[Takiyah]

I would want to first voice the concern of Mrs. Hopkins picking up her child late. I would then inquire about what delays her from picking up her child on time. Depending on the response, possible precautions may be taken, or an alternative to getting her child would be in place.

[tyra covington]

I would approach the situation with empathy for the reason why shes been late but then i would also address the fact that her being late doesn’t only affect the staff but it also can have a negative impact of the child.

[jake greenblatt]

First I would ask how she is doing in her life and world. Then i would express my frustration at the time and explain how it effects me without blaming her, just coming from a place of vulnerability. Finally I would thank her for listening and ask if we could come up with a plan together for timeliness

[Ruby D]

I would start first by, explaining to the parent that 3 times being late in the past two weeks is too many, and has an impact on the child mentally. then I would ask the reason for the late pick-ups and create or try to work out a solution. I think it’s also important to note some centers have late fees for late pickups that may be implemented for non-emergencies.

[Juniper Zunin]

First, making sure that Mrs. Hopkins is aware of our hours is essential. Then it is important to make sure she knows that arriving late is not acceptable. However, when doing this, it is important to be empathetic and keep in mind the situation she may be in. Potentially providing more resources or other childcare programs with later hours. Being understanding while also clearly outlining the potential consequences that may occur based on our late policies.

[Lauren Carreon]

I would communicate my concerns with management.

[Brianna lapaille]

I would first speak to admin/management and ask them for their advice on how to approach the situation, someone mentioned asking the parent if there was something hindering their ability to pickup the child on time and I believe that was a great point, rather than open the conversation with attempting to ‘correct’ this it should be approached with empathy so the parent doesn’t feel attacked.

[Anne Magdalene Williams]

I would adhere to the early childhood center’s policy regarding late pick-up. If a fee applies, I would remind Ms. Hopkins of the policy in a respectful, positive, and professional manner. Additionally, I would ensure the pick-up process remains calm and unhurried, as abrupt transitions can negatively impact the child’s emotional well-being. Allowing time for the child to say goodbye to peers and staff supports a consistent and comforting routine. I would also offer to meet with Ms. Hopkins to collaboratively explore strategies that could help her consistently arrive on time for pick-up.

[Veronica Martinez]

In this situation a conversation is needed with the family/ guardians of the child. We kindly redirect them to the programs policies in regards to drop-off and pick-up time in addition to verifying if the family needs any help or support from the program and/or government.

[Van Nhi Dang]

After so many repeated late pickups, I would have a conversation with Mrs. Hopkins about the issue. I would start by factually reiterating the situation. i would say how this affects the centers operations and the impacts the child’s well being. I would make sure to avoid any accusatory language that could cause her to get defensive. I would give Mrs. Hopkins a chance to tell her side of the story and focus on a solution instead of judging. The wellbeing of the child is the priority.

[Emma Waters]

I would take a calm approach to talk about the patterns I’ve observed. I would make sure to document the days that she is late and what times she arrives, and I would follow up with an email or written message. I would say something along the lines of ” Hi Mrs. Hopkins, I wanted to check in with you about pick up times. We have noticed that over the last two weeks you have picked up your child late, including today which was 20 minutes after we have closed. We understand life happens and stuff gets in the way but please try to notify us at least 180 minutes prior to being late. If you would like to talk about scheduling options we are open to discussing some changes, thank you. “

[Emily Collins]

Coming to the conversation with the parent with empathy and compassion will help ease the awkwardness of the hard conversation about company policies and if there is consequences that need to be addressed ie late payments to compensate employee time. Asking questions and understanding why the parent is consistently late and if there is anything that the facility can do to help. 20 mins may not be a long time to the parent but it means a lot to the child who is consistently left behind.

[Grace Brady]

Family engagementAuthentic family engagement requires an overall program philosophy that values partnerships with families at all levels of the program: administrative, teaching and support, program policy, and in the design and use of physical space. Parent involvement cannot be delegated to a small number of staff members. It is everyone’s responsibility, and needs to be reinforced within all aspects of the program.Consider these scenarios: This is the third time in the last two weeks that Mrs. Hopkins has picked up her child late. Today she did not arrive until 20 minutes after closing time. – I would start by asking what is causing her lateness and try to come up with a game plan to help her come on time each day. Lily is 20 months old. This is the second time she has bitten another child today. Lily’s mom is very upset and may pull her out. I would have a conversation with her mom and brainstorm reasons why Lily is engaging in this behavior and what preventative measures we can take so this doesn’t happen again. The family was very upset when they came to pick up their son and found him dressed as a princess. They say they’re worry about him being teased and/or not understanding appropriate “male” behavior. – I would have a conversation with them about their son’s comfort level. He has exhibited no distress and if his peers within the classroom are not harassing them, there seems to be no need to stop him from dressing up. However, if they are still upset, we can minimize what their son dresses up as, by limiting it to a hair bow or other accessory instead, and having a discussion with the son about what he wants to wear or not wear. Mom is angry because her child got magenta tempera on her shirt and it wouldn’t wash out. The shirt is ruined. — patiently explain that accidents do happen, and that we will try our best in the future to use supplies that can be easily washed out. Dad is yelling at his son because the son does not want to stay at the childcare center. Dad is extremely frustrated because he is late for work. — focus on the child rather than the dad at first and ask the child why he’s hesitant to stay at the childcare center. Ask dad what child likes to play with or favorite subject to persuade child to go to the daycare center. Grandma starts to cry when she drops off her grandbaby because she feels she’s abandoning her since she has to go back to work. — Comfort grandma by citing all the fun things her grandbaby can do at the daycare and how much learning the grandbaby will get to do and share with the grandma after daycare. Show her this is a good place for her grandbaby to be.

[Emily Miller]

Inquire about the parent’s lateness, and ask if there is a way we can support the parent in order for her to be able to pick up by closing time, or come up with another solution

[Shannon]

20 minutes may not seem long to the parent, but its not fair to the child or the staff that need to stay late, the child may feel bad about being the last to be picked up. Emergencies may come up, but its not okay for this to happen so often. If it continues, matters may need to be taken more seriously