AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There, I feel better. Sorry about that. Ya know, I love the kids, I love my days with them, it's great! But the parents, well, you understand...
I don't remember people being quite so disrespectful in years past as they are these days. Maybe it's just that I, myself, am older and more intuitive to others' needs that it makes me more sensitive when mine are ignored. Or perhaps I was simply more lenient back then, and now I expect DCFs to follow my policies to the letter. But I honestly don't remember some of my issues now causing so much grief in the past.
Late payments-usually not a problem, but every once in a while (once every 2 or 3 weeks), someone "forgets" their weekly payment. Today, DCM comes in and says, "Man, half-way here I realized I walked out and left your money on the counter. I will bring it tomorrow morning." I say, "Be sure to include late payment fees with it." DCM: "But I will bring it tomorrow morning." Me: "Tomorrow morning is late." To which I am awarded a deer-in-the-headlights look and an exasperated sigh. I have to keep telling myself that it isn't personal, it's business. But I still feel like an unyielding witch. But I can't give in because I know where it leads...
Secondly, I am going to have to address the "no items from home" problem. Again.
Now, I do remember kids bringing things from home all the years I've done daycare, but it did not cause problems like it does now. These kids I have now just cannot separate from blankets or lovies when they bring them in here. They FREAK OUT if anyone else touches them. 2yo love to flick their blankets, and that pushes my buttons. They do not miss these "comfort" items one little bit all day long if they just don't come in. And the toys. Same thing. Cry when they have to share, and then micromanage the other kid playing with it when I do wrench it from them. And the food. DCK sits in the front hall refusing to give up a wad of something or other, while DCM or DCD (although usually it's a DCM) is coaxing them to hurry up and finish so they can leave for work. Then I have to scrub (sweeping is not enough) the front hall every morning or we have an ant problem.
Lastly, a drama drop-off. DCM used to NEVER drop-off a now 2yo, but has been 1 or 2 mornings a week for the past 3 weeks. They come in about 9:15/9:30, which is little baby nap time. DCB is not digging this new routine, and is screaming/flailing/crying when they come in.
Each time, I told DCM babies are sleeping, this can't happen, get a handle on him before you come in, or at the very least get here before 9:00. Well, I lost it this morning when she brought him in screaming at 9:15. I marched over, told her the babies are napping, took DCB from her and said, "I will take care of this, GOOD-BYE." I know my voice and demeanor was dripping with ice. Too bad for her she was the last drop-off on a Monday morning full of non-compliance!
They are all small policies (other than payment-that one is a big deal to me) being broken, but policies none the less. The thing that gripes me the most is that every time, the DCF will say something like "I know you don't want such-and-such, but we've had a rough morning/didn't sleep well/some flimsy excuse that says I have no spine and want to make you the bad guy." Bah! Well, now I can shake it off and go enjoy the day...until pick-ups that is.
