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Help, I need some advice. I run an in home daycare. I use to not mind getting calls/texts after daycare hours but recently am having a problem with it. I am having parents bug me constantly after daycare even up until midnight or constantly on my time off. And I am one of those people if it is a text that upsets me I end up spending the rest of the night/day stewing about it. I've tried ignoring their texts/calls until the next morning during business hours but they are still not getting the hint! I am working on my newsletter and want to somehow find a way to word it that I would appreciate calls/texts during my business hours only. Any help with the wording would be so greatly appreciated it.
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Had this problem a few years ago, and I have the same reaction to upsetting messages. I don't text with dcfs so can't help you there, but maybe some parts will help.
First thing I did was to let my dcps know that my email wasn't working. This broke their habits. The so-called problems lasted for a couple of weeks.
Next I made a new gmail with my dc name. Wrote up an email to all parents with new guidelines: I will answer within 2 business days. I think I had another 1 or 2 but I don't recall them. Do what's important to you.
When I get an email about something that I have a form for, I do not answer except to direct them to the form.
I do not check this email except during business hours. Ever.
This has cut their unnecessary messages by probably 75%. I felt like I was on call 100% of the time before, and now I am never on call! -
Maybe you can frame it as an "office hours" type policy. Give the days and hours you will be available for calls and texts.Comment
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Go buy an inexpensive cell phone.Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
Use it ONLY for child care.
When you close, turn it off. When you open, turn it on.
If they e-mail...do not read and do not reply unless it is business hours.
Easy peasy.
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Do you have an iPhone? You can set it so that certain people can't get through after a certain time.Comment
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After hours I let calls go to voicemail. Texts get this:::
Auto Response:: Family Time Rule, we unplug during meals & special times with family. Get back to you soon.
It doesn't give a specific time for a response. It's worked great for me.Comment
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I turn my phone off. It's my business cell. I only 'work' during 'work' hours. When I phrase it to parents that way, they seem to understand. I mean, they wouldn't want a coworker calling them at home at 9am on a Saturday to let them know they bought copy paper, would they?
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There are a couple of different ways. You can go to their contact info and on the bottom there is a link that says "block caller" You can turn them off at night and then unblock them in the morning.
or...
you can go to settings and click on the "do not disturb" link and it will ask you if you want to allow calls from everyone in your contact list, everyone on your favorites list, or block everyone completely.Comment
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I have a pay as you go type phone for daycare. Parents are only given this number and work email address, my personal number and email are not available for them.
My work cell phone gets turned off 30 minutes after closing and turned back on 30 minutes before opening. I only check my work emails during the work day, and I don't link my dyacre email to my regular phone, so I never see anything work related on my time off. happyface
All parents are told this during the interview, and I have never had a issue with this. Before I dset it up this way, no one paid any attention to my "business phone hours" policy and it used to drive me nuts!!Comment
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Does this block their texts from coming in as well?? I did not know you could do this!
Originally posted by BabyMonkeys View PostComment
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The best way to do that is to block and unblock them individually each day. The do not disturb actually only silences the phone so that it won't ring, vibrate or light up, the message will still be there when you look at the phone...I didn't know that.Comment
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Charge $20 per after-hours call/text.
Advertising fund.- Unless otherwise stated, all my posts are personal opinion and worth what you paid for them.
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I would word it that you understand they may have questions about their childs day after they leave and that you are willing to be available to answer their calls/texts up to 30 minutes after the child leaves. After that your time is dedicated to your own family and any calls will be answered after opening the next morning.Comment
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I have an IPhone. I used google voice to set up a daycare phone number for free. It will automatically send calls to that number to my phone. I can't make calls out on that line for free - I believe you pay for that. You have the option to view it as the number calling or to view is as whatever you have named that new line. I have it set up as my business name so when the phone rings - different ringer set up - I see my business line is ringing. I can then choose to answer then or wait. I can set up personalized voicemails and everything with it so that I can kind of re-direct calls to the appropriate place. Texts come through as well! Simple alternative to getting a separate line. I think I will eventually upgrade to a separate cheapie phone so that I can keep it completely separate but this works for me for now! Most of my calls are new inquiries that really need to be filtered through a contact form/enrollment request first.I do have a monthly newletter and I directly address things like this there - listing hours for calls etc. is completely necessary once in a while!Comment
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