Do I terminate?

[awestbrook713]

I am having an internal battle. My mind is telling me I have had enough and its time to cut this mom loose and start this year with one less pita but my stomach is in knots.

I spoke to this mom a while back because she didn't pay me and I had to remind her 3 times and finally tell her if I didn't get paid I would terminate, everything seemed better. Mom is now on daycare subsidy and has to pay a $1 a week. I told her she could pay at the end of the month, I reminded her twice last week and she said she would have it to me friday, no go. She txted me last night asking if I could watch her girls tomorrow since their grandmother couldn't and I told her I needed the $4 before I gave her daycare for this month, she said she would pay me last night when she returned from town, she never came. I am tired of the bs and disrespect, I think I want to tell her to keep her $4 and hand her termination papers. I know I have it in my contract I will give 2 weeks notice but I also have that for nonpayment it will be immediate. Am I justified should I terminate her?:confused:

[godiva83]

I would say yes, terminate. I doubt that paying the $4 a month is a struggle - by not paying it to me shows lack of respect. She has a month in order to save the $4 required for her child care... There is no reason that she shouldn't pay on time.

[mismatchedsocks]

I put one more chance, ONLY if she gives you $20 up front and when she is $5 from owing again she needs to give you another $20. BUT if she cant pay before the next time she arrives, do NOT take the kids. I think that is the only way parents are SURE we mean business sometimes.
I have one mom who owes $10 a week, and to her its just $10 a week, and figures she will pay whenever. I let her for a while, but now she owes $100, and always has an excuse. I finally told her she must pay the $100 before care today, then $10 each Monday morning before care. She showed up today no money, its snowing, slippery, etc and i sent her away saying i need the money up front. She looked shocked but magically came back 30 min. later with $110. I plan to do this every Monday she does not have the money. She apologized and said she will give me $50 at a time starting next monday.

[awestbrook713]

I know terminating her would be a really big weight lifted off my chest, the money issue isn't the only problem but its the most recent. I am scared to death, just thinking about it makes me feel sick and my heart start pounding. I don't know why it affects me so much. If I am having this much trouble now what is gonna happen when shes late again and she owes me late fees for late payment. My new rates just started and this family will be responsible for $10 a week after the subsidy and shes already given me a hard time about that.

[godiva83]

I know it is hard, as a home daycare provider you tend to get personally invested no matter how many times you say you won't.

However, she is not following your rules and it being distespectful to your business. I feel like it is just going to snow ball and get bigger and you will get more and more frustrated.

As hard as it is I would terminate before you face any more issues.
If you have already given her opportunities for her to show you she can follow rules, and already told her the next step is to terminate she is simply not taking you as a professional and disregards you as a business

[awestbrook713]

I have typed up to options let me know what you think:

Final Warning

On this 2nd day of January 2012 I am giving you your final warning that if you have to be reminded about payment again I will no longer be able to provide you daycare and you will be immediately terminated and responsible for all fees including late fees.

On this 2nd day of January 2012 I regret to inform you I will no longer be providing you daycare, due to nonpayment, second offense. Since the reason is nonpayment you are not being given 2 week’s notice and termination will be immediate as stated in my Parents Handbook.

I will have both ready and her tone with me I think will decide what happens. Today is not going to be an easy day.

[Kaddidle Care]

$4.00 is hardly worth getting upset about. I would concentrate on the other issues that you may be having with her. In her mind, what the State pays you is sufficient.

Don't term until you have those children replaced. I don't know what the State is paying you for these children but fill that financial hole or it will set you back financially. Then you won't be smacking yourself in the head over losing $$$ for $4.00.

[awestbrook713]

Mom just showed up and paid me, I told her we really need to get on the same page because the amount of stress I am feeling from our professional relationship is becoming not worth dealing with. I will document this last problem and see how things go from here. $4 is silly to worry about, honestly I could care less about the money its the principle and the disrespect that shes been showing me these last few weeks. Thank you for listening and offering me some advice. One of my new years resolution is not to take any nonsense this year I will be a good provider and stronger business owner.

[Blackcat31]

The fact that you are posting a poll on whether or not to term a family says volumes about the relationship you have with this family.

I think it is time to go your separate ways.... things are more than likely only going to get worse.

[Meyou]

I would find a replacement and then give notice. You don't need to miss out on the state pay income in the meantime because she's a dink and won't pay the $4 without threats.

[PitterPatter]

I am having an internal battle. My mind is telling me I have had enough and its time to cut this mom loose and start this year with one less pita but my stomach is in knots.

I spoke to this mom a while back because she didn't pay me and I had to remind her 3 times and finally tell her if I didn't get paid I would terminate, everything seemed better. Mom is now on daycare subsidy and has to pay a $1 a week. I told her she could pay at the end of the month, I reminded her twice last week and she said she would have it to me friday, no go. She txted me last night asking if I could watch her girls tomorrow since their grandmother couldn't and I told her I needed the $4 before I gave her daycare for this month, she said she would pay me last night when she returned from town, she never came. I am tired of the bs and disrespect, I think I want to tell her to keep her $4 and hand her termination papers. I know I have it in my contract I will give 2 weeks notice but I also have that for nonpayment it will be immediate. Am I justified should I terminate her?:confused:

This is the same battle I have!! I get subsidy clients in and they say things like "It's only $10 geez" Ok well then pay that $10. That $10 has added up tp much more before I put my foot down (grinding my heel in the process) It is the whole respect issue! It's not just about the money even though that $4 will provide milk for YOUR child for the week! These ingrate parents never cease to amaze me.

Now my opinion is I don't term for that amount IF the kids are well behaved because making my day run smooth is worth the $10. BUT if you have other probs then I would cut the stress and term. Also I don't know about your state but recently my state will help me collect with subsidy. They will send a letter to the parent stating that they owe $00.. and say they must pay it immediatley to avoidlosing child care services. They told me I can also inform the parents that I will not provide anymore care until the total is paid. YES!!!! After I battled for 5 years! If you keep the client I would make her pay in full and pay in advance due to this problem.

Good luck to you I hope she pays you!

[PitterPatter]

$4.00 is hardly worth getting upset about. I would concentrate on the other issues that you may be having with her. In her mind, what the State pays you is sufficient.

Don't term until you have those children replaced. I don't know what the State is paying you for these children but fill that financial hole or it will set you back financially. Then you won't be smacking yourself in the head over losing $$$ for $4.00.

[Blackcat31]

This is the same battle I have!! I get subsidy clients in and they say things like "It's only $10 geez" Ok well then pay that $10. That $10 has added up tp much more before I put my foot down (grinding my heel in the process) It is the whole respect issue! It's not just about the money even though that $4 will provide milk for YOUR child for the week! These ingrate parents never cease to amaze me.

I stopped having ANY issues with families who have subsidy when I made AND ENFORCED the rule that if their co-pays or parent fees were less than $50, they HAD to pay in $50 increments, pre-paid.

I agee that it is a respect issue but I disagree that it isn't about the money. For me, this is my job. It is how I pay my bills.

IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH MONEY.

If you owe it, you need to pay it. I don't care of it is $1 or $100. It is owed and needs to be paid WITHOUT excuses.

[Former Teacher]

I voted terminate. I am so tired of people on welfare.

I don't know if laws in TX have changed but when you were on subsidy, you could not charge ANY kind of late fees IE. late payments, late pick up etc. At my former center we had this one mother who was "looking for work". She would drop off her baby at 11:00 a.m. and pick up at 6:00 if not later. Of course half the time she looked like she just woke up. She owed $5.00 per month.

One day she picked up her son (early for a change!) and I was talking to the director/owner and she just whizzed by saying oh I can't pay you this week. I will pay you next week. Have a great weekend! We both were like

Finally the director/owner, who has a soft spot for sob stories, had enough. She said actually quite nasty (:, you cant pay $5?!? The mother said no sorry! See you later! And kept on walking. The director/owner said well, if you don't have the $5 by closing tonight, there will be a $25.00 late fee per day, including weekends and if you don't have the $55.00 by Monday morning, then I will be on the phone with CCDS to terminate your care for the lack of payment. She was STUNNED. Apparently she didn't know the rules about not charging for late payments ::

Needless to say, she went out to her car and miraculously found $5.00!

[small_steps]

I voted terminate. I am so tired of people on welfare.

I don't know if laws in TX have changed but when you were on subsidy, you could not charge ANY kind of late fees IE. late payments, late pick up etc. At my former center we had this one mother who was "looking for work". She would drop off her baby at 11:00 a.m. and pick up at 6:00 if not later. Of course half the time she looked like she just woke up. She owed $5.00 per month.

One day she picked up her son (early for a change!) and I was talking to the director/owner and she just whizzed by saying oh I can't pay you this week. I will pay you next week. Have a great weekend! We both were like

Finally the director/owner, who has a soft spot for sob stories, had enough. She said actually quite nasty (:, you cant pay $5?!? The mother said no sorry! See you later! And kept on walking. The director/owner said well, if you don't have the $5 by closing tonight, there will be a $25.00 late fee per day, including weekends and if you don't have the $55.00 by Monday morning, then I will be on the phone with CCDS to terminate your care for the lack of payment. She was STUNNED. Apparently she didn't know the rules about not charging for late payments ::

Needless to say, she went out to her car and miraculously found $5.00!

I believe I'm right about this but can't say I'm positive...but Texas has changed for CCMS or CCS (state pay) and we are allowed to charge late fees just as we would any other parent who is late. I didn't take state pay at that time so I'm glad they've changed it. However we can't charge them the difference in tuition which I wish they would change that too...for instance if I charge $115 per week and they pay me $110 I can't charge the parents the other $5 each week. We must accept what they pay.