How Many Charge A Fee For Late ARRIVALS?

[Crystal]

If this is consistent I suggest:

1. Changing your opening time to 8:00
2. Stop serving breakfast, period.

I will say, if I was a parent that decided to spend 30 extra minutes with my child in the morning and the provider attempted to charge me a fee for a service she hasn't even rendered, or turned me away at the door when I am paying for my child's space in care, it would be the LAST time I showed up, at all.

I think it is absurd to charge a fee for late arrival. What you think if your child's school tried to charge you for a late arrival.....it's probably a huge inconvenince for teachers, but there is no way they'd get away with charging for it.....even at a private school that charges tuition.

[CheekyChick]

I wish I could be this laid back

The problem I have is that I am a very scheduled person & I don't feel I am a cafeteria (constant fixing everybody food at different times takes away from the kiddos).

Also it makes getting my daughter ready for school more of a challenge. I have thought about getting my daughter earlier, but I feel why should I change around my schedule because they can't be on time?

Another issue is I know that the later they arrive the grumpier the child. I know when its closer to 8:30 that the dck coming in will be throwing a fit. Funny how in the rare time that they are on time the kids come in like little angels. My dh works 2nd shift so when they come in screaming bc they aren't getting their way then it wakes him up.

Another thing regarding the meal time, my food program lady says if they arrive after a schedule mealtime that I am not obligated to feed them the meal they missed.

So hopefully all it will take is a reminder or they feed before they come.

ahhhhh the joy

I have to be honest... If I didn't have assistants, I probably wouldn't be as laid back. BUT, I just can't let a child go hungry. It goes against the mommy in me. If it were myself here alone, I would give the child a cereal bar and some milk to tide them over until lunch. I couldn't care less about getting paid for one meal here and there, so that's a non-issue for me.

I agree, the later they come, the harder it is to transition them into our day. I think the extra time with mommy or daddy makes them want MORE and it's harder for them to accept they aren't spending the entire day with them.

[wdmmom]

If they are going to be absent or late, I require a 1 hour notice prior to drop off time.

If no notice is given, it's a $10 per day convenience fee in addition to their regular daily rate.

No admission after 9am unless advance notice is given.

I feed breakfast at 8am. I've had parents drop off at 845am and say, DCB needs breakfast. I rolled him right out of bed and got him dressed to come here.

TOO BAD, so sad. My policies have been the same for 3 years. I'm not changing them today, tomorrow or yesterday to accommodate. Given we eat lunch at 11am, they'll live.

[Lucy]

It irks the heck outta me when they show up late without telling me. On the one hand.... GREAT! I get some paid time off from that kid for a little bit. But on the other hand.... I hate wondering if they actually told me they were coming late (or not coming at all) and I forgot.

My policy is that if you are late, I assume you're not coming, and I go on with my day. If we were heading out somewhere, we go ahead and go. I'm not calling you to find out.... it's your responsibility to inform me of a change in schedule, and MY option to accept the change. But as I approach the big 5-0, I don't trust my memory. LOL. I'm afraid I'll leave, and someone will show up and say, "Remember -- I told you she had an appointment and we'd be here at 11:30??" And I'd think -- oh yeah, you did.

[Blackcat31]

How do parents react when turned away at the door? I had a parent show up yesterday that was over 30 minutes late. I had locked my door so I could throw a load of laundry in. They show up. Then when I didnt get to the door in time they left. They never called to let me know they would be late, but made me feel like it was my fault. Per policy, more then 15 minutes w/out a call I might not be here.

I haven't had to turn anyone away for a loooong time but I have a roster of drop-in moms who work at home and they usually call me in the mornings and see if I have any open space. When someone doesn't show up, I give their space to one of the drop in moms. When I turn them away at the door, I say "I am sorry Judy, but I assumed you were a 'No show' today and filled your space since you didn't call to let me know you were running late." The parent understood and never failed to notify me again. Other than that, I haven't had to turn anyone away.

If this is consistent I suggest:

1. Changing your opening time to 8:00
2. Stop serving breakfast, period.

I will say, if I was a parent that decided to spend 30 extra minutes with my child in the morning and the provider attempted to charge me a fee for a service she hasn't even rendered, or turned me away at the door when I am paying for my child's space in care, it would be the LAST time I showed up, at all.

I think it is absurd to charge a fee for late arrival. What you think if your child's school tried to charge you for a late arrival.....it's probably a huge inconvenince for teachers, but there is no way they'd get away with charging for it.....even at a private school that charges tuition.

I agree that a parent SHOULD spend any extra time they get with their child. However, I expect their choices to NOT effect my program. If you are going to use those few extra minutes, then a phone call would be the proper thing to do. Yes, I called the school when my kids were going to be late. It is only a courtesy but one that is expected IMOP

Plus, if I made the money that teachers did, I wouldn't HAVE to be so strict about these types of issues. When money is directly related to someone's actions or lack of...then I think we have every right to expect a call when running late or the right to turn them away at the door if they don't call.

I have to be honest... If I didn't have assistants, I probably wouldn't be as laid back. BUT, I just can't let a child go hungry. It goes against the mommy in me. If it were myself here alone, I would give the child a cereal bar and some milk to tide them over until lunch. I couldn't care less about getting paid for one meal here and there, so that's a non-issue for me.

I agree, the later they come, the harder it is to transition them into our day. I think the extra time with mommy or daddy makes them want MORE and it's harder for them to accept they aren't spending the entire day with them.

I can't just give ONE child a cereal bar/milk if all the others have already eaten and it is no longer breakfast time...then ALL the other kids want to eat again and I am not Burger King. We have meal times and we only eat during those times.

[momma2girls]

How do parents react when turned away at the door? I had a parent show up yesterday that was over 30 minutes late. I had locked my door so I could throw a load of laundry in. They show up. Then when I didnt get to the door in time they left. They never called to let me know they would be late, but made me feel like it was my fault. Per policy, more then 15 minutes w/out a call I might not be here.

I have written an hr. late, I assume you are not coming, and will go about my day. If I am outside, taking a walk, etc. you probably will not find me. I also have times for snacks, and meals in my contract. If you arrive late, you must feed your own child. I am not about to make dinner, breakfast, etc. two to three times a day

[Heidi]

Here's my real issue with late drop offs:

Over the last several years, there have been several news stories about people leaaving their (sleeping) child in the car in a parental-space-out moment and going to work. The child ends up terribly injured or killed when they overheat.

In almost each case, it was a very young infant and the parent was probably over tired from a long night, or the parent who didn't usually do the dropping of at dc was doing it that day.

Is it the provider's responsibility to solve this? no But dang, I don't want that on my consience because I'm stubborn. So, I have it in my policies that if you are more than 15 minutes late without a call, I will start making calls. First the parents, then the back ups, then the police. Our state requires that we have an action plan for these situations. It isn't required that I do all this, just that I state what I WILL do.

So, that means if someone can't be bothered to text me, everything else gets put on hold until I find out where they are. It's happened once, and it was grandma, and she got a stern lecture. She thinks I'm a big old meanie now, but oh well.

I terminated a lady once years ago because she was quite honestly a nut job, couldn't arrive at the same time two days in a row. Always some sort of emergency/drama (the horses got out, the baby woke up late, dh threw out his back, she just couldn't get it together this am, whatever). She's arrive at 8:15 one day, 10:05 the next, 9:30 the next. She never called, and she expected me to be there. So, one day, we just went out on our usual 10am walk around the neighborhood, and I didn't call her. When I got back at 11:30, there were 11 messages on my answering machine. "B, where are you, I am SO worried".. I fed the kids lunch, put them down for nap, and very calmly called her at 12:15, and terminated her a**.happyface

[Cat Herder]

I will say, if I was a parent that decided to spend 30 extra minutes with my child in the morning and the provider attempted to charge me a fee for a service she hasn't even rendered, or turned me away at the door when I am paying for my child's space in care, it would be the LAST time I showed up, at all.

Even if the stipulation was that IF you were arriving past breakfast time you would simply need to feed your own child before dropping off? :confused: As a parent I can't see you wanting that for your childs morning regardless.

As a provider, I don't think you would be ok with a hungry child coming in the middle of art (at least that is what I do after breakfast) more than once without prior notification....:confused:

I know I'd be really annoyed by it happening repeatedly....

[daycare]

If you child is expected to eat breakfast in the morning and will not be here, you must notify the provider by 8:00am. Failure to notify provider in advance will result in A food waste fee of $5.00.

Breakfast is served at 8:30 am ONLY, if you arrive after this time, your child MUST be fed a healthy meal at home.
It is up to you as the provider to enforce your rules.

Class time starts at 9:30am sharp daily. If you are not here by 9:25, the front door will be locked and you will need to wait until after circle time has ended at 10:30am. No arrivals without prior notice will take place after 10:30am.

[momofboys]

If this is consistent I suggest:

1. Changing your opening time to 8:00
2. Stop serving breakfast, period.

I will say, if I was a parent that decided to spend 30 extra minutes with my child in the morning and the provider attempted to charge me a fee for a service she hasn't even rendered, or turned me away at the door when I am paying for my child's space in care, it would be the LAST time I showed up, at all.

I think it is absurd to charge a fee for late arrival. What you think if your child's school tried to charge you for a late arrival.....it's probably a huge inconvenince for teachers, but there is no way they'd get away with charging for it.....even at a private school that charges tuition.

So what do you do in certain scenarios where you do have to leave the house & parents know this? Case in point - I provide care for a very small group - my own children (2 who are in school), & 2 other families. Most days I drive my children & the SA child I watch to school. If a family is late they risk my children & another child being late to school. We also have planned outside-the-home activities (storytime at the library, playtime at the library, etc - 1 mile from my home). So if a parent is late I should just wait & miss the activties that another family is counting on me partaking in? Not all providers stay home all day! This is where a parent needs to communicate that they will be late or not be ticked off if the provider is gone when they arrive.

[bice99]

I drive my DD's to school everyday. One DCG comes 30 minutes before we leave. The next, about 10 minutes before. Her dad is now getting very good at texting me his ETA. When she wouldn't show, I would text to ask an ETA. Sometimes I heard back, sometimes I didn't. Last week, I texted. No answer. Texted that we were loading up to go to school. No answer. Drove past their house (3 houses down), his truck is warming up like normal. Pull onto the main road and his text - on my way up. I responded. Driving to school. Should be back by 8. I'll text you when I get home.

[Crystal]

Even if the stipulation was that IF you were arriving past breakfast time you would simply need to feed your own child before dropping off? :confused: As a parent I can't see you wanting that for your childs morning regardless.

As a provider, I don't think you would be ok with a hungry child coming in the middle of art (at least that is what I do after breakfast) more than once without prior notification....:confused:

I know I'd be really annoyed by it happening repeatedly....

Not sure I understand your first question...but I'll try to answer it....as a parent, I'd just feed my child and bring them when I was ready. I would personally let the provider know, and as a provider would appreciate a call, but I don't require it.

I don't mind feeding a child who arrives late and I would NEVER let a child go hungey just because their parent failed to feed them. I prefer they do not arrive late unfed, but it has happened and I just give them a cereal bar and a piece of fruit, (or something similiar) and go about my day.

If it became a daily habit, and it was all of my families, I would do what I said in my OP......change my opening hours, as they clearly don't need me at 7:00 or stop serving breakfast at all....problem solved

[Crystal]

So what do you do in certain scenarios where you do have to leave the house & parents know this? Case in point - I provide care for a very small group - my own children (2 who are in school), & 2 other families. Most days I drive my children & the SA child I watch to school. If a family is late they risk my children & another child being late to school. We also have planned outside-the-home activities (storytime at the library, playtime at the library, etc - 1 mile from my home). So if a parent is late I should just wait & miss the activties that another family is counting on me partaking in? Not all providers stay home all day! This is where a parent needs to communicate that they will be late or not be ticked off if the provider is gone when they arrive.

I would never make my child late to school. I'd simply put a sticky note on the door....or a plastic clock with moveble hands and a sign that says "will be back at (insert time) If it is a scheduled field trip I'd leave a note on the door that says "sorry you missed us. we had a planned field trip today and have left as planned. see you next time " If they are upset, too bad and it probably won't happen again.

[Crazy8]

If this is consistent I suggest:

1. Changing your opening time to 8:00
2. Stop serving breakfast, period.

I will say, if I was a parent that decided to spend 30 extra minutes with my child in the morning and the provider attempted to charge me a fee for a service she hasn't even rendered, or turned me away at the door when I am paying for my child's space in care, it would be the LAST time I showed up, at all. I think it is absurd to charge a fee for late arrival. What you think if your child's school tried to charge you for a late arrival.....it's probably a huge inconvenince for teachers, but there is no way they'd get away with charging for it.....even at a private school that charges tuition.

But YOU would be breaking the contract by not contacting the provider that you are going to spend that extra 30 min. at home that morning. If after a few times of breaking that rule and being reminded of it, why is it so inconceivable to start assigning a fee to it????

I agree I wouldn't want to start adding a fee to late arrivals but when its become a problem in the daycare and is stated in the contract then it is just like any other rule (paying late, etc.). And if a child comes in my daycare after 8am I am not going to drop everything or rearrange my schedule to feed them. They are not going to starve by waiting till our 9:20 snack time to eat. It is a parents responsibility to get them here by 8am or feed them at home. I actually had a parent who used to come at 8:30 start bringing their child at 7:45am because "it was too hard" to feed them at home.

[Cat Herder]

Not sure I understand your first question...but I'll try to answer it....as a parent, I'd just feed my child and bring them when I was ready. I would personally let the provider know, and as a provider would appreciate a call, but I don't require it.

I don't mind feeding a child who arrives late and I would NEVER let a child go hungey just because their parent failed to feed them. I prefer they do not arrive late unfed, but it has happened and I just give them a cereal bar and a piece of fruit, (or something similiar) and go about my day.

If it became a daily habit, and it was all of my families, I would do what I said in my OP......change my opening hours, as they clearly don't need me at 7:00 or stop serving breakfast at all....problem solved

I agree.

I misunderstood your post to say you would terminate a provider who required you to feed your child before drop off if you arrived after breakfast was over.

I actually changed my opening time to 8am for this exact reason, myself. It gave me time to get my kids ready for school before I opened without stress of juggling parents/DCK's.