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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Akward Drop Off/Pic Up Time...
momma4many 01:47 PM 06-17-2011
Just wondering if any of you feel akward at times when parents drop off/pick up?
I have parents who want a play by play of their child's day, which I don't always have time for, but try to remember details and make the time (maybe I should be better about this, but with kids running around, I can be a bit preoccupied and at the end of the week, sometimes it just feels like all the days run together). I offered to provide them with a "what happened today" sheet, so I could write things down as I had time or they happened, but they insisted I not do that, but I did anyway, and they further insisted I not do that
So I stopped wasting my time there.
Lately, I feel pretty akward and find myself dreading drop off/pick up with these parents b/c I just don't know what to say.
One set of parents will stay at drop off until their child starts crying. When I try to make it short but sweet, they say things like, "I guess now that your here with her (me), you're fine, you don't need me?" That made me a bit uncomfortable for some reason.
I don't tell parents about a child's firsts, so unless they have told me the child has done something at home, I don't share that info, and we have a VERY set routine, so most days are the same. I find myself saying "He had a great day today!" then they ask "Anything new or concerning?" (totally valid, not arguing that) I say, "Nope, he was great, had lots of fun. We played _____ game, read ____books, etc. Basically stating our same, every day routine....every day. (Different games and books, but same things at same times every day). They just kind of stand there and wait for me to say more, or they go on and tell me every single little thing he is doing at home and ask if he has done that here. When I say "Oh yes, he did show us that today" (new word, etc.), it seems to make them sad that he does that here too
The look on their face is just devistation. I feel bad and akward, so I say even less.
I understand that it is hard to leave your child all day and possibly miss out on what they are doing. I am sympathetic to that. However it seems like my other kids just start winding up when they see me talking to someone for an extended amount of time. I don't want to rush them off and look like a jerk, but not sure what the norm is here.
Maybe I'm just new at this and so that's where the akwardness comes in, but I thought maybe you all could give me a baseline for the typical exchange at drop off/pick up?
I have parents who want a play by play of their child's day, which I don't always have time for, but try to remember details and make the time (maybe I should be better about this, but with kids running around, I can be a bit preoccupied and at the end of the week, sometimes it just feels like all the days run together). I offered to provide them with a "what happened today" sheet, so I could write things down as I had time or they happened, but they insisted I not do that, but I did anyway, and they further insisted I not do that
So I stopped wasting my time there.Lately, I feel pretty akward and find myself dreading drop off/pick up with these parents b/c I just don't know what to say.
One set of parents will stay at drop off until their child starts crying. When I try to make it short but sweet, they say things like, "I guess now that your here with her (me), you're fine, you don't need me?" That made me a bit uncomfortable for some reason.
I don't tell parents about a child's firsts, so unless they have told me the child has done something at home, I don't share that info, and we have a VERY set routine, so most days are the same. I find myself saying "He had a great day today!" then they ask "Anything new or concerning?" (totally valid, not arguing that) I say, "Nope, he was great, had lots of fun. We played _____ game, read ____books, etc. Basically stating our same, every day routine....every day. (Different games and books, but same things at same times every day). They just kind of stand there and wait for me to say more, or they go on and tell me every single little thing he is doing at home and ask if he has done that here. When I say "Oh yes, he did show us that today" (new word, etc.), it seems to make them sad that he does that here too
The look on their face is just devistation. I feel bad and akward, so I say even less.I understand that it is hard to leave your child all day and possibly miss out on what they are doing. I am sympathetic to that. However it seems like my other kids just start winding up when they see me talking to someone for an extended amount of time. I don't want to rush them off and look like a jerk, but not sure what the norm is here.
Maybe I'm just new at this and so that's where the akwardness comes in, but I thought maybe you all could give me a baseline for the typical exchange at drop off/pick up?