Contract Changes Do You Charge?

[daycare]

I have had some families that have been changing their schedule one month this and one month that...the next back to where it was before. I don't do anything without a signed contract reflected their requested changes...

I am getting tired of doing it. do (btw is it do or due) you think that it would be fair to start charging $5-15.00 to do a contract change? I know that sometimes life happens and we need to change things around, but every other month or every few weeks is just making me crazy....

[snbauser]

I don't charge a fee but I do require one months notice to make a permanent schedule change.

[e.j.]

"Do" is correct in this case.

I can empathize with your frustration. I had a dc mom who constantly wanted to change her kids' schedule with me, too.

If it bothers you enough, you could charge a fee for schedule changes but you do run the risk that parents will feel like they're being "nickle and dimed" and they may get upset and leave before they'll pay a fee for something like that.

The constant schedule changes used to drive me crazy so I understand why you might think about charging her but I tried to look on the positive side - she was at least staying with me and not leaving for another day care. As long as I had the openings, I tried to stay as flexible as I could for her. She was with me for many years and now I have her niece and nephew so I think trying to be flexible for her paid off in terms of future business.

[MarinaVanessa]

Does tha fact she keeps changing the schedule bother you or is it the fact that you keep having to sign a new contract?

If it's just re-signing the contract that bothers you why not just make up a notice or "schedule change" form and both you and she can sign it instead of having to re-sign an entire contract? I know that would bother me. It's a lot of wasted paper to have to throw out later. When a parent asks to change their schedule I ask for it in writing with two-weeks notice and I just write up a simple notice for both of us to sign and put it in their file.

If the fact that she keeps changing her schedule is what bothers you then yes, you are probably better off charging $ each time. Be prepared for some resistance of course. The worst thing that can happen is that she decides to leave ... but I participated in a Tom Copeland webinar today and he said that at many seminars he has asked providers how many people have lost clients due to their enforcing their policies and many of them raised their hands, he then asked how many of them wished the client would come back. He said that in all of the years that he's been doing the excercise only 1 provider has ever said that they messed up and wished that the client would come back.... so, if your client decides to leave will you miss her?

[daycare]

A few reasons why. They want to change the days the hours and often have me open or stay later than I am open. When this happens, I also increase my rate (extra hours) As I stated before I don't do anything without a contract.
For example extending hours means that I Had to throw on new rules. Like I might have to run personal errands when a child is here past normal daycare hours, along with others things
It all takes my time to have to keep rewriting and changing this stuff. I want it to stop.

[Abigail]

I have had some families that have been changing their schedule one month this and one month that...the next back to where it was before. I don't do anything without a signed contract reflected their requested changes...

I am getting tired of doing it. do (btw is it do or due) you think that it would be fair to start charging $5-15.00 to do a contract change? I know that sometimes life happens and we need to change things around, but every other month or every few weeks is just making me crazy....

You could have it worked in where you put in a newsletter that is a familie's daycare hours change more than twice during a year there will be a fee. I guess I would re-evaluate how days worked and how they didn't with these reoccuring schedule changes. Are your spots all full? Does one schedule make you work longer days? I probably wouldn't enforce a fee personally, I would just tell the parent no more changing schedules.

[wdmmom]

That's a great idea!

Tell families for any change in the contract (including hours) must be submitted 2 weeks before the change is required to take place. The change must be in writing and indicate all changes requested. It will then be at your discretion to accept the new schedule or deny.

Then tell the families only 1 contract change per calendar year. Additional changes must be submitted in writing and there is a fee of $25 to cover the costs associated with the paperwork.