Working with clients in the room is definitely something that takes practice ~ after 17 years of never know who was 'watching' me while I worked cause we had two way mirrors, video cameras and well open door policies where they could just come hang anytime without warning I learned to adapt to that feeling to the point I do not mind anymore and can go about being silly at story time or doing crafts or whatever and just 'ignore' another adult in the room if need be.

I actually encourage parents who feel they 'need' to spend a little time in the program to do so cause while it really does little to help the child directly it does 'indirectly' help with their adjustment to childcare because children feed on parent anxiety so if the parent is at ease having spent some time here the child is likely to come into program at ease.

Things I have done when the 'parent' may be a disruption in the program is to invite them to go 'read a book, magazine or play a game on their phone or my Nintendo DS' in another room so that their child can 'get use to the program' but while they are still on the premise as a support should you need it ... this meets everyone's needs because you do not have to make 'small talk' with someone whom you find a challenge, the other children do not have the 'audience' of a 3rd person to perform for and cause you stress and you are meeting the perceived need for the child to 'get to know YOU' before being left alone while the mother can observe from the other room that the children are happy and engaged and you are not a troll who hangs them from their toes from 8-4 and than brings them down to look good for pick up

Mom does not need to be in the ROOM for the play date just on the premise should the child not be coping than she could come back at the agreed upon length of time of you 'trying' to sooth her .... young children cannot tell 'time' so this helps to prepare them for the longer days because they learn to trust that I come here to play, the mama leaves and than comes back later even though in this case mama never 'truly left'