No Shoes Rule?

[mamadaycare]

So I recently started a no shoes rule with the spike in covid cases in our area. I have one mom who CAN NOT follow the rule. Even after I sent a note home and she signed it saying she understood I don't allow shoes past my entryway. Does anyone charge parents for carpet cleaning if they continue to abuse the rule?

[Cat Herder]

IMHO, It would be easier and much more effective to simply not allow them in.

[Unregistered]

IMHO, It would be easier and much more effective to simply not allow them in.

100% Agree. Drop offs and pickups at door! Makes it easy to transition the kids from/to the child care too.

[nanglgrl]

I’ve been doing drop off and pick up at the door for so long because of advice from this site and the difference in illnesses is insane. I also took advice from this site and extended time children have to be home if they get sick at childcare vs. home at about the same time so I’m not sure which policy has been most effective but so know that before those policies it seemed like we always had something making it’s way through the group and now illness is much less common aning individual children and rarely spreads.

[mamadaycare]

I’ve been doing drop off and pick up at the door for so long because of advice from this site and the difference in illnesses is insane. I also took advice from this site and extended time children have to be home if they get sick at childcare vs. home at about the same time so I’m not sure which policy has been most effective but so know that before those policies it seemed like we always had something making it’s way through the group and now illness is much less common aning individual children and rarely spreads.

Thats good to know! I will have to switch over to door drop off! What is your sick policy?

[nanglgrl]

I don’t know if it originated with nannydee or blackcat but basically it’s a 24/48 rule. They get sick at home and can return 24 hours after last symptom, no meds etc. they get sick at daycare and it’s 48 hours after symptoms, no meds etc. I did have to add on to it because I noticed I had parents that would bring sick kids on Friday since they would already be gone 48 hours by Monday so any Friday illness is an automatic exclusion on Monday.

[Cat Herder]

I don’t know if it originated with nannydee or blackcat but basically it’s a 24/48 rule.

It originated with me. It has served me well for many years.

[Diane P]

Shoes

I bought a shoe rack and I put it 6 feet from my door. Parents take shoes off and put shoes on at drop off and pickup. Works great!

[sunshst]

I have a shoe bench outside the front door. Kids sit and take their shoes off before they enter the house. All drop offs and pick ups are conducted outside. My door only opens to let kids in/out. Parents do not come inside, and on occasions when they do, shoes must be take off outside before they enter. This was a rule even pre-covid. I also have it as a rule in my handbook so no one can complain about it.

[LysesKids]

I have a shoe bench outside the front door. Kids sit and take their shoes off before they enter the house. All drop offs and pick ups are conducted outside. My door only opens to let kids in/out. Parents do not come inside, and on occasions when they do, shoes must be take off outside before they enter. This was a rule even pre-covid. I also have it as a rule in my handbook so no one can complain about it.

I wish I could have done that while I was open, but my front door area is uncovered & in pouring rain/bad weather & having babies in hand it wasn't feasible; of course all my littles were actually under 24 months so it was no shoes past the front door to start with because the kids were crawling on the floor all the time...

I had a shoe rack literally next to a stool on the wall by the front door. Parents handed me the babes, sat down & took off shoes (some nursed at drop-off) or they stood at the door. Sometimes I had 2-3 arrive at one time so that was crazy (only 4 kids all together), but it worked well for many years

[nannyde]

I don’t know if it originated with nannydee or blackcat but basically it’s a 24/48 rule. They get sick at home and can return 24 hours after last symptom, no meds etc. they get sick at daycare and it’s 48 hours after symptoms, no meds etc. I did have to add on to it because I noticed I had parents that would bring sick kids on Friday since they would already be gone 48 hours by Monday so any Friday illness is an automatic exclusion on Monday.

That would be cathearder

[mamadaycare]

I love all this feedback! I have a long covered front porch so I love the idea of them taking their shoes off out there! I also added the 48 hours to my sick policy! I am currently revamping my contract, is there anything that you guys think I should add for next year to save myself some hassle? It is 1000x better than my first contract this year. I am just so hesitant to send it out because I always feel like something is missing.

[Blackcat31]

So I recently started a no shoes rule with the spike in covid cases in our area. I have one mom who CAN NOT follow the rule. Even after I sent a note home and she signed it saying she understood I don't allow shoes past my entryway. Does anyone charge parents for carpet cleaning if they continue to abuse the rule?

I also do drop offs and pick ups outside. Parents don't enter the house at all so that helps alot!

However if parents do enter the house, I would maybe try to intercept her at the door and physically stand so that you can tell her to stop and take her shoes off.

Maybe addressing it at the point that it happens will help get the message across.

[Blackcat31]

I love all this feedback! I have a long covered front porch so I love the idea of them taking their shoes off out there! I also added the 48 hours to my sick policy! I am currently revamping my contract, is there anything that you guys think I should add for next year to save myself some hassle? It is 1000x better than my first contract this year. I am just so hesitant to send it out because I always feel like something is missing.

Haha! I hear you there! I feel like I get everything written out and presented to parents and then there is always one that does or says something that tells me I clearly forgot to include something in my policies ::

I try to put out a "newsletter" every 3 months that reminds parents of rules that are being broken as well as mentioning new things that I may have forgot to include in my policies or things that have simply presented themselves as a problem that weren't before.

Its a nice way to communicate seasonal issues too as it seems every season presents it's own set of issues or concerns.

This profession is constantly changing so don't ever feel like you're doing something wrong if you don't cover everything right away. I've been doing this for almost 30 years now and I am still learning and growing every day.....

[Cat Herder]

Every time you think your contract is complete, someone will do something that completely blows your mind. ::::

I recently had to send out a notice that it is not ok to let children relieve themselves on my property.

I did not see that one coming. ::

Allowing kids to pick my flowers, toss my garden rocks, push over landscape ornaments, toss garbage in my driveway, go into my barns, etc, etc, etc, .... all happened, too.

Parenting has changed, for sure.