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Mummy101 11:19 AM 07-26-2017
Obviously, we all have an open door policy, but how do you express it? How do you handle the lingerer (for inappropriate reasons)-a DCD for example...? I would like to add, parents are not required by law to have background checks to “hang out”, but all my other guests must have one just to be at my house! I have had issues in the past with parents being uncomfortable with other parents “hanging out” when their children are here.

The agency I work with dislikes my policy, as it is not all too inviting I assume. I am only trying to dissuade disruptive behavior, not parental visits. Is it unreasonable to ask that a parent take the child out of the home if they will be visiting more than 15 minutes?

An open-door policy implies a parent may come here any and all times unannounced while their child is present. Of course!!! What an open door policy is not (in my opinion) is an invitation for parents to come hang out with their kid in my house (unless planned). That is what HOME is for.

Original:
OPEN DOOR POLICY
You may always come at any time while your child is present. However, if it is only to visit, it is disruptive to the routine and the other children in care. During times like these children have a hard time listening and following directions. If you, a family member or approved person would like to visit or play with the child for an extended period (longer than 15 minutes), the child must be taken out of the daycare. We must be notified whether the child will return that day or not. This does not apply to orientation times or scheduled parent volunteer times. Understand that your child may be included in classroom evaluations by State Licensing officials and other governing agencies.

I already spoke with the licensor. She was helpful and this is the revision, yet it is still not to the ageny’s liking.
Revision:
OPEN DOOR POLICY
You may always come at any time while your child is present. However, if it is only to visit, it is disruptive to the routine and the other children in care. During times like these children have a hard time listening and following directions. If you, a family member or approved person would like to visit or play with the child for an extended period, please also keep the other children’s best interest in mind. When a child leaves, we must be notified whether the child will return that day or not. Understand that your child may be included in classroom evaluations by State Licensing officials and other governing agencies.

How can I re-word this to both foster their idea of an open-door policy yet still enforce some boundaries?

For some insight, I made this policy stricter as I began to have issue with a certain family. It is not just out of the blue. As I am sure you all know, and the forum topics concur, kids act nutzo when parents are around, so that also….

Can anyone share their experiences and policy? It would be greatly appreciated
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Michael 11:56 AM 07-26-2017
OPEN DOOR POLICY: https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12707

LINGERING PARENTS: https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.p...gering+parents
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Blackcat31 12:53 PM 07-26-2017
My Parent Policy Handbook defines Open Door policy for parents.

It says:

"Blackcat Daycare has an Open Door Policy. What this means is that any parent and/or legal guardian has access to their child at all times. This does NOT mean that parents and/or legal guardians are allowed to stop by and visit their child.

Children, especially young children do not always understand what 'visit' means so please be courteous and respectful of our policies and rules."


For those that request they be allowed to come and observe or hang out while I am doing my thing, they get this reply:

"While I understand that you would want to "see me in action" before leaving your child for the first time, I cannot allow it for several reasons.

First is the privacy of the other children and their family's. I do diaper changes, deal with medical issues/conditions, and discuss their home life with them on a daily basis. I have a strict privacy policy and having another adult around violates the trust between my clients and myself.

Second, you are a stranger to the children and their parents. Please consider how you would feel if your child were in care and I allowed a strange adult to the daycare to observe your child.

Third, I consider the trust my clients place in me the cornerstone of our relationship. In a childcare relationship I am asking that a client trust me completely with their child. I ask for honesty and open communication. Asking me to prove myself above and beyond my criminal background check, photo identification, insurance information, and references is not something I am willing to do.

I do understand if you need to find other arrangements. Just know that I value the children's safety and security above all else and allowing adults in to observe them is not part of the safe and secure environment I promise them each and every day."


For those parents that want to hang around and visit or chit chat, they get this reply:

"While I would love to chat all day verses change diapers and/or care for kids it's simply not possible so I must choose between the two. Since actually working is what pays the bills, you'll have to chat with someone else. I'm sure you understand! Bye! Have a great day!"

I have ZERO qualms about being blunt, straight forward and honest. It's easy, clear and gets my point across quite well.

Of course having a smile on your face and a friendly tone to your words makes a huge difference but blunt, straight up honesty is what I've always had the most success with.
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AmyKidsCo 12:54 PM 07-26-2017
I got this wording from Tom Copeland:
"Parents who wish to spend extended time with their child during the day must give me at least two days notice of when you will be visiting. I reserve the right to limit how much time can be spent on these visits."

http://tomcopelandblog.com/long-pare...visit-children
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Mummy101 04:15 PM 07-26-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:

I have ZERO qualms about being blunt, straight forward and honest. It's easy, clear and gets my point across quite well.
Love it. Yes, I have noticed and admire that greatly, I wish I had the backbone that you do! That policy is spot on, I agree 100%. Getting the agency to see it from this point of view however is another story.
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Mummy101 08:18 PM 07-27-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
My Parent Policy Handbook
BC I love your take on things. What is your policy on toilet learning/potty training?; whichever term you prefer.
Do you like or dislike pull-ups and potty chairs?
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Blackcat31 06:19 AM 07-28-2017
Originally Posted by Mummy101:
BC I love your take on things. What is your policy on toilet learning/potty training?; whichever term you prefer.
Do you like or dislike pull-ups and potty chairs?
I have mixed feelings about Pull-ups and I think their usefulness is often confused with convenience or worse... with being trained. Some kids do great with Pull ups and some just think they got a different style diaper so it really is dependent on the child and where they are with toilet readiness.

Potty chairs?......same thing. Some kids do seem to transition from diaper/Pull up to underwear better using a potty chair (I do have one) but I try really hard to avoid use at all.

Simply because like infant equipment, it's just another item you have to wean them from later. I have a girlfriend that literally hauled around a potty seat everywhere they went because her daughter refused to use anything other than what she was used to so my friend toted the potty chair everywhere they went...and I'm not talking about one of those snap on seats...I am talking full sized potty chair.

I do have one of those toilet seats with the built in child-sized lids and that is by far the best invention ever...

But with all that said, I don't get involved with potty training and don't take kids to the bathroom at timed intervals during the day. I don't do potty charts, rewards, stickers or have potty parties.

Instead I have a list of developmental requirements that a child must have mastered before I will participate in the process. I provide this list along with my "toilet training philosophy" to parents when they start bringing up the subject.

Once a child has mastered those skills (all of which are easily embedded in regular daily activities from day one) then the parent usually goes full on hard core potty training and if the child is truly ready....it takes only a couple days. Not weeks or months of trying with moderate success and lots of failures and of course promises from parents that the child has been dry for-evah at home........ if a child IS truly ready to be trained the process is short, easy and pretty painless for everyone.

The child is free to wear Pull ups and/or diapers and in some cases thick absorbent training underwear with a plastic cover until they have been dry AND have used the toilet as expected for 2 full weeks and then they are cut lose and can wear underwear like anyone else.
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Mummy101 10:12 AM 07-28-2017
This is all excellent, I agree.
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Simply because like infant equipment, it's just another item you have to wean them from later. I have a girlfriend that literally hauled around a potty seat everywhere they went because her daughter refused to use anything other than what she was used to so my friend toted the potty chair everywhere they went...and I'm not talking about one of those snap on seats...I am talking full sized potty chair.
I am picturing the potty chair in a the trunk of a minivan

Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I have mixed feelings about Pull-ups and I think their usefulness is often confused with convenience or worse... with being trained. Some kids do great with Pull ups and some just think they got a different style diaper so it really is dependent on the child and where they are with toilet readiness.
This in particular. To me pull-ups are messy I have a parent of 2.5yo that keeps pushing the pull-ups. DCK is just using them as a diaper! Pees on the potty when prompted at home, but HATES to do it here. I am certainly not going to push the issue and foster potty regression. DCK also adamantly refuses to poop on potty. I don't think DCK is ready.

How do you word your policy/handle pushy parents?
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Blackcat31 10:18 AM 07-28-2017
Originally Posted by Mummy101:

How do you word your policy/handle pushy parents?
I am messaging you my toilet training info sheet
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Tags:lingering parents, lingering parents - at drop off, open door policy, policy
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