What are your red flags?

[Maza]

When you have prospective parents visit with their child - what are your red flags?

Mine is behaviour management - either not noticing the behaviour at all, or over explaining why a child shouldn't touch x,y,z whilst the child takes zero notice.

Today I just realised that another annoyance (not necessarily a red flag) is when they give their child snacks in my home and let them walk around with it whilst still touching and mouthing all my toys with sticky hands and dropping bits on the floor.

[loocyloo]

Oh yes ... giving a child food in my house without asking me if that is OK, asking child to sit down and allowing them to spread food around. I would be asking child to sit down/ say we only eat and drink at the table in the kitchen. And mention about allergies etc.

Being spoken over and also being spoken to as if I am a 15yr old babysitter with no experience, rather than over 50yrs old, with 35 yrs experience!

If a parent visits whilst I am working; a parent who ignores my other children, and/ or equally wants to know too much about the other children/ families.

I once had a parent who didn't want to make an appointment to see me, as they were 'just so busy' so they'd pop in when passing. 3 weeks later they caught us about to go out and were very disgruntled that they'd tried to visit several times, and I'd never been in! ... I said that was why I'd asked her to make an appointment! She said she didn't want a childminder who went out! ... yet, she'd met me originally at toddlers, and all my bumph says I go out and about ! So i guess, parents who think they can tell me what to do/ how to do it/ want their child to come first.

[Maza]

What a shocking, silly parent that was loocyloo!

Yes, I get very protective when a parent wants to know too much about the other children.

How long are your first visits usually? My other annoyance is when families don't know when to call it a day and go home!

[loocyloo]

What a shocking, silly parent that was loocyloo!

Yes, I get very protective when a parent wants to know too much about the other children.

How long are your first visits usually? My other annoyance is when families don't know when to call it a day and go home!

I tend to offer parents a visit from 9-10am saying that we are going out at 10, or 1.30-2.30 saying I need to leave for a school run. Sometimes they run over and if I'm happy chatting, i don't mind, but if it's not going well, I can shoo them out. But equally, I am usually doing the school run, and am often out at 10ish! I try not to have parents visit when I'm not working or in the evening but again, I suggest we do 6-7 as I'm going out!

[Pixie dust]

I am quite petite and I once had a parent comment as I opened the door on their visit "you are very short!" it was said in a very negative tone which started the red flags in my mind then during the visit I just knew this was not going to work as her expectations were not realistic and she kept correcting her 2 year old's pronunciation all the time. When they left she said she would be in touch but when she did 2 weeks later the space had gone They have contacted me a couple of times since to see if I had any spaces. I have seen this parent at the local school and she has since had 2 more children so I think I had a lucky escape !

[Maza]

Oh how rude of that parent! They really don't help themselves do they sometimes!