Early Arriving Children

[NiNi.R.]

I have 3 girls and 1 boy that show up in between 6 and 6:30am. All 3 girls show up in their jammies and usually go back to sleep as soon as they get here. Between the 3 DCG and my own daughter I spend a good chunk of time helping dress them and doing their hair for the day. I thought it was reasonable for parents to expect me to do this for children that are pulled out of bed so early until I was on maternity leave recently and one of the moms told me that their back up Daycare required all the children to come dressed and hair done for the day. She went on and on how it was such a hassle for her to pull the girls out of bed even earlier in the morning than normal to get this done and was glad that I was back to work so she didn't have to do that anymore.

Just curious what the policies are that you have for your early arrivals?

[laundrymom]

Dressed and ready for the day

[Live and Learn]

All dressed and ready to play.

My earliest arrival is 8:00 though.

[wdmmom]

Every child that comes into my home must be dressed appropriately for any activity. Not dressed=No daycare.

If you can't participate with the rest of the group, you can't come.

That means if at 6am we are going for a walk around the block, you better have your walking shoes on.

[lil angels]

I have it in my hand book that all children should arrive dressed and ready for play daily I don't have any here before 7am. But in your situation that you are able to have them go back to bed I think I would leave it be. I think it is pretty crappy how that mom worded things that she wants to pass the burden off on you. She should have said how she loves that the girls can go back to bed in the morning or something like that. If you have kids that early it is nice they sleep for you and then your kids can sleep to otherwise everyone will be up at 6 am. And if they come dressed they are not going to go back to bed for you!!
I think I would leave well enough alone it would be hard to change that with current family's that is a highlight to them I guess. You could say though anybody showing up after 6:45 or something should be dressed and ready to go or whatever time others start to wake.

[Cat Herder]

Dressed and ready for the day once over 12 months.

I have all little ones so they do come in sleepers, as they all comes between 5am-6am! So, yes they go back to bed. Since they are little, being in a sleeper all day is acceptable I treat them like my own, and will just get them dressed when we start our day when they are older. Not a biggie to me. However, if they came later (past 8am) then I would ask they be dressed already.

[Kaddidle Care]

I'm in a center so they have to be ready for the day - though sometimes they come with breakfast that we need to feed them.

I was like you with the one little girl I watched from home. I treated her like my own and thought nothing of it. I was Mom away from Mom.

I hope that mother realizes what a special caregiver you are. Well, I guess she realizes it now.

[grandmom]

I'm totally ok with jammies. My earliest is sometimes 5:30 and definitely goes back to sleep.

[nannyde]

Go back to bed when they arrive and come in whatever they are going to wear for the day. I don't dress kids or do hair.

[melskids]

i actually don't mind if they come in jammies.

half the time my son and i are in jammies all day lol

i dont really mind helping them to dress either. practicing self help skills are a big part of what we do here.

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by melskids

i actually don't mind if they come in jammies.

half the time my son and i are in jammies all day lol

i dont really mind helping them to dress either. practicing self help skills are a big part of what we do here.

Parents that have early arrival schedule have the same 24 hours in a day that every other parent has. Dressing their kids before day care isn't ANY different for early arrivals or evening kids.

I've had parents who have their child sleep in sweat sets for day care and just change diapers in the morning before bringing them. Others have chosen footed jammies for them to wear here and just change them when they get home.

I don't do clothing changes because I don't pass anything back and forth BUT the kid. I don't want to get anything back to the parents. I don't do diaper bags. All the supplies come in in bulk and I store them.

My philosophy is to keep the "just takes a minute" tasks down to as little as humanly possible. I don't like doing "layers" of care. Anything that will take my time daily that is possible for the parents to do.... I stay out of.

[Meeko]

I open at 6am. The kids that come that early come in PJ's, go back to sleep until 7:30 AM and I dress them after breakfast. Those that come after 7:30 AM must come ready for the day.

[Sunshine44]

All of my parents bring the kids dressed around 7-7:30. I wouldn't mind if they came in their pj's and I wouldn't mind dressing them. We're really laid back here though.

[lpperry]

I open at 8:00, so they all come dressed for the day. Once in awhile I take one little guy earlier--7 or 7:30 and he comes in his jammies on those days. I don't mind at all. I'd rather his dad just wake him at the last possible moment so he gets as much sleep as possible. The more sleep the kids get, the less likelihood of a crabby day!

I have another one who comes at 9 or 10, and sometimes he comes in his pajamas because he didn't want to get dressed. His mom packs clothes for him. Sometimes I change him, sometimes I don't. It doesn't bother me at all if he wants to spend the day in his pjs!

[momma2girls]

Up, changed and ready for the day- I start at 7:30 am- I do have pajama days once per month though.

[Abigail]

Our first arrival is a few minutes after 6 am. This child arrives in pjs and goes back to bed on a sleeping mat until 8 or so. This child is almost 5 and has a bag to bring the clothes for the day in and changes in the bathroom. All the other early arrivals usually lay down on the couch or sit in the foam chairs for a bit. One young 2 year old always wants to sleep so he gets set down when he arrives and he sticks his butt up in the air and is fast asleep. He's a good nap sleeper after lunch too, it's wonderful!

For the OP, it would make me happy to know a parent really likes what I have to offer. You could consider raising your rates or having the parent help out more in other areas like donations of household things for crafts or something.

[PitterPatter]

I don't accept early arrivals. My 1st is at 8:00am. Even if I did have early arrivals I would keep my rules the same. Please bring your child dressed and ready for the day. If they needed to go back to sleep and it was super early I would allow it of course but the rules must be the same for every child in my daycare.

[squareone]

I open at 7 and I require that the children arrive dressed for the day and ready to play.

[Mom_of_two]

Dressed and ready. I open at 7, earliest right now is about 720. I won't open earlier than that so don't have to worry about it.

[NiNi.R.]

Thanks for all the input. Doing it different never really crossed my mind until I heard what this other daycare did...so it made me curious to find out what others did. For the most part I really don't mind them coming in their jammies. I only do that for the kids that come before 7. Everyone else must come dressed and ready for the day.

[NiNi.R.]

Originally Posted by PitterPatter

I don't accept early arrivals. My 1st is at 8:00am. Even if I did have early arrivals I would keep my rules the same. Please bring your child dressed and ready for the day. If they needed to go back to sleep and it was super early I would allow it of course but the rules must be the same for every child in my daycare.

Opening at 8a.m. sounds like heaven...that's near in possible to do in my community. We live in such a small town most people have to travel out of town for work and in most cases means they have to leave pretty early.

[sharlan]

It doesn't matter to me if they come in jammies or dressed. I would have my parents bring a bag with the week's clothes on Monday. Then on Fri I would send back the jammies, sometimes washed, sometimes not. I enjoy brushing little girls' hair as long as they're not screamers about it.

[Former Teacher]

Originally Posted by NiNi.R.

I have 3 girls and 1 boy that show up in between 6 and 6:30am. All 3 girls show up in their jammies and usually go back to sleep as soon as they get here. Between the 3 DCG and my own daughter I spend a good chunk of time helping dress them and doing their hair for the day. I thought it was reasonable for parents to expect me to do this for children that are pulled out of bed so early until I was on maternity leave recently and one of the moms told me that their back up Daycare required all the children to come dressed and hair done for the day. She went on and on how it was such a hassle for her to pull the girls out of bed even earlier in the morning than normal to get this done and was glad that I was back to work so she didn't have to do that anymore.

Just curious what the policies are that you have for your early arrivals?

Sorry but IMO...that is just pure laziness. Parents pass enough things on to us providers when it concerns their children as it is. Next thing it will be...oh I didn't have time to change little Johnny's diaper. Or...oh I didn't have time last night to give a bath. So on and so on.

At my former center the only ones allowed in their jammies were the infants. Everyone else was up and ready. Even the ones that came at 6:30. No more back to bed

[youretooloud]

Originally Posted by NiNi.R.

Just curious what the policies are that you have for your early arrivals?

I'm like you.. I'd rather they come in, sleep and wake up a little later, but happier.. I'd also rather do their hair (they could dress themselves somewhat)

ALL of my kids undress themselves at naptime anyway, so I still have to dress the entire group every after noon. I'm so used to it, I guess I never gave it much thought.

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by youretooloud

ALL of my kids undress themselves at naptime anyway, so I still have to dress the entire group every after noon. I'm so used to it, I guess I never gave it much thought.

They take their clothes off during nap?

Oh lawdy that would cost me a fortune in staff time.

If they start messing with their clothes I put a pair of backwards footed jammies OVER their clothes during nap.

I don't want anyone undressing and I don't want any diaper diving or removing their diaper. I worry about kids being able to remove their clothing and wrap it around their necks.

[cheerfuldom]

I don't accept anyone earlier than 7:30. Early arrivals are a pain. ALL of the parents try it though. Everyone comes ready for the day.

[daycare]

I used to do 6-6 and had kids come in pjs and go right back to sleep. I didn't care, they learned to change their own clothes. Some needed help but it's a great skill to teach them. Parents are wowed by their independence at such a young age. All the girls in my care have craZy messy hair and I redo it before meals if necessary or before going home.
When your open that early I think it should be ok.

[youretooloud]

Originally Posted by nannyde

They take their clothes off during nap?

.

Yep.. even the littlest ones will only sleep in skivvies. I think it's Southwest thing, because all of my friend's kids do the same thing.

[Candyland]

Originally Posted by NiNi.R.

I have 3 girls and 1 boy that show up in between 6 and 6:30am. All 3 girls show up in their jammies and usually go back to sleep as soon as they get here. Between the 3 DCG and my own daughter I spend a good chunk of time helping dress them and doing their hair for the day. I thought it was reasonable for parents to expect me to do this for children that are pulled out of bed so early until I was on maternity leave recently and one of the moms told me that their back up Daycare required all the children to come dressed and hair done for the day. She went on and on how it was such a hassle for her to pull the girls out of bed even earlier in the morning than normal to get this done and was glad that I was back to work so she didn't have to do that anymore.

Just curious what the policies are that you have for your early arrivals?

I see nothing absolutely wrong with them coming in their jammies and going back to sleep. Obviously, you've got their needs in priority. Don't feel bad about that at all.

[Meyou]

I expect a clean diaper and dressed for the day. If the child is going right back to sleep mom and dad can dress them in comfy clothes. It might SEEM early to you but if a family drops off early every day to you then its the normal for these kids. Getting up an extra 10 minutes early to get dressed is a hassel for MOM not for them.

[Lucy]

I don't care how they are dressed, but that's the way they're going home! I had a young mom who kept bringing her 2.5 yr old in pajamas and would say, "his outfit is in the diaper bag". I would nod or say ok, but never change him out of the jammies. She got the hint after about 5 times. Let me add that this child arrived around 9:00 am!!! That's just plain lazy if you ask me.

[DBug]

Nope, no pj's here, even when my dc kids were showing up at 6am.

I've got to get everyone fed, diapered and dressed in outdoor clothes (snowsuits, etc. in winter, sunscreen & hats right now) so that we can get to the bus for 8:30, and we're rushing non-stop. There's no way I'd have time to get 5 kids dressed for the day, in addition to my own three kids.

I had one kid that would occasionally go back to sleep at 6 when she arrived, but she had to sleep on the Dora couch because there's no way I'm adding "getting out and putting away cots" to the list of morning chores. And really, if she can sleep in her clothes at naptime, she can sleep in her clothes at drop-off too.

[Live and Learn]

Originally Posted by youretooloud

ALL of my kids undress themselves at naptime anyway, so I still have to dress the entire group every after noon.

what the hec?

Is this common with other dc providers?

I have never heard of this before!