Way OT.. but need advice

[mom2mek]

My son is attending a summer camp for a few hours in the morning. My mother in law picked him up yesterday and nobody asked for her ID. She offered, but the girl doing the signing out said "oh, that's ok, he knows you." Am I right to be a little alarmed about this? I mean, just because my 6 year old child "knows" somebody does not mean they are on the approved list to pick him up and take him with them!! What's the point of filling out the forms and listing all of the "approved" people if they don't enforce the ID check? Am I overreacting or am I justified in my disappointment?

Today I told the girl checking him in about the situation (I had left a msg with the director yesterday because she was not in when I called, but I wanted to tell someone in person), and she actually told me that my MIL didn't offer the ID to her (which she did, BTW). Even so, I said, it's not HER place to offer it, it's YOUR place to require it! DUH! If someone was trying to take my child who was not on the approved list, do you think they would really offer their ID?

I can think of a lot of situations where the child technically "knows" the person and goes with them and then something happens to them.
Should I just take him out the rest of the week or am I completely overreacting? He is having fun and of course he was never in any danger, but it just bugs me! And her response to me bugged me even more!

 

[jakenjess]

Our kids attend a variety of summer camps, and they're all over the board as far as security goes. Ours are a little older now (10 and almost 12) so I'm not as concerned, but I understand why that bugs you. We have our niece pick up the kids sometimes, and one camp wouldn't have known the difference, as the kids just kind of scattered out to the pick up area; but others required a form to be filled out, although my niece said no one asked her for ID or questioned who she was. One of the camps my son attends requires a password for anyone not on the approved pickup list, and we also filled out a form listing anyone our children were NOT to go with under any circumstances.

Unless you're worried about a family member trying to pick up your child who shouldn't be, someone your child would know and willingly go with, I think I'd be okay, but it's your level of comfort that counts. Sorry, I'm sure all my rambling was of no help whatsoever! Good luck!

 

[linda0706]

I agree with you OP, I WANT them to check ID.

Last school year my DD6 went to YMCA After School care. DH normally picked her up but one day I did. Since they didn't know me I had to show ID & they actually dug her file out of the drawer to compare my name. And this was AFTER DD came running up, hugging me, yelling "Mommy". I was pleased w/ YMCA that day.

 

[dyna]

The time that really ticked me off was my DD then 13 was in hospital in rehab with no memory of before she became ill I had to call each day an make sure she had done well enough in therapy to have visitors. I was denied visitation several days in a row.

Yet extended family members her aunts that she had not seen in like 5 yrs was allowed in to see DD and to take her downstairs to the snack bar for ice cream which was on the ground floor they could have walked right out the door with her but yet when her own parents was there she couldn't leave the floor.

My SIL's found out that DD was in hospital did not bother to call me see why she was in hospital or anything to get the rules for visiting. They had not talked to me in at least 5 yrs yet they go running to the hospital to see MY DD who has no memory from before she got ill a few months before. PPL that I don't trust at that.

One of the aides at the hospital informed me that MY DD had visitors DD did not even remember them being there. Yet I was not allowed to stay with DD 24/7 only could visit on days she did well in therapy then only for 2 hours in evening.

 

[robyng]

You are not overreacting. They should REQUIRE ID. In fact, after reading your post, I am interested to see what happens tomorrow when my dad picks up my son from camp. For 4 weeks now, I've been the one to pick him up and they have no idea who my dad is. They'd BETTER ask for ID. I'll be writing them a note letting them know he'll be picked up by him but even so, they should double check that is who is getting him.

 

[toesmom]

Contact the camp supervisor and ask them to implement these changes. You never know, there are things called parental abduction. You are correct, there should be a sign in and sign out policy and only certain people should be allowed to pick up with parental consent.

 

[mom2mek]

Thanks for the responses! I had my DH go pick him up yesterday as a test (they have never seen him before) and I guess my call to the director and my talk with the girl at drop off yesterday worked because they did ask my DH for his ID. Thank goodness!

I also received a call back from the director who apologized all over herself for her staff, so hopefully this won't continue to happen. He is only there this week and I hope they don't drop the ball once we are gone because it really is a concern of mine - the safety of the other children. There are so many situations that could apply here (where a child could be in serious danger), so I hope they take this oversight to heart and train their staff in the dangers of not checking who is taking a child from their facility. Thanks again!

 

[thepeach80]

I'm glad they 'learned'. I don't have much experience w/ my own kids b/c I work at the Y and all their activities are there so everyone knows us and we know everyone. It's not unusual for another Y worked to pick my kids up form their activity and they all know my DH, that's the only people who would pick them up. We do have a huge summer fun club though and each child has their own ID they have to bring w/ them and parents have to sign them out and it's very well managed from what I can tell security wise. We require you leave ID w/ us in the nursery so that we can make sure the right person is getting the right child when they leave.

 

[Tikicampers]

I'm with you OP, I want them to check ID. However, you would not believe how many people freak out when asked for their ID. At the school I work at, our secretary has been yelled at more times than she can count by people picking up kids that get mad about having to show ID. She always calmly explains that it is a safety issue, but people still yell. I've seen it myself. With all the custody issues going on these days, you can't assume that someone the child knows is allowed to pick them up.

 

[agnes!]

If a secretary or worker gets yelled at for asking for ID, they can always say "I'm sorry, but those are the rules. I don't write them, but I do have to enforce them."

agnes!

 

[mrsbert]

I left my id in the car one day and a new person at after-care asked to see it. I told her I would need to get it from the car. She apologized for the inconvience and I told her that the inconvience would be if my child was not here when I came to pick them up. I am happy to see someone doing their job. These are my children we are talking about. It's the most valuable thing I have.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm glad they learned (then again, an older woman is different from a younger man, so it might not be learning but rather just a different level of fear/concern as to why they checked his ID).

I'm not 100% sure I personally would want my money supporting a place that might or might not sign out a kid, ANY kid, to someone not on the list and without ID...

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

It irritates the heck out of me when I pick up my 13 year old from his middle school and they ask for his ID. Heck, any kid who wants to can walk home or go straight from school to the public bus stop and go wherever they want.

 

[cccm]

I picked DD up at the bus from camp today, usually my sister does. The bus driver opened the door, the four remaining kids poured out. She shut the door and the bus was outta there before the kids even got to cars. Parents did not go up to bus.

I just think its funny, because everywhere else we have had her (Brownies, school, etc) you had to sign in and out.

 

[mom2mek]

I'm glad they learned (then again, an older woman is different from a younger man, so it might not be learning but rather just a different level of fear/concern as to why they checked his ID).

I'm not 100% sure I personally would want my money supporting a place that might or might not sign out a kid, ANY kid, to someone not on the list and without ID...

You're right and they won't get anymore of mine!

As far as the other post that talked about people getting mad when asked...I can't believe people would yell at a secretary for asking for ID! My thought has always been anyone who reacts that way would be suspicious to me! I would never be offended if someone asked for my ID if I didn't know them and they didn't know me! How absurd - it's the child's safety at stake!

I even mentioned that to the director because the girl doing the checking out was a teenager and I told the Director that maybe she felt like she was inconveniencing them and was afraid to ask, but anyone who is being honest and cares about the security of their children is not going to mind showing their ID!

 

[dementia412]

I totally agree. It may be a pain sometimes, but I don't want the risk of someone my child "knows" picking them up without permission. The majority of kidnappings are done by FAMILY, people the kid knows and trusts. My DD4's preschool would never even let the person near the kids.. we have to use our id to get in or be taken in by an employee, and only people they know go past the sign in area unless they are giving a tour. There is always someone at the front area to make sure someone doesn't ghost through the door(slip in behind another person who is authorized).
If they are breaking that rule, who knows what other safty rules they are letting slide. I'd find somewhere else if possible.