Being Late is NOT an Option....

[Crazy8]

I am redoing my contract and getting ready to interview for openings coming up.... how can I let parents know that being late is really NOT an option???

I am going to a $1/minute late fee but I don't WANT the money, I want the parents to pick up on time. Maybe $1/minute isn't even enough???

I NEED to leave my house right after the daycare kids many nights as I have 3 kids in all different sports, etc. Sometimes even that gets my kids to where they need to be 5-10 min. late but I'm ok with that. Problem is when parent is 5 min. late (and then wants to chat about baby's day) my kid ends up being 20 min. late for their activity!!!

I know that some things can not be avoided and I can't do anything but wait if they are late but recently I have a family who just "gets stuck at work" a little too often. I charge them my current late fees and they pay them but I don't want their money, I want them to be on time!!! Just wondering how to nicely get this across to prospective families.

[daycarediva]

a provider in my area was having this problem with a family. She charged an 'inconvenience' fee of $25 if it happened more than once in a month. She also sent home notes with everyone about how those few minutes really affected her evening, etc. It worked! Best of luck!

[My Lil' Monkeys]

Is there anyway you could close like 10 mins before you close now? That way if they are late you still time before you have to be out the door. Plus, if they all do get picked up on time then your own kids could be on time for their activity.

[Crazy8]

Is there anyway you could close like 10 mins before you close now? That way if they are late you still time before you have to be out the door. Plus, if they all do get picked up on time then your own kids could be on time for their activity.

I really can't, I already close at 5pm which is a little on the early side for daycares nearby - to say I close at 4:50 would just be a little strange for me.

[jojosmommy]

Seems like the parents don't respect you or your child. I would tell them clearly that if pick up is an issue often they are going to have to look elsewhere for care. Be ready for them to term though. Some parents would leave their kids at daycare until bed if you let them. Good luck.

I should also say that you are going to send your child a message about how important he and his activities are based on what you do. Unfortunately far too often we "rely on the income" and "cant lose someone" but in the long run your child is getting a message about how important he is, and how important it is to be on time for important things (a life lesson IMO.)

[AfterSchoolMom]

I'd make it clear that you have activities to get to, and I'd do more than a dollar per minute - say, first instance $25, second $50, and three strikes, you're out.

Do you/can you transport? If they're late, take the child with you and make them hunt you down, AND pay the fee.

[MyAngels]

I do this differently than most providers, but keep in mind that I also close at 5:00 p.m. and have never (in almost 20 years) had a problem with late pick ups.

I don't charge a late fee. I never have. I stress, stress, stress, to parents that being late is absolutely not an option. I don't even allow for emergencies - well, that's what I imply to them, but I'm sure I'd be understanding if there were a true emergency. However they don't need to know that .

If I find that a family begins pushing back their pick up time to close to my closing time, I remind them, so that there's no doubt, that they need to be on time. Every day. No exceptions.

I never liked having to rush to my kids' activities, or for them to be late, which is why I've done it this way.

[Kaddidle Care]

It sounds like you need Teacher's kids only. Close at 4:30 and you have a buffer. I would think most Teachers could get there by 4:30 being that the latest school dismissing is 3:15.

It's a tough call because otherwise you would be caring for folks that only work part time and most part timers don't make enough $$ to pay for childcare as well.

[SilverSabre25]

Do you/can you transport? If they're late, take the child with you and make them hunt you down, AND pay the fee.

that's my suggestion as well, if it's possible.

[My Lil' Monkeys]

It sounds like you need Teacher's kids only. Close at 4:30 and you have a buffer. I would think most Teachers could get there by 4:30 being that the latest school dismissing is 3:15.

It's a tough call because otherwise you would be caring for folks that only work part time and most part timers don't make enough $$ to pay for childcare as well.

I guess that depends on where you are located. Here the latest school dismissing is at 4:10. But if she still closed at 5 and she only had teachers kids maybe that would work?

[Crazy8]

I do this differently than most providers, but keep in mind that I also close at 5:00 p.m. and have never (in almost 20 years) had a problem with late pick ups.

I don't charge a late fee. I never have. I stress, stress, stress, to parents that being late is absolutely not an option. I don't even allow for emergencies - well, that's what I imply to them, but I'm sure I'd be understanding if there were a true emergency. However they don't need to know that .

If I find that a family begins pushing back their pick up time to close to my closing time, I remind them, so that there's no doubt, that they need to be on time. Every day. No exceptions.

I never liked having to rush to my kids' activities, or for them to be late, which is why I've done it this way.

this is along the lines of what I was thinking - really stressing that 5pm is the absolute latest pick up - I'd still have a late fee in there but like you, in 11 years I really haven't had anyone abuse this. I don't even think this parent is being disrespectful, she just doesn't realize 5 min. is a big deal - I need to relay that.

[Crazy8]

I guess that depends on where you are located. Here the latest school dismissing is at 4:10. But if she still closed at 5 and she only had teachers kids maybe that would work?

school gets out by 3:15 here - HS's much earlier. I used to turn teachers away because I hated not having the income in the summer but now that my kids are older I'd rather have the summer off or at least a part time schedule! I did just turn away a teacher though because the hours just didn't mesh - she needed a real early drop off and would have been picking up at nap time. I'd do the early morning if I didn't have others here till 5 but I can't work an 11 hour day every day, I'm getting too old for that, LOL!!!

[MaritimeMummy]

I'd make it clear that you have activities to get to, and I'd do more than a dollar per minute - say, first instance $25, second $50, and three strikes, you're out.

Ditto.

For some reason, DCP's seem to think that we are at home 24 hours a day, and because of that, they have the freedom to be casual about pick up times. At a centre, they close and then they LEAVE to go home, whereas to them, we are already home.

If you make it clear that you will not be able to provide care after 5pm due to family commitments, that should be enough, and if it's not, I would follow AfterSchoolMom's advice. If it happens even once, send a notice around to all parents and say something to the effect of, "Just a reminder that I close at 5pm, I can not remain in my home to provide care for your child later than that due to family commitments. Please have a back-up plan for picking up your child: a grandparent, a neighbour, a friend, but again, I unfortunately can not remain open past 5pm."

[Lilbutterflie]

The only thing you can do other than change your closing time or changing all clients to teachers; is stress to parents that being late isn't an option & implement a late fee. I think $1 per minute is about average, maybe go up to $1.50 per minute?

But honestly, IMO; it's part of our job to deal with an occasional late parent. That's the business. Things happen, a meeting or phone call at work that ends late, or a terrible traffic jam on the freeway coming home. I think it's part of our job to be flexible about that stuff. I realize there are parents who take advantage of that; but that's why the late fees are implemented.

My two kids are in sports right now, and I usually put them on a team with an existing friend & ask the mom if it would be okay for her to take them to a practice here & there as needed. On nights when a parent is late, I make arrangements for their friend's mom to take them to practice. Perhaps you could do something similar?

[Country Kids]

I stay open till 5:30. Everything here starts by then if not earlier. We always have to work out some ride arrangement for my kids.

If the parent is arriving after you are closing every day I would put a closed sign in the window right when you close so they know why you are charging them a late fee. Also, put a clock right by the sign in/sign out area.