Parent Does Not Want to Pay

[MOMOF3BOYZ]

he everyonehows everybody,still sane i hope!::

well i have a dcp,who wants to pick up her kids 30 minutes after closing(i close @ 6pm) and doesn't want to pay overtime fees.

she keeps asking if i will work with her. Really!:confused:
like what doesn't she understand, that's cutting into my Fam Bam time.

and i only charge $5 dollars for every 15 minutes

i mean i already gave her a good discount on her weekly rate for both her kids, i mean i dont know what else to tell her, i've already told her i could'nt do it.

im rambling i know but it just ticks me off how these dcp try to always take advantage

[JenNJ]

She needs to pay or find new care. It isn't a negotiation.

[familyschoolcare]

The response to the parents is "Sorry mam that is the price for that service." I will work with you at the price of X.

[Crystal]

For me, this would depend on WHY she needs to pick up late, AND what type of client she has been in the past.

For my families, I would accomodate it and not charge. BUT, I have great families who only VERY rarely request me to work before or after my open times, it's always for a good reason, it's always asked well in advance and they would never take advantage of me.

[Blackcat31]

It is hard to be firm but it is something you HAVE to do if you want her to stop asking. I would set my rate for overtime and tell her that is the end of discussion. She either needs the care (at your rate) or she doesn't. If she doesn't like the price, you can always point her in the direction of other care facilities.

This mother is either bullying you to get what she wants or you are not being firm enough in your response. Once you figure out which one it is, you can solve the issue easily.

Good luck! It IS hard when parents give you such a hard time about your rules and policies. My family time is very valuabe to me and I am VERY firm about what I will and will not do.

[nannyde]

Whatever "good discount" you are giving her is just the fee to her. She obviously doesn't look at it as a gift or something special because she is asking for more for free.

Whenever you give a discount just remember that it's not really a discount... it's just your charge for care. The parents not only look at it as the cost of care but they may also think it's way too much. If you start the relationship with you thinking it's a great deal for them and them thinking it's too much then you will have deals like this where they ask for more because they want their monies worth.

When a parent says "will you work with me?"about fees they are saying "will you do this for free?" That's all she wants to know. Will you give her free care or not?

If you do a "now and then" for free arrangement you will find the now and then to be every day.

You think she's taking advantage of you and she thinks it's no big deal and she needs to get her monies worth. You guys are so far apart that it's either do as she says or say no. Don't say sometime... say yes or no. Sometimes will be all the time and the same as saying yes.

Also... be careful about resetting this to 6:30 because you will likely find her showing up five/ten minutes after that. She may be trying to keep them on the clock at your house as close as possible to bed time so she can get them home and get them to bed as early as possible. By 6:30 she will have expected a full supper for them so all she has to do is get them home and in bed.

[countrymom]

For me, this would depend on WHY she needs to pick up late, AND what type of client she has been in the past.

For my families, I would accomodate it and not charge. BUT, I have great families who only VERY rarely request me to work before or after my open times, it's always for a good reason, it's always asked well in advance and they would never take advantage of me.

thats what I do. I have good families and thats what I do.

[MOMOF3BOYZ]

i am firm in what im saying, i have already had this conversation with her once before.

but she keeps asking me and i think she thinks that maybe i will just change my mind or something, i really dont know all i know is that if she wants them to stay ,she's gotta pay!( oh, and i've received some of my daycare courage from all you wonderful advice giving providers) im so happy i found this forum. it is really helping me
thanks guys