Complaint about another family in my childcare centre....

Hello,

Has anyone ever had one family tell you that they have a problem with another family? I have a family who told me last night that they are upset about the way the children get all excited when one family comes to pick up an hour early and then their child is running around at the end of the day. They are upset because when this other family comes they do not do a very good job of parenting their child and she is out of control ( my policy is once you are in the door, your job is to parent) and it takes them over an hour to leave.

To resolve this I am sending out a notice as a reminder about parenting when you are in my home as well as changing my routine to have an outing until thirty min before pick up time and then once we are back it is a QUIET book time where I will be reading books/doing felt board stories etc.. with the children.

I do not want to loose a family over this matter, thoughts?

What part are they actually complaining about?

Time lost because of the hour the kids basically are waiting for the child to leave so you can get back to them?

That the kids are wound up at the end of the day and over excited - not that that is a bad thing in my opinion.

I would never let it take an hour. I give parents a few minutes to step in and take care of things and then I do it. My time is valuable too. I speak with the child reminding them of the rules at my house that include listening to the adult in charge, doing what they were requested, and simple curtesy to other kids and parents that it is get ready to go home time not fiddle and fool time. Can you just leave the child and parent at the door and go back to working with the other children in the next room so they aren't missing out.

It takes them over an hour to leave???? Wow. What is the parent doing during that time? Are you guys friends and maybe they are visiting for a bit? (no snarky tone here. just genuinely curious).

It only takes the time for me to put the kids in their coats, shoes, etc. and give the parents a brief report about the day. 5 minutes, max!

My parents never come in past the entrance way!! I dress the kids while telling parents about the day, then see ya, bye bye!! My parents don't want to hang around here after a long day at work anymore than I want them hanging out, ha ha!

Well I have one parent who allows their child to make the rules and they come in and say "are you ready to go home?" and the child shakes their head and goes off playing so the parent waits ..... Sometimes 20-25 mins or MORE !!!! Then when the parent has had enough she goes and gets the child then there is a screaming match and the child inevitably smacks the parent in the face and it continues to deteriorate from there .... So now I have each child dressed and at the door for when the parent walks in and I say " there's mommy/daddy time to go home, have a nice night and see you tomorrow/Monday" that gives the parent the hint and off they go. I have communication books so anything important is in there.

[QUOTE=Crayola kiddies;8593]Well I have one parent who allows their child to make the rules and they come in and say "are you ready to go home?" and the child shakes their head and goes off playing so the parent waits ..... Sometimes 20-25 mins or MORE !!!! QUOTE]

LOL I have a parent who is somewhat like this. The mother picks up reasonably fast but the father not so much. It is really weird because I don't have time to sit there and wish them farewell that long but I also don't want to be rude and disappear and leave them alone. Plus I need to lock the door behind them.

So that means I am dragging whatever kids are left to the entranceway with me and we sort of have to loiter and hover in that area until the child leaves.

The father will ask the child whether they are ready to leave. Then the child runs off to play with the other kids. Then if I try to get the child (because I WANT THEM GONE) lol then the father tells me "it's okay - let them play for a minute"
:ohmy::blink::mad::r olleyes: I mean - really? The child was there playing all day. I do not need a parent sitting in the hallway while their child has a few more minutes running around over-excited and playing it up for their parent. And the parent will even stay and sing entire songs with the child -all while NOT getting ready and also reading entire storybooks to his child if his child brings it to him. WTH is that about?
It's not that I don't like the child but when the father is there the child becomes really excited by throwing toys to show the father and running all over (no running rule) or climbing things etc. It becomes child gone wild !:o:unsure:

As many others have said, when a parent arrives for pick-up, I take the child to the door (the other kids are gated off in the playroom), chat for about a minute while the parent dresses the child and then they leave. Sometimes I do leave the parent alone if another child needs me in the playroom. I can see down the stairs to my playroom from the front entraceway, but if I couldn't, I would literally pass the child over and run back down as it isn't safe or fair for the others to be left alone. I guess it partly depends on the lay-out, but I don't let the parents in past the front entranceway.

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Originally Posted by samantha3

Hello,

Has anyone ever had one family tell you that they have a problem with another family? I have a family who told me last night that they are upset about the way the children get all excited when one family comes to pick up an hour early and then their child is running around at the end of the day. They are upset because when this other family comes they do not do a very good job of parenting their child and she is out of control ( my policy is once you are in the door, your job is to parent) and it takes them over an hour to leave.

To resolve this I am sending out a notice as a reminder about parenting when you are in my home as well as changing my routine to have an outing until thirty min before pick up time and then once we are back it is a QUIET book time where I will be reading books/doing felt board stories etc.. with the children.

I do not want to loose a family over this matter, thoughts?

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1 hour to leave what on earth are they doing? This family should call 5 min before they are to be at your door, you hand there child off dressed! 2minute proceedure= End of problem!

Wow...I don't allow any child to play when their parents show up. When a parent is here, it's time to leave. I don't want any extra kids hanging around when they don't need to be. Take your child home and play with them there. 1 hour to get their kid out the door? No way!

Can't you have the child dressed and ready to go and hand the parent everything and start saying goodbye, have a great evening and shoo them out? I believe I would. An hour! That's ridiculous.

How strange is it that some kids just get buck-wild at pick up time??
It sounds like you need to become "the Enforcer" now. Do not allow this to happen, as it is disruptive to you and the other kids, not to mention teaching the other kids some bad habits.
My contract states that once a parent arrives, THEY are in charge of thier children, but MY rules are to be enforced. If this does not happen, I will step in.
I used to have a school aged child who was ridiculously spoiled, and would become a whiny little devil child when mom or dad arrived. I don't know if it was embarrassment or reeeeaallllly laid back parenting, but the things he said and did would NOT be tolerated from my kids! The day he kicked my front door because he didn't like what they were having for supper, I was DONE. From that point, I would nip that behaviour in the bud whether parents were there or not.
Maybe it's time to send out a newsletter with drop off and pick up expectations? Remind parents that you are looking after other children, so do not have the ability to spend more than a couple of minutes at the door during these times. Any important issues be discussed at a time more convenient for everyone. When mom/dad arrive, it is imperative that the children understand that it is home time, and that they will come back the next day, etc.
Sometimes I think we as providers forget that people treat us, our home, our schedule, etc exactly how we allow them to. We need to remember that (to a large extent) WE are making the rules here!!

OMG'sh, just a quick story about a set of twins I had for 2 weeks tops and then I terminated. 3 year old idential twin boys, were a major handful while with me and even worse when the parents showed up. They spent so much time in time out at my house it was crazy. Anyhow, one night in particular, mom showed up to pick them up, its winter so they need all their stuff, 1 would refuse to let me help him, mom had to do it, if I did hed take it all off again and wait for mom. So this one night, she is helping him, he's screaming at her and laughing at his brother who is running full tilt around my house screaming and laughing bc he didnt want to go home. I caught him several times and took him back to mom but off hed go again. Once twin #1 (the one who refused help from me) was dressed, she dressed twin #2 as #1 undressed himself again and took off to tear around the house again, I guess he thought it was funny that I had to chase and catch his brother and wanted in on it. Despite threats from his mom, he continued. Went on like this for Id say half an hour and finally, both boys were dressed, she with one in her arms and me with the other finally got them out to her car! Insane!! INSANE!!!!!