Originally Posted by Preschool/daycare teacher:
Yes, it annoys me, too! It doesn't matter even if they're the last ones to be dropped off, it's still annoying because if they're supposed to be here by a certain time, then it's common curtesy to BE here by that time. Same thing on late picking up, even if they're the first picked up... we have a schedule to follow and when parents don't show up when they're supposed to, and then pick up later than usual, the schedule is interrupted. Once in a while when it's something that came up and couldn't be avoided, then I understand, but a constant pattern, never knowing if they'll actually show up at the time they're supposed to, if they'll come at all, and what time they'll leave that day... you can't do that in the schools, so why at daycare or preschool?
I have one family who insisted they needed to re-contract their hours to an earlier time, and still come anywhere between 8 and 8:45 (but usually closer to 8:30). Why did you insist on 8am if you knew it would only be once in a blue moon that you were going to be here that early?
Forgot to add the part WHY it drives me crazy: I have a dog, he lives in his crate, in the entryway where dck's come in and leave. My dog is okay with the kids if he's out of his crate but barks and growls if any kid comes near his crate while he's in there. It's COLD here, and I hate leaving him out for long, but on the off chance they may be here at 8am, I let him outside just before that and sometimes he's out for 45 minutes!! So not fair to my pup when it's that cold out, but I don't trust the parents to make sure little jr doesn't provoke my dog - even though they've both been told that my pup is very territorial when it comes to his crate and they need to keep the kids from running up to him. It's just easier to make sure pup is outside, but I don't like him being out so long.