ranjbrown.com

Hey Ranj: I want your opinion on something. I own a home day care for preschool children, and almost every day I'm faced with the same question: When parents arrive to pick up their children and the kids begin misbehaving, who is responsible for correcting them -- their parents or me?

Two of the kids in particular turn into little monsters the minute their mothers arrive. These women have never once disciplined them in my presence. Should I give the bad children a "time-out" the next day? I need your advice because I don't want to overstep my bounds and I don't want to be accused of telling someone how to raise their kids. -- Day-care in Philadelphia 

Hey Day-care: Some parents let their children get away with murder. However, you are within your rights to let the children know that misbehaving will not be tolerated while they are at your house. If I were you I'd tell the kids' parents to do something about the situation. Explain to them that they behave well when the parents are not around and then they think they can do as they wish when the parents arrive. It is the parents responsibility when the parents are there. Waiting until the next day is too late to punish them. The parents should scold and punish them right away. It's your  responsibility to inform the parents that they need to discipline their children a little harsher. If you explain this in a sensitive manner, I'm sure the parents will understand and make some changes in how they discipline their children. Perhaps you can give them a few pointers if they aren't sure how to handle their little monsters.