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I recently went to see a home daycare provider and she told me that she needed to leave her front door unlocked for emergency purposes. What emergency? Will my child walk out the front door? There wasn't even one of those child proof locks on the handle!
Did you ask what emergency purposes she is speaking of? I always lock my door, I don't want strangers walking in or kids walking out.
Very weird in my book, the only time my door is unlocked is when we are out front playing and kids can run in go use the washroom but I'm close to the door.
I am a person who always locks my doors, windows, everything! That's how I was raised. But I know other people who never bother to lock their doors regularly, so it sounds like you have met someone who thinks that way.
As a home daycare provider, I have my eyes and ears on my 5 daycare children at all times. There may be older ones who are able to go to the bathroom by themselves and come back to the toyroom but otherwise we are all together in the toyroom, naproom or dining room or outside as a group. I have to make bathroom trips and prepare and clean up crafts & meals but the children are never out of my line of vision for very long. That's why my work days are so long, because I have food and craft prep at night along with all my housework.
If I were you I would be questioning the HDCP's you interview about their systems and routines and daily methods about how they do these things I mentioned. If the locks on the doors are your only concern with the caregiver then talk to her honestly about how you feel. You have to find the caregiver who matches your needs and you have to trust her completely with your child. There are so many issues to cover, this is only one small area.
I am also one that always keeps my doors locked as I feel it is safer, but it isn't so much to keep the kids in because, like Momof4, they are never unsupervised and would never have access to the door at any time. It's more to keep strangers out...I know it's paranoid, but you can never be sure! I wonder what kind of emergency this provider is talking about...maybe she feels safer knowing that firefighters or police would be able to quickly and easily get in through the door if need be? Or maybe she wants the kids to be able to get out in the event of fire if she is unable to get out herself? I am just guessing, but I think if you like the provider when it comes ot everything else, these are questions worth asking.
Ladies come on give me a break, mine are never un supervised as well but how do you go to the bathroom. When putting down kids for a nap etc... It only takes a few seconds for someone to unlock a door.
My DD answered the door once when she was 3 and I was on the john, it was a daycare Dad and boy was my face red.
Skysue, my daycare is in the basement and the gate is across the stairs. There is no door in my basement, so literally, the kids have no way to get to a door in the first place even if I am in the bathroom. For my own kids' safety, we actually have chain locks installed at the tops of our outside doors so that they cannot open the doors when people ring the bells etc. as my own kids do have free run of the house, especially during non-daycare hours. But, the daycare kids NEVER have any chance to open those doors because they are not on the mainfloor except for when we go out and then I am with them and we all go together.
If you consistently leave your front door unlocked it is only a matter of time before one of the daycare kids manages to find their way out. Unsafe and irresponsible.
Not sure about the rules in other provinces but I do know from my yahoo chat groups that the rules for many US licensed home daycares is that the doors are to remain unlocked with the idea that athorities could enter unannounced at any time and so can parents meaning they have immediate access to their children. A locked door means a caregiver could be hiding something or doing something and make it right just before answering the door.
Now having said that my door is locked except during the drop off and pickups that happen close together but there is a gate between the children and the door that is closed at all times. I expect parents to ring the bell and me to answer it. I think it is rude just to walk in. This is my home first and a daycare second. The child belongs in my daycare but the parent is a guest in my home.
If I'm home my doors are not locked.
My doors are always locked. Still I have an "open door policy". If parents show up they are welcomed anytime. When there is an emergency and 911 has to be called usually fire fighters are coming too. They are capable to push the door out if needed in an emergency.
My doors are locked and I have a security system which is not activated during the day but does have a chime for all doors and bedroom windows. If a parent were to drop by unexpectantly they should reasonably expect a door to be answered from immediately to 3 minute time lapse depending where we are in the house and wether I am changing a diaper. I think an open door policy is ridiculous. If you are worried about your provider being up to something then they should not be caring for your child. Trust your gut. Part of caring for your child is to protect them and keep them in a secure and safe environment - an unlocked door does not provide that and is negligent. Emergency responders can get in my house using excess force if I am not able to let them in.
When we were little, my parents told us to keep our bedroom doors unlocked at night in case there was a fire and responders needed to get to us. Maybe her Mom told her the same thing and she got it confused with her front door too? LOL. That's the only way I can see it. My almost 3 yrs old starting unlocking and opening the front door about 6 months ago....and just Friday my new daycare boy tried to unlock and open the front door to go see the backhoes building a house across the street from me....scary! It's exactly why I have a safety latch up high, so in case I'm in the bathroom they will not be able to get outside.
I have no idea what any of you ladies are talking about!!! I have never locked my front door when I am home (small town), during daycare hours or otherwise. Only when I go to bed at night. I have never had a daycare child go ANYWHERE NEAR the front door and try to exit without permission. My daycare area is not near my front door and my daycare kids are "trained" well enough that they know not to leave the daycare area while I am in the bathroom. And if they ever did leave the daycare room while I was in the bathroom they wouldn't have time to get to the front door, open it and leave before I was back. I just don't live in fear I guess, and I have a very well trained group of kids, always have for the past 13 years. I used to do my daycare in my open concept main floor and the children were only allowed on the carpet of the living room. The rest of the main floor was vinyl. The kids new not to cross the line between the two types of flooring. Yes it took time to teach them, but they are all teachable. My own children also never left the house on their own until they were old enough to do so and still always tell me when they are going outside. This is such a foreign conversation to me. I would also like to state that I am in Ontario Canada, and I do not have to be with a licensed agency, so there are no "rules" about me having my front door locked. I would imagine it is a personal preference type of thing in my area.
I keep my door unlocked during dropoff and pickup, but then lock it for the day. I do have an "Open Door Policy" for parents - they are welcome to drop by the house anytime and I can let them in.
I'm with you daycaremum .... I too live in the country and only started locking our doors about a year ago when we went out and we started locking them at night about 6 weeks ago as there have been some break ins in the area .... I stopped leaving my keys in my car at that time too. I have a gate at my entrance way so the daycare kids could never get to my door. And even if they could only one has the capabilities to open it
My front hallway is closed off by a door to my front room. So, it's literally a seperate room. I lock my front door... all the time! The only time it's unlocked is at pick up or drop off. I hate the thought that a parent would just wander in my home during the day unexpected. I have a strict "don't bother me" policy from 12 - 3 for proper quiet time.
I would not be concerned about the kids trying to leave out the front door if it was unlocked. I would be more concerned about someone coming in!
I spend my day home along with children that I am fully responsible for. My door is locked for safety.
I have never locked my doors when I'm home. My daycare parents drop off at various times and need to be able to come in with their children. I can't leave children unattended to go and answer the door. I wonder what the parents would think if I locked my door LOL. I do lock my doors at night when I go to bed.
I don't always lock my doors. I have never had a daycare kid try to open the door. I can't imagine any child being out of my sight long enough to walk out.
I think it comes down to due diligence since we are alone with children making us all vulnerable. In this day and age of home invasions and pervert neighbours etc. we need to be aware. No being paranoid isn't part of it but why take the chance when a simple click eliminates some of the danger.
Mostly for me it is about turning around and finding a parent standing behind me. If a parent can silently enter and let's face it if our kids are enjoying their day they are noisy and it is possible to do then a parent could also walk in and take their child and you barely notice or another person could do the same if they wanted to.
One of the reasons I work from home alone is so that I am not on display and being scsrutinized every minute of the day or working with the knowledge that big brother is watching me. It gives me the creeps frankly and I used to be a school teacher where yes the principal could listen in to our class from the office with a simple click of the intercom and that never bothered me.
In home daycare I tend to be wary of things being taken out of context since it is someone walking into the middle of things and doesn't get that what you are saying is saracasm or teasing and not the way you would normally talk but part of what you were doing - although that still sounds wrong when I type it but I think you all know what I mean.
We use danger as our excuse for keeping the door locked but the reality is that we are private due to our silliness in daycare and not how I want adults to view me. I get to stop and compose myself back into an adult on my way to answer the door.
I only lock my door during nap. Other than that, it's always unlocked. I moved to a large town (on the verge of being a city) from a country location. At the old place, I never locked my doors. Jeez, I remember leaving for weekends having forgotten to lock up!
So far as Playfelt's comment about wanting to compose ourselves before greeting parents...not me. I WANT them to see me being silly with their kids. Parents are free to walk right in and take us as we are, whether we're all on the floor in a 'cuddle puddle', we're all dressed up for a parade, dancing to new music, having circle and even during the chaotic moments. For me, the parents seeing me at any moment builds their confidence in my abilities and in their choice of providers. I have found a full open door policy to be very beneficial. 99.9% of the time our times are fun filled here and I adore the little monkeys. However, there are some days when I hand their child over and announce 'Your turn. Enjoy!" They know I'm human and can become frustrated as much as anyone. They've never done more than laugh over it.
For me it is not about locking us in, it's about locking out any potential trouble. I have had persons selling water heaters and alarm systems actually try to open my door when I didn't answer. Let me tell you they got an earful from me for that!!!! If my child was in daycare I would want to know the door is locked at all times after drop offs. They lock schools and daycare centres don't they?
I don't lock out of fear, just for security.
This is me Cfred, the only difference is that I lock my door all day (just because I would not like someone that does not have anything to do with the daycare to get in)... We are very close to the main door. I have a gate in between so kids can not open it. It's just me. I wish I could leave the door unlocked, but I think it would make me feel uneasy... I can open the door pretty quick for any parent that wanted to get in...
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Originally Posted by cfred
I've never had anyone walk into my house who didn't belong here. That's bizarre to have that happen! I'd be giving an earful too, kids or no kids. That's ridiculous! Maybe it's living in a smaller town....dunno.....it 's just never happened. It's funny, now that I've moved, my friends from the old neighbourhood knock, though I'd always had an open door policy with them too.
Fortunately nobody that does not belong hasn't got in, but I have been scared a couple of times that for someone that I do not know could get in. One day (before daycare days) someone knocked the door (instead of ringing the bell) as if they were about to throw the door out...I checked through the window and was a police officer who only shout "open the door". He was very demanding. I told him I could not. He told me again to open the door. I told him no and that I would call 911 if he insisted. After that he he change his tone and told me there was a break in in the street. I was all freaked out by his behavior that I told him I would not open the door and I did not know anything about it (that was the true). Second time a creepy person call me to let her in my house to see the daycare right in the spot. She demanded my number because she already was in the street...
I am in the US and I always keep my doors locked. I also have a lot to hide. I don't want my son or my privacy challenged because I have other people's kids in my home. We come first.Quote:
Originally Posted by playfelt
My inspectors can not come in without the provider allowing them in. It would be very unsafe to require a provider to allow anyone who says they are an inspector to enter at any time. We are women home alone with small children.
Daycarewhisperer, was that a typo? You have a lot to hide?
Even though my doors are always locked I don't think any of us should have anything to hide and should be able to let a parent in the door at any moment throughout the day without problem. I have had that happen and find it rude of a parent to show up without a call first because I'm really busy, but there should NEVER be anything going on that a parent can't see or hear. I'm not perfect mind you, but nothing secret goes on here.
I think she probably meant to protect rather than to hide.
I don't lock my door ever. On the flipside I have a 100 lb Shepard that will challenge you if you just walk in. Generally I know someone is here before they put their car in park.
I have trained all my children to stay away from the front door unless I call them or announce we are going out front.
Living in fear is not for me.
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Originally Posted by Momof4
I agree. I have an open door policy which means my doors are locked, but parents are welcome to show up any time their child is in care unannounced and I will let them in (as long as they take the child home with them when they leave). Personally, as a parent, I would not leave my child with anyone who did not allow me to show up unannounced.
This would be a huge red flag for me as well, as a parent I would think the provider was hising something if I couldn't come unannounced, within reason of course.Quote:
Originally Posted by sunnydays
Same policy here. Doors are locked, but parents are welcome any time. I agree that it would create suspicion if parents were not welcome to show up any time.
Our schools and daycares are not locked where I live.
Are you in a small town? All of the schools and daycare centres that I know of here in Ottawa are kept locked. If I am late and the bell has gone when taking my son to school, the doors are locked and I have to buzz in on the intercom at the front (I make sure I am never late because of this LOL).Quote:
Originally Posted by daycaremum
Seems a bit odd. Go with your gut. Maybe it's just miscommunication on her part. Did she mean she leaves it unlocked with kids there but is always watching them and the door? In that case, I don't think it's that big of deal.