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Parents and Guardians Forum>End Of The Day Routine
lovemykidstoo 05:56 PM 10-02-2012
I have a frustrating situation at the end of the day nearly every day. The kids exit through the back door that is adjacent to my dining room/kitchen. The kids have their sippy cups at the table right there and nearly every child feels the need to have a drink when their parent walks through the door. Doesn't matter if they just drank a gallon, they still need that top off. Alot of times there isn't even anything left in the cup, so they start crying for it and the parents for the most part don't discourage it. Sometimes I have went and filled it up for them (I know huge mistake). I just feel really bad saying, no Johnny, we're all done with those for the day right in front of the parent. I have started taking the cups away after snack time and today the little boy went to the sink and was crying. The mom says, what does he want? I know that she knows dang well what he wants and should have just taken him and left, but she waited while I told her that the dirty cups were in there. I didn't move I was not going to go and get a clean cup and fill it up. He was there 10 hours, time to go home. Does anyone have this problem and how can I stop it without being extremely rude. Oh, and I have talked with the kids and told them after they were done drinking at snack time that that was it for the day. Of course, they're 12 months to 3 years, they don't get it.
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lovemykidstoo 04:31 AM 10-03-2012
Noone has any advice for me?
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NeedaVaca 04:48 AM 10-03-2012
What about asking the parents to have a sippy cup/or bottle of water with them in the car?
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MrsSteinel'sHouse 05:04 AM 10-03-2012
I would be honest with the parents. "I am finding pick up time becoming more and more difficult for me because every child thinks they need another drink before they go. We have snack at _____ and have ________ to drink then so they are not thirsty. So, from now on I am washing the sippy cups after snack and will not be getting them a drink before they leave since this just delays departures. I would appreciate your support on this because it will take a little while to retrain them."
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Meyou 05:07 AM 10-03-2012
I would keep the cups away after a certain time in the afternoon and redirect the kids back to their parents. Child cries at the sink...gently turn the child around and say in a happy voice, "You're going home with Mommy and you have a big drink as soon as you get there."

I would also tell the parents that you've been having problems related to the cups so you've put them away at the very end of the day.

I do this almost every day. I have one DCG who tells me she is starving and thirsty every single day when she sees her dad's car.
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lovemykidstoo 05:27 AM 10-03-2012
Well the first mom of the day just came and I told her that I was having problems with the kids walking up to the table and randomly taking drinks out of each others cups. Told her that it also extends the pick up time because everyone all of a sudden needs a drink and if there is water in the cup they want milk, if there's milk in teh cup they want water. Told her that about 1/2 hr before pickup I'm taking the cups and washing them.
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Blackcat31 08:46 AM 10-03-2012
I do NOT provide any drinks of water the last 1/2 hour of the day. period.

I don't send cups home, I don't refill them before leaving and I don't provide one if they ask.

If a child asks for a drink before leaving as they ALL do the minute mom/dad arrives for pick up , I have no problem saying "Nope, sorry Seth but we are all done drinking for the day. I am sure mom/dad will get you something as soon as you get home" Then I stand my ground.

I have only had one parent say "But can't he just have a little drink?" and I say, "No, I am sorry but in group care, what one does, they all want to do and I am done with serving drinks for the day."

I also have a coat room that is separated from the main area of my daycare by a half door. I do NOT serve drinks anywhere but the table and most parents don't want to have to wait around while their child takes their shoes and coat back off just to come sit at the table for a quick drink. Once I said no a few times, they have all stopped asking.

I have also talked with the kids BEFORE pick up too and told them do NOT ask for water the minute your mom comes. Most my bigger kids completely understand and are great about it. It is usually the littler ones who want to test me, their parent and the boundaries/rules but once I say no, they get it too.
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lovemykidstoo 09:22 AM 10-03-2012
That's funny that I'm not the only one that has had this issue. Thougth it was just me. I"m about tired of it though and today I need to stand my ground. Some parent though just tick me off how they just stand there and don't say anything. If that were me, I would say, nope little Johnny we're going home. You're not dehydrated, you'll make it.
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Bugsworthy 06:21 PM 10-03-2012
Our kids also don't get drinks after snack time. There is one dcb that the mom supplies juice or milk with the sole purpose of him taking a full sippy home each evening. She even returns the sippy cup full every morning. He is the only exception.
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lovemykidstoo 06:26 PM 10-03-2012
Worked great today. I did talk to the one mother, but didn't mention anything to anyone else because the kids didn't ask for them today. When they were having their snack and drink at 3:30 I told them all to drink up because the cups were going to go and rest in the dishwasher and would be all shiny clean for them tomorrow. They must have understood because noone asked for a drink when their parent came. So from 3:30/3:45 until pickup some at 4:00/4:30 and 5:00 noone dehydrated
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Tags:meals, routine, wasteful habits
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