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My3cents 10:53 AM 07-05-2012
Originally Posted by Truly Scrumptious:
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.
This is excellent advice and what I do too

I think some parents view us at "friends" and yes we are to an extent but they don't stop to think we want to be done with our job just as they want to be done. They just don't think of that.

I have one mom and I love her. I always enjoy our talks, but her child acts up- because she doesn't know who is in charge during this time. She is ready to be done as she is the last child and wants to leave like she has seen the other kids come and go. Often I am just ready to be done for the day by the time this mom rolls in and she is on the dot every day! Even though she gets done a half hour ago and is not even three minutes from my house. It annoys me, but I feel it is part of doing business- and I am often as guilty as she is because even though her child is going coo coo to go home and even as anxious as I am to be done for the day- I engage. I guess I have a hard time when it is say good bye to everything in the daycare about fifty million times before we put one foot out the door- to say goodbye fifty more times to me. Mom often goes home to an empty house and even knowing she loves her child immensely and is a great mom, it is just getting there and she must view that half hour as her time before tackling on the two year old and life outside of her job. I could make a stink out of it, I choose that I don't. What I love about being my own BOSS. I choose!
I will say for days that I have to be somewhere I have gotten better about saying ok- I gotta run and finding busy work to move them along. Not easy to do but I make myself do it. My Family counts too!

This topic has come up several times before- but I always find it helpful and see how it could be helpful to others starting out-

I wouldn't call it fibbing. I would call it stating your policies for everyone to know and be reminded.

Your house and your things. I would put the car out of reach of daycare kids if possible. It is too tempting and way too cool for kids not to want to try it out. Cover it with a blanket or move it. It is ok, to have things that the daycare is not allowed to play with or touch- Going into your personal space- at the interview make it known clear where daycare is and that your personal space is not to be entered at any time. Put it on licensing- not a lie, true. Licensing does not allow entrance to rooms that have not been approved by our state rules- and then add and that is also my personal space. Grab your backbone and run with it on this. Good practice for the next .....................fill in the blank....being nice I would prob say ding dong client- tee hee

Hope this helps and again excellent advice Scrump-
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