Pick up / drop offs

[BlueRose]

When my oldest was in dc, I would finish work, if done early, do my shopping (in the mall that I worked)then picked up my son. I didn't see the point of going to the daycare then back to my place of work. If I needed anything from anywhere else I would pick up my son first.

When I was pregnant with my second, if I was done early, I would go home and have a nap. My husband would pick him up. I felt bad that I wasn't spending as much time with him as I would have liked, but I just couldn't stay awake after work, so it was safer to leave him at daycare, until my husband could get him.

[Starshine]

My daycare families only bring their kids if they are working. If any of them have the day off, they stay home with the kid(s). If they get off work early, they come here to pick up early. It's great when the parents want to spend time with their kids, yes. I have a 10-hour limit in my contract, and I'm thinking of lowering that to 9 hours next year as I find the odd 10-hour days really hard on the kids. I can't imagine working 12 hours every day--I would not set my hours to be available that long!

[crafty]

Thanks guys I really appreciate your comments.

I"m happy to find myself not alone feeling this way. Now I just have to find a way to accept it and let it slide I guess seeing all your comments helped me. It's not that I mind a parent using the daycare to go off a run some errands or do a few things or even go at a spa once in a while. I totaly get it. I think in this case it just seems a little exagerated. As if the child is a burden. At first I tought they were leaving him here because I have AC, a shaded backyard during the heatwave. Which I was fine with. They don't have AC or a backyard. But this week mom has been here at 5h27 both days when I knew she was home all day. So it pushed me to write this post and see how every body else felt. I do like the idea of having a 10 hour limit. I think I'll change my contract to get paid over-time.

Thanks guys !

[sunnydays]

Yes, don't make yourself available for such long hours! 12 hours!!! That is way too much! I've actually dropped mine to 9 hours. I actually don't care that much what the parents do with their time either (except that if I think about it I feel sad for the kids), but when I have made their hours longer than everyone else to accommodate and then find out that they are at home or out for coffee, it irritates me. That's why I took matters into my own hands and changed pick-up time. I think we are responsible for our own happiness and lack of stress. If a situation is stressing us or irritating, WE are the only ones who can change it through our actions. You can't make a parent want to spend time with their kids, but you can make it so it doesn't bother you.

Thanks guys I really appreciate your comments.

I"m happy to find myself not alone feeling this way. Now I just have to find a way to accept it and let it slide I guess seeing all your comments helped me. It's not that I mind a parent using the daycare to go off a run some errands or do a few things or even go at a spa once in a while. I totaly get it. I think in this case it just seems a little exagerated. As if the child is a burden. At first I tought they were leaving him here because I have AC, a shaded backyard during the heatwave. Which I was fine with. They don't have AC or a backyard. But this week mom has been here at 5h27 both days when I knew she was home all day. So it pushed me to write this post and see how every body else felt. I do like the idea of having a 10 hour limit. I think I'll change my contract to get paid over-time.

Thanks guys !

[kidlove]

I agree with ALL the ladies: I do agree that parents are allowed a "little" free time, don't we all want free time sometimes.
I agree with wanting to spend more time with your kids. When I worked I couldnt wait to get off to see my kids, left early and took pay cut just because I missed them so.
I agree with the parents point of view who thinks "I pay for it" so they use that time.
I agree that not enough parents spend enough time with their kids. I swear, the "new world" view is: having kids is like having "sushi" everyone wants to try it at least once in their life, its just something to check off on "bucket list". Prada shoes-check! One night stand-check! have a kid-check! (it's a human life people!!!! Not something to "try" just once, to say you did it!)
I think because we all view children at a higher level than the average person, they are our love, our passion, our lives....we cant understand how children arent held "higher" for their own parents? BOTTOM LINE! as much as it bothers us...we arent here to "check" the parents morals, and values in life, we are here to help raise their kids (even if we feel we are the only ones doing it sometimes!!!!!!!) Makes me mad too. As long as they pick up on time, there is nothing else we can really do.

[kidlove]

Hey Crafty,
Gaurenteed when you change your time limit to extra pay, that Mom will pick up earlier...no way she will pay more. In my experiences I have found the cheap people will take advantage of their time with you (trying to get the most time for their money) changing your time limit, will solve all your issues!!!

[michellesmunchkins]

Michelle...I so agree! If the parents do all the errands without the kids, the kids have a very warped idea that when they are with their parents, the focus is 100% on them. I think kids need to learn that sometimes mom is busy cooking dinner or cleaning etc. I have had daycare parents ask me in wonderment "How do you manage to get anything done with your kids there?"...ummmm..the y play while I clean, cook etc. They know how to entertain themselves and each other...I am not their entertainment! and yes, even young ones learn that (mine are 2 and 4). Kids whose parents never cook or clean in front of them are missing out on a valuable lesson...that they can entertain themselves and that the universe does not revolve around them!

Exactly! I have no problem with parents running errands during say a 9-10 hour day, but the ones in my care do it and leave their kids here for a FULL 12 hours just because they can. the 12 hours are there for ONE family who commutes to Toronto each day and needs that extra travel time, but the others are just taking advantage. Too many parents nowadays view having a child like the other poster said, just to try it out. I could never understand how time at the spa is more important than time with your child when you've left them for 12 hours. People long before us didn't get time at the spa and they still lived long and healthy lives. Its all about priorities in my opinion.

[kidlove]

totally here you there!!!! There are a few Poopy parents out there who make it harder for all the others when it comes to the worlds view on "working parents" I have had MANY parents pick up in dif clothes and dif hair-do. I had one Mom come with her hair and nails RE-DONE. and pick up late, like really late. This Mom no-joke was a little twisted. Would go to hair salon and pick up late, would go to Dance Lessons! and pick up late. I gave her son baths and got him ready for bed! my husband and I had to drive around town looking for her one night on our way to a Date Night! (our own children were @ gram and gramps) finally found her in line at a subway at 9pm!!! on her cell phone, didnt get off the phone to say SORRY or THANKYOU! didnt even say hello to her son!!!! I kept him for so long (instead of terminating) because I felt he was "better off" with me. his home was disfunctional, sister literally sent to a phsyc hospital for a while (bypolar?) this kid didnt stand a chance.....I gave him 4 years of a good life! my mom said I was crazy! most people did. Needless to say... I hit a breaking point and things got really heated on a late pick up one night, told her she was terminated! tried to say goodbye to her son, she looks at him and says, "she doesnt want you anymore" ARE YOU KIDDING! so sad, just hope I had an impact on him the short time he was in my home!
ps. saw them about a month later in a walmart, he was standing in the back of the cart, screaming at her, Yelling in her face and hitting her. I quickly turned and walked the other way, dodged that one!

[dodge__driver11]

I have a problem with this when it goes past ten hours like the others have said.

So here's what I did, they pay the regular rate for anything up to ten hours. After that its three bucks an hour. It sure changed in a hurry LOL

[Littledragon]

It doesn't bother me what they choose to do with their time while their child is in my care. They've paid for x amount of time, so they are allowed to use it up. I don't care if they're at work or at home so far as they pick up on time.

I agree 100%. They're paying for the care, so I don't see the problem with them not picking them up until the agreed upon time. I have a little girl in care right now, and her mom isn't working. So, in my mind, she sits at home all day and does her nail and sleeps and...oh god, I'm jealous! lol but her daughter comes over here and gets to do activities she wouldn't do at home, and she gets to play with other kids and so on...she pays for that time, so I don't see a problem with her picking her up at close. As long she picks her up AT CLOSE and no later.