This is how I do it too. I stress VERY clearly that I do not deal with lateness EVER. for ANY reason. I am super firm about it when interviewing so the parents know that if they can't get her by the time I close, I am NOT the place for them.
I agree with the 3 strikes you are out theory and would also charge a higher fee for each incident but personally I wouldn't ever tell parents that I have somewhere to go, or activities that my kids are in as I feel that really isn't any of their business and I think that giving them a reason for not allowing lateness gives them the idea they can negotiate or some how change things.
For example, there was a thread a while back where the parent was late alot and the provider wasn't getting to pick up their own DS from practice on time so the parent kept offering to meet the provider at the school or to pick up the child themselves and I would rather not get into all of that and just prefer to have parents pick up when they say they are going to in the first place.
I agree with the 3 strikes you are out theory and would also charge a higher fee for each incident but personally I wouldn't ever tell parents that I have somewhere to go, or activities that my kids are in as I feel that really isn't any of their business and I think that giving them a reason for not allowing lateness gives them the idea they can negotiate or some how change things.
For example, there was a thread a while back where the parent was late alot and the provider wasn't getting to pick up their own DS from practice on time so the parent kept offering to meet the provider at the school or to pick up the child themselves and I would rather not get into all of that and just prefer to have parents pick up when they say they are going to in the first place.
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