Vent: get out of my house!

[Starshine]

Oh my lord, is it Friday yet? What a day. I do not understand why some parents want to linger and chat. I have this mom who comes to pick her kids up at 5:00, hasn't seen them all day...does she not want to go home?? 90% of the time when she comes to the door she's on her cell phone too and can hardly say hi to her kids. And then she'll come and sit in my living room and chat with me! Get your kids and get out of my house! I don't want to hear about your day at work or your personal issues, that is not part of my job! Aaaaaaaaah!

[Dreamalittledream]

Oooooh the cell phone thing grates me too! I have one little baby that doesn't see her Mom for 6 day stretches (her Mom works & lives away)... every single pick up time (her Mom picks her up once every two weeks on arrival back into town) this woman is either chatting or texting on her cell phone...the child doesn't even really react now when she sees her. Really sad. Geez finish your cell phone call and then come in...to be honest, she is speaking a language I don't understand so these calls could be urgent or something, I have no idea...but irregardless no phone call in my opinion is that urgent....your children should be your number one priority!!!!!!

[Inspired by Reggio]

Admit this is why I like to plan my end of day to be "outside" cause if you are the last client I just politely thank em for a great day and excuse myself and let them gather their kid and leave - I have a few chatters to and I do not minds if I am still working but if you are the LAST client yup I am off clock now so see ya later :)

[mimi]

I have a Mom who arrives right at closing and sits on my hallway floor and quizs her child on his day. When he responds she looks to me to see if I have my "oh how cute" face on with his every response. She then asks him what they should do this evening and the have an intense discussion about what outer wear he should wear home. After several minutes I move into the kitchen clanging pots and pans together, but nothing deters her. She also speaks very slowly to her child like hes stupid and he's 3!!! I should speak up but she is very very sensitive. If a coworker looks at her the wrong way she comes to me crying (literally) about it. Sigh

[Starshine]

I have a Mom who arrives right at closing and sits on my hallway floor and quizs her child on his day. When he responds she looks to me to see if I have my "oh how cute" face on with his every response. She then asks him what they should do this evening and the have an intense discussion about what outer wear he should wear home. After several minutes I move into the kitchen clanging pots and pans together, but nothing deters her. She also speaks very slowly to her child like hes stupid and he's 3!!! I should speak up but she is very very sensitive. If a coworker looks at her the wrong way she comes to me crying (literally) about it. Sigh

Yes! She does this too! Sits there and talks to her kids about how their day was. Why don't you take the kids home and ask them? Or ask them on the ride home? Gah. Driving me nuts.

[crafty]

Oh wow the cell phone thing .. so sad for the child. I've not experienced this. But for sure the parents that stays in the doorway to chat ... yup bugs me too. But after reading posts on here, I put gates so no one can get passed my doorway at least but my back yard is not closed off so I take the child and get him ready on the balcony stairs when I see the parents pull up cause some will just walk in my backyard and watch their child play then I feel obligated to chat with them.

[fruitloop]

I don't allow parents past my entrance way at pick up for that exact reason. I want, for the most part, them to pick up their kids and get out.

[Play and Learn]

I don't allow parents past my entrance way at pick up for that exact reason. I want, for the most part, them to pick up their kids and get out.
Yup, same as fruitloop.

And I have parent guidelines in my manual exactly for this reason! I have a life to lead after taking care of your kids all day.

Again, you have to have a backbone in this business. You're letting them hang around your front door. Or you're letting them come into your home.

[dodge__driver11]

I live in a condo where everything is wide open, so I really son't have a hallway or anything that parents have to go down. However...I make it a point to park my wheelchair right in the walking path so they'd have to get into my personal space to walk by.

[Caithris]

I have this problem with a friend of mine. I've been watching her girl for 3 years now and when she picks up, if she's left before the half hour mark it's a good day. I've been dressed in my coat, I've waited outside, I've told her I have some where to be and i'm late. Nothing stops her. I know all about her co-workers and their personal lives and her life. I don't mind listening some days. But the days where I need to leave right away it takes everything to get her out of here. I love her and her girl so much but some days I just want to scream and say get out!

[kidlove]

Being outside with kids is a good idea, and try not to give her too much attention, that's what I do with the "talkers", I also like to have dinner going in the kitchen and the table set, that way they get the message....."I am ready to get on with my night, not talk to you!".....:)

[Lou]

We play on the main floor for the last 1/2 hr of the day so when the child's pick up time is nearing I get them dressed and ready to go so that when the parents come there is no dawdling with getting dressed!

[Serendipity]

I am like some other posters and don't let parents come beyond a certain point in my house. I also require parents to give me a written schedule so I know EXACTLY when they are arriving to pick up and if they or thier child is a dawdler at all, I have the kid go and get their shoes and coat on and be competely ready for when the parents shows up.

I also have a little paragraph in my handbook about short and quick pickups being neessary. I have 12 different families and if they all took even 15 minutes I would have wasted 3 hours of my day. 6 hours if I counted 15 minutes in the morning as well as drop off.

[Mom of 3]

Put there coats and shoes on 10 minutes before expecting the doorbell, sitting with a book or puzzle. Have bags ready. As soon as she walks in the door. " Say they were great today! See you on Monday" and walk towards the door.

[Momof4]

OMG! She sits down and makes herself at home? That woman has a heck of a nerve. Maybe it's time for you to remind her that you have a business relationship only in the nicest way possible or in some subtle ways that you can think about. My entrance door is in a long hallway to the dining room and the parents don't get past me. I call the child to the door when I see their car pulling in and hand them over to their parent to be dressed. I give them a verbal update on our day and then I want them to go because I have to get back to work with the other children. The last child to go is always dressed by me and ready at the door for that last parent. My days are long and I want my evenings to start as soon as they can. I still have so much work to do!