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I apologize in advance for how long this is.
I have been having trouble filling my spots since school has started. I knew my income would be low but I'm getting more depressed each day. I have flyers up in the local banks and grocery store. I have received a few calls but for infant care and I am already at my 2 under two limit. All of my kids were SA so I barely have any at the moment. I have a 3 yr old for 4 days a week, she starts head start thursday and her already shorter hours will be cut in half and then dad will be having his schedule changed for the winter months and I will only get her for an hour and a half. I have another 3 yr old boy who comes wed, and fridays and will also be starting headstart. My third child I am still watching might not be coming as much as I anticipated because dad just got switched to 2nd shift.
I have been trying to get my act together and not let the parents walk all over me but everytime I think I have it figured out something falls through.
I just had a mom txt me she is on bed rest until she has her baby she is due next week. This new baby will be my second infant. I already watch her 5 yr old daughter who is in school most of the day (I haven't watched her since the middle of august) and will go to an afterschool program 3 days a week (the 3 days I normally have her). I had sent updated contracts to all the dcp and asked them to fill out asap because the changes go into effect oct 7th. I had txt her to ask if I could drop it off to her and when I got no answer I mailed it to her. Today I receive a txt that she will fill it out once she has the baby and that now she definately needs me tues, thurs, and friday 12:30-5 (I'm skeptical she may just be saying this to keep the spot, how many missed days do I let her have before I tell her she has to pay for the days in advance so I am guarenteed my money), and now she needs me for her daughter after the after school program which will only be about 15 minutes to a half hour 4:45-5:15. I feel she had taken advantage of my easy going side in the summer because she came and gave me some sad story about how she didn't want to pay a full rate for only a few hours a day since the daughter didn't come that often so me like a chump said ok what were you thinking and she said $3 an hour. I stupidly agreed and then through a summer of her being picked up early, not coming at all, or getting here on days she wasn't even scheduled I made very little. I texted her back today asked if she could at least sign the new contract. I also told her that we will need to sit down and discuss my rate when she doesn't have so much going on, but I think I am going to tell her she needs to pay my $20 full day rate for the baby and $5 for the daughter since this will be keeping me sitting at my house waiting for a child when I won't have any others since the rest will be picked up by then. My issue with the pay is she was paying $25 a day to her old babysitter, and if she says she can't I will give her info on payment assistance and if she doesn't take that I will have to tell her goodbye. I'm beginning to think this family isn't worth the headache. I want to be in control but I don't know how to get it with the parents constantly taking advantage of me.
I have been having trouble filling my spots since school has started. I knew my income would be low but I'm getting more depressed each day. I have flyers up in the local banks and grocery store. I have received a few calls but for infant care and I am already at my 2 under two limit. All of my kids were SA so I barely have any at the moment. I have a 3 yr old for 4 days a week, she starts head start thursday and her already shorter hours will be cut in half and then dad will be having his schedule changed for the winter months and I will only get her for an hour and a half. I have another 3 yr old boy who comes wed, and fridays and will also be starting headstart. My third child I am still watching might not be coming as much as I anticipated because dad just got switched to 2nd shift.
I have been trying to get my act together and not let the parents walk all over me but everytime I think I have it figured out something falls through.
I just had a mom txt me she is on bed rest until she has her baby she is due next week. This new baby will be my second infant. I already watch her 5 yr old daughter who is in school most of the day (I haven't watched her since the middle of august) and will go to an afterschool program 3 days a week (the 3 days I normally have her). I had sent updated contracts to all the dcp and asked them to fill out asap because the changes go into effect oct 7th. I had txt her to ask if I could drop it off to her and when I got no answer I mailed it to her. Today I receive a txt that she will fill it out once she has the baby and that now she definately needs me tues, thurs, and friday 12:30-5 (I'm skeptical she may just be saying this to keep the spot, how many missed days do I let her have before I tell her she has to pay for the days in advance so I am guarenteed my money), and now she needs me for her daughter after the after school program which will only be about 15 minutes to a half hour 4:45-5:15. I feel she had taken advantage of my easy going side in the summer because she came and gave me some sad story about how she didn't want to pay a full rate for only a few hours a day since the daughter didn't come that often so me like a chump said ok what were you thinking and she said $3 an hour. I stupidly agreed and then through a summer of her being picked up early, not coming at all, or getting here on days she wasn't even scheduled I made very little. I texted her back today asked if she could at least sign the new contract. I also told her that we will need to sit down and discuss my rate when she doesn't have so much going on, but I think I am going to tell her she needs to pay my $20 full day rate for the baby and $5 for the daughter since this will be keeping me sitting at my house waiting for a child when I won't have any others since the rest will be picked up by then. My issue with the pay is she was paying $25 a day to her old babysitter, and if she says she can't I will give her info on payment assistance and if she doesn't take that I will have to tell her goodbye. I'm beginning to think this family isn't worth the headache. I want to be in control but I don't know how to get it with the parents constantly taking advantage of me.
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