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Answering the Door Lickety Split
We have a large house. The doorbell has been permanently disabled to prevent the onslaught of marketers and church people from ringing the door bells at all hours. We have a screen/security door on the front. The house has bad acoustics.
This doesn't factor in that I run this show alone (no assistant to stand by the door). I also get caught up sometimes going to the bathroom or something else. I feel like some parents get peeved that they have to knock twice or that it takes a minute for me to get to the door. One family in particular has had a lot of issues with it. I've told them multiple times to text me or call if I don't answer right away (ideally they should call). But they don't. And then they act all irritated when I do get to the door. Am I being unreasonable? Does everyone else answer the door in 2 seconds flat? God forbid I'm in the bathroom or I'm in the middle of cooking something....I can almost feel their irritance building. And I really don't feel comfortable with leaving the front door unlocked. I also don't like parents feeling like they have free reign to walk into my house. What if I am going to the bathroom and the kids are in the playroom...can you imagine the audacity :eek:? I guess this is more of a vent. But what do you all do about the door situation? Do your parents get peeved it takes slightly longer to answer the door? How should I handle this at interviews to make sure they know I'm not a center with front desk staff waiting to greet people? |
Have you considered a wireless door bell?
We used to have one that had one part at the front door and I carried the other part out to the backyard with me. I need to go to Lowes and get another one before summer. |
Do you have pick ups that vary quite a bit or are these parents picking up unexpectedly?
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Originally Posted by sharlan: Try Ring You can visually see and reply via your smart phone |
Originally Posted by Blackcat31: |
Originally Posted by nanglgrl: I just leave the childcare entrance open at drop off and pick up times. It's in the way back of the house so I don't worry about strangers walking in from the street. :p |
I don't think you are being unreasonable.
I have clients who do the same. The best is I have two families who think I have x-ray vision. They NEVER knock. They just stand by the door and wait for me to open it. Kid you not. |
Originally Posted by sharlan: Originally Posted by Blackcat31: |
I was playing with a Ring at Costco the other day. They look so handy! I definitely want one!
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Originally Posted by spud912: |
the only reason for irritation I see (and even that is not enough to pick a fight) is rain and no cover at the front door. some rains can be heavy enough to leave you soaking within 2 minutes... but then again, umbrellas have been invented already.
and a parent may not call or text because s/he left the phone in the car (I know I do). but it still doesn't justify inability to walk 5 feet back to use it. just speculating with my own pickup routine in mind... |
I answer pretty quickly but that's only because my main daycare area is right at the front of my house otherwise it would take me awhile to answer the door.
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Originally Posted by Mad_Pistachio: |
My playspace is on my top floor so when a parent comes we have to walk down the hall and then down two flights of stairs. I let my parents know that if I don't get to the door in a timely fashion it is because it takes a while for kids to walk that far (I don't carry them) or I am changing a diaper. They don't like it, they can lump it! I tell them the same thing when we are out back. I have never had attitude at my door over this thankfully.
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Originally Posted by spud912: Open the door with a big cheery smiley face "oh sorry to keep you waiting..johnny had a great day, we made this and that and played with this and that" and just keep talking over their crappy facial expressions. |
Originally Posted by spud912: As it is, our doorbell doesn't work, either. I keep an eye out but sometimes don't get to the door. I just explain during interviews that it doesn't work, to not be afraid to knock or text, and that if I don't get there right away, not to panic. That I am probably busy. Having said that, I still had one family that used to get annoyed if they had to wait. Would bang and bang on the door. And then would have a surly look on their face if they had to wait 30 seconds. Never mind that at their drop off time I was ready and waiting. I also 'waited' 15 mins after their drop off time. They were consistently 30 mins late. :rolleyes: They also are no longer here. :lol: |
Originally Posted by nanglgrl: I want a ring, but they are more than I want to spend. |
Originally Posted by 284878: |
Believe me this has been an issue in the past! One father came when I was changing his son's poopy diaper. He was banging on the front door so just to make the point I took his son, bare butt and all to the door with me. Another time a grandma freaked out and called her daughter, then had my assistant (who was waiting in her car) rush in because she was about to call the police. I almost termed her for that. Can you imagine a visit from licensing just because I was changing a diaper.
You would think it was too much to ask for people to have a little patience! Anyway, I have managed to put out this fire by informing parents at the tour that we get busy caring for the children during the day, so calls, emails and even knocks on the door may require a little patience. I ask them to remember that it is not just their child in here, we care for up to 11 at once some days. I tell them the best way to reach me and again point out patience is a virtue. One other thing I did (after I calmed down) was I created a doorknob hanger, kinda like the "do not disturb" ones we use at hotels. Mine says I am changing a diaper and to wait a minute. I noticed that my assistant recently wrote on the backside that "We are in the backyard" for other times when we are not by the door. Finally, I will randomly send out a reminder email to my clients that reminds them to quietly knock if they are picking up early in the day as the younger children could be napping at anytime during the day. If you would like me to share that verbiage, just send me a PM with your email and I would be happy to. |
For the 30 minutes or so of normal drop off & pick up times I will either leave the door unlocked or sometimes just have the storm door locked (so parents can see in but the kids can't push it open). My playroom is right off the foyer and kitchen is only right down the hall so nothing ever takes me more than 30 seconds to get to the door unless I am changing a diaper. I try to be "available" during those times so not to keep a parent waiting. I don't go to the bathroom during those times. Again, this is the "usual" 7:45-8:30ish and 4:15-5pm time frames. If a parent is going to pick up outside their usual hours I ask them to text me so I know when to expect them.
I would get annoyed if I often had to wait outside my providers home for more than a minute or two. |
I think they should understand that u can be busy doing daycare.if they wait for more than minute or two then ya they should text u or call.i dont really have this problem since the playroom is a room off the living room so since its close we can hear the door.If pick up is during outside time i let them no to knock louder. I once had a parent freak out and send police immediately out thinking the kids were left alone ,her kids were new here and only been here couple days when that happened(we were outside) i definitely didnt allow to come back after that incident .
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We got the Ring system..hopefully that solves the problem. We are loving it so far! Dh has been disappointed by our lack of visitors so far haha!!
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Originally Posted by spud912: |
I mentioned this post to DH and he reminded me that our insurance company offers big discounts for it!
We use American Family You can buy Ring for $30 less Get 5% off your premiums if you use Ring and if you have a break in while using Ring, AmFam will pay your deductible! Maybe other insurance companies have similar deals.. https://myapps.amfam.com/amfamring/#/landing |
Originally Posted by Blackcat31: |
Originally Posted by LysesKids: |
Originally Posted by spud912: |
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