Parents and Set Schedules?

[mrsking14]

I do not offer part time or drop in childcare since I can only have 4 and they must be full time spots for me to be able to pay my bills. However I took a child over a month ago who needed M-W care but was willing to pay the full time amount. Of course they are welcome to bring her Thursday and Friday if needed since they are paying for the spot. On days she is here, she is here from 7:30am-6pm.

The very first week she started she ended up coming every day. Fine. As the weeks went the days would change. The mother is 18. She brings her. Then she goes to work for her mother at a dental office where her mom basically lets her come to work whenever she wants. The grandmother then picks her up because the young mom goes to school in the evenings.

She always gives her 1-2 days off a week and the child usually never comes on those days. Sometimes they will let me know a day or so in advance if she will/wont be here. But sometimes I'm expecting her and will make her breakfast and she wont come. Or she will txt me last minute and say she is coming.

When she doesn't come, I'm off by 4 because my other 3 kids always leave by then. So obviously on days she isn't here, I'm able to get errands done, or on those afternoons I could be meeting wit my divorce lawyer.

I mentioned something to the mom about needing more of a set schedule for the child so that I was aware of my work schedule. This is why I do not offer drop in, and its also why I quit working in daycares (I never had a schedule). I'm a single mother of 2 children. I have a life too. The mom was understanding and said she would try to let me know as much as she could.

Then the grandma texts me this morning and says she doesn't see what the problem is because they are paying me for the whole week and if she came every day she would be here until 6. Okay, thats true. But why would I sit around waiting on your child or not knowing when I could plan appointments if I knew she wasn't going to be here. Again, this is why I do not offer drop in and thats what this is starting to become!

How do I make them understand that? Her being here is not a problem and I told them that. But I know she isn't going to be here every day. I ask for as much notice as possible. Otherwise, I will have to hire a sub to fill in for me when I have appointments and that could be avoided if they had a schedule. The grandmother says "I can't really give her a work schedule here". Um really? You're the supervisor. Everyone else there has a set schedule (one of her other employees kids used to come to me), but since she's your daughter she's allowed to show up and leave when ever.

What do I say at this point?

[Meyou]

Tell them you need a schedule each week by Friday the week before or you will no longer be able to provide care for the child.

FWIW I have several families that pay for a full week and don't attend 5 days. They always let me know if they won't be here and I have most changes weeks in advance unless it's an emergency.

[mrsking14]

I thought about maybe offering them a daily or hourly rate but they would still have to provide me with a schedule the week before. I guess I will tell her this evening I need some sort of schedule for her the Friday before from now on. I can't really afford to offer her part time rates when I have a friend who needs full time care every day.

[daycare]

I tell my DCP that in order for me to do my job well that I need a set schedule. Imagine running a business without a schedule. It would fall apart really fast.

I would tell the dcm that she needs to report schedule in advance like the PP said.

What time do you serve breakfast? I have a rule that if you are expected to be here for breakfast and you do not show up and do not inform me, then there will be a $5.00 food waste fee. Parents must notify me no later than 8am that morning, or I will add $5.00 to their weekly invoice.

I would give the mom a few weeks to get used to doing it your way and if she can't get on board with the way you want to operate your business, then I would more thank likely let them go.

[mrsking14]

Breakfast is at 8am. Sometimes she's here by 7:30-7:45, but there have been days she doesn't come at all or she says she will be here then doesn't show up until 10am. So then I've wasted breakfast! That's happened several times.

[Lucy]

They work in a dental office.... make the comparison that they are expecting a patient for the first appointment of their day, and the person doesn't show up. Point out that they could've stayed home an extra hour if they had known ahead of time. (This could be the same for the LAST hour of the day.)

Or, they don't have someone scheduled for that last hour, so they get ready to go home, but a patient comes in at the last minute and wants to be seen right then.

Or, they make plans for Friday night because nobody has taken the last appointment of the day, but that morning, someone calls to take that appointment and they must cancel their plans.

[MarinaVanessa]

I thought about maybe offering them a daily or hourly rate but they would still have to provide me with a schedule the week before. I guess I will tell her this evening I need some sort of schedule for her the Friday before from now on. I can't really afford to offer her part time rates when I have a friend who needs full time care every day.

Are you saying that your friend does not already attend your DC and she is interested in a spot for FT? If I got that right and you are full right now you can always explain that to the DCM.

"Hi Linda. Listen, I know you pay for the whole week even though you don't use the full week but I wanted to make sure you understood that the reason that I don't provide drop-in or part-time care is because I want to know my schedule in advance. You are the only exception that I've ever had and not knowing your schedule or it being changed and not being notified until the last minute really disrupts the flow of everything. Looks to me that that we have a decision to make. You can give me your schedule for the week by {day} which cannot be changed without giving me at least {24, 48, etc.} hours notice. You can bring DC child all 5 days a week and I will still need your arrival and departure times in advance. Or you can decide to go to a different DC. I have someone interested in a FT spot so I will need your decision by {date}. You need to understand that I have already made an exception for you by allowing you to come part-time even though you pay full-time. I never agreed to allow you to come at whatever time and days you wanted with little or no notice. I hope you can understand."

BTW who are you contracted with? The DCM or the Grandma? I would only discuss business and money matters with whoever signed the contract. If the DCM signed the contract then I would politely tell the Grandma that due to state privacy laws you are no longer able to discuss details with her (even if Grandma pays for DC). If there continues to be a problem you can suggest that the contract be changed to include the Grandma as long as she realized that the Grandma will now also be liable.

[mrsking14]

They work in a dental office.... make the comparison that they are expecting a patient for the first appointment of their day, and the person doesn't show up. Point out that they could've stayed home an extra hour if they had known ahead of time. (This could be the same for the LAST hour of the day.)

Or, they don't have someone scheduled for that last hour, so they get ready to go home, but a patient comes in at the last minute and wants to be seen right then.

Or, they make plans for Friday night because nobody has taken the last appointment of the day, but that morning, someone calls to take that appointment and they must cancel their plans.

Exactly! Makes perfect sense!!!

[mrsking14]

Are you saying that your friend does not already attend your DC and she is interested in a spot for FT? If I got that right and you are full right now you can always explain that to the DCM.

"Hi Linda. Listen, I know you pay for the whole week even though you don't use the full week but I wanted to make sure you understood that the reason that I don't provide drop-in or part-time care is because I want to know my schedule in advance. You are the only exception that I've ever had and not knowing your schedule or it being changed and not being notified until the last minute really disrupts the flow of everything. Looks to me that that we have a decision to make. You can give me your schedule for the week by {day} which cannot be changed without giving me at least {24, 48, etc.} hours notice. You can bring DC child all 5 days a week and I will still need your arrival and departure times in advance. Or you can decide to go to a different DC. I have someone interested in a FT spot so I will need your decision by {date}. You need to understand that I have already made an exception for you by allowing you to come part-time even though you pay full-time. I never agreed to allow you to come at whatever time and days you wanted with little or no notice. I hope you can understand."

BTW who are you contracted with? The DCM or the Grandma? I would only discuss business and money matters with whoever signed the contract. If the DCM signed the contract then I would politely tell the Grandma that due to state privacy laws you are no longer able to discuss details with her (even if Grandma pays for DC). If there continues to be a problem you can suggest that the contract be changed to include the Grandma as long as she realized that the Grandma will now also be liable.

Yes. Correct!

The mother signed the contract but I think she lets her mom handle most things. She is young. She gets to work whenever she wants since her mom is her boss and probably doesn't understand that I have a lot of responsibilities and a life outside of my job just as she does. When I talked to her about it she was real understanding and said she totally understands and let me know that next week they will be in KY for the week but she would pay me tomorow for next week (since even if they aren't here I expect payment) and did let me know today that tomorrow she would only be here until 11:30ish. Sometimes when she tells me a time, she isn't here at that time and shows up later. I understand things happen. But its always during lunch/nap times and if she shows up in the middle of nap, it wakes up the other kids. Or if she tells me she's going to be here and I try to keep the child up, then she doesn't show up for a while.. I could've given her daughter a nap. Tomorrow morning I will be explaining this to her and make sure she understands if she isn't here once they are done eating I will lay the child down with everyone else and she will have to come back once they are awake.

[daycare]

not to be rude, but it sounds like you are letting her get away with all of this.

You need to put your foot down.

Do you have a parent hand book?? If not create one now.

I would create a document that she can fill out weekly and turn in ahead of time

Require her to inform you of not only days, but times too...

Then hold her to it. If child does not arrive by times listed, then your child cannot attend for the day. I restrict anyone from dropping off during napping hours, perhaps you need to do the same.

If you do not show to pick up at the time you listed it will be $1.00 per min for every minute you are late picking up

YOu have to hold her to it and attaching $$B to it always seems to fix things really fast..
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Best of luck to you

[bunnyslippers]

I think you need to toughen up with this family a little bit. I would not switch to a daily/drop-in rate with her. That is a huge pain, and it also alters what you can plan as a budget each week. You should know what your weekly salary is! I also would never stay open for just one family 2 hours later than I have any other children. Do you charge her more than the other families? That is 10 more hours per week! I would let her know you need her schedule at least one week in advance, and that it can't change once she hasa given it to you.

[mrsking14]

not to be rude, but it sounds like you are letting her get away with all of this.

You need to put your foot down.

Do you have a parent hand book?? If not create one now.

I would create a document that she can fill out weekly and turn in ahead of time

Require her to inform you of not only days, but times too...

Then hold her to it. If child does not arrive by times listed, then your child cannot attend for the day. I restrict anyone from dropping off during napping hours, perhaps you need to do the same.

If you do not show to pick up at the time you listed it will be $1.00 per min for every minute you are late picking up

YOu have to hold her to it and attaching $$B to it always seems to fix things really fast..
\
Best of luck to you

Yes I have a very extensive handbook. However, not much about part time/ drop-ins is mentioned because I don't do it. I do have in there they must notify me if their child will be arriving after 10am, and they are strongly encouraged to have their child here by 8am.

When they came to meet with me before she started, they said they were looking for someone more flexible because their previous sitter was sick a lot and when they would come to pick her up/drop her off, it took her forever to open the door. Maybe this was an issue there too but they didn't want to tell me.

[mrsking14]

So today the little girl comes and I'm told she will be picked up at 11:30 because they are going out of town and mom was getting off early. This morning when she drops her off, I clarify the time only because 11:30 is always when we are finishing lunch, washing up then laying down. I tell her I can keep the daughter up as long as possible until she gets there.

She txts me and tells me she's going to be a little later. So I say okay. I let the other kids lay down and turn on a movie. The poor child could not keep her eyes open no matter what I did. She woke up just as her mom walked in and was excited to see her. She started yelling (as the other kids are right here sleeping). It was cute and with a smile on my face (because I wasn't being mean at all even though she thinks I was) I place like 3 fingers on her mouth and say "Shhh, inside voice" which is what her grandma always says to her when she yells.

Apparently I was way out of line :shrug And it made her uncomfortable that I "put my hand over her mouth". She made it sound like I was covering her childs mouth so she couldn't breath or was being abusive. I'm completely offended! She took it way out of context. But she didn't say a word until she left my house then text me and said her daughter wouldn't be back and that she wont tolerate that! Um. Okay.

This is probably best any way but I am pretty upset that she would come at me like I did something so damn horrible to her child with her standing right there!!!

Was I out of line?!

[Meyou]

They sound like daycare hoppers to be honest. They had "problems" with their previous provider and now they have "problems" with you. It sounds like they push until they can't get what they want and then move on. Personally, I think you're better off without the drama.

[SunshineMama]

I have had part timers pay for the full week, just so they could attend. I also let them know they had the option of coming the other days, but I needed to know a week before AND I have to ok-it, incase I made a dr's appointment, etc. They always told me in advance and we had no problems.

I would reinforce that you are fine with being available, however they need to tell you at least 1 week in advance, so you can plan your life too.

Irritated with parents who think all we do is sit around and wait for their kids, like we have nothing else to do. I waited 7 hours today for a kid to show up, only to have his parent say that he already napped for the day. Well, sorry, it's rest/nap time here now.... Where is the consideration?