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I have a family that owes me 30.00 from a late fee, I have sent 2 notes home and no response, nothing at all, they don't even say if they are going to pay it at the end of the week or what. I am terrible at asking for money verbally, I just hate it, makes me very uncomfortable. What should I do? Maybe they are thinking that they paid it already when they paid 20.00 last week for the previous week's late fee, she handed the money and said "here for all the times we've been late" :confused: And that was the same day that they cam in late to pick up and I had to add another 30.00, told them verbally that day and sent a note home, nothing on Monday, yesterday I sent another note, nothing today.:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:
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Don't let the child stay until they pay. -
No, do not just write it off and forget about it.
Add the late fee to their next billing. (I hope you are pre-paid) and tell them that NO care will be provided until ALL fees (including late fees) are paid IN FULL.
I know it seems like a small amount but it is still money owed to you and it is your right to collect it.
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It really is not about the money, is that I feel disrespected when they do that
When they assume when is OK to pay me for extra time or how much is OK to pay me when we have a contract. I feel very offended form time to time with them. There was one day that the parent saw my child's new car seat, the parent had left @ my house his kids old car seat because we were going on a trip next day. When DCD saw my babies car seat he started to say that it looked so much like his babies new car seat, I said "Well maybe it looks alike but this is my car seat" So he stared @ the car seat and stared and kept staring, then asked "Where did you buy it? When did you buy it? For how long you've had it?" And little things like that they do from time to time, that is why now this money issue bugs me so much.
I am going to try to be "brave" and keep asking through notes, if they don't pay with next weeks payment then will talk to them, sounds good? I **** at this
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I agree with Blackcat. Add it to their next billing, and tell them they have to pay! The longer it sits out there, the more they are going to think it's invalid. And of course you feel disrespected, it's your business and they are not treating it as such by not paying the fees they owe.Comment
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They can only continue to disrespect you if you allow them too. I get how hard it is to discuss money with families, I hate it too, but it is part of our jobs. It only takes a few times of making a family respect you, your business, your contract etc before it gets easier and easier to do.
Put it in writing. Give them a deadline and then stick to it. It will only take turning them away at the door once for them to realize you are serious. Its your business. You make the rules. You are in control.Comment
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If parents don't pay me late fees ($25/day) in full (cash only) by the second morning at drop off, they are turned away... until they DO pay.Comment
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You can do it!!!
Do not let them do as they wish with your business. You respect them and treat them well, please allow yourself to be respected and treated well.Comment
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Give them a statement of the late fees etc that they owed and what they paid, and now what they still owe. Give them a date by which it needs to be paid. i guarantee you they know they owe it. They aren't stupid. If you let them get away with it you ar only opening your doors to other issues. If you have a contract they as well as you need to stick by it.Comment
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Personally I wouldn't let it go either. Tonight I would write up an invoice with their weekly rate and fees starting from a month when they were all caught up. Itemize everything so that it's clear as day.
5/21-5/25 $160 (due 5/18) [if your weekly payments are due on Fridays]
5/18 $160 paid
Balance $0
5/28-6/1 $160 (due 5/25)
5/25 $160 paid
5/25 $ 20 late to pick up 20 minutes
Balance $ 20 (owed)
5/28 $ 20 paid
Balance $ 0
5/28 $ 30 late to pick up 30 minutes
Balance $30 (owed)
6/4-6/8 $160 (due 6/1)
Balance $190 (owed)
6/1 $160 paid
Balance $ 30 (owed)
...etc.
Then I would talk to her in person today at pick up, remind her that she still owes $30 and that it needs to be paid by Friday (or whatever day you want it to be paid by) and then hand her the invoice.
If you have a "no pay, no stay" policy then remind her the day before you want the fees to be paid by that if she doesn't pay it that day then she can't bring DCK. The morning that the fee is due text her or call her to remind her again "Hi DCM, just reminding you that your $30 late pick up fee is due today. Also your $160 foe next week is due today too. Your balance is $190. Make sure you run to the bank if you need to before you come to DC so that you don't have to load DCK back up in car and take him to the bank with you."
LOCK your front door so that she has to knock and meet her at the door. Stand in the doorway and ask her if she has ALL of the money that she owes you. If she does have her hand it to you and count it before you let her in, if she doesn't have it all in full then tell her "I'm sorry DCM, but this is only $, your balance is $$. You'll need to bring the rest before I can let DCB into daycare. If she protests that's when you tell her "Well I reminded you on Wednesday, again on Thursday and this morning I send you a text". It's her responsibility to pay you, hold her accountable.
As far as the carseat thing goes ... well that reminds me of a DCM I used to have. Only at least with you it was a pricey item, in my case it was over a banana
. In your case I would just say "If you're confused, I recommend writing your child's name on everything you bring to DC. This way there won't be any confusion." Enough said.
**Banana story: I did a field trip with DCK's to zoo once and DCM wanted to come. Ok no big deal. My mom and sis came too. DCM asked me to put her lunch in the same bag that I put our lunches in. When lunch came and I pulled out her lunch including her banana (which had browned a little bit) she looked at it funny and told me "This isn't my banana, this one is all brown and old" and tried to give it back. I assured her it was hers but she argued and protested that it wasn't. So I pulled out my bananas out of the bag which were all stuck together in a nice little bushel (they hadn't been pulled apart) and just gave her the long uncomortable stare
. All she said was "Oh" and then ate her brown banana :
:.
"You teach people how to treat you"Comment
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I sure wouldn't let them get away with not paying. If you do it once, they will always expect it from you time after time after time!!!Comment
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:**Banana story: I did a field trip with DCK's to zoo once and DCM wanted to come. Ok no big deal. My mom and sis came too. DCM asked me to put her lunch in the same bag that I put our lunches in. When lunch came and I pulled out her lunch including her banana (which had browned a little bit) she looked at it funny and told me "This isn't my banana, this one is all brown and old" and tried to give it back. I assured her it was hers but she argued and protested that it wasn't. So I pulled out my bananas out of the bag which were all stuck together in a nice little bushel (they hadn't been pulled apart) and just gave her the long uncomortable stare. All she said was "Oh" and then ate her brown banana ::.
"You teach people how to treat you":::::::
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Well thanks all of you.
Today I sent home a 3rd note reminding them of the late fee, was not brave enough to say it verbally I hope is just that they really did not see the previous notes and they pay tomorrow. If not, then I'll have to say it 
Is just that this is my first year doing this, I know is my fault to let pass some late pickups, and now I don't know how to say I don't want to anymore :confused: But those pickups that I am saying are 45 minutes to 1 hour late pickups and I do want to charge for those, maybe they thought that because I did not charge them for all the other times they came 1, 2 3,4, 5, 6 and 9 minutes late even when they are not working, then they thought it would be the same with more than 45 minutes. MY FAULTComment
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Hey, don't beat yourself up over it. EVERY experience is a learning experience and we have ALL been there so it is ok. I do think you did the right thing though. You try nice first and if that fails, you speak up. No harm done.Well thanks all of you.
Today I sent home a 3rd note reminding them of the late fee, was not brave enough to say it verbally I hope is just that they really did not see the previous notes and they pay tomorrow. If not, then I'll have to say it
Is just that this is my first year doing this, I know is my fault to let pass some late pickups, and now I don't know how to say I don't want to anymore :confused: But those pickups that I am saying are 45 minutes to 1 hour late pickups and I do want to charge for those, maybe they thought that because I did not charge them for all the other times they came 1, 2 3,4, 5, 6 and 9 minutes late even when they are not working, then they thought it would be the same with more than 45 minutes. MY FAULT
If it comes to the point that you HAVE to speak up, remember we are all here to support you!
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Don't feel guilty about enforcing fees.
Think about it this way: You are providing care for these kids so their parents can work. If their bosses "forgot" to pay them and shorted their paychecks, you can bet they'd be the first ones lined up at HR ready to lodge a complaint and wanting to know when they would get their money.
I don't know about you, but I can't afford to work for free these days.Comment
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