Parents not considerate of my time. Vent.

Good morning all!
So, my drop offs begin at 7am but my earliest family drops off at 8am, used to be 7am but moms hours changed a few months ago. There have been times she's randomly showed up at or slightly before 7am and I was not ready as I was expecting them at 8am. I told her if she wants to drop off before her regular drop off she needs to talk to me first......she couldn't understand why as my dayhome opens at 7am. So I had to explain in detail that while yes, I do open at 7am YOU personally changed YOUR drop off time to 8am and I budget my time accordingly so I am ready for a SCHEDULED drop off of 8am since my other families don't drop off til 9am. Last night she texts me at 10:30 saying 'I absolutely need to be at work early and will be there at 7:00'. I say okay. 7:42 am and she is not here! No text or call saying she's running behind. I have very little free time as most of you and in an effort to get healthier I've been waking up early so I have a chance to do yoga for one hour before kids arrive. So today I missed my yoga(I know it's not the end of the world but I really love it and find it helps me through my day) because I have had to wait for her. I would text someone I'd asked to be ready an hour earlier to say I'm running late. Generally she a lovely lady but this has happened a number of times.

Well the next time she asks to drop off early I would say no! .... And I would give her a warning letter letting her know that if she schedules an early drop off you have rearranged your schedule to accommodate this. The other thing I would do is post a note of a change of hours ... If the earliest drop if you have is 8 then open at 8. So when she asks for an earlier drop off there will be a fee attached to it. ; )

My availabe hours are the perameters a family may choose from to select what they need. Once they choose that is what my day is based on so if frist family is to arrive at 8 am then I am free to stay in bed till 15 minutes before that. My day starts like everyone else's day does but I am free to choose what to do with my time so if you are not scheduled to come till 8 then I am free to sleep, do yoga, eat, take a shower, whatever I choose on MY time. I am only obligated to be available for care during the hours we have agreed on.

Ugh. That's rough. I, too, would change my hours to 8am opening, and charge her an hour extra for a 7 am drop off. This happened to me recently, too. Daycare mom showed up with her two kids at 7:30. I was still in the shower!! Every day since July, they have come between 8 and 8:15. The mom texted me later, not with an apology or explanation, but saying that she was surprised that I wasn't ready because my handbooks says hours are 7:30 to 5:30.

Yeah. And this isn't Walmart. This is my house. ;) You don't just get to show up when you feel like it.

For the reason stated above I now have contracted hours and my fees are now based on hours instead of the number of days attended. For example If you tell me you need a 9 AM drop off, and show up before 9, I will not buzz you in. I just had a dad learn this and he sat in his truck for 15 mins, because I said "Sorry __________ your drop off is at 9:30, its 15 after..." I may have kids here before others drop off, but I make it very clear in my policy and at interview that parents must take in to account commute time when selecting these times or you will not be let in.

Oh hon I empathize with how frustrating that is ~ I think sometimes poeple assume since we are just 'home' it is no big deal to arrive early or late not realizing how planning and organization WORKS for us :(

I would definitely talk to her about how you are feeling and make it clear that if she is going to be late specially after having made arrangements to arrive early that it is respectful to notify you otherwise you will have to reconsider allowing that flexibility because being left waiting for 45 minutes expecting a child any minute is not fair!

I know myself there are many things I do in the morning to prep for the program so if I am expecting someone any minute for arrival I would not 'start something new' until after the had arrived so I am not caught in the middle of kneading dough for buns or stirring something on the stove or something when they arrive and having it get ruined!

Whaaaaaat? How rude! Oh you poor thing, I would have been livid! But I'm not a morning person at all so that would have made me really angry.

I'm sorry this woman doesn't value you, but those are the kind of people we don't want in our daycares or in our lives in any capacity. We deserve respect and we have to let our clients know that. You don't have to be rude to her but you can be strong and as others said, say no next time because you gave her a chance and she blew it, just like a kid! You have to take care of YOU, not just all the children.

Oh i've had issues with this at pick up time! The family's normal pick up time is 4:30 but at 5:15 they still weren't there. 5pm was my last pick up of the day, and I had an appointment so I texted them "Hi there, just wondering where you are, I have an appointment in 15 minutes across town". Their response was of course "Oh, I thought you closed at 5:30?". Duh....show some respect people!

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Originally Posted by Lou

Oh i've had issues with this at pick up time! The family's normal pick up time is 4:30 but at 5:15 they still weren't there. 5pm was my last pick up of the day, and I had an appointment so I texted them "Hi there, just wondering where you are, I have an appointment in 15 minutes across town". Their response was of course "Oh, I thought you closed at 5:30?". Duh....show some respect people!

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What? Oh, that's terrible and disrespectful and horrible!