Nannyde I Have A Question For You....Others I Want Your Thoughts Too..

[QualiTcare]

As a in home daycare provider, I do a couple of interviews w/my parents. First one being through email or phone call. So that we can both get a feel for one another. You'll be amazed as to talking to someone and knowing right off it wouldn't work out with that parent based on there attitude. Then I set up a time for after hrs. That allows me time to pick up and clean up before they come. Then we have a couple hrs of sit down with me and my family..husband and kids involved. I want them to see my home and the way set as well as interaction with my family. I tell them way up front that I am strict and not just w/ my kids but with my daycare kids. Bc if they are looking to pamper or coddle or specialize there child that wouldn't work for me as I have a group setting and there all treated the same. That doesn't however mean that these parents don't try to pull things or try to get by me some how!! !! I will not under any circumstances allow prospective clients to come during daycare hrs. I have 4 little ones under the age of 2. I can not be watching my little peanuts completly when I am answering questions or explaining how I run my childcare. One of the things I pride my self on is safety. My little ones come first always. My house is gated so no one may enter. Each parent has there own key to enter into my home through the gate and I still lock my doors. My parents appreciate this. I would never jeopardize that by allowing strangers in my home. It only takes that one time for something awful to happen. I just could not take that chance. None of my clients have asked to observe. I do have parents that drop in late or early and either pick up early. They each have there set times and if they want to come early they must text message me or call me that they are doing so. But, as I say this I have a parent who continues not to do this and we will be having a sit down...but I am off the subject...as I been saying... They parents only get 10min of my time so I can go over there day and my "Daily report" that I do for them each day. That is enough time to get all that out and get there children dressed and out the door. I must admit though...sometimes these parents talk way to much and I need to be more firm on getting them out the door. These kids don't want to stand around waiting to leave so that there parents just linger with out reason too.

what's the problem with current clients showing up early?

[mac60]

The problem with parents showing up early is.....

*The dogs bark and wake the other kids up when it is nap time. If I know someone is showing up early during nap time, I can put the dogs in another room and the other children are not woken up then. Just respect is all.

*The big one, and it has happened on several occassions......I am standing in my kitchen and turn around and have a parent staring at me while standing in my dining room. I had NO idea anyone had came into the house. They did not ring the bell, they did not say "You Who", they just walked in, didn't announce they were here, just scared the crap out of me. Just respect is all.

So many issues just come back to respect.

[littlemissmuffet]

The problem with parents showing up early is.....

*The dogs bark and wake the other kids up when it is nap time. If I know someone is showing up early during nap time, I can put the dogs in another room and the other children are not woken up then. Just respect is all.

*The big one, and it has happened on several occassions......I am standing in my kitchen and turn around and have a parent staring at me while standing in my dining room. I had NO idea anyone had came into the house. They did not ring the bell, they did not say "You Who", they just walked in, didn't announce they were here, just scared the crap out of me. Just respect is all.

So many issues just come back to respect.

My policy is that parents are free to pick up their children when they like without a call/text OUTSIDE of napping hours (1-3pm)...
As for parents just walking in without warning... that's crazy. I have an open-door policy, but I do require that they give a quick knock at least before coming on it - so as not to scare the bejesus out of me or the kiddies!

[mac60]

That is pretty much what I have asked of them. Unfortunately, most think "That doesn't apply to me". I have sent out memos, requesting that they ring the NEW doorbell I put in, they don't, lasted about 3 days, even when I would say...."Oh, I didn't hear the bell". Seriously it comes down to respect of me and my home......We have had such crappy weather with all the snow, then rain, mudd, a mess. I finally put a note on my door that reads...."Thank you for keeping shoes on the area rug", and guess what....the 2 parents (husband/wife) that pick up and drop off, guarantee you everyday they are here, they walk off of it with their wet shoes. And they are the reason I put the note up. Just pees me off to no end. I don't understand. I have a 5 x 7 area rug, why is it so hard to stay on it.

[nannyde]

I don't care if they come early unnanounced. I love me some of that.

My parents do this a lot and sometimes they call and sometimes they just come. Doesn't matter to me either way.

Any chance to get the little spud muffins out da door I'll gladly take.

[JenNJ]

I don't care if they show up early. Please do, it just makes my day easier!

I do ask if it is during nap they give me a heads up so I can bring their little one out to them on the porch (nothing wakes kids up faster than people talking and doors opening and closing).

[Jewels]

I tell all my interviews, that they can feel free to stop in at anytime, other than nap times to observe, I have had 2 families come spend an hour with me during dance time and circle time, I love it, and I think its smart of them, and they can see for themselves, that I don't just say I do things, I actually do things, you can tell by how the children know what to do and sing with everything, and they see my kids are all happy, and doing fun things, granted it doesn't always work perfect, last tuesday I came down with a nice 102 fever, and was really sick, so it was afternoon, and a future parent stopped by to drop off a deposit, and observe, and the kids were watching TV where they had been since waking up, and I was just completly out of it, she could tell that I was sick though (I hope), so I was like, "this honestly isn't what its like everyday!)

[SandeeAR]

When I first started, I only had two kiddos. I allowed the brother of a friend to come with his child, during daycare hours. BIG mistake! I thought, well he can see the other kids, the daycare etc.

Well, I thought he was "rudely" texting while there. Later that week, I found him on facebook. We were friends on there b/c of his sister. He had been taking pics the entire time and was posting them on facebook! I was outraged!

I calmly ask him to remove them, as I knew the parents would not appreciate someone they didn't know with their child's pics. It took me a couple of weeks of the requests, (sister even ask him to remove them).

I finally posted under each picture "Photo taken and posted WITHOUT permision, PLEASE remove ASAP".


He finally took the pics down.

BTW, He was to bring the child the next day to begin care. He never showed up or contacted me. That is what prompted me to check out his face book page to see what happened.


So Lesson learned. NO interview with anyone during daycare hours!

[littlemissmuffet]

When I first started, I only had two kiddos. I allowed the brother of a friend to come with his child, during daycare hours. BIG mistake! I thought, well he can see the other kids, the daycare etc.

Well, I thought he was "rudely" texting while there. Later that week, I found him on facebook. We were friends on there b/c of his sister. He had been taking pics the entire time and was posting them on facebook! I was outraged!

I calmly ask him to remove them, as I knew the parents would not appreciate someone they didn't know with their child's pics. It took me a couple of weeks of the requests, (sister even ask him to remove them).

I finally posted under each picture "Photo taken and posted WITHOUT permision, PLEASE remove ASAP".


He finally took the pics down.

BTW, He was to bring the child the next day to begin care. He never showed up or contacted me. That is what prompted me to check out his face book page to see what happened.


So Lesson learned. NO interview with anyone during daycare hours!

That's really creepy and disgusting.
Why was he taking these pics? And why was he posting them on facebook? :confused:

[Meeko]

Day care visits

We have a strict policy on visits. Our most important goal is to keep the children in our care safe. We have an "open door" policy in that parents of ENROLLED children can visit at any time (we ask them not to at nap time unless it's vital as it wakes up the other children) but their child is brought out to our living area to spend time with their parent. We are too busy with the other children to be babysitting their parents too.

This policy used to be very different. But we had an experience that made me look differently at how I handled things. We enrolled a little girl. her parents asked if they could drop by and "observe". I said yes, although I have always thought the whole thing silly. A "bad" provider is going to be on her best behavior while being watched! The best gauge is if they take home a happy child!

Anyway.....the parents of this little girl showed up a few times. No problem. Then the dad started showing up almost daily. I couldn't quite put my finger on it...but I felt more and more awkward with each visit. One day, my son and I (he is my second provider...we are a family group day care) were at a day care class and the instructor said that as parents were allowed to do reference checks on us, call the licensing dept...etc....that we were in our perfect rights to check up the parents too. So we cam home and ran the names of all the parents through the local arrest check and through the sex offenders registry. I almost threw up when I found out that the "daddy" who was visiting so often was a registered sex offender. His offense? Rape of a child. He had done time in another state. The *&^% was coming to my day care to spend time with the other kids and get his jollies off. I told him that he could not mix with the other kids, even though the law says he could come see his own kid. Turns out his wife didn't know about his past and then the little girl started telling her mom and me all the things this monster had done to her too. He went back to prison.

I learned my lesson. NOBODY gets to spend time with kids that aren't their own and they spend time with their child in another room. I always conduct interviews after hours and with my husband or son right there too for my OWN safety. Nowadays you can't be too safe.

[DCMomOf3]

Welcome Meeko!

[DCMomOf3]

So we cam home and ran the names of all the parents through the local arrest check and through the sex offenders registry. I almost threw up when I found out that the "daddy" who was visiting so often was a registered sex offender. His offense? Rape of a child. He had done time in another state. The *&^% was coming to my day care to spend time with the other kids and get his jollies off. I told him that he could not mix with the other kids, even though the law says he could come see his own kid. Turns out his wife didn't know about his past and then the little girl started telling her mom and me all the things this monster had done to her too. He went back to prison.

I learned my lesson. NOBODY gets to spend time with kids that aren't their own and they spend time with their child in another room. I always conduct interviews after hours and with my husband or son right there too for my OWN safety. Nowadays you can't be too safe.

OMG. That is horrible. Absolutely horrible.

[daycare]

OMG. That is horrible. Absolutely horrible.

uugghhh some people make me ill.......how sad you had to go through that what a nightmare..

I had a family that I interviewed on the phone, came for a home interview and tour, total time was about 3 hours spent... during the home interview, her child freaked out and refused to go into the DC room. It is a gated room, with a locking gate and I think that this is what freaked him out....anyway the family asked if they could come back on another week day with their child so that the child could get a better feel of the other kids and the program.... I had already told her on the phone that I did not allow for it and then I had to tell her again... She did not like what I told her so she left angry...........

as my grandma would say tuff ti**Y said the kitty....

I would never allow for anyone to interact with the kids, enrolled or not....

[QualiTcare]

The problem with parents showing up early is.....

*The dogs bark and wake the other kids up when it is nap time. If I know someone is showing up early during nap time, I can put the dogs in another room and the other children are not woken up then. Just respect is all.

*The big one, and it has happened on several occassions......I am standing in my kitchen and turn around and have a parent staring at me while standing in my dining room. I had NO idea anyone had came into the house. They did not ring the bell, they did not say "You Who", they just walked in, didn't announce they were here, just scared the crap out of me. Just respect is all.

So many issues just come back to respect.

showing up early and walking in unannounced are two COMPLETELY different things. if you have an "open door policy" there shouldn't be a problem with a parent arriving early. i would think it was odd if i got off work early, showed up, knocked on the door (because once again walking in without knocking is not the same as showing up early) and the provider was upset. to me wanting to be warned of an early arrival and being upset if you're not is highly suspicious.

[jen]

My parents all know what time nap is, if they are arriving during nap time they tell me, that way I can have them up and ready to go. Early pick-ups make me happy! Come as early as you want, don't bother to call! Please, take them home, enjoy your day.

**I do lock my door after the last kiddo arrives in the am and it stays locked until its time for the SA's to get home from school. All of my parents know I lock the door so they call from the car or just knock.

My only rule is that they aren't visiting their child at daycare, they are picking them up!