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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Parents Just Walking into my Daycare home
Unregistered 12:45 PM 02-25-2009
Do most of you allow parents to enter your home by just walking in or do they knock and wait for an answer? All of my parents, except for one dad, knocks first. I always answer door within 10 seconds. I have one dad that after watching his child for 3.5 years, decided to just start walking in without knocking first. Although I am running childcare out of my home, I feel that it is still my home, and I deserve just a little bit of privacy (ie: I walk out of the bathroom, and he is standing there).
So.... I starting locking the door. He said nothing yesterday. But today he said "you're just killing me". I said, "What do you mean" (playing studpid). He said by locking the door. I explained to him that I am trying to keep all the kids safe, including my own. I don't want a stranger just walking in here, expecially if I am upstairs getting the babies up from nap. It is for everyones protection. We do have a federal prison less than 10 miles away, and last month a murderer had escaped. It took them a week to catch him and he was hanging around (at a gas station) not but 5 miles from where we live.
I guess I am just annoyed, because along with the confinement of watching kids for 10 hours a day, I now feel like I have no personal space left whatsoever. He also doesn't have a regular pickup time. He can walk in anywhere from 12:00 to 5:00. Please give your opinions. Maybe I am just crazy.
So.... I starting locking the door. He said nothing yesterday. But today he said "you're just killing me". I said, "What do you mean" (playing studpid). He said by locking the door. I explained to him that I am trying to keep all the kids safe, including my own. I don't want a stranger just walking in here, expecially if I am upstairs getting the babies up from nap. It is for everyones protection. We do have a federal prison less than 10 miles away, and last month a murderer had escaped. It took them a week to catch him and he was hanging around (at a gas station) not but 5 miles from where we live.
I guess I am just annoyed, because along with the confinement of watching kids for 10 hours a day, I now feel like I have no personal space left whatsoever. He also doesn't have a regular pickup time. He can walk in anywhere from 12:00 to 5:00. Please give your opinions. Maybe I am just crazy.
Unregistered 05:36 PM 02-25-2009
That's just a flat out safety issue. If he can walk in, anyone can walk in ( or out) and maybe you should just thank him for drawing that to your attention. It's your house and you can (and probably should) lock your doors if you want to. You are not denying him access, just trying to keep the children safe you care for safe. He can wait a minute.
lilbiddapopcorn 01:49 AM 02-26-2009
I agree. I always kept my doors locked. It's for everyone's safety and let's face it, it's not that much of an inconvenience for the parent/s to wait a few seconds for you to open it. I remember a couple times I forgot to lock the bottom part of the door but put the chain on, and everytime I did one parent in particular would go to open it without knocking and i'd hear it slam from the chain stopping the door. 
It drove me crazy. Even when all the locks were locked I'd hear her trying to turn the knob before she would try knocking. Just a pet peeve of mine... If a parent has a problem with it, just explain that you have an open door policy but that doesn't mean you leave your door unlocked.
It drove me crazy. Even when all the locks were locked I'd hear her trying to turn the knob before she would try knocking. Just a pet peeve of mine... If a parent has a problem with it, just explain that you have an open door policy but that doesn't mean you leave your door unlocked.
unregistered 02:24 PM 02-26-2009
Yes you are not wrong in any way.
Try to explain to the parents that the main reason of locking the door is for security.
I believe they will reason with you because you are doing nothing but to safe guard the children.
Try to explain to the parents that the main reason of locking the door is for security.
I believe they will reason with you because you are doing nothing but to safe guard the children.
tymaboy 02:41 PM 02-26-2009
Every so often I forget to lock my front door & one time DCD walked right in. Since then I put in my policy to know & wait for the door to be opened for the simple fact that this is my home.
megoddess444 08:41 AM 03-03-2009
All I have to say is "WOW" parents can sometimes be a real pain in the @ss!!! How mad would that same parent be if the child got out of the house?? Sometimes you can never win. Stick to your guns...I would love to be at your house the next time the parent "made themselves at home"
ajs_mommom 01:28 PM 03-25-2009
Hi! I just joined today, but I have a little different take on this situation. We live out in the country and have dogs (mini dachshunds) that bark at anything, so I certainly know when someone is here. I encourage the parents to let themselves in when they come to drop off or pick up their kids. Saves me the time and steps of going over there to do it, and the parents seem comfortable with it. They know that they are welcome to pop in at any time. As for the safety of the children, we have a large great room (kitchen, dining room and living room) that is the main area for the day care kids, and a playroom that is right off of that, so I know where the kids are at all times.
JUst had to add my two cents. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.
JUst had to add my two cents. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.
TTOTS 07:22 AM 03-31-2009
I also have an open door policy. My dog tells me when someone is here, I also have the parents knock before they just open the door and come in. We are not allowed to lock our doors during daycare hours for emergency reasons. I can see my front door from the daycare playroom so I always see who is coming up to the door. As for the safety, they know not to go near the doors without an adult present.
tinytotzdaycare 09:08 AM 09-27-2009
I keep my door unlocked from 6am-7am since all of my kiddos arrive by then. After 7am sharp the door remains locked, if parents arrive late they know to ring the chime and I will get to the door as soon as I can. We then unlock the door around 3:30pm when our parents start arriving. As for knocking, they know to just come on in during d.off/p.up but if its anyother time they have to knock cause the door will be locked =)
I also agree that it depends on your house set up as well, we have our childcare in 1800 sq ft lower level especially built for such. We have a seperate entrance and that helps!
I also agree that it depends on your house set up as well, we have our childcare in 1800 sq ft lower level especially built for such. We have a seperate entrance and that helps!