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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Early Are You Open In The Morning
MaritimeMummy 03:36 AM 09-05-2012
I open at 7am, which I guess doesn't seem that early, and about 4 out of 5 mornings, I have my FT DCG here first thing, right at 7. She's here until 5:45 most days. I have talked about her before.

I guess my problem is that my kids are still asleep when she comes. We spend the next hour tiptoeing around and whispering, playing with "quiet" toys. To be perfectly honest, she really has problems controlling the volume of her voice, and she stomps a lot...my pleas of "please keep your voice down", and "Let's play with this toy QUIETLY" fall on deaf ears. Even from the moment she gets out of the car she's jabbering loudly and squealing. She comes in the house, her dad carries her and he puts her on the floor, the first thing she does is RUN STOMPING into the living room and she announces, "WHERE'S (DD)?" So I have resorted to turning the tv on during that hour. Does anyone else have this issue, where DCKs show up before their own kids are awake? Please keep in mind that my home is very small, it's a 2 bedroom, one level bungalow with the play space in the living room, no useable space in the basement.

I think that part of what is starting to drive me crazy and starting to really contemplate not opening until 8am is what happened yesterday. Dad dropped her off, and said, "If you need to call for anything, might as well call me because DCM isn't available". Okay, fine. DCM shows up at 5:30. She laughs, "Oh, I feel so bad, here I was at the beach today and DCG was with you!"

Um, WTF?! She was my only DCK yesterday and I had such a screaming headache that it would have been very nice if her mom could have come to pick her up early. I was so numb from the headache that I could only nod. I'm livid, and that little action made me seriously consider shortening my hours.
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laundrymom 03:41 AM 09-05-2012
My day kids here before 7 lay down. @ 7am lights on and sweeper is going. Everyone is up by 7 here. Why don't you just wake your kids up earlier? Oh and I start @4am. Off by 530-545 pm
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MaritimeMummy 03:46 AM 09-05-2012
Originally Posted by laundrymom:
My day kids here before 7 lay down. @ 7am lights on and sweeper is going. Everyone is up by 7 here. Why don't you just wake your kids up earlier? Oh and I start @4am. Off by 530-545 pm
Oh, no, I don't wake my kids up, that is asking to wake little dragons. They are so tired and cranky all day long if I wake them. I leave them wake on their own, that's just how we've always done things. DD has been waking at 8 since she's been 9 months (she's 3 now), I really don't want to disrupt that natural routine.
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laundrymom 03:55 AM 09-05-2012
I understand that. Mine were about that age when I gave them an earlier bedtime and started waking them early. School here starts at 8 and kinder busses pick up @730. That's been almost 20 yrs ago now. Lol man I'm old. Lol.
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daycarediva 04:09 AM 09-05-2012
I open at 6. BUT seeing as I am having a very similar issue to you, I want to change that to 7:30. I only have one family arrive at 6 and the little boy is just like your dcg. LOUD! Sorry, but 6am is wayyyy too early for my kids (and dh) to be woken up by your kid stomping and running through my house. I don't have a tv, so that isn't an option. My ds is getting woken up, and he is not a napper, so by 3:30 he is MISERABLE and falls asleep at 7-7:30. So we are tip toeing around in the evenings as well. I tried to have him nap yesterday when he was woken up so early, but he slept for an hour and was up until 12:30 this morning, only to be woken up bright and early at 6! I am interviewing new clients to term this dcb, based simply on the hours.
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SilverSabre25 04:37 AM 09-05-2012
Open at 7 'cause I'm a night owl NOT an early bird and 7 is freakin' early for me :P

I have one dcb who occasionally (few times a year) has to arrive by 6:30 but it's with prior notice and DH is saint and usually gets up for him. But I will *never* take a kid who has to regularly arrive earlier than that.

My kids wake on their own also and the dcks rarely bother them anymore. We don't stay silent at all, but I do discourage noisy toys (unfortunately I have a few now :P Darn in-laws and baby toys...).
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EchoMom 04:39 AM 09-05-2012
I have the same issues. My earliest is at 7am but they're all pretty good about being quiet and I run a high velocity fan in DS bedroom to drown out the noise.

My problem is that I still nurse my 12 mo old DS and he's a terrible sleeper. So when he starts to wake to early at 6:45, 7:15, etc. I have to run in and nurse him a little to make him fall back asleep. Then I'm laying there with him thinking hurry up hurry up fall asleep I need to be able to greet parents when they show up. Stresses me out.
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kayla 04:47 AM 09-05-2012
My first group gets here at 6:00 am on the dot. It is three little ones, and they too do not understand to be quiet. The mom knows my dh and baby are sleeping but does she try to have her children stay quiet?? Nope I have never heard her ask them to be quiet, the little girl shrieks the boy stomps all around and the baby throws a tantrum right away.... I don't know how but my husband and child manage to sleep through it. Mine is only temporary though right now... It will end in january.... Normally I open at 7, but boy am I sick of parents acting like we have the easiest job like oh you get to stay home and do laundry all day... umm no I get to deal with your child who listens to no one then when I tell you about it oh really that never happens when shes with me... Oh because she is with you how often??? sorry for my little rant but I have been in a mood lately that I can't seem to shake... so sick of ungrateful parents!!
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MrsSteinel'sHouse 05:10 AM 09-05-2012
6:30, 6:00 if necessary and I will watch until 6:30 pm. I do not mind the early hours. Dh is up by 6:30. My teen age boy can sleep through anything! I wish the little ones would wake him! But, when he was little he was always up at 6:30 so was his sister.
It is all about finding what works for your family. Personally, I need dependable kids and usually that means early hours. (nurses, teachers, hospital, bank kidlet is here 6:30 some mornings even!)
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MN Mom 05:13 AM 09-05-2012
I open at 7am and am SUPPOSED to be closed by 5pm except for Wednesdays, which I close early at 4:30pm. I would close at 4:30pm every day as my 2 FT families are here by 4:30 (at the very latest). It's my PT families that give me trouble and are never on time. They pick up @ 5:30-6pm. I charge by the hour though with a minimum charge of $20.00/day (unless it's After School Care), so not a big deal. I still get paid. :-)
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countrymom 05:38 AM 09-05-2012
I open at 7am and just started a new boy who is very loud, but I think he has a hearing issue (he will be going for tubes) but we are working on it. can you gate a certain section off, like when she comes you only stay in the kitchen or you can get a small chair (ikea poang chair) give her a blanket and she can sit and watch tv.
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MaritimeMummy 05:56 AM 09-05-2012
Originally Posted by countrymom:
can you gate a certain section off, like when she comes you only stay in the kitchen or you can get a small chair (ikea poang chair) give her a blanket and she can sit and watch tv.
Oh, staying in a designated area isn't an issue, I don't need to use a gate for that. She's pretty good about that. But no matter where we are in the house, it's close to the bedrooms and it's just a matter of the house being so small. the bathroom is between the two bedrooms, too, so once she goes to the bathroom before my two kids are up, that's it. She can't just go in quietly, she always HAS to give me a running commentary, no matter how much I SHH her.
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NeedaVaca 06:17 AM 09-05-2012
I open at different hours depending on the dcp schedule and I do know in advance. My problem isn't so much the kids, it's the parents! I whisper as softly as I can and the parent in the loudest booming voice says her goodbyes to the dck. I find it so strange that she would hear me whispering so quietly and still talk so loud...She will even say her loud goodbye and then when her child is leaving the room for the play area will yell all the way across the room for a last goodbye! I might start posting a sign on my door to use quiet voices in at drop offs.
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Blackcat31 06:34 AM 09-05-2012
I open at 7:30. I am willing to come in at 7:00 but it hasn't happened in years so I get to daycare about 7:10 or so and my first arrival is here at 7:40.

I close at 5:30 sharp. Most my kiddos are picked up between 3:00 and 4:00 but I have two families (3 kids) who are here until 5:15-5:30.
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SunflowerMama 06:35 AM 09-05-2012
I used to open at 7a but this year moved to 7:45a (have to drive my own kids to school...no bus). I close at 5p.
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HappyHearts 06:56 AM 09-05-2012
I open at 7am and close at 5pm. Occasionally I will have a parent that may need me to open at 6am and with prior approval that is okay. I also may close sometimes at 5:30 or 6pm if someone requests it, but that isn't very often.

We don't have children of our own, and my DH and I both are up by 4:30 am regardless at what time I open, so we don't have the issue with having to be quiet. My daycare parents have always been considerate though and help have the children come in quietly. With the exception of special days that the children know we are having some sort of party, then all bets are off, they all come in LOUD!
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Crazy8 10:26 AM 09-05-2012
I open at 7am. I had the same issue all summer since my kids would sleep in a bit in the mornings. I especially hated how parents came in to my dark, quiet house and were all loud saying "say good morning to Miss ___" to their kids. I would whisper in return, mention my kids were sleeping, NOTHING worked to keep the kids or their parents quiet. On one hand I wanted to say something outright but on the other hand they are paying for their child care to start at that time so I felt kind of guilty saying anything. For me it was a temporary issue because now that school is starting my kids are up about 7ish anyway.
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momma2girls 10:33 AM 09-05-2012
7:15am is early enough for me
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EntropyControlSpecialist 10:36 AM 09-05-2012
My earliest comes at 7:00am and I really don't like it. All of the other children come at 8:00am, except on the rare occasion that an earlier time is needed.
My earliest gets to take a nap on the cot until 7:50.

Nearly everyone leaves by 5:00PM. There is one family that pays for extended day until 6:00PM. I miss only being open from 8:00AM-5:00PM, but you do what you have to do.
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spud912 01:46 PM 09-05-2012
I will open as early as 7 am, but right now everyone shows up between 7:30 and 8 am. I am spoiled right now
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julie 02:09 PM 09-05-2012
Up until September 1st, I opened at 7:00 and closed at 5:30. I changed my schedule because I will be attending school and will have some late nights, so now I am closed at 5 to get there on time and open at 7:30am. It really only affected one family and they were cool with it. I would love for my kids to wake up on their own but we are on different floors and they are still too young. Therefore they must be up and ready by 7:30 just like me. The time change worked great for them as they didn't like being up before 7:00 before I made the change!
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daycare 02:14 PM 09-05-2012
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I open at 7:30. I am willing to come in at 7:00 but it hasn't happened in years so I get to daycare about 7:10 or so and my first arrival is here at 7:40.

I close at 5:30 sharp. Most my kiddos are picked up between 3:00 and 4:00 but I have two families (3 kids) who are here until 5:15-5:30.
I soooo want your hours....wanna trade me......lol
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daycare 02:19 PM 09-05-2012
I think its time to either tell mom or email her a nice letter...

Dear Ms. I am not paid to entertain you.....lol jk

As much as I love visiting with you in the morning, it makes it very difficult for me to give my much needed attention to the kids and makes it hard on DCK when you stay too long.
If you would like, you are always welcome to email me or call me should you ever have any questions or concerns.
I hope that you don't take this personal, it's strictly from a business standpoint.

Thank you so much for your cooperation and understanding.

signed Annoyed by your company......lol sorry I am sassy today.....
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cheerfuldom 04:02 PM 09-05-2012
eek! some of these hours posted scare me, LOL

I open at 7:30 with the very occasional 7:15 drop off. I have five kids total, 3 of whom are not dropped off till closer to 9. Everyone is picked up by 5:30.

I dont do early....I dont do late either, ha ha

that said, I also have three young children of my own and another on the way. I HAVE to do business hours that work within my kids wake up time and our dinner time in order to maintain my sanity. I dont do kids that have to be here more than 10 hours a day, that just personally does not feel right for me or for the kids either.
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SimpleMom 04:33 PM 09-05-2012
7-330 m-f. I am only watching a few kiddos though. I used to be open 630-630 m-f That was really taxing.
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daycare 05:09 PM 09-05-2012
lol i jus saw that I posted in the wrong thread.....lol
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DCMama 07:15 PM 09-05-2012
730 is my time
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Childminder 10:14 AM 09-06-2012
Today my first one was at 4am, dcm is working overtime this week. Last one gone last night was at 3:45am, dcm is a bar waitress at a restaurant that Kid Rock hangs out at and was late last night. Yawnnn...
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Unregistered 10:28 AM 09-06-2012
I don't mean to sound harsh but, shouldn't you expect this seeing as you run a daycare? This is why I have always not been quiet when my kids are sleeping.It is not fair to expect a small child to be quiet because your kids are sleeping. You should be happy she is excited to come to your house! Some kids hate their dayares. JMHO.
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