My vent for the day, parents who let their kids bring items and then play dumb.
Yesterday:
DCB (5.5) arrives with a fingerling.
Me: I will hold this while you take your shoes off, then you can give it to mom.
DCB: Complies.
DCB's sister: I know you take toys away (referring to toys brought from home.)
Me: Blank stare.
While this conversation is happening mom keeps saying "DCB you know you weren't supposed to bring that" in the most half hearted way ever. She looks at the toy then turns and begins walking out the door. I hand the toy to DCB and tell him to give it to mom. He does and we move on with our day.
This happens every single day with this child. USB drives. Broken toys. Random wrappers. Once snack and a juice box when mom knows I serve all food/drinks here.
Today:
DCB (new 4) had been having difficult drop offs. It's because mom and dad linger and play into it BIG TIME. I have resorted to politely shuffling them out the door after the second round of goodbyes. DCB is FINE as soon as the door is closed. He's actually one of my favorite DCK's minus the arrival shenanigans. DCM has started bringing items to keep here for the day...for him. Hats, necklaces...today is was an umbrella. It is going to be 90 degrees with zero rain in sight for the next week. Really? An umbrella? Every morning I hand the items back to her when she leaves. Yet every morning she still brings them.
I have a feeling this is a power struggle with her. I have a policy where all children must wear socks while in attendance. She was great at following, then started sending without socks. I sent a reminder and she followed....then started sending without socks again. I send another reminder and while she has remembered to send socks (yay!) now random toys and things have been coming during arrival. It's like you enforce one rule and they break another just to see what you will do
Neither of these families are new either.