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Candy 10:49 AM 02-01-2013
Does any of your daycare parents come into your house, like actually pass the foyer at drop off? If so do you stop them or just let them come in?
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EntropyControlSpecialist 10:56 AM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Candy:
Does any of your daycare parents come into your house, like actually pass the foyer at drop off? If so do you stop them or just let them come in?
Yes. I have one part-time mom that has something to say 2 of the 3 mornings she comes in. It's never important but she comes all of the way in, past the gate that the parents send the kids through, through daycare room 1, daycare room 2, and into daycare room 3 where I'm sitting with the kids eating breakfast. Today I got up and met her in room 2 because I saw her coming.

I have another that is full-time and Mom will let the almost 4-year-old cling on to her, carry him in, try and set him down, he'll try and climb up, she'll hold him, set him down, he'll try and climb up, etc. etc. etc. She just had another child so he is no longer the baby and this ordeal takes about 10 minutes. I ignore it. She does it so much that she ends up getting frustrated and saying, "I have to go now!!!" to her child in an exasperated tone. I just pretend I'm occupied with the other 8 children and we have a grand old time playing while this hoopla goes on. Even if she is right next to me. This is her new routine she established and when I tried to take the child by the hand and say, "Tell Mommy goodbye! We'll see you later" she still let him do a clingy routine so I just gave up and don't even waste my energy anymore.

Oh, and do I let them? NO. I do not. I directly tell them to have their child walk through the gate and into the area since this is a no shoe zone.
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allsmiles 10:58 AM 02-01-2013
omg.. i really hate this.. i do have a few that will come in even if i have their kids at the door ready.. just tryna see whats going on.. "hey yall having fun huh!"
we have to remember to start putting our little gate back up.. i am big about boundaries and to me if you havent been invited all the way into someones home, you should wait in the front room or foyer
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Candy 11:05 AM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
Yes. I have one part-time mom that has something to say 2 of the 3 mornings she comes in. It's never important but she comes all of the way in, past the gate that the parents send the kids through, through daycare room 1, daycare room 2, and into daycare room 3 where I'm sitting with the kids eating breakfast. Today I got up and met her in room 2 because I saw her coming.

I have another that is full-time and Mom will let the almost 4-year-old cling on to her, carry him in, try and set him down, he'll try and climb up, she'll hold him, set him down, he'll try and climb up, etc. etc. etc. She just had another child so he is no longer the baby and this ordeal takes about 10 minutes. I ignore it. She does it so much that she ends up getting frustrated and saying, "I have to go now!!!" to her child in an exasperated tone. I just pretend I'm occupied with the other 8 children and we have a grand old time playing while this hoopla goes on. Even if she is right next to me. This is her new routine she established and when I tried to take the child by the hand and say, "Tell Mommy goodbye! We'll see you later" she still let him do a clingy routine so I just gave up and don't even waste my energy anymore.

Oh, and do I let them? NO. I do not. I directly tell them to have their child walk through the gate and into the area since this is a no shoe zone.
Wow sounds like mom is more clingy to her son then he is to her. I hate when parents keep saying "well i have to leave now" over and over. The whole time i'm thinking god just leave already, the kid is going to be fine we go threw this almost every day.
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Candy 11:06 AM 02-01-2013
I have on that will stay at the entrance and just sit the bag down and leave. But the other doesn't even get out the car. She just pulls up at my mailbox and lets the kid out. Which i have told her to stop doing.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 11:07 AM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Candy:
Wow sounds like mom is more clingy to her son then he is to her. I hate when parents keep saying "well i have to leave now" over and over. The whole time i'm thinking god just leave already, the kid is going to be fine we go threw this almost every day.
This Mom is a SAHM. I think so, too.

When a parent does that I seriously walk away. As I'm walking away my eyes are very big and I mouth the word, "WOW!" because it never ceases to amaze me just how long it takes some of these parents to leave.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 11:08 AM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Candy:
I have on that will stay at the entrance and just sit the bag down and leave. But the other doesn't even get out the car. She just pulls up at my mailbox and lets the kid out. Which i have told her to stop doing.
To be honest with you, I WISH some of my more annoying parents would do this.
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cheerfuldom 11:12 AM 02-01-2013
I absolutely insist that a parent walk their child to the door. Letting kids jump out from the car on their own is a serious safety risk! plus then you do not get any face time with the parent to discuss any issues. Honestly, I have had to talk to parents about letting kids run to and from the car....it is a safety risk that I am not going to let them take on my property. Either they get out of the car each time or they find a new daycare. Thats how big of a deal it is to me. I will not allow a parent to be lazy and risk a child running into the street or get hit by another parent pulling into the drive.
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Blackcat31 11:14 AM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Candy:
I have on that will stay at the entrance and just sit the bag down and leave. But the other doesn't even get out the car. She just pulls up at my mailbox and lets the kid out. Which i have told her to stop doing.
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
To be honest with you, I WISH some of my more annoying parents would do this.
Some days I wish ALL mine would do this too!

I am lucky enough that I have a separate entryway. It has a bench for parents and two sets of cubbies for the kids. It is separated from the main area of my daycare by a half door.

Saves me from ever having a parent come in farther than a few feet from the door. Personally I LOVE it!


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Candy 11:16 AM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by allsmiles:
omg.. i really hate this.. i do have a few that will come in even if i have their kids at the door ready.. just tryna see whats going on.. "hey yall having fun huh!"
we have to remember to start putting our little gate back up.. i am big about boundaries and to me if you havent been invited all the way into someones home, you should wait in the front room or foyer
I agree some people have no sense of boundries. Yes this is a daycare but it is still someones home. Even when my aunt ran a daycare when i was little my dad would never come inside(he use to work close by and use to drop in) he would just stand in the door way and call me.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 11:17 AM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Some days I wish ALL mine would do this too!

I am lucky enough that I have a separate entryway. It has a bench for parents and two sets of cubbies for the kids. It is separated from the main area of my daycare by a half door.

Saves me from ever having a parent come in farther than a few feet from the door. Personally I LOVE it!

Mine is separated by a walk through gate. Yet, the parent will open that walk through gate and come on in. WHAT??? The entryway is plenty big enough for all of the cubbies, the shoe rack, and the sign in desk.

As for bringing up issues, if I need to I have NO problem doing so these days with a parent at pick up. Or, I will seek them out in the morning and pull them aside to speak. I just did that the other day at drop off.
I also send home a daily report via e-mail so they are well informed of what is happening and they all have the ability to text message or e-mail me. So, coming in should just never happen.
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Blackcat31 11:23 AM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
Mine is separated by a walk through gate. Yet, the parent will open that walk through gate and come on in. WHAT???
.
THAT would drive me crazy! It seems ballsy to me.

I actually put my arm across the opening the other day and told a DCM that she needed to stay in the entry way. She was a little offended I think, but oh, well.
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Candy 11:23 AM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by cheerfuldom:
I absolutely insist that a parent walk their child to the door. Letting kids jump out from the car on their own is a serious safety risk! plus then you do not get any face time with the parent to discuss any issues. Honestly, I have had to talk to parents about letting kids run to and from the car....it is a safety risk that I am not going to let them take on my property. Either they get out of the car each time or they find a new daycare. Thats how big of a deal it is to me. I will not allow a parent to be lazy and risk a child running into the street or get hit by another parent pulling into the drive.
I have told her. Then she tells the girl messages for which of course the girl gets them wong. One day she told me her mom was going give a baby a bath what baby she doesn't have a baby?!?! Turns out mom was going to a babyshower.
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Candy 11:42 AM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
Mine is separated by a walk through gate. Yet, the parent will open that walk through gate and come on in. WHAT??? The entryway is plenty big enough for all of the cubbies, the shoe rack, and the sign in desk.

As for bringing up issues, if I need to I have NO problem doing so these days with a parent at pick up. Or, I will seek them out in the morning and pull them aside to speak. I just did that the other day at drop off.
I also send home a daily report via e-mail so they are well informed of what is happening and they all have the ability to text message or e-mail me. So, coming in should just never happen.
Maybe put a little sign on the gate that says children only or no parents. If you put the sign up and she still does it then she is doing on purpose.
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Childminder 11:48 AM 02-01-2013
Most of my parents take off their shoes and come in but I want them to. Heck after awhile most have joined us for a meal or we visit for awhile before they head home. Our home is pretty relaxed and open and we like them to feel comfortable.
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e.j. 12:03 PM 02-01-2013
Parents are welcome to come into my house as they drop off and pick up. The only thing that bothers me is when they leave their wet/snowy shoes on and track the mess in with them.
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LK5kids 12:03 PM 02-01-2013
When I did child care the first time around I added an addition to the back of my home and the back entry led right into the first daycare room. If I had a separate entry I would still have expected parents to come in.

I feel parents naturally have an interest about the environment their kids are in all day. I seem to be in the minority here on this. I would think it's odd a parent didn't come in. I like parents coming in.

Now, I did not let parents come through my front door and walk through my living room. That was not child care space. They came to the back door.

Now I am back into child care and I have bought a home just for child care.
There is not a separate entry area unless they stood on the front porch and stayed there!

Again, I am in the minority....but that is what is great about running our own business, we can fine tune it for our own needs.
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Willow 12:16 PM 02-01-2013
I feel really awkward being observed and wouldn't like it if parents came in and just started hanging out.

Thankfully most of my parents have been really good at taking no more than a couple of minutes at pick up and drop off times. They rarely come in further than the entryway unless I am back changing a diaper or the dogs don't happen to alert me to their arrival.


I had one dad when I first started who liked to kick off his shoes, come through the entry way, up the stairs, into my living room and plop down on my couch to watch an entire episode of Dora with his almost 4 year old daughter (when I'm not a fan of having the tv on anyway, much less that) before he left every morning. Was a HUUUUUUGE yikes and I did have to put my big girl undies on to deal with it. Either he stunk at picking up on my not so subtle hints that what he was doing was uber creepy or he just flat out didn't care.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 12:22 PM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
THAT would drive me crazy! It seems ballsy to me.

I actually put my arm across the opening the other day and told a DCM that she needed to stay in the entry way. She was a little offended I think, but oh, well.
I opened the gate the other day to let two little girls out and instead of them leaving the Mom came in and sat down with us while we were working on shapes with Magnetix. What??????

I don't even know what to say, to be honest. I don't want them to feel like they can't come in here because I have something to hide or it's dirty (because it's clearly not and you can see that from the entryway), but on the other hand they really have NO reason to be back here.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 12:24 PM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Childminder:
Most of my parents take off their shoes and come in but I want them to. Heck after awhile most have joined us for a meal or we visit for awhile before they head home. Our home is pretty relaxed and open and we like them to feel comfortable.
See, I would hate this. Hate it. I love it when they're quickly in and quickly out. I don't want to be their friends. I want to be their child care provider and build a relationship with their children, not them. My entryway isn't a water cooler. I don't want to stand around and gab so I've made myself pretty much unavailable when pick up time comes around, too. I sit down and read to the kids and IF you have something important to talk to me about then you can wait until the book is done and discuss it with me OR text me/call me/email me and let me know that you need to have a talk. I have no problem with having a meeting or setting aside time to talk. I just hate informal chit-chat about nothing.
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Candy 12:27 PM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Willow:
I feel really awkward being observed and wouldn't like it if parents came in and just started hanging out.

Thankfully most of my parents have been really good at taking no more than a couple of minutes at pick up and drop off times. They rarely come in further than the entryway unless I am back changing a diaper or the dogs don't happen to alert me to their arrival.


I had one dad when I first started who liked to kick off his shoes, come through the entry way, up the stairs, into my living room and plop down on my couch to watch an entire episode of Dora with his almost 4 year old daughter (when I'm not a fan of having the tv on anyway, much less that) before he left every morning. Was a HUUUUUUGE yikes and I did have to put my big girl undies on to deal with it. Either he stunk at picking up on my not so subtle hints that what he was doing was uber creepy or he just flat out didn't care.
There is no way i would have let this guy stay and watch tv. I would have stopped him at the stairs. Not only is it rude but really really creepy.
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LK5kids 01:22 PM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Willow:
I feel really awkward being observed and wouldn't like it if parents came in and just started hanging out.

Thankfully most of my parents have been really good at taking no more than a couple of minutes at pick up and drop off times. They rarely come in further than the entryway unless I am back changing a diaper or the dogs don't happen to alert me to their arrival.


I had one dad when I first started who liked to kick off his shoes, come through the entry way, up the stairs, into my living room and plop down on my couch to watch an entire episode of Dora with his almost 4 year old daughter (when I'm not a fan of having the tv on anyway, much less that) before he left every morning. Was a HUUUUUUGE yikes and I did have to put my big girl undies on to deal with it. Either he stunk at picking up on my not so subtle hints that what he was doing was uber creepy or he just flat out didn't care.
Yes, this is boundary crossing for me too.
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LK5kids 01:23 PM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
See, I would hate this. Hate it. I love it when they're quickly in and quickly out. I don't want to be their friends. I want to be their child care provider and build a relationship with their children, not them. My entryway isn't a water cooler. I don't want to stand around and gab so I've made myself pretty much unavailable when pick up time comes around, too. I sit down and read to the kids and IF you have something important to talk to me about then you can wait until the book is done and discuss it with me OR text me/call me/email me and let me know that you need to have a talk. I have no problem with having a meeting or setting aside time to talk. I just hate informal chit-chat about nothing.
Awwww, I love building a relationship with my parents! But I do understand where u r coming from and why. Boundaries are important.
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AnneCordelia 01:52 PM 02-01-2013
None of my parents do. I set the standard early and cover drop-offs/pick-ups in my handbook. If parents want to chat with me they email, text, phone, or make an appointment to come in. Of course if a parent had a concern and, say, wanted to quickly check out my sleep room then they could. But I make it clear that all my families drop and pick up within about 15 minutes of each other so I am busy.
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e.j. 02:05 PM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Willow:
I feel really awkward being observed and wouldn't like it if parents came in and just started hanging out.

Thankfully most of my parents have been really good at taking no more than a couple of minutes at pick up and drop off times. They rarely come in further than the entryway unless I am back changing a diaper or the dogs don't happen to alert me to their arrival.


I had one dad when I first started who liked to kick off his shoes, come through the entry way, up the stairs, into my living room and plop down on my couch to watch an entire episode of Dora with his almost 4 year old daughter (when I'm not a fan of having the tv on anyway, much less that) before he left every morning. Was a HUUUUUUGE yikes and I did have to put my big girl undies on to deal with it. Either he stunk at picking up on my not so subtle hints that what he was doing was uber creepy or he just flat out didn't care.
I should probably clarify....I don't mind parents walking into the day care room with their kids when dropping off and I don't mind if they come in to pick them up and chit chat a bit. I wouldn't want them to feel comfortable plopping down on the sofa to watch a show - that's just way overstepping my open door policy! I don't like it when parents want to stay and observe because I hate being "watched". When parents ask (usually new parents who are interviewing for a spot), I tell them if they want to stay, they can but they can't just observr. I will put them to work helping out. For some reason, they never actually stay after I tell them that.
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Candy 02:15 PM 02-01-2013
@Willow did his wife know he was coming over there doing that because I would have had a nice little chat with her about it
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Willow 02:41 PM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Candy:
@Willow did his wife know he was coming over there doing that because I would have had a nice little chat with her about it
Woah, woah, woooooooah........for one, he was divorced and had primary custody.

For two it was the very first time his daughter had ever been in anyone elses care and I'm fairly certain it was just a matter of him being was incredibly nervous about how she was going to do.

It was weird, and did creep me out, but in the end he was 100% harmless and I went on to watch his child another year and a half before I moved.

They were my second family ever and I didn't have the experience or confidence I do now to have addressed it that very first day, the very moments it was happening. In his defense, after a brief period of time I addressed it, he understood my reasoning, and then he respected my wishes to have shorter drop offs that stayed at the front door.


Regardless I would never meddle in someone elses marriage over something so silly. Just because he wanted to sit with his child didn't mean that had anything to do with him having intentions to do anything that would harm his marriage. I would never make such presumptions about someone like that. I can make assumptions and blab to other people about how it made me feel at the time but there's no way I'd take that to someone else's spouse with ZERO proof they had any intention of doing anything wrong.

The guy clearly lacked social skills on some level but that didn't mean he was h*ll bent on trying to get in my pants.
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Candy 02:58 PM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Willow:
Woah, woah, woooooooah........for one, he was divorced and had primary custody.

For two it was the very first time his daughter had ever been in anyone elses care and I'm fairly certain it was just a matter of him being was incredibly nervous about how she was going to do.

It was weird, and did creep me out, but in the end he was 100% harmless and I went on to watch his child another year and a half before I moved.

They were my second family ever and I didn't have the experience or confidence I do now to have addressed it that very first day, the very moments it was happening. In his defense, after a brief period of time I addressed it, he understood my reasoning, and then he respected my wishes to have shorter drop offs that stayed at the front door.


Regardless I would never meddle in someone elses marriage over something so silly. Just because he wanted to sit with his child didn't mean that had anything to do with him having intentions to do anything that would harm his marriage. I would never make such presumptions about someone like that. I can make assumptions and blab to other people about how it made me feel at the time but there's no way I'd take that to someone else's spouse with ZERO proof they had any intention of doing anything wrong.

The guy clearly lacked social skills on some level but that didn't mean he was h*ll bent on trying to get in my pants.
Huh who said he was trying to get into your pants?? What presumptions was I making I'm lost? I assumed he was just being a clingy parent not trying to get with you. Sorry didn't mean to offend you.
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canadiancare 03:29 PM 02-01-2013
My setting is very informal. Front hallway/entrance way and about 5 feet away is the opening to the main room/playroom. No gates, doors etc. The room has a huge window that faces the porch/front door so they can look in/out that way. I don't have a problem if they walk in a few feet. I wouldn't want them to hang out, though mainly because I am excited for the day to end.


A few years ago we had a situation here with children who were being abused by a caregiver. The parents were never allowed in the house and dropped off at the mudroom area. It turns out the kids were stuck in pack and plays in the basement furnace room all day.
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Heidi 03:56 PM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by LK5kids:
When I did child care the first time around I added an addition to the back of my home and the back entry led right into the first daycare room. If I had a separate entry I would still have expected parents to come in.

I feel parents naturally have an interest about the environment their kids are in all day. I seem to be in the minority here on this. I would think it's odd a parent didn't come in. I like parents coming in.

Now, I did not let parents come through my front door and walk through my living room. That was not child care space. They came to the back door.

Now I am back into child care and I have bought a home just for child care.
There is not a separate entry area unless they stood on the front porch and stayed there!

Again, I am in the minority....but that is what is great about running our own business, we can fine tune it for our own needs.

No, I'm with you and the 2 PP's. I like my parents to come in. Not every day, and the shoes need to come off, but I want them to feel welcome. I think it builds a sense of loyalty. No guarantees, of course.

I think everyone needs to do what works for them.
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Willow 04:00 PM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Candy:
Huh who said he was trying to get into your pants?? What presumptions was I making I'm lost? I assumed he was just being a clingy parent not trying to get with you. Sorry didn't mean to offend you.
Why would I need to have a nice little chat with his wife about that then??

You don't need to apologize, I just needed to clarify that there was nothing inherently amiss about his behavior that I'd need to be notifying anyone's spouse about.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 04:11 PM 02-01-2013
I had parents come in today even though I was letting their children know Mom was there (they see them and they see them run towards them), yet they still insisted on walking all the way in. I asked one to please come during pick up time from here on out (which will ensure that she stays on that side of the gate since we are ALL on that side of the gate and it is locked). She keeps coming 10 minutes early and it interrupts us during our ending activity. The other one leaves next week so I don't even care.
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Candy 04:17 PM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Willow:
Why would I need to have a nice little chat with his wife about that then??

You don't need to apologize, I just needed to clarify that there was nothing inherently amiss about his behavior that I'd need to be notifying anyone's spouse about.
Uhm so she can tell him that its rude to make himself at home. If my daycare provider told me my hubby was sitting on her sofa, I wouldn't jump to think he outta trying to sleep with her lol I'd think gosh he must be annoying her.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 07:11 PM 02-01-2013
Originally Posted by Candy:
Uhm so she can tell him that its rude to make himself at home. If my daycare provider told me my hubby was sitting on her sofa, I wouldn't jump to think he outta trying to sleep with her lol I'd think gosh he must be annoying her.

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momofsix 08:31 PM 02-01-2013
I'm in the minority here again-just gotta be different!
My parents come ALL the way in my house. They come in the front door, walk through the living room and kitchen and come down the stairs to where we are. They often will join in whatever we're doing at the moment.
For instance today:
mom 1 joined her 15 month old at the texture tub to scoop rice
mom 2 sat on the couch in the living room and gave some encouragement to my dh (who is recovering from a surgery that went terribly wrong and not working for at least 6 months)
mom 3 came in and let her kids show off their artwork that's hanging on the walls
dad 4 came in and got his kids and left-we were up by the door when he came.
That's the way I like it to be-we're all comfortable with each other and consider each other friends.
Like others have said-this is one of the benefits of having our own business, we can do what works for us whatever that may be!
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Springdaze 11:17 AM 02-02-2013
My daycare is an addition to my home. the parents never come in more than a few steps. I kind of wish they would sometimes because when I have work on the walls, they never see it!
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Candy 10:54 AM 02-03-2013
I want to move into a house that has a bounus room with its on door so parents won't actually have to come in my house. But we'll see how that goes
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KarenLittlefield 11:06 AM 02-03-2013
It's much easier to have a separate area for your child care. Then, you have shared areas such as kitchen, bathroom and dining areas. You should establish areas of your house that are for family only, also. Both your family and your DC parents should have areas that are just for them. In your contract and during interviews, explain that drop-offs and pick-ups are kept brief so that you may focus your attention on the children and get on with your busy schedule. There needs to be respect all the way around. If you have issues with it, you can put up a reminder notice on your bulletin board or send reminder notices home. It's also a good thing to put in a monthly newsletter. Make sure you have 2 positives for every negative LOL.
My biggest prob with daycare parents coming in over the years has been those who would bring in an older child who isn't enrolled so they could throw up in my daycare bathroom or rifling through my personal items such as mail, etc. as well as those who use the restroom after I've disinfected it for the end of the daycare day. Establishing clear policies still leaves some gray areas no matter how hard you try.
For the last 10 or so years, I have had a separate area for the daycare with their own entrance on the side of my house. It has made a HUGE difference in my family's privacy as well as my own peace of mind.
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MNMum 03:39 PM 02-03-2013
Usually we are in the playroom that is just off the entrance. However, if we happen to be in the dining room or an infant is sleeping, I always invite the parents to come and see their children in their spaces. I feel it is their right to know that I am following through with how I said I would be caring for their kids.
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canadiancare 05:04 AM 02-04-2013
I guess one of my issues is parking as well. I have a double driveway but I live in suburbia with very little extra street space. All 5 of my parents come within 10 minutes of each other so we don't have the room for 5 vehicles to park and stay for very long. I don't want to annoy my neighbours by hogging the street, esp. in winter.

As long as the weather is decent our pickup is done from outside, anyway. It only becomes an issue when it is too cold/too hot or raining and we are inside.
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Chatter Box 09:22 AM 02-04-2013
Provided they are not tracking in dirt, water or snow, ect. I don't care if they come in. It's when they decide to go upstairs to the bedrooms is what bothers me. THAT drives me batty!
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renodeb 10:21 AM 02-08-2013
Most of my dc parents just "hand off at the gate" which I prefer. The kids cubbies and coat hooks are right there in front so there is really no need for them to come in all the way. In the summer we are often outside until the last kid leaves, I don't feel weird about them coming all the way in to claim there kids then.
Deb
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allsmiles 10:49 AM 02-08-2013
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
See, I would hate this. Hate it. I love it when they're quickly in and quickly out. I don't want to be their friends. I want to be their child care provider and build a relationship with their children, not them. My entryway isn't a water cooler. I don't want to stand around and gab so I've made myself pretty much unavailable when pick up time comes around, too. I sit down and read to the kids and IF you have something important to talk to me about then you can wait until the book is done and discuss it with me OR text me/call me/email me and let me know that you need to have a talk. I have no problem with having a meeting or setting aside time to talk. I just hate informal chit-chat about nothing.
i hate it too girl.. omg
i HAD a parent..thank goodness she is gone.. she would sit and talk about her day, her tomorrow and her yesterday LOL..i hated to see her coming..

and then another one that just doesnt know how to make her child go home..so she sits on the couch and watch him play with other kids.. let him walk her all around the house (which my whole downstairs is dedicated to daycare)
then when she gets the point its time to go.. she lets him walk her around the NEIGHBORHOOD all up and down ppls front walks!!!!!! smh she is at least an hour sometimes before they get in the car..
i know in daycare, we didnt walk to the kids classrooms or past the sign in sheet really.. its just wierd to me even tho i do understand some ppl dont mind..
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blessed mom 10:51 PM 02-08-2013
I have nothing to hide, I don't care if they come in. Fine by me...please do. Now, if they want to chat for a bit that is fine ONLY IF the group of kids I have to supervise is low enough for me to do so safely. If not, I ask her to call me later or send me a text/email. I go about my business as they talk...kids are first. One of my mom's came during music and movement and joined in at pick up. We had a blast!
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LoraJenkins 05:35 AM 02-09-2013
I keep my doors locked at all times so parents have to be let in. My main daycare area right now is in my livingroom so that is as far as they go. Usually standing next to the cubbies. In the next few months I will be moving my main daycare area to a spare bedroom but I plan on still having the kids ready in the livingroom at pick up to avoid them walking through the whole house. I hope it works.
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Unregistered 09:35 AM 02-27-2013
If a parent is trusting their child to you in your home why is it a problem for the parent to come in and see what's going on. They don't wait at the doorway of a daycare center so why should they wait in the doorway of a home.
I wouldn't let any of you keep my children if I wasn't allowed to come past the doorway.
Just for thought...
A Mom
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daycarediva 09:49 AM 02-27-2013
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
If a parent is trusting their child to you in your home why is it a problem for the parent to come in and see what's going on. They don't wait at the doorway of a daycare center so why should they wait in the doorway of a home.
I wouldn't let any of you keep my children if I wasn't allowed to come past the doorway.
Just for thought...
A Mom
I don't because we don't allow shoes in the house, my daycare space IS my front entry area & if a parent came through that, they would be going past where their children are allowed to go, which is pretty invasive and rude. Just because I care for children, doesn't mean my privacy has the right to be invaded.

I have had children TELL their parents "no shoes in the house, Mom" but the parent has still walked all the way in, PAST my daycare area, and INTO my formal dining area to look for a blanket AFTER I told her that the daycare kids aren't allowed to play in that area. My husband was like at the dinner table.
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allsmiles 11:07 AM 02-27-2013
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
If a parent is trusting their child to you in your home why is it a problem for the parent to come in and see what's going on. They don't wait at the doorway of a daycare center so why should they wait in the doorway of a home.
I wouldn't let any of you keep my children if I wasn't allowed to come past the doorway.
Just for thought...
A Mom
i know this may seem harsh mom, but i think you are taking it the wrong way.. we are not saying dont come in, I am saying, if your child is prepared for pick up, what is the reasoning for LINGERING.. I have a parent that stays 30 minutes -1 hour after she arrives and im sorry, that is not normal to me.
i know that daycare centers are different but i have never walked around the day care center.. i wait till they bring my child or go to my child class and get her and go back out.. not go sit at a desk and talk to the teacher for 20 minutes while she is tending to the other children.
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Unregistered 11:39 AM 02-27-2013
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
If a parent is trusting their child to you in your home why is it a problem for the parent to come in and see what's going on. They don't wait at the doorway of a daycare center so why should they wait in the doorway of a home.
I wouldn't let any of you keep my children if I wasn't allowed to come past the doorway.
Just for thought...
A Mom

For one it's someone's home and I don't let the public tour my home. It's not a daycare center, and many centers do not allow the parents to continually disrupt their day. In fact, they have rules also. I've had rude parents bring up to 3 older siblings that would run amok in my home. Aside from that they had drinks, suckers, etc. And there is no reason to have that amount of traffic in the home. I've had parents track in mud, dirt, leaves, staples...you name it and had the nerve to walk on my carpet like that. Now they don't get past the foyer, if past the front door for pick up and drop off, and I have everything gated for those rude people. Another reason parents/siblings don't get to hang around is because I do not allow strangers around the children. So don't compare a center with someone's home.
You show the same decorum as anyone's home you would visit.
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Sunnyyy1 06:37 PM 02-27-2013
In the beginning they did but now, they barley get out of the car.
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intothewoods 04:54 AM 02-28-2013
I don't mind parents coming in but please remember this is my home too and please take off your shoes. I work really hard to keep outside dirt and contaminants off my floors so we can play on them.
I only have an issue when a parent goes into my home when I am outside with the kids. That makes me uncomfortable with a few of my parents. I accually asked a parent not to do that and they got into a screaming fit and I almost had to call the police it got so verbally abusive. Needless to say that parent is not allow in my home anymore period.
I do have one grandparent that likes to use my bathroom and that bothers me but what can you say when you got to go you got to go and he does my a big favor by picking up his granddaughter at the bus stop and bringing her here for me so I don't have to walk out with the little ones in the cold.
All in all as long as I have rescpect come in and see what we are up to but please leave in a timely manner. We are trying to start our day at it puts us behind or if ended our day it makes me late for my events..
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Meeko 06:35 AM 02-28-2013
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
If a parent is trusting their child to you in your home why is it a problem for the parent to come in and see what's going on. They don't wait at the doorway of a daycare center so why should they wait in the doorway of a home.
I wouldn't let any of you keep my children if I wasn't allowed to come past the doorway.
Just for thought...
A Mom
As a mom, I am sure your child has had friends over to play at your home. Maybe the mother of the little friend had dropped off or picked up. How would you feel if she walked through your home uninvited, checked out your kitchen, used the bathroom and peeked in your bedroom all without asking?

Providers are no different. It's still our HOME first and a daycare second. Parents should never be rude enough to wander through the house. They were formally shown around at interview. That doesn't give them license to be as nosey as they'd like after that.

Licensing rules say that a parent should have access to areas used by their child. That doesn't mean all areas of the house. It also doesn't mean that they can go wherever they like at any time. They should ASK if they want to see another room and wait to be escorted there. They should ASK if they should remove their shoes etc. It's called common courtesy.

I would be offended even if FRIENDS just marched through my home uninvited, let alone clients.

Paying a provider does not buy their privacy.
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dEHmom 07:49 AM 03-01-2013
It takes my families a while to feel comfortable enough to just walk in the door without knocking. Here, in my home, this is how i prefer it. But many times they've had to leave and come back after hours for something, and they always knock at that time. If they are here at their usual pickup/drop off time they know to just walk in. I personally hate knocking, and it freaks me out when someone knocks on my door, we all go into hiding and be as quiet as we can be.

On occassion my parents will tip toe into the living room to spy on their kids, because most of my parents never get to see their child having fun, being independant and without mom/dad around. I encourage them to do so. But if a daycare parent just wandered through my house that's a different story. There is never any reason with the layout of my house, that they ever have to leave my kitchen. A few times I've had parents use my bathroom for their little ones or if their office bathroom was out of order, but they've all asked before leaving the door mat.

I think it comes down to what you are comfortable with in your home, and they should respect boundaries unless you've told them otherwise.
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KnoxMom 08:12 AM 03-01-2013
Obviously we all have different ways of handling this according to our layout. I'm fortunate to have a very large split level so the entire lower level is the daycare with its own bathroom and kitchen. Parents will see my home from the foyer but never have a reason to go up the stairs. I maintain an open door policy and encourage the parents to see what the children are doing. Once they've gotten comfortable, they won't feel a reason to snoop or spy. Someone mentioned that it is not our job to cater to the parent and our only concern is the child-I completely disagree with this. We are partners in raising their children. I don't want my children in any home where I am unwelcome. I think what the OPs mean is that they don't want private areas being navigated and want their homes respected (i.e. removal of shoes, respect of time, etc). I'm sure we can all agree here.
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Unregistered 10:57 AM 03-01-2013
I am a provider and I EXPECT that my families come in and see what their children have been doing, that the environment is safe and clean and that they are being offered activities and materials that encourage their growth and development.

As a parent I would NEVER leave my child in a program that did not allow me to come into the play/daycare environment. I would not expect to see "other parts" of the home, but I would fully expect to be able to come into any area my child might spend even 1 minute of their day. Any responsible parent would.
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blessed mom 11:20 AM 03-11-2013
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I am a provider and I EXPECT that my families come in and see what their children have been doing, that the environment is safe and clean and that they are being offered activities and materials that encourage their growth and development.

As a parent I would NEVER leave my child in a program that did not allow me to come into the play/daycare environment. I would not expect to see "other parts" of the home, but I would fully expect to be able to come into any area my child might spend even 1 minute of their day. Any responsible parent would.
I fully agree!!
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Meeko 11:37 AM 03-11-2013
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I am a provider and I EXPECT that my families come in and see what their children have been doing, that the environment is safe and clean and that they are being offered activities and materials that encourage their growth and development.

As a parent I would NEVER leave my child in a program that did not allow me to come into the play/daycare environment. I would not expect to see "other parts" of the home, but I would fully expect to be able to come into any area my child might spend even 1 minute of their day. Any responsible parent would.
According to regulations, a parent must be able to see any place their child is going to be during the day. I am happy to show those areas to a parent if they want to see. (Within reason.....if a person doesn't trust me and feels they need to constantly check up, then they need to find other care as I will not work with people who do not trust me)

HOWEVER....they cannot just march in like they own they place and wander around at will. This is my HOME, first and foremost.

As a parent, I would want to see where my child was playing each day. But I would ask the provider if it was OK to go there. (Now if she said no, I would be concerned) But I would never, ever, just walk through somebody's home without asking. That would be unbelievably rude and sadly there are a lot of unbelievably rude people out there.....
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itlw8 11:48 AM 03-11-2013
I think a parent SHOULD be able to walk into the childcare area. If you have a no show rule they need to follow it.

When ds was little the lady insisted on taking him at the door. I should have looked further. I had NO idea she napped them in the basement until he got hurt when he climbed out of his playpen and broke a soda bottle. Or when I found he had burned his hand on her dd curling iron and she had no idea. We were moving. I was glad to go. She never told me about the basement and it was not a walk out one either.

I made sure my childcare is more open to parents.
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MarinaVanessa 11:54 AM 03-11-2013
I have a keyless entry system on my front door and my door is locked the majority of the time. To enter you can use a key if you want but access is mainly gained by entering a code into the keypad. I pay for the monthly subscription to the system which allows me to add extra codes by person and even set a schedule that they are able to gain access.

All of my regular FT and PT clients have a code to get in that works with their contracted schedules. They come in and are welcome in any part of the daycare space. I would not feel comfortable taking my child to a daycare that did not allow me full access to my child. In my state (CA) we are required to have an "open door policy" and although I do limit the time that each parent is allowed to stay to 15 minutes I do not by any means restrict them from coming in at any time. I do however make sure that they understand that if they should drop in unexpectedly to check in on us and their child has a hard time dealing with them leaving without them then they must then take their child with them.
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nannyde 12:16 PM 03-11-2013
I don't allow parents past the front door for drop off and pick ups. I have 13 daycare parents total. It would be too much of a liability to have them free ranging my house. It would be too much wear and tear and it would take too much of my time. If I could figure out a way to get their kids in and out of my house without them coming on my property at all I would ban that too.
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Blackcat31 12:18 PM 03-11-2013
Originally Posted by nannyde:
I don't allow parents past the front door for drop off and pick ups. I have 13 daycare parents total. It would be too much of a liability to have them free ranging my house. It would be too much wear and tear and it would take too much of my time. If I could figure out a way to get their kids in and out of my house without them coming on my property at all I would ban that too.
I have thought about getting one of those things full service gas stations have that rings a bell when someone drives on it....

Drive through daycare services!
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blandino 12:34 PM 03-11-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I have thought about getting one of those things full service gas stations have that rings a bell when someone drives on it....

Drive through daycare services!
They sell systems similar to this at Lowe's, and you bet I've considered buying one. I am glad parents feel comfortable coming in, and we (like you) have a seperate house for the daycare so at least they aren't making themselves at home in our actual house, but I hate having to correct behavior in front of a parent - but more often than not - when a parent spends more than 5 min here, their child starts acting up. It is just so uncomfortable that I would rather not be put in the position to do it. Also, during most pick-up times we have a few parents here at once and with 12 families coming in and out it can feel like a zoo very quickly.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 02:09 PM 03-11-2013
Originally Posted by blandino:
They sell systems similar to this at Lowe's, and you bet I've considered buying one. I am glad parents feel comfortable coming in, and we (like you) have a seperate house for the daycare so at least they aren't making themselves at home in our actual house, but I hate having to correct behavior in front of a parent - but more often than not - when a parent spends more than 5 min here, their child starts acting up. It is just so uncomfortable that I would rather not be put in the position to do it. Also, during most pick-up times we have a few parents here at once and with 12 families coming in and out it can feel like a zoo very quickly.
This is exactly how things go down here, too. I strongly dislike it!
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MarinaVanessa 03:58 PM 03-11-2013
By the way BlackCat I saved that photo you put up and put it in my "Dream Daycare" file, I hope you don't mind. One day when we move into a larger place I'm going to have my DH build me one similar to that one and I'm going to paint it just like yours (to match my cubby colors .
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Tags:coat rooms, crossing the boundaries, entering your home, entryway, parent entering
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