Why are drop off times difficult for some people?

[busydaycarelady]

So, this mom shows up over 30 minutes early this morning.......I'm still in my pajamas. She says, 'Oh! You're NOT ready?!' I explain that she's early. She goes on to say 'Well, your hours are 7:00am til 5:30pm'. I need to explain that HER drop off time is 8:00am and I had no one earlier scheduled today, so of course I'm not ready yet. I ask that she stick to her agreed upon drop off time and if she needs to change it we will discuss it. She begins laughing and saying, 'Well I'm not even sure how I got here so early! It's a mystery. Usually the drive here takes waaaaay longer. ' Um, you live around the corner. *sigh*

[apples and bananas]

This is exactly why I don't post open and closing times. I put the times they have agreed to on thier contract and that's what I expect. And if they show up early I take a very long time to get to the door. My mornings start before the kids get here. I'm preparing snack, setting up play pens, getting the books out for the day, getting out the craft supplies for the day. Oh! And I have my own children to get ready for school.

The last time I had a client come 20 min early I took 5 min to get to the door and then told them they were lucky I answered at all. I'm not even downstairs at that time normally. Then I sent a letter home that night. That was a lesson I needed to make sure they learned. I don't want it happening again.

[Skysue]

Seriously daycare centre's don't open there doors early!

[DisneyPrincess]

Yeah well of course if they pay a full day and I'm open from 7am to 5pm they are in their ''rights'' to drop off at 7am sharp even if they said it might be 7h30-8am... what can I say... I'm open. But... it does bother me if they show up early one day, late the other etc etc. I come down in my daycare at 7am, if no one shows up in the next 5 min. I go upstairs continue getting ready and I have a buzzer when they open the door I hear it upstairs and so I come back down. They cant tell me to have my face at the door when they come in, and they are use to it now !

Although once one arrived at 6:55am and since then, the door is locked and the lights are off until 7am sharp. Last week, I had 2 parents waiting outside the door and I could see them through the curtain hahaha they couldnt say anything :P

I guess thats the advantage of having the daycare seperated from the rest of the house, with its own door. If one day one has the nerve to come ring upstairs because its locked downstairs and they have to go ... I'll probably give some ''what the ....'' and charge 5$ extra if you want to drop off early without asking first. I dont mind helping out one day if they are stuck but all the time, big no no. But thats never happened to me yet so, we shall see.

Grrrr parents >:(

[playfelt]

And that brings up a good question. If we go by contracted hours and have a late arriver and then give the early morning away to a before school child where does that leave the parent who although contracted for less than 10 hours should have the right to use 10 hours like everyone else cause they are paying the same amount of money. But we can't let them come early cause we have another child using that space - it is almost like we are double billing for the same space.

[Momof4]

I don't have contracted hours in my contract but I insist on knowing when all clients will be arriving and picking up daily and I want them to be consistent. If someone is my first arrival and they are 1/2 an hour early I will be in bed! I'm not a morning person. If someone is even 5 minutes early I won't be ready.

It isn't fair or respectful for someone to do that to us because they want to fit in an errand before work or something. If someone asks me the day before if they can be early and they have something important that is a one time thing of course I'll be ready for them because they were considerate.

Stand tough, Busydaycarelady!

[michellesmunchkins]

I have my open/close hours but that's not what I go by everyday. Technically, I will open at 6 if someone needs to be at work by 6:30 but...if the first scheduled child is to arrive at 7 then I don't open my door until 7. They sure as heck wouldn't get up early if they didn't have to so why do they expect us too? I have had to deal with this a few times. I had a parent show up at 6:15 and weren't supposed to be there until 7. They sat outside in the rain as I was in the shower and had no idea they were there until I got out and checked my phone (they texted from the driveway!). I have sent out countless emails and reminders that if they are going to change their drop off or pick up time they have to let me know in advance. It usually only takes once of sitting outside for them to 'get it!' My rates are the same regardless of the amount of hours used each day so its not like they can complain about not getting their money's worth lol

[momofnerds]

I'm open from 7 to 5 but that doesn't mean you can drop off at 7am. i go by contracted hours, so this means that you can contract your time anytime between 7 and 5pm. this way I know when kids are being dropped off and picked up. Otherwise, I wouldn't know when to have any meals ready or if we go out if the parents were coming and going as they please.

[sunnydays]

I guess some parents asume that our "open" hours mean that we are ready and working as an office worker would be even if they had no actual clients or work on their desk yet. I do understand this asumption, especially if the contract has those hours on it and they pay for the full day. They don't necessarily know when other kids arrive or leave. I would just make sure to explain to them that you normally don't have any kids who arrive before 7:30, so in the future she will need to let you know the day before if she needs to drop her child off earlier. I have never had anyone show up early, but I am only open 9.5 hours and 4 out of 5 of my clients are 7:30-4:30 (clients get a max of 9 hours)...my first arrival is at 7:30 on the dot, so it isn't much of an issue for me. In future I will be changing the 5th family to 7:30-4:30 as well (once they go on mat leave)...that way everyone is more or less on the same schedule. But again, it could happen that all clients normallu drop off at 8am...then I would make sure to let everyone know that they will need to tell me the day before if they are dropping off earlier than that.

[DisneyPrincess]

Wow for once ladies I have to disagree with you. I have been there, being a parent who brings my kids to daycare and if the daycare was open 7 to 5 then thats the hours I used. Yes of course its good to be consistent... and yes I offened arrived earlier then I was supposed to, but if it was breakfast time, I gave them breakfast at home knowing the provider didnt know they would come for breakfast. But you cant have your door locked until 8am if your contract says you open a 7am ?!?!?

Concerning meals, my meals are always at the same time : if you are not here by 8 am, you miss breakfast, by 9:30am you miss snack etc...

Yes I want parents to be consistent and its a pain if they arent, but what can we do... I rather be very stricked about no before hours and no late after hours then start arguing my open and close hours. I have enough stress as it is. They are paying a fee full day that they start at 7am or start at 8am... you will find yourself arguments where you cant argue. They are gonna ask for a hourly fee in that case !!!

I agree with saying, your first arrival is at 8am and you get ready for 8am but if one shows up before, when they know you are technically opened, you cant give them crap !! Once it happened, I was still in PJ, I just told the mother : sorry nobody usually arrives at that time. She didnt bother, as long as she could leave for work :\

[playfelt]

My open and close hours are what is available for clients to choose from when they interview and place their child and I expect them to be consistent with what they choose because I plan my day accordingly. If they need outside their contracted hours and ask I would do it at no extra fee provided it was within my open/close window. Also if they put down my full 10 hours on their form but don't use it then after a few weeks the form is ammended - since I also have in my contract failure to arrive within 15 minutes of your contracted time with no notice may jeopardize care for the day - that goes back to when I did school runs or early park trips and we just left 15 minutes after expected arrival and I never told them what park I was going to as in no dropping kid off to me. Be on time or stay home. If you are running late let me know then we make arrangements.

[DisneyPrincess]

I agree with you Playfelt but I am more like... if you dont show up at the time that we eat, feed your kid or he'll be hungry or if you dont show up when we go out... find us hahaha ok ok I leave a little note in the door that we are taking a walk around the neighbourhood (we cant go that far, or if at the park well there's only one here).

I never never wait around for someone, if they would have something to say, I would tell them to just show up on time, if they didnt like the way I work, they could give notice to leave the daycare !

[crafty]

When parents sign my contract the have to put down the hours of pick up or drop offs and stick to it even if I am technicaly opened before or after. I make sure to tell them however why that is. Right now all my kids arrive after 8h00am and are gone by 5h00pm. The hours I offered was 7h00 to 5h30. So are you kidding ... NO I will NOT be ready at 7h00am JUST IN CASE. I am not expecting anyone so I will be in my PJ and maybe still in bed. In reality I am washing floor, having coffee and getting my kids fed and dressed haha but still. Ofcourse if they need an earlier drop off or later pick up they can just ask and I will help them out for sure. All my parents know this and respect it. It never been a issue but I did tell them DO NOT ASSUME and if you are going to be early or late PLEASE let me know.

[mom-in-alberta]

Technically, my hours are 6:30-4:30 right now. But I don't have any drop offs until 7:45 at the moment. So yeah, if you show up at 7 (when I am "open") I will not be ready for you. I LOATHE mornings. Really more of a 10:30am kinda gal, LoL.
I have the family tell me when they will be dropping off and picking up. We put it into the contract. Should they need a different drop off or pick up time, and it is within my hours, fine. I would not charge for that. But if your work wanted you to come in early one day, they would at least tell you right? Not just expect you to know it, and be there! Hahaha

[Robyn]

I contract based on what is needed. Early drop offs have to be discussed the day before.
The earliest I will accept kids without advanced notice is 8 am. I do not think this is unreasonable.