How Many Charge A Fee For Late ARRIVALS?

[wahmof3]

I'm really tired of waiting for these DCP's to arrive every morning. They are scheduled to be here at 7:30-7:45 and show up any where from 8:15-8:30. My scheduled breakfast is 8 & I am forced to wait until they show up which puts me so far behind getting my dd ready for school.

So who charges late arrival fee's? TIA

[Angelwings36]

My contract states:

I will assume that a child will not be attending for the day if your child is later than 30 minutes past their scheduled drop off time without a phone call. In order to ensure that your child’s space will remain open for the day in the instance that you are going to be late dropping off your child please be sure to call/text/email me and inform me of your later drop off time. If you fail to inform me ahead of time that you will be later than 30 minutes to drop off your child your child’s space will no longer be available for that day. In the same way that you have tasks to complete on time at work, I too as a childcare provider have tasks to complete on time and waiting unknowingly on a late drop off pushes that task to a later time and disrupts the overall daycare day.

If you serve breakfast at 8:00am, personally I would not allow any drop offs whatsoever between 8:00am - 8:30am so the children can eat in peace. I would contract this all in and if your families are not following the contractual regulation then they lose their space for the day. It will only happen once per family for them to realize that they need to be on time.

[Angelwings36]

You could also charge a $10/child inconvenience fee if you feel that would be a better option for you.

[Crazy8]

this has become a thorn in my side lately as well and I am getting so sick of it!!! Thinking of changing my policy as well so curious to hear the responses!!!

[Cat Herder]

If breakfast is at 8...serve it at 8 to ONLY those present by 8. If they miss it, have the parent feed their child breakfast before dropping off. If they forget to feed breakfast, turn them away at the door to go get breakfast before returning.

It won't take more than a couple weeks of what you are ALREADY dealing with for this to end permanently. You MUST enforce it strictly, though....one slip and you will have to start all over again.

Personally, I also have an attendance cut-off time. After morning snack, no drop-off will be allowed (without a doctors appointment/prior notification).

[MrsB]

I dont mind the late arrivals most of the time but I always tell my parents that if they arrive after 8:15 they need to be fed. I also tell them that we have a different schedule everyday and if they dont notify me that they arriving late before hand there is no guarantee that I will be here. (Sometimes if the weather is really bad I take them to chick-fil-a or the mall to play or sometimes I have kids I have to take to school) Whenever I seem to have a problem with a parent arriving really late (more than 20-30 minutes after scheduled drop off) I make sure we have an outing planned that day! Even if it is a walk around the neighborhood, (not within eyeshot of my house) All of my parents have gotten the clue after one time trying to drop off late and I am not there

[Blackcat31]

I am a mixture of Catherder's policy of having a cut off for drop offs...after a certain time, there are none allowed, and a mixture of Angelwings where I assume a child is a no show if they are outside of their scheduled drop off time by any more than 30 minutes with no phone call.

I have turned them away at the door before and RARELY has it happened to a family more than once.

Most people "get it" after the first time.

[wahmof3]

So my policy does say 15 minutes late without a call I may not be here....

&

my policy also states that my meal times are strict and that if you arrive after a scheduled meal time your child must be fed.

Since this seems to be more than one family maybe a warning letter will go home today. Hopefully that will be enough to get things changed if not maybe I will change policy to tack on a late fee.

What do you think?

[Cat Herder]

my policy also states that my meal times are strict and that if you arrive after a scheduled meal time your child must be fed.

maybe I will change policy to tack on a late fee.

What do you think?

I think that enforcing the policy you already have will fix it BUT if you would like a way to earn a little extra the fee would work, too.

The question at that point is what is the fee for? If they pay it do they get to eat late? :confused:

The way the policy reads now is if they are on time, they eat...if not they don't, ykwim?

[CheekyChick]

I love late drop offs. I feel like paying THEM for a few minutes of reading or catching up on e-mails.

As far as breakfast. We serve it from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. If someone comes at 9:30 a.m., we fix them breakfast as well. I'm a softie.

[wahmof3]

I love late drop offs. I feel like paying THEM for a few minutes of reading or catching up on e-mails.

As far as breakfast. We serve it from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. If someone comes at 9:30 a.m., we fix them breakfast as well. I'm a softie.

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

[wahmof3]

I think that enforcing the policy you already have will fix it BUT if you would like a way to earn a little extra the fee would work, too.

The question at that point is what is the fee for? If they pay it do they get to eat late? :confused:

The way the policy reads now is if they are on time, they eat...if not they don't, ykwim?

I see what you are saying, thank you this helps.
Going with reminding everyone of scheduled meal times & if they are not here by that time their child must already have been feed.

[bice99]

$25 finder's fee due if a parent fails to notify me of late arrival or absence by their contracted drop off time. I tell them that it messes with my day and I also worry that something has happened. I've only had to charge it once to two different families.

[wahmof3]

I am a mixture of Catherder's policy of having a cut off for drop offs...after a certain time, there are none allowed, and a mixture of Angelwings where I assume a child is a no show if they are outside of their scheduled drop off time by any more than 30 minutes with no phone call.

I have turned them away at the door before and RARELY has it happened to a family more than once.

Most people "get it" after the first time.

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.

[Crazy8]

mine isn't even an issue of meals - they know if they aren't here by 8am they need to come in fed. Mine is more of just interfering with my morning routine. I have one that has started coming any time between 7:30 and 9:15 and its starting to get annoying! I have to get my own kids fed, dressed and out the door for their buses, and them coming at 8:20 as I'm getting my son out the door instead of 7:45 when they are supposed to be here really throws a kink in things. I also feel like I need to be waiting around near the front of the house for them, so I end up WASTING all that time instead of doing something productive. Even things like feeding a baby, putting baby down for nap, etc. get messed up with late arrivals since I plan that stuff around arrival times - so the 8am mom who shows up at 9:15 can stand on my front porch in the rain until I am done putting the baby down. And I can't wait until spring when we are already at the park when they show up!!!