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View Full Version : When parent interviews go bad!!



Mouse
16-09-2016, 12:14 PM
I had a family round this morning, interested in my last EYs space.

The little boy was lovey and parents seemed pleased with everything they saw. As they were leaving we walked into the hall and there was an horrendous smell - the cat had pooed on mat inside the front door. I'd been telling them we had an old cat who was never any bother, yet here he was, waiting to go outside AFTER he'd plopped on the floor :panic:

Luckily I could pick the mat up and put it outside to deal with later, but the smell lingered all the time we were talking - and we all stood there pretending not to notice :laughing:

So, what have been your worst parent interviews?

mathremuk
16-09-2016, 12:23 PM
Ohhhh boohoo. Animals lol.

Mines everything my 2 year old is present. She threw a toy a a ten month old today. We are well and truly in terrible twos!

chris goodyear
16-09-2016, 12:43 PM
Mine was the opposite and it was the prospective mindee that had awful behaviour! She was 3 or 4 (can't remember) and tried to snatch toys out of other children's hands in front of mum and me! She managed it as she was older and I intervened as mum didn't then myself and mindee had a tug of war over the toy! I didn't expect this and told this child that is not the way we behave here but she carried on then having a major meltdown. She screamed that she didn't want to go home when mum got up to leave and I was gobsmacked when mum said she would like her to come here and if it worked out she wanted to send her twin boys as well!! In the end when she came she was lovely, no horrible behaviour and was good as gold.

Unfortunately after about 6 months when I had accommodated early starts which I really don't like, with not much notice given, dad suddenly decided I was charging too much for the early starts and wanted me to lower my fee ( I charge double before 8 and after 6) and tried to tell me I was ripping them off! Needless to say I terminated the contract after arguing with him on my doorstep and him being very unreasonable.

Maza
16-09-2016, 12:44 PM
Oh cat mess really, really stinks! :panic:

Nothing as bad as that but my DD, who must have been almost three, stood and did a wee on the floor right near where a baby was playing. She was easy to potty train and never had accidents and so she must have done it on purpose for attention. I was mortified and was thinking, "Oh no, what's the most hygienic way to deal with this?" Something I would just normally take in my stride if no one was there. It didn't phase the parents though.

Another time she was really awful to a crawling baby and took every toy off her, saying 'mine' and she was never, ever like that normally - usually it's the other way round, bless her. I was mortified and just couldn't get her to behave. The mum didn't get back to me and I often wonder if it was because of DD. Thankfully, about a year later she was at the same playgroup as me. There were only a handful of mums there and so everyone could see what everyone else was up to. DD was being really, really sweet to my crawling baby mindee all session and a few people commented on it right in front of the other mum. I was so happy that she was there that day!

FloraDora
16-09-2016, 02:40 PM
I had a parent arrive who dictated everything she wanted , she was moving her child from a nursery as she wasn't happy with them and they could not accommodate her wishes. I kept calm and continually talked about my practise, informed her I wasn't prepared to cook a tea as I offer afternoon snack only, I wasn't cooking a full English type breakfast either. I went through my behaviour management principles as I got the gist this was the issue at the nursery and she bulldozed her thoughts of " well I wouldn't want you to do this with.." At the end she said I had made the short list and she would be in touch...I replied that I unfortunately didn't think I was the best setting to accommodate her wishes and so I thought it best for her not to get in touch with me. She ignored me and preceded to ask when it would be best to bring her husband round to interview me....
I very politely said that these meetings were a two way system and that she had not passed my shortlisting and I would not be offering her a place.
She was not pleased and text me several times a few weeks later ( when I expect her shortlisted childminders had all declined) .

Ripeberry
16-09-2016, 03:14 PM
I had a family asking for care for a three year old. He was with both his parents and they seemed keen to sign him up. The boy however was a bit 'strange' and on edge. Anyway it ended with him being sick on my front lawn.
To cut a long story short, it seemed that he had severe anxiety and had never been left with anyone else before and that was his way of dealing with it. At the time I thought he had a bug.
Never took him on as my other family had to change days and I 'didn't suit them anymore'.

Ellisha
16-09-2016, 04:32 PM
I had a family round this morning, interested in my last EYs space.

The little boy was lovey and parents seemed pleased with everything they saw. As they were leaving we walked into the hall and there was an horrendous smell - the cat had pooed on mat inside the front door. I'd been telling them we had an old cat who was never any bother, yet here he was, waiting to go outside AFTER he'd plopped on the floor :panic:

Luckily I could pick the mat up and put it outside to deal with later, but the smell lingered all the time we were talking - and we all stood there pretending not to notice :laughing:

So, what have been your worst parent interviews?

The first family that came to see me went really well when the mum cane to visit. She then asked if the Dad could visit after work at about 5.30. I should've realised that would be a disaster! I had tired, hyper, over excited children running around and jumping on each other. Not their normal behaviour but enough to convince the Dad his 8 month old DD would probably get squashed! I never heard from them again but bumped into the nanny they'd taken on a few months later so they obviously thought one to one care was more suitable!

sarah707
16-09-2016, 04:57 PM
My son used to derail interviews - he'd half hear something and argue with me!

I ended up using bribery and where possible sending him off on play dates whenever I had parents coming round :laughing:

mumofone
16-09-2016, 06:54 PM
My son used to derail interviews - he'd half hear something and argue with me!

I ended up using bribery and where possible sending him off on play dates whenever I had parents coming round :laughing:

Its strangely reassuring to know that even the best childminders encounter this from their own children! :) x

mumofone
16-09-2016, 06:54 PM
I had a family round this morning, interested in my last EYs space.

The little boy was lovey and parents seemed pleased with everything they saw. As they were leaving we walked into the hall and there was an horrendous smell - the cat had pooed on mat inside the front door. I'd been telling them we had an old cat who was never any bother, yet here he was, waiting to go outside AFTER he'd plopped on the floor :panic:

Luckily I could pick the mat up and put it outside to deal with later, but the smell lingered all the time we were talking - and we all stood there pretending not to notice :laughing:

So, what have been your worst parent interviews?

Lol oh god, i would have been mortified!!

FussyElmo
16-09-2016, 07:27 PM
When ds who was 7 decided to try and manipulate the situation and get me to buy him call of duty.

Needless to say he had a full on tantrum saying I was the worse mum in the world all his friends had it - however mum signed as she was impressed I didnt give in to him and also i wouldnt allow him the game.

Hes 9 now still isnt allowed the game :laughing::laughing::laughing:

bunyip
17-09-2016, 04:47 PM
I had my youngest granddaughter here during a parent visit.

My granddaughter went to the toilet and came out to say, "Bunyip, I flushed the toilet and washed and dried my hands properly, like you taught me....."

(Ah, good girl, thought I - and how what a good impression.)

She continued, ".....oh, and I left a 'floatie' in there.)

:eek::eek: :panic: :eek: :panic: :eek:

VeggieSausage
07-10-2016, 07:59 PM
I went to make them a cuppa, came back in and my cat was sat in front of their beautiful little baby licking its bum and they were looking disgusted, that was the end of that one, I roared with laughter when they left....

Then there was the fateful appointment that I forgot someone was coming, need I say more, it was the one day I decided to not to clear up before lunch and we had been building dens in the front room with blankets, I hadn't washed up etc etc.....

loocyloo
08-10-2016, 06:09 AM
My son used to derail interviews - he'd half hear something and argue with me!

I ended up using bribery and where possible sending him off on play dates whenever I had parents coming round :laughing:

Me too ... even now I have to make sure my children are not around! Dd in particular is dreadful for telling me what I should or shouldn't be saying!

Years ago I had a mum with a bump come for a visit ... the only time she could come was right at teatime ... for 7 children ... it was chaos, my normally well behaved mindees turned feral!-even throwing food, which they had never done before. The LOs then proceeded to climb all over the furniture and this new mum. I was mortified and then astonished when mum asked me to care for babe when it arrived!
Apparently I had stayed so calm and relaxed and the children had been so friendly and polite, she just knew it was the place for her ( stayed for 5 years and 2nd child came too ... only left because I moved away! )

I wasn't calm and relaxed underneath!

blue bear
13-10-2016, 07:13 PM
Not a child or animal de railing the interview but a parent - I once had an interview with mummy with a bump, we got chatting and I mentioned something about work, she looked puzzled "but you don't work you just play all day". Needless to say she didn't make my short list and text me several times over the years to try and get me to care for her 'little angel'.

Mouse
13-10-2016, 08:26 PM
Not a child or animal de railing the interview but a parent - I once had an interview with mummy with a bump, we got chatting and I mentioned something about work, she looked puzzled "but you don't work you just play all day". Needless to say she didn't make my short list and text me several times over the years to try and get me to care for her 'little angel'.

I once had a mum ask if I had another job or if this was all I did! I gave her the benefit of the doubt as she was a new mum and had never used childcare before. I ended up having her son for 4 years.

My worst experience I had with a parent was when a large lady visited. She suddenly felt sick and dashed off to the toilet. Unfortunately she was a little too big to fit through the stairgate, got herself wedged in it and pulled it off the wall. She was mortified and very apologetic while I said it was DH's fault for not fitting it properly! I didn't ever hear from her again, but I've always hoped she got over the embarrassment and has managed to laugh about it since.

samb
14-10-2016, 03:28 PM
I once had a mum ask if I had another job or if this was all I did! I gave her the benefit of the doubt as she was a new mum and had never used childcare before. I ended up having her son for 4 years. My worst experience I had with a parent was when a large lady visited. She suddenly felt sick and dashed off to the toilet. Unfortunately she was a little too big to fit through the stairgate, got herself wedged in it and pulled it off the wall. She was mortified and very apologetic while I said it was DH's fault for not fitting it properly! I didn't ever hear from her again, but I've always hoped she got over the embarrassment and has managed to laugh about it since.

There's quite a few minders near me who are part time and have other jobs too. So maybe she just thought you had another job as had met others who had?

Mouse
14-10-2016, 08:05 PM
There's quite a few minders near me who are part time and have other jobs too. So maybe she just thought you had another job as had met others who had?

No, she really did think childminding was like babysitting and I just did it as a little hobby! She was surprised I didn't have a 'proper' job and actually said "oh, you don't work then?" She did admit sometime later that she'd had no idea what was involved in childminding. She wrote me a lovely reference for my Ofsted inspection and said that all I'd done for them was way above what they'd ever expected :thumbsup:

samb
14-10-2016, 10:33 PM
No, she really did think childminding was like babysitting and I just did it as a little hobby! She was surprised I didn't have a 'proper' job and actually said "oh, you don't work then?" She did admit sometime later that she'd had no idea what was involved in childminding. She wrote me a lovely reference for my Ofsted inspection and said that all I'd done for them was way above what they'd ever expected :thumbsup:
Oh no! Most people I meet don't understand fully what a childminder does but to say you don't even work?! My goodness!

Maza
14-10-2016, 10:40 PM
Oh no! Most people I meet don't understand fully what a childminder does but to say you don't even work?! My goodness!

Sooo many people (well, mainly my in-laws) have said to me, "Do you think you'll ever go back to work?" I am currently working in a school and just last week hubby's brother said, "Oh, have you gone back to work?". I sweetly said, "Well I always WAS working but now I'm not working at home". We'll never win that battle with some people!

FussyElmo
15-10-2016, 06:37 AM
No, she really did think childminding was like babysitting and I just did it as a little hobby! She was surprised I didn't have a 'proper' job and actually said "oh, you don't work then?" She did admit sometime later that she'd had no idea what was involved in childminding. She wrote me a lovely reference for my Ofsted inspection and said that all I'd done for them was way above what they'd ever expected :thumbsup:

Strangely one of my new mums asked rather incredibly is this all you do look after children.
She must have seen my face as she went on to say she couldn't do it.
Another mum at football tells people I'm a saint for running a nursery at home. Then when she picked dd up she was very surprised at I had a normal house.

samb
16-10-2016, 10:38 AM
Oh yes I suppose I've had comments like that but I think they usually mean a work place away from your home rather than presuming I don't actually work. Some people are just thoughtless, whereas it sounds like others have actually thought about it and questioned with that in mind.

hectors house
18-10-2016, 12:05 PM
Had a child poo herself and poo fell out the side of leg of her pants once during an parent interview, luckily the parent visiting said she had an older daughter and the same thing had happened to them once at a garden centre, she said she just picked it up in a tissue, shoved it in her pocket and hope no one had noticed.

Once when showing the house to potential buyers my daughter came upstairs and whispered in my ear that our elderly dog had done a wee on lounge carpet, I asked them to excuse me and I went downstairs and quickly jumped up and down on a mountain of kitchen roll for a couple of minutes until they arrived back downstairs - luckily the wet patch didn't show and they put in offer for full asking price, there and then. :D

samb
18-10-2016, 05:49 PM
Put it in her pocket?! Oh my word! That has got me creased up! Hahahahaha