I too am older than all my parents - just by a few years though for two of them, had to get that in !
I could write a book on my awful experience with one of my mums doing just this. She will be leaving soon & I really will be sad to see her little one leave but if her departure from my services was not iminent, I would have seriously considered ending our Contract otherwise I may have ended up being very, very rude; there have been lots of reasons why I have perservered with child, severe language difficulty when started here, major eating probs just to name a few but mostly because he has the sweetest nature & is lovely. I'll give two examples and try not to bore you with it - but have felt the need to get off my chest of late!
Arrives to collect child at 5.30, last child departs 6pm - it's 6.45, she is still here - in the meantime, I am rushing from one room to the other washing up, tidying toys away etc, all this time she is following me, yes literally on my heels, chatting, I am only responding by saying Mmmmmm & not taking part in this conversation (I am not interested or listening!) ok that does sound harsh but if someone is so ignorant that they just cannot grasp the fact that this is 'MY TIME' then harsh is what I have to be - in the end I turned the hoover on, started to hoover & guess what, she plonked herself on sofa, put feet up so I could hoover underneath - when I had finished, I just asked her to leave as I was going upstairs to have shower - she actually looked quite shocked [dismay].
I thought after the above some time ago, I had developed strategies to get her to leave (but without being rude) but she arrived 30 mins early on Friday at dinner time, children sitting very nicely eating their dinner at their little table, (14 month old, 3 year old) he is eating cod for first time, actually succeeding in getting him to eat food on this day; I sitting with them with 4 month old on my lap - well the moment she comes in, said child jumps up, understandably excited to see mummy but rather than give him cuddles then encourage to sit back at table she starts chatting to me about all sorts - I just asked her whether she would like to ask said child to sit back at table to finish dinner - child was not responding, she started bouncing him on her lap, tipping him upside down etc he is squeeling with delight very loudly, 14 month old thinks, oh its playtime Grrrrr - it's now 5.30 I told said child that dinner time was over now (he still had not eaten meal) mum quickly sat him at table, I told her I was going in playroom with the other two and for her to let me know when they are ready to leave - then I heard screaming and crying from said child, rushed out to see what had happend, he has fallen off chair and cut his lip - my first concern is whether said child is ok but do you know what else I thought - 'oh here we go another bloody half an hour' yep that is the extent of stress that I feel when this mummy arrives. The other two parents arrived when she is still here, she starts chatting to them while I am trying to fill them in on our day individually. They make a speedy exit.
Even though I have spoken to her & explained that I have three parents to fill in about their childs day, also explained about appropriate content of conversation! she just does not appear to understand that 15 mins is enough.
What else can I now do apart from say I would like you to leave within 15 mins, whether said child having major tantrums or not.
Phew, I feel better already!