A while ago I got an earful from a daycare owner about a parent’s misconduct at the daycare and the longer I listened to her story the more I kept wondering why things went that bad and that far!

So anyway apparently this parent was a very potential daycare client before things went south. At first, she called the daycare to inquire about their working hours and caregiver qualifications. She then pointed out that her child was turning 2 years soon so she wanted the child to join daycare to get used to having other people around besides the parents.

So after a long talk, she showed up 2 days later alone and inspected the facility after a brief one on one with the daycare owner. Her assessment appeared dissatisfactory judging by her facial expression and murmured words under her breath. Soon after she left and promised to enroll her child in a week’s time.

Two days later she showed up citing inconveniences beyond her control and hastily dropped her child and left. With no formal introduction and no instructions or signing up for the daycare services, her child was left at the mercy of the daycare owner. As the day went by, things didn’t get any better for the daycare owner as the child was a constant trouble to caregivers and other babies. That evening at around 6.30pm the mother showed up, picked her baby not even uttering a word or getting a recap of the day’s events. And again she didn’t sign up!

The following day, the mother was in a better mood, more relaxed and conversation friendly. She dropped her child early enough but expressed concern about signing up without a trial period, and the daycare owner not wanting to lose potential business, gave her the rest of the week free care for her baby. It so happened that the mother kept sending her sister to pick and drop the baby for the next few days without a word from the mother! Towards the end of the week, the daycare owner’s concern got the better of her and she inquired about the mother’s whereabouts and well-being. For obvious reasons, she didn’t want her assessment of the child during the week to get lost in translation to the mother. So she called the mother and she decided to show up after work at the end of the one week trial period.

The daycare owner sighing with relief, summoned her strength to have a word with the mother but alas, before she could, the mother started combing the daycare; pointing out the hazard caused by scattered toys, the dirty apron of a caregiver, the untidy sink, the scattered shoes outside, the dirty rags, the unspread sleeping cots and the lack of the courtesy to be taken around the daycare and be briefed on operations. Needless to say, this was a jaw-dropping moment for the daycare owner.

But it finally hit her that this parent just wanted a freebie and found a way to talk herself out of signing up for the daycare services. She picked up her child in a huff and walked out of daycare never to be seen again.

What would you have done if you were the daycare owner?