What Is Your Cut Off Time For Children To Be Dropped Off

[Country Kids]

My whole program is changing along with rates, contracts, handbook and outlook.

Never heard of having a limit to when a child was going to be dropped off till I read it on hear but coming my new contract it will be in there.

I see alot of you have 9:00 but I'm thinking of 8:30 because that is when I want to start my preschool program. I'm just tired of hearing little so n so didn't want to get up, was tired, parents tired, etc.

So just wondering if you have a limit to drop off time what time is it?

[Heidi]

I guess I would never complain about a parent paying me when their child isn't here, but it sounds like you are currently doing hourly (so they're not paying for hours they dont use?), but when you change to a weekly tuition, they may not take it as lightly.

You could also add a "no arrivals between 9-9:30" clause, or whenever you do your preschool thing? or 15 minutes on either side of that... I can understand not wanting to be interrupted! If the kids miss out, that's their parents problemo, man!

Do you do your preschool program every day? If so, make sure to include that in your new rate sheet.

Here is what your weekly tuition buys you:

-A full-time slot at Country Kids DC, M-F 7:30-4:30
-A comprehensive preschool program each morning with learning activities and fun!
-Nutritious meals and snacks

If your family needs care outside these hours, please talk to me about the rate for extended care.

Like I said before, I would make the flat rate for 9 hours or less, and then charge extra for any hours needed over 9. I would take your weekly rate, divided by 45 to get that number, and round up slightly.

So, if your weekly rate is $130, then make your hourly rate for overtime $3.00. If someone needs 50 per week, it'll cost them $160.00. Then, set a DROP IN rate (if available), $4.00 per hour. That way, should someone need back up care from you, and you have a spot available, you have that option.

[Blackcat31]

I don't have a cut off time for drop off but what I do is tell parents preschool stuff starts at 9:00. You want little Sally to participate, then be here by then. If not, oh well....she can join in whatever activity we are doing at the time of arrival.

The only time I am adamant about NO DROPP OFFS is during lunch and rest time. If you can't get here by 11:30, then you will need to wait until 2:30 to drop off.

Otherwise, what ever time the parent chooses to drop off is up to them. My rates only change according to pick up time not their drop off times.

[cheerfuldom]

I strongly prefer by 9. Its not in my handbook because it hasnt been a huge issue that could not be addressed directly to the parents. I dont do long term random drop offs where parents just want a constant open door to the daycare....that is definitely out! I have to have a regular schedule from all my families that they agree to abide by.

That said, I dont do a preschool program officially. If I did, I would absolutely insist on a drop off time.

This fall, I will be dropping kids off at school. Parents must drop off BEFORE a certain time OR after a certain time to make sure that I have a window to load up kids and drive to school. Coming during that window where I am busy is not an option.

If I did a preschool program, I would have no problem saying that drop offs will not occur during 9 and 11, during our preschool program time or something like that. I think you will find that a lot of these issues will end once you pay a weekly tuition. With hourly, parents are going to constantly try to shave off time here and there to save money.

[originalkat]

I have an 8:30 drop off cutoff in the morning. Now of course if they have to come later than this on occasion then it is fine... But they know they need to call if they are going to be late. I also have a preschool program that begins at 8:30 and it is a real pain not knowing when to expect people. Some new people are a little surprised... But they deal with it or don't enroll. I would not take a child who strolled in whenever they felt like it.

[Country Kids]

Well this whole month for some reason I have had the hardest time getting parents to drop off when they are suppose to! I'm talking like 3 hours late some days or just not coming. Its getting crazy!

So when this happens, it is literally screwing up my day. We can't go on our walk when scheduled, breakfast gets messed up, they don't want to eat lunch, take a nap, etc. I literally almost missed getting my daughter to the college to do last minute registration things, buy books, parking sticker because a parent didn't know when they were going to show up.

It happened again today so I'm going to know definetly change the way I charge. It was good while it lasted but know I've had some abuse the system so time to move on to another way of billing.

[Hunni Bee]

Ours is 9:30, but we're a center. We didn't have it at first, but I pushed for it because we were having the same types of issues. Kids arriving at random times all through the morning, arriving after lunch and not having eaten, and even parents trying to get away with paying part time rates by dropping the kid off really late.

I think it's absolutely necessary if you're doing a routine structured activity in the mornings.

[Blackcat31]

Well this whole month for some reason I have had the hardest time getting parents to drop off when they are suppose to! I'm talking like 3 hours late some days or just not coming. Its getting crazy!

So when this happens, it is literally screwing up my day. We can't go on our walk when scheduled, breakfast gets messed up, they don't want to eat lunch, take a nap, etc. I literally almost missed getting my daughter to the college to do last minute registration things, buy books, parking sticker because a parent didn't know when they were going to show up.

It happened again today so I'm going to know definetly change the way I charge. It was good while it lasted but know I've had some abuse the system so time to move on to another way of billing.

Aw, sorry your parents are being so scattered lately. (((hugs)))

As far as morning walks and such, I would simply go. Don't pay any attention to the parents' lateness. If they are suppose ot be there at 9:00 and you want to go for a walk at 9:15, go. If they show up at daycare and you aren't there then they will learn right quick that they need to either call you about lateness or show up on time. You are basically reinforcing their behavior by waiting around and suffering due to their rudeness...kwim?

As far as breakfast, have a set time for it to be over. If breakfast is over at 8:30 and Johnny gets dropped off at 8:35 and mom says he is hungry I would say "I'm sorry but breakfast is over. Johnny can either wait until morning snack/lunch or you can take him to get somethign to eat and drop him back off later." If you cave and give in to this kind of behavior it will just keep happening.

As far as nap time, if parents are letting their kids sleep in and then naps are screwed up I usually tell parents that the kids will still need to lay down quietly during rest time and if they get rowdy or out of hand and nap turns disruptive, I will be calling the parent for pick up.

I refuse to allow a parents actions to effect my daily routine. You have ot learn to give the issue back to the people it belongs to.

Go about your day and don't worry about who is ther and whi isn't. All it takes is one time for a parent to panick and realize you aren't simply sitting there waiting for them all day to realize that the grown up thing to do is communicate about their schedule, any changes and then stick to it.

Hang in there. I think everyone goes through a period of chaos before they find the tricks and things that work.

[Country Kids]

Thanks Blackcat! I'm also thinking alot about it for when school starts backup and we are doing preschool. I like to start at 8:30 and then when you have them coming in at 9:00 or later it disrupts the entire group.

I think it did make a message when I said we were leaving to the college and didn't know when I would be back! They were very late getting to work that day because I would budge around their schedule.

[Blackcat31]

How I handle the late arrivals when preschool starts is to again put it back on the parent,

"Ya know Sally, I feel so badly for Johnny as he so badly wants to participate in our morning circle time since you drop off so much later, he is never here before preschool time starts, it makes it really hard for him, do you have any ideas on how we could make him feel better about always missing out on circle time?" Not those exact words but something to that effect.

I also use the "part of my job with the preschool children is to prepare them for school and what the daily routine will be like for them. When a child consistently misses out on morning activities it is difficult for him to fully participate in the day as so many of our conversations and activities are based on what we discuss or do during circle time in the mornings." speech.

Then I ask if there is anything they can do so that their child can FULLY participate in our curriculum such as drop off earlier.

So far, it has always worked with the exception of one family....but oh well. their loss I guess since they specifically chose my care because I have a preschool curriculum.

They schedule for 8 but never drop off until 10 which is well after circle time and right in the middle of art/craft time. Their child never ends up getting to do some of the things we do and every time the parent says she will try harder to get here early the next day but she never does.

Again, oh well. Nothing I can do. Kindergarten isn't going to wait for her either so....this one is on mom.