Request from daycare: is this really an issue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for all the different perspectives. I pick up DC hours before the daycare closes, so it's not about the closing time. All we do is walk down an aisle from classroom to door, not back and forth wandering around. Along the hallway, DC just wants to take a peek at the other classrooms, but we do not actually go into any of them. We only go to the reading area when it is empty. If there is a class there, we do not go. Adult area is off limits and we will work on that. I have no problem taking him straight out of the door, but he likes to go to the reading area. DC is going through the T2 phase, and I just don't know if this is the battle I should choose.

Yes you should. You've been asked to take him straight out. What he likes and wants to do isn't at issue here. If the reading area is empty I would imagine the staff is expecting it to stay empty. Perhaps other kids notice him peeking in and get distracted. Really though it doesn't matter why. The center has asked you to take him straight out, so that's what you need to do.[/quote]

Yes, exactly! Pick up and go. And stop questioning the rules the facility has...they don't want you to sue them when your little darling does something dangerous and gets hurt during that wandering around.

[Anonymous]

At our daycare they don't want the kids to be wandering all over the place, so yeah, generally there's no loitering in any of the common areas.

[Anonymous]

OP you chose the daycare, you should follow their rules. They've asked you to keep your child on a tighter leash, so yes, if you want to keep them there then you have to have the battle.

[Anonymous]

I find it a little odd. My kids will go say hi to their old teachers sometimes, or give them a quick hug, or go to the office for a sticker if they had a good day. Obviously kids shouldn't be running wild at pick up, but something about this request is a little bit weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At my daughter's daycare we're welcome to hang out and play for awhile, or stop in the other classrooms to say hi to the teachers. For me, it's very important that the place where my child spends so much time is a home-like environment that's warm and welcoming-I'd be very put off by what OP describes.

Likewise. All the teachers and staff know each child by name. We don't actually go into other classrooms but if we did, I'm sure they wouldn't be upset (unless it were the infant room where you have to take shoes off).

If that's what daycare requests, I guess that's what you have to do, but I would be put off by it as well.

+1

My son has been at the same center for 4 years and we often spend a few minutes chatting with others on our way out. Sometimes it's other kids and parents but often it's other teachers whom we haven't seen in awhile. Sometimes it's the director just to chat or catch up on how my son is doing. They would never ask us to get out of there because it's a welcoming community and they encourage us all to know each other. We wouldn't walk into a classroom and interrupt anything going on but if another room had open play time it wouldn't be a problem at all if we wanted to go visit my son's old teachers or friends.

So, yes, they are allowed to make that rule but I would be incredibly put off by it.

Same.
- veteran daycare parent

[Anonymous]

It may also be that the staff is having difficulty getting your son to follow direction when they need to move from room to room with him & the rest of the class. Your son is used to wandering around with you and doesn't understand that he can't do that anytime he wants.

[Anonymous]

Just shut up and do it, OP.

Jesus.

[Anonymous]

Walk from A to B, no stopping. Repeat. The same way everytime. It becomes routine. No one gets lost. Works for my Alzheimer's Father.

[Anonymous]

I worked in a small center years ago and remember dealing with parents like OP.
One of them picked up early and just. wouldn't. leave. We created a system where someone would watch for her as she pulled into parking lot and alert the other staff. This was usually around the tail end of nap time, so a particularly busy transition time.
We would have the child ready by the door so when the parent arrived she could scoop up and leave, giving Precious her attention and allowing the staff to attend to the other children. But no she would come inside and talk with everyone while Precious either cried by the door or wandered around the center.
So we began a new system where the parent would be met OUTSIDE the door with Precious all ready and eager to go. She would either try to come inside (we told her no, the younger babies are still napping) or just hangout in the fenced in play yard as if it were a pubic park.
At one point a staff member began meeting her in the parking lot so that Precious could get right into the car. The director shut this down and spoke to the parent several times about "exiting the facility once child is picked up." To no avail. It was an extreme case!
This was at a (small) university child care center so it was a rather tight knit community - really awkward for the director to have to reprimand parents. But regardless of the size and type of center, it seems reasonable to have rules and procedures in place that are for the welfare of the children. Parents should be expected to follow the rules - not argue with them! So entitled and annoying.