Parents staying at the end of day!!!!

[chelsea59]

Do any of you have experence of parents coming in when theyre supposed to be collecting their child and they stay for half hour asking what did he eat whatdid you do today and just sitting there talking to you watching you play with their child????? I dunno what to say to them!!!There's one father that stayed for a good 20 minuted to collect his children over the winter but luckily mum is a bit quicker,does this happen to anyone else? Don't wanna be rude but I finish the day very tired and its a bit uncomfortable as the other parents are coming to collect their kids too.How do you prevent this???????

Also is it normal to be asked if prospective parents can look around your house? Happened to me twice and didnt like it much.

[ziggy]

I'm quite rude and usually say some thing along the lines of, 'right let's get all your things together as i'm sure mummy/daddy has things to do and i have other children to see to'

My parents come at set times so i always have child/ren ready to leave

[sarah707]

I welcome parents in if they want to chat with me - at mutually agreed times.

They are very welcome to come in and look at the display board and see their child's work - when it is convenient for them, me and my family.

Things are often fraught at the end of the day so for safeguarding reasons I hand children over at the door - but of course I have to get back inside to look after the others.

I have a diary for the most important information sharing - I am happy to consider other ways of communicating as well.

Maybe look at your routines and think about how you can change things

[blue bear]

I've had it and the subtle lets get ready I'm sure mummy ....etc did not work, had to be blunt and explain although I'm happy to have a quick chat at collection it has to be that exactly and anything else needs a special appointment for. I got the children ready 5 minutes before collection time and had them ready at the door when I saw parent pull up outside, you could always use the old.. Ofsted say, safeguarding insurance waffle waffle waffle.......

[little chickee]

If you can have the child ready to go at home time. jacket on and bag ready.
When parents arrive pop on shoes and its "ok see you tomorrow" and shepard towards the door.

I don't allow parents into my house. I have a smallish area at the front door where i conduct drop offs and collection. i take child through, close connecting door the the rest of the house and stand in front of it. Parents soon get the message.

Do you do a daily diary? If so and parents ask about day just say "its all in the diary, now i must go as i am still busy, see you tomorrow".

[vals]

I also take the children to the door when the parents arrive. I pull the living room door to,and the children all know the 'going home rules'. I also do a daily diary, and sometimes shortly after the children have gone home I send them any nice photos etc. I used to let people in etc.but it always turned to chaos, and when you end up with more than one parent there it can be very awkward.
When parents collect from school they don't usually go in for a chat, and with pre schools and nurserys the system varies,but usually children come out to the parent with a brief handover from a member of staff,so no reason why we cant do similar.

[Helen Dempster]

I have them ready to go, if possible - although the kids I have at the moment, see their parents coming then run and hide cos they don't want to go!!! I don't mind a chat at the end of the day, and must admit that sometimes it's ME doing all the talking, when they're trying to leave

[chriss]

Regarding prospective parents, I havent come across this, but I would happily show them any room their child might be in, so downstairs rooms, garden and bathroom upstairs. I would make sure bedroom doors are closed.

If I was the parents I think I would like to see wherever my child might be

[Koala]

It can get very tricky at the end of the day if parents want to come in and sit down, I like them to pick up and go, I have had parents want their time with me and almost hijack me as my other half says, I am wise to it now and often they just want to talk about themselves and its nothing to do with their childs time with me.
Put a strategy in place now to avoid hangeroners. be aware of what they want and prepare to combat the issue.

Prospective parents wanting to look around your house - be careful you don't know them from Adam, I had someone email me requesting to look upstairs after their first visit I quickly forwarded a copy of my policies and procedures stating that this is my home and the upstairs area is private and asked all parents to respect this, This was inserted after a three year old wanted to take his daddy upstairs to look at my new carpet, yes in his outdoor shoes as well, I quick sideways look stopped him in his tracks, you really have to have boundaries otherwise it ends up little jonny want mummy to take him to the toiulet just as he is leaving or parents want to use your loo which I have had folk want to do and I don't like that either.

[nikki thomson]

Don't you just love it when more than one parent turns up at once and they start having a chat about anything and everything while your running around like a headless chicken collecting children and trying to usher them to the door, I don't have that now as I only have the one lo but even then the other day it was lovely weather so he was in the garden, didn't want to leave (sit down protest) my children's dinner was ready and I was trying to get them to the table dish up dinner with constant mummy mummy, and then lo did a poo so he needed changing it was a nightmare, mum was very understanding and I did text her later to apologise for how hectic it was, she's lovely and just said dont worry about it hun but I was very glad when that door finally shut. X

[MessybutHappy]

I have had appointments to go to in the past!!! "I'm ever so sorry, but I have to dash tonight". Now, my children have to be out for afterschool stuff, so I have them ready to leave. Parents get the message. Often though I'm happy to have a good natter with an ADULT and it's the parents that have to make their excuses to leave!!!

[sskent08]

I try to do hand overs at the door, take their bags, coats with me and hand over

one child 5 makes a meal of home time, really drags it out, so 5 minutes before I know parents will arrive she goes and gets her shoes and coat and bags, then parents arrive and she is all ready.

with regard to showing around, I do not show upstairs, just downstairs and garden

[Anacrusis]

I don't mind having a chat with parents at pick up time but then I only work part time & finish at 3.30 - I'm sure it'd be different if it was 6pm or later and I was waiting to have my tea!

[sarahmc]

I had a dad who use to come in sit down and read the local paper! I soon learnt to hide the paper and move the chair if I knew he was coming. I felt I should offer him a coffee and biscuit he use to stay so long!! Not!!

[loocyloo]

most of my parents collect and go, and if I need to be running out of the door after them, then I tell them so! ( I have, a few times, had my own children sitting in the car ready to go! ) sometimes we chat, depends really!

I show prospective parents around the downstairs of my house, and tell them that although I have the whole of my house registered, minded children do not go upstairs at all. ( occasionally schoolies do, but only a couple of them, and only when there is only one schoolie in the house plus my own children! those mindees are my childrens friends ) the only time I would take a mindee up is if I had to get something and had one I couldn't put down or something!

[lubeam]

I have this , dads a really nice guy but I've finished work all I want is leaving alone !!!! Lol dh has befriended mindees dad so even if I can push him out the door dh is the one talkin still !!! Arrrrr ! Shut up ! I'm gunna kindly say thanks for supporting my business n being friendly etc but stop!!! Lol , I'm a mean wife lol

[Rick]

I welcome parents in if they want to chat with me - at mutually agreed times.

They are very welcome to come in and look at the display board and see their child's work - when it is convenient for them, me and my family.

Things are often fraught at the end of the day so for safeguarding reasons I hand children over at the door - but of course I have to get back inside to look after the others.

I have a diary for the most important information sharing - I am happy to consider other ways of communicating as well.

Maybe look at your routines and think about how you can change things

I agree. Quite often my parents don't have time to chat but everything's in the diary anyway. Occasionally I'll get a text later if something's been missed. If you want to speed things up you could have the child all ready and hand over at the door (have a quick chat there and say bye).

I actually only have two parents who pick up, and a sister who has no intention of hanging about!

[bindy]

Because I'm in flat, I have to buzzy parents inside,I always have bags, coats etc outside in the hallway, a pile for each child! I take the child out, shut the door behind me and chat to parents there. If the kids start messing, I leave them to it, go back into my flat.

When I first started to childmind the first big mistake was to invite parents in to collect their children. Well the kids acted like nutters, running around, jumping, hitting one another with toys, slinging toys, it was a awful. Then the parents used to sit and chat and chat and chat... Never again!!

[jackie 7]

I hate it when they come early and tea is not finished. Now doing tea at 4.30 so should be over by 5. I am making a big effort to have all ready to go by 5. I would do a new leaving policy saying while children are on your premises you are legally in charge so you will be charging for that time. 1 written earning saying it is your time and unless it is a pre arranged talk. You will charge them.

[donna porter]

I kinda have the opposite where one parent is on the phone and not a bit interested in their child and just wants to get home. I would kinda like it if they paid a bit of interest in what their child has done in the day. But I understand how tired everyone is at the end of the day and she's obviously confident I've taken good care of the child :-)