For Those Of You That Run Contracted Hours

[kendallina]

I find it inconvient to have a later drop off. We do circle story time at 8:30am every morning, that's how I start off our daycare day. I have a group that will not remain in the circle or be attentive if we get disrupted. I also have two children that have to catch a bus every morning at 8:15am which means I have to be planted by the window to make sure they get on the bus ok. If I have to answer the door I can not see the kids get on the bus at the same time. I also do all of my drop offs and pick ups on my main floor and then move everyone downstairs once everyone is present to the main play area. I do not have an active door bells (hate them!) and can not hear if someone knocks on my door if I am in certain areas of my house so I normally keep a watch out for when parent's are coming. I guess there are alot of factors that I expect parent's to drop off within half hour of when they are suppose to

Have you explained this reasoning to them? I think it makes a lot of sense as to why you don't want to accept children late into care, but if they don't know the reasoning then maybe they don't understand the importance. I run a preschool program and have it in my handbook that families need to arrive between 8:50-9:00. And then I explain to them the disruption with the other kids/our routine/ and also the disruption their child experiences in joining the group late (ever been late to a meeting? It's not a comfortable position to be in). If they continue to not understand your reasoning, then I'd add a consequence for that particular family.

[daycare]

I like your comparison of the meeting...I think that I will put this in my PHB.. I have changed a lot of my PHB added in a lot of FAQ, so I don't have to constantly repeat myself as to why this or why that...

[MarinaVanessa]

I think it's a neat idea that all of your clients have a key, however, I wouldn't feel comfortable giving all my clients a key to my house and my husband would be really mad at me if I did, so that's not an option.

What about a keyless entry system? The kind that you punch in a code that works only during their contracted days and times. I have one and it works well. It's about $300 for the lock and then a $9 monthly fee but I can add and remove clients or change their hours in minutes. I was having the same issue and I just chose to go this route. It was completely tax deductible too.

[daycare]

What about a keyless entry system? The kind that you punch in a code that works only during their contracted days and times. I have one and it works well. It's about $300 for the lock and then a $9 monthly fee but I can add and remove clients or change their hours in minutes. I was having the same issue and I just chose to go this route. It was completely tax deductible too.

this sounds interesting... So what happens if lets say the dcf is supposed to arrive at 8 am but arrived at 8:20, can they still open the door??

[Crazy8]

I run on contracted hours, but I also have the policy that you must be here by 9am. Kind of like your 8am but we start a bit later. :: I don't mind if families are occassionally later - I don't charge for it, but I've never had it become a reoccurring problem either.

[momma2girls]

It's all fine and dandy, til you want to leave the house on a walk, to the park, etc...... I had to add it to my contract- if you are coming an hr. or so later than contracted time, without a call, I take it you are not coming at all, that day, and we may be gone. I had this actually happen about 5 times now!! One didn't call after a dr. appt. just thought they could just drop off at anytime thoughout the day- I was gone on a walk, they never found me. They were mad when I wasn't here- I even had it in my contract, and the other times, were, just got up late, had the day off, and didn't care, just wanted to drop them off whenever they wanted to!!! UGHHH!!!

[MarinaVanessa]

this sounds interesting... So what happens if lets say the dcf is supposed to arrive at 8 am but arrived at 8:20, can they still open the door??

Yep. They can open it during the hours they are contracted (the hours that you program their code for) but if she tries to open it at 7:57 she has to wait 3 more minutes before it will open. If she shows up to pick-up and it's 5:16pm on a Monday or 4:31 on a Friday ... well it just won't work. This was a life-saver for me because it kept me on top of who was late in picking up . They would have to call me (if we were out back) or ring the bell.

I have a smart phone and it sends you emails or texts (whichever you set up) alerting you that the person entered their code. I keep these emails in a folder in my inbox and use them as another form of proof of their arrival and departure times. It's worth checking it out. I saved for a while before commiting to it.

[Christian Mother]

I think it's a neat idea that all of your clients have a key, however, I wouldn't feel comfortable giving all my clients a key to my house and my husband would be really mad at me if I did, so that's not an option.

Oh, no not to my house...just to the gate that gates our house to outsiders. That particular key can't open the house door...heeheh!! I lock the gate and leave my house door unlocked for the morning arrivals...I lock it when the last child is dropped of. Then if I have a late child I will unlock it for them. In this case the parents call a day ahead to confirm so I can walk over and unlock it for them.

One of the parents I watched was concerned about safety and asked if my gate could be locked and at that time I could personally lock it but then that ment the parents would have a time getting in and out so I decided to just make a set of keys for each parent other then part time parents. Only FT parents where given one. For the parents that are PT or drop in... I would unlock it for them for that specific day and then lock it after them. It def. makes it hard though bc you have to take everyone out there or leave it unlocked til the kids are all secured in high chairs or sleeping.