Drop off ? collection procedure.

**little chickee** · 13-08-2009, 09:17 AM

How do you all conduct your drop off and collection in your home. do you take parents and mindees into your living room or kitchen to drop off and collect or do you just stand at the door to hand over kids?

At the moment i mostly have them coming into living room but for various reasons ( mainly my cream hallway carpet and people who will not take off their shoes!) i would like to hand over at the front door - will parents think this is too unfriendly or too clinical maybe.

i pride myself on offering a home from home setting but am fed up of scrubbing my carpets clean ( when i should be playing with mindes)

**hayleychildcare** · 13-08-2009, 09:22 AM

I collect at front door in the morning and let parents come into lounge at collection time. I have a big sign just inside my front door saying "Shoes off please"

~Chelle~ · 13-08-2009, 09:37 AM

Two parents always drop off at the front door, mainly because they have to rush to work or drop other kids off.

With the other lo, his dad will drop off at the door and collect from the hallway but his mum always comes into the house and has a good nose around lol.

I dont mind either way really as I have laminate so it is easy to clean

I would put up a polite notice saying " Please remove all shoes when entering my home, Thanks".

**youarewhatyoueat** · 13-08-2009, 09:58 AM

Can you not just put a small rug on the floor and have the bags for the child ready so the parents don't come further than the rug.Then when all the children have gone you can roll the rug up and pop away till morning. I have an old rug so I can wheel wet buggies into the hallway.

**little chickee** · 13-08-2009, 01:39 PM

Ignoring the carpet issue - its not just about clean carpets really - is it ok to have a policy of drop offs and collection at the door - one of my parents collects at 5.45 and can stand chatting for ages - im happy to chat for a bit about our day and what her son has been doing but it can go on for 30mins - all the while i am needing to give my kids their tea and on the day i have her son i have to be out the door at 6pm to be at cubs where i am a leader so really cant be late and i nearly always am.

does it look bad to not take them into the house - is it ok to have the kids ready, shoes on, jacket on bag ready etc all ready to just go or does this make it seem like i can't wait for the child to be away?

**MissTinkerbell** · 13-08-2009, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by little chickee

is it ok to have the kids ready, shoes on, jacket on bag ready etc all ready to just go or does this make it seem like i can't wait for the child to be away?

I look at it like this - they've been at work all day and probably just want to get home and put their feet up/have tea as much as you want to wave goodbye and do the same. Sometimes I've had mine ready, especially if I've seen the car pull up - other times they are not.

**cuffleygirl** · 13-08-2009, 03:28 PM

Personally I like drop off at the door - minutes are precious in the morning especially before school and its my home and dh gets a bit humpy at greeting parents over his toast! But I also like to know if say the child has had a bad night, injections previous day things like that so its a balance.

In the evening parents are invited into the hall, children called brief chat that's it unless child wants to show parent something they've done - this is after one nosey parent asked to use the loo - and promptly used my ensuite! She is the parent who's attitude is I'm paying you so I am entitled to do as I please!

**uf353432** · 13-08-2009, 05:16 PM

Whether its right or wrong is entirely how its perceived by your parents. I have a large play deck off the back of my house. Children are collected from the deck and parents come round to the back door and rarely if ever come into the house - how long I spend chatting to the parents is entirely governed by them and their child - from my part I have all the child's bag ready to go, and if raining or cold etc coat on. Some days I chat with them, some days I hand over and wave them off immediately.

Perhaps on the day you need to be out sharpish is the day to introduce the quick handover - you should not feel guilty for having a life outside of childminding and there are some days you need to have a quick handover as you have a life as well. There may be some other days you are happy to have a longer chat, perhaps on those days invite the parents in for collection - that way if you are doing a handover at the door its a clear signal for them that you can't chat. You may wish to explain in advance via verbal or written means ie newsletter that you plan to do this and the reasons why - which are perfectly reasonable. Over time you may be able to reduce the invitations in the house but please ensure your parents feel they are getting all information they need from you. Some parents may prefer verbal feedback as appose to written, helps them connect with their children whilst they are apart which is also very reasonable.

I'm sure you can strike a balance

**claires** · 14-08-2009, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by cuffleygirl

Personally I like drop off at the door - minutes are precious in the morning especially before school and its my home and dh gets a bit humpy at greeting parents over his toast! But I also like to know if say the child has had a bad night, injections previous day things like that so its a balance.

In the evening parents are invited into the hall, children called brief chat that's it unless child wants to show parent something they've done - this is after one nosey parent asked to use the loo - and promptly used my ensuite! She is the parent who's attitude is I'm paying you so I am entitled to do as I please!

I cn't believe she used your en suite!!!!!!

**claire & steve** · 07-02-2013, 01:08 PM

We have the same problem with this, parents walking into the lounge with their shoes on and it does disrupt the other children as they like to have a nose to see what is happening. Could some one help me word a procedure so i could send out to all parents x

**Cottonsocks** · 07-02-2013, 01:21 PM

I now do door drop offs and pick ups. Many parents are in a rush whereas others could chat all night and it seemed a cheek to guide them out! I sometimes have children ready with coats and shoes on and sometimes don't. Usually is a bit of a hint that the parents are 10 minutes late ;-)

**claire & steve** · 07-02-2013, 01:28 PM

When you changed to door collections, did you put it in writing or just explain it to your parents thanks

**mazza58** · 07-02-2013, 01:30 PM

Something like At the end of the day when parents arrive I would appreciate it if you could stand just inside the door so that I can bring your child to you so as not to disrupt the other children playing in the front room, and if possible I will have your child ready for you as i am sure you would like to get home as quickly as possible to settle down for the evening with your child and have dinner. If you do have to have parents into the living room I have some shoe covers for them to put on over their shoes if they dont want to take their shoes off.

**Cottonsocks** · 07-02-2013, 02:07 PM

When I changed the drop off area, I didn't mention anything to the parents. The doorbell rang and I could see from the playroom window which parent was outside. Called the appropriate child and they ran to the door to put their shoes on. It works brilliantly now.

**nikkiv** · 07-02-2013, 03:02 PM

I do door / hall drop off and pick ups everything is in the child's daily diary, I do not have time to stand talking as I have other mindees to get ready to go home all my parents know they can phone me when ever they want to chat but I'm afraid to say I want to finish my working day so I can have quality time with my son!!!

**Loushah** · 07-02-2013, 03:04 PM

I never changed my policy on pick up / collection but we have progressed from letting parent's in and chatting for ages to having the children ready, coats and shoes on, bags & sheets ready and have a quick chat with parents every night. Mornings normally a quick hand over at the front door. If parents want a more in-depth talk if appropriate we will do it straight away if not I'll arrange to ring them on the night.

**winstonian** · 07-02-2013, 03:31 PM

In the evening parents are invited into the hall, children called brief chat that's it unless child wants to show parent something they've done - this is after one nosey parent asked to use the loo - and promptly used my ensuite! She is the parent who's attitude is I'm paying you so I am entitled to do as I please![/QUOTE]

I can beat this, I had 1 mum who brought her sandwiches in 1 night and sat and ate them in front of the children! She had forgotten her drink so asked fr a glass of juice which she then spilt all over my carpet!
I put this in my December newsletter:
Bad Weather and Shoes
Please remember that with school and nursery runs we are out every day so your children will need clothes suitable for the weather.
Also as the paths get wet and muddy we have a complete ban on shoes in the living room, wet mud and crawling babies (or bigger children who like to roll around on the floor) are not a nice mix. If you wish to send slippers for your children this is fine and please can all parents remove their shoes before entering the living room or if you prefer to wait in the hall I will happily bring your children to you.
It has worked pretty well.

**VeggieSausage** · 07-02-2013, 06:58 PM

always at the door, I have other children to look after so don't want parents in, quick chat then off......byeeeee, works for me, I am always friendly and they know no different as i do it from day 1, all children are ready to go at their allotted time...

**kel1983** · 07-02-2013, 07:31 PM

Drop off is usually quick as parents are usually running late. On collection parents come in to our dining roon which is the first room off the front door. We have wooden floor so dont wrry about shoes etc. We try and encourage the children to have their shoes on ready and have their bags ready in a pile so they can grab and go. There is 2 of us so one usually does chating with parents while the other sits with the oher children

**AliceK** · 07-02-2013, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by cathrawlings

When I changed the drop off area, I didn't mention anything to the parents. The doorbell rang and I could see from the playroom window which parent was outside. Called the appropriate child and they ran to the door to put their shoes on. It works brilliantly now.

This is what I do. Some parents stand and wait just outside the front door others step into the hall but that's as far as they get

xxx