Pre-Paid or Work & Get Paid when the Parent Does?

[PixieFirefly]

I am starting a daycare the end of May. Most questions I have I find the answer by reading threads but this I can't finda answer to. I have taking care of kids the past 20yrs and the last time I did was 4yrs ago and I would get paid when the parent did. Well I was thinking now days I would do a *pre-paid* payment before I care for the child. I was wondering how other providers do with their payments? Thanks in advance for any input

[Christian Mother]

It's in my contract to have them pay the week ahead starting on Mondays at drop off. If they don't pay for care at the beginning of the week then there is no daycare for them. That way no parent can skip out on me. And, I've never had that happen to me in all my yrs of daycare.

[PixieFirefly]

thank you for the reply. that idea is great I love it

[littlemissmuffet]

I am in Canada and the area I am in it is the norm to pay childcare fees monthly as opposed to weekly as in most of the US. However, we also only accept advance payments - due on the first of the month (or earlier if the 1st falls on a weekend/holiday/vacation/etc). $10/day late fee - and child will not be accepted into care until all fees are paid in full.

I get two weeks paid vacation, all stats paid and 5 paid sick/personal days. Families are not offered free or discounted rates for their vacation days or sick days, so my monthly fee is always the same for each family. I have never used more than 5 sick/personal days in a year so I've never had to reimburse a family.

[Blackcat31]

NO pay = NO play! NEVER EVER provide child care services without advance payment. I get advance payment on Fridays for up coming week(s). Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly I don't care. Just pay BEFORE play.

Here is a thread/poll about who is pre-pay and who is not: https://www.daycare.com/forum/showth...ighlight=polls

[renodeb]

When I first opened I had them paying monday for that week. I found that to many times they would "forget" there check book.
So I changed payments to friday for the coming week or if they were parttime the last day of attendance for the coming week it works great and very few forgotten check books! I do have one parent that pays me for the whole month which works. The norm for my neck of the woods is to pay for the week coming.
Debbie

[Greenplasticwateringcans]

In my area, and in my contract, it is prepay by the first of the month. I also have 6 months to a years worth of post dated cheques from the DCP's.

[GoodKarma]

Definitely in advance! It prevents a lot problems! I get paid the Friday before, cash only ( prevents even more problems! )

[PixieFirefly]

Thanks for all the replies it helped me make up my mind and GoodKarma I love the cash only idea

[DaisyMamma]

Prepaid on Monday at drop off. It eliminates the possability of a parent not paying at the end of the week. You can't say they cant have their kid on Fri if they show up with no pay. but you can say the kid can't come if they have no pay on Mon.

[snbauser]

Payments are due by close of business on Friday for the upcoming week. I have to do all of my shopping for the upcoming week over the weekend, so I want my money upfront.

[SunshineMama]

I am starting a daycare the end of May. Most questions I have I find the answer by reading threads but this I can't finda answer to. I have taking care of kids the past 20yrs and the last time I did was 4yrs ago and I would get paid when the parent did. Well I was thinking now days I would do a *pre-paid* payment before I care for the child. I was wondering how other providers do with their payments? Thanks in advance for any input

Please do a pre-paid payment for your sake. If a parent ever decides to leave, at least you haven't worked for free.

[momma2girls]

I receive payment every Mon.am of that week of daycare, no pay, no stay.

[Nellie]

I think it is good advice to have pre pay. I don't, but I wish I did. I do they pay the last day there child is in care for the week. With a few families I use to let them pay when they got paid, but that adds to much work for me to remember someone is paying on Tuesday ect or every other week. Makes it hard to collect when they no longer need childcare if they end one week and don't get paid until the next week. Those few families that I did that for never took paying seriously. They just figured they could pay when they had it. If they needed the money for something else they figured that I could wait an additional week or weeks to get paid. Saddly family members were the worst.

[Heidi]

A deposit for last week of care (whenever that may be) at contract siging (non-refundable), AND prepay on Mondays for the week of care...