just walk right into my kitchen (the entry opens into the daycare room so there is no need for them to go anywhere else). Either to throw something away or get a napkin or to say goodbye to their child who has already gone in the living room. At one point I put a gate in the doorway thinking they might get the point, one mom just hopped over it. I have a trash and tissues in the daycare room so I really don't get it, but I do notice with one mom in particular she is looking around and checking things out. Probably just seeing if things are tidy? Not sure but I don't find it necessary and it gets to me. Should I say something? Also she goes into the bathroom and that gets to me too, she's not using the bathroom, weird. Most parents stay right by the door where the cubbies are.

[CraftyMom]

I should add, I don't have anything to hide and my house is clean. Just feels like an invasion of privacy, maybe it's just me

[Annalee]

Aside from the issue of parents lingering at pick up and drop off, has anyone had an issue with parents walking through the house? I am uncomfortable with this in general. I've had parents who just walk right into my kitchen (the entry opens into the daycare room so there is no need for them to go anywhere else). Either to throw something away or get a napkin or to say goodbye to their child who has already gone in the living room. At one point I put a gate in the doorway thinking they might get the point, one mom just hopped over it. I have a trash and tissues in the daycare room so I really don't get it, but I do notice with one mom in particular she is looking around and checking things out. Probably just seeing if things are tidy? Not sure but I don't find it necessary and it gets to me. Should I say something? Also she goes into the bathroom and that gets to me too, she's not using the bathroom, weird. Most parents stay right by the door where the cubbies are.

This gets on my nerves as well. I have a grandma that I feel is eye-ing EVERYTHING. She has picked up the children, though for 4 years now so I guess that is just her personality. BUT is sure can be annoying!

[jenboo]

It would bother me too unless we were friends who hung out on the weekends.
Thankfully I dont have to worry about it. My parents come down the side yard right into the daycare room. There are tall gates blocking their access to any other room (most parents cant figure out the gates anyway :

[ihop]

When a new kids starts I stand at the limit of where the parent can go. So if I don't want them past the living room, then I don't go past the living room while they are there. Works very well. But I do have one dcd who hangs out an uncomfortably long time if dbf isn't here. And would walk through the house letting his daughter show him around. One day I had had enough and just said dcg I think daddy wants to stay by the door today so you can get home to play. Dcd got a weird look on his face but from then on, he stays by the door ::

[Laurel]

Aside from the issue of parents lingering at pick up and drop off, has anyone had an issue with parents walking through the house? I am uncomfortable with this in general. I've had parents who just walk right into my kitchen (the entry opens into the daycare room so there is no need for them to go anywhere else). Either to throw something away or get a napkin or to say goodbye to their child who has already gone in the living room. At one point I put a gate in the doorway thinking they might get the point, one mom just hopped over it. I have a trash and tissues in the daycare room so I really don't get it, but I do notice with one mom in particular she is looking around and checking things out. Probably just seeing if things are tidy? Not sure but I don't find it necessary and it gets to me. Should I say something? Also she goes into the bathroom and that gets to me too, she's not using the bathroom, weird. Most parents stay right by the door where the cubbies are.

That would bother me too. I have to think a bit on how to handle it.

Laurel

[coolconfidentme]

I live away from my DC but have an apartment upstairs. I had parents ask if they can go take a look at it. (I think that's just weird!) I just smile & reply, "Sure.., right after I go snooping around your home!"

[preschoolteacher]

I have had a mom come in to the kitchen to wash her kid's hands in the sink before dropping the kid off because she had gunk on them. I had another mom ask to use my bathroom because she had just been in the car for an hour. I was totally fine with that. I would be fine with the parents going into any of the main living areas (living room, playroom, eating area, kitchen) without asking. No one does, though, because from my front doorway you can see all of these areas. The majority of my parents don't leave the entryway rug.

If someone tried to go into a non-daycare area, I would be so weirded out.

[craftymissbeth]

I don't think I would have an issue with parents going into places like my kitchen or bathroom, but if they did it creepily or in a nosy way I'd be upset. I totally get why parents would want to see rooms that dc kids have access to (in my case it's my entire main floor).

[Blackcat31]

Maybe a short reminder note to parents like this:

Dear Parents

Working from my home allows me to maintain the family environment that many of you have looked for when choosing child care arrangements.
At the same time working from my house can blur the boundaries as to what parts of my home are and aren't available to clients.

In recent weeks, I have had several parents who have made their way through my home during drop offs/pick ups and while this may not seem like a big deal, it can feel a bit overwhelming and somewhat intrusive.

As of today, I would like to ask that all parents please remain in the entryway of my home and I will either greet you and take your child from there or will bring your child to you at the end of the day.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me and thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Sincerely

Provider

[Jack Sprat]

I have one parent that does this. It really bothers me. I feel like he is snooping around...wonders from our den to our l.r. while I get baby ready to go. (he was getting her ready but, he is TOO SLOW!). He looks behind our end tables, etc. We have a steel door with a window at the top and he was looking out the window but, down in a way..Like he was looking at the place where the window connects to door. If that makes any sense. Point is it creeps me out when he wanders around my home. Especially when no one else does.

[TwinKristi]

This makes me kinda glad my Dc area is in the main part of the house. There's no reason for anyone to go down my hall but to use the restroom and only one mom ever asks and that's after an hour plus commute. And I know she's not snooping, there's really nothing to snoop in there! LOL all other doors remain shut during daycare so it would be really weird for them to get back there. Haha!

[kendallina]

So are parents going in parts of your home that children are not allowed or are these areas that children spend time in? If my child was in a provider's home all day, I would be uncomfortable if I were not allowed in those same areas.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the intrusiveness of it and I cringe when a parent walks all the way in and it's not as clean as I would like. But, they are entrusting their children with us, I cannot understand that they would not be allowed to see the space (daily) that their children are in.

[renodeb]

The only time it bothered me that a parent came in isiwhen she offered to change her child's diapersince he had pooped right at pickups. She changed it, then washed her hands in the kitchen (yuck). I ran right over and sanitized it and everything. Every other time the parents have stayed by the entrance.
Deb

[CraftyMom]

Yes it is area where the children are sometimes. And I understand, I don't want to make parents feel like they CANT come through the house if they need to. That's why I haven't said anything because parents gave the right to see where there kids are during the day. The part I don't like is that it seems to be for no reason. It's one mom in particular and she's looking around and stuff. Some things raise a red flag for me.