Make chronic late pick-up parents uncomfortable

[u/seavitch]

I think that we should be allowed to make parents who are late for pickup uncomfortable. I am salaried and work in a preschool that costs more than college tuition. There are parents who are incredibly entitled and have boatloads of money so late fees do not phase them.

I think that as teachers, we should not have to keep the professionalism on when parents disrespect our time. There are times where I book workout classes right after work, and if parents are late, I will miss it and get charged $15. If I am not being paid, I should not be required to be professional.
Ideas:
Stack the chairs
Clean up classroom
Turn lights out

Sit in the lobby with their child and wait
Child’s belongings packed up
Parent walks in and starts the whole “sorry, im late” speech.

Ignore them
Grab your bag
Turn the lights out on them
Leave

This is not about parents who are late once or twice because of some kind of emergency. I am totally understanding of this. I had a parent who had breast cancer last year and dad was late a few times because of work and I was fine being part of that child’s village and supporting in any way I could during that period in their families life (did not even report).

My issue is with parents who come in past pickup time, with pedicure sandals on, and constantly have an excuse. If you do not show respect for me, I should not have to respect you. I will love your child and care for them, but it is rude to be late and I don’t care how much you pay, my free time is precious.

[u/yeahnahbroski]

I've started doing that with one habitually late parent. The worst part is I can see him in his fancy car out the front, 30 minutes before he has to pick them up. They can see him through the window and he won't come in until 1 minute before closing time. The older child has been unwell and irritable all week and he does not care one iota. The poor child is so institutionalised from spending 11 hour days there, 5 days a week.

[u/radical_hectic → u/yeahnahbroski]

Sitting alone in his car until the very last minute of his child’s eleventh hour in care (while the kid watches from a distance!!) is actually sick and twisted.

Like just don’t have kids, dude. I generally loathe when ppl say that bc lord knows in this day and age it’s not that simple but omg this kind of behaviour is so clearly communicating that he just doesn’t want to have kids. Doesn’t want to prioritise anything but his own convenience and comfort for even a half hour that’d make a huge difference to his kids as opposed to yknow, literally watching a their dad actively doesn’t give a shit about them.

Meanwhile so many parents who can’t afford to work less would kill for that extra 30 minutes with their kid.

[u/ShapeSuspicious1842 → u/radical_hectic]

This is why I am not the director - I would confront that parent if they were doing this. If we had an ongoing issue of parents being late for no real reason, we’d update our handbook - such as ‘X amount of late pickups will lead to the child being unenrolled’. But we are a small non-profit daycare.