Oh hon - I too have an 'open door' policy in that enrolled clients does not need an appointment to come to pick up or call it does not mean you are welcome to TAKE OVER MY HOME and even the 'you can pick up whenever' I still explain that if it is going to be vastly different it is best for the children to PREPARE them for that so call to give me a heads up if you are going to be early so you are not dealing with tears cause you are changing their routine and they want to stay for art or whatever we have planned for the next stage - if I know they are leaving 'early' I do not SHARE what we will be doing with the group so they do not know they are 'missing' anything!

Ultimately this is my house and my program and MY BUSINESS and if a client was not respecting my rules or boundaries I would just politely explain 'sorry but this is not working for the PROGRAM and as a result the DOOR JUST CLOSED TO YOU' if she is negatively impacting the program with her 'visit' just explain that the children are finding it hard to have a 'visitor' in the program or if it is her own child who is testing limits and boundaries as a result either way it is not 'working' and unfortunately her 'play dates' are not working if she is coming to drop off she drops and leaves and if she is coming to pick up she picks up and leaves - no hang time

Do you have a posted schedule as to when snack is served? Cause if the kid 'missed' well sorry but you are SOL you should have eaten AT HOME?

As for the inconsistent 'option' to attend child care - ya that must be hard for the child cause ultimately no matter how much FUN we are most kids would rather be with their family if the option is there ... I have one DCB whose mom is a SAHM who often tries to play the 'feeling sick card' when he is tired or just feeling clingy to mom cause he knows if his is 'sick' he gets to stay home cause he does not NEED to be in care so mom can work but just for some social skills time and so mom can get some chores done that are not fun to do with kids in tow sort of thing...mom has finally had to put her foot down cause he would 'fake' being sick to stay home and than 5 minutes after she called to say he was not coming be bouncing around the house feeling 'better' so now if he is TOO SICK to come to daycare he is too sick to PLAY at home and has to spend the day in BED ... and well suddenly it was more fun to come to daycare again