I know it can be hard to confront a parent about rude behavior. Most of the time I don't have a problem addressing a issue, but anytime I feel anxious about the possiblity of a face to face meeting, I start out by posting a "general" letter. For this issue, I would remind all parents about the rules of the house and to remember to be respectful of my open and closed hours and my family's personal spaces and things. And remind them, that at the end of a long hard day, I'm ready to "clock out" and "go home".

I do fib a little in the letter by making it appear as if I'm having a problem with "several" parents. (The parents are not going to poll each other to find out who it is, and the parents that have followed the rules don't worry about what the letter says). I then end the letter by basically saying that if the letter doesn't do the trick, then I will have to address the "parents" personally, and I ask that they please take care of this matter and not put me in that uncomfortable position.

It works 99% of the time, but there are those parents who will test you.

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