Do You Enforce...

[Meeko]

FIRED.

Effective IMMEDIATELY.


I can't believe no one else jumped all over that yet. I would have sent the email right after I hung up the phone.



I wanted to eliminate the couple of part timers I had so I changed my policies to include a 20 hour per week minimum charge. Part timers left as anticipated and it's been a nice thing to have in place for my remaining full time families when they go on vacations and such. I had the hardest time the first time I had to actually bill it, but all of my parents understood the reasoning behind the charge and had agreed to it so didn't say anything about it.

I had envisioned the worst, but found I had tortured myself for nothing

I do still charge hourly because it makes sense and works for me.

I also only contract for care with parents who need my services (read, both need to work and will go or lose their jobs). I definitely prefer and so much as demand regular attendance because I believe the consistency is what's best for the children as individuals as well as for my group as a whole.

Willow, you beat me to it! Nobody would speak to me that way and still be a client.

[Provider_Manda]

So should I start doing invoice's ? And yes I was so upset over her comment to me on the phone. But this is where the soft part comes in. This is the same parent months ago got made cause I was going to check her childs head before she came in b/c of wks of finding nits..and last week I worked till 8:45 for her (Im off at 6)

I have bent over backwards and for her to make that comment was just rude. But as my dh says I need to grow a pair..Just not sure how :\

I need to learn to run this as a business and not just as a sitter !!

[Cat Herder]

So should I start doing invoice's ?

Yes, to protect yourself and for tax purposes. Check out Minute Menu Kids, it has a free 30 day trial and is very simple to use. It has cut my workload to almost nothing.

[Provider_Manda]

I use MMkids but never even thought about it to do billing...is it expensive ? I only have 2 private pay and 2 county famlies.

[Fruitloops1]

I am BAD at enforcing any rules One DCM forgot the check two mornings in a row and all I said was Okay with a smile. I wasn't too peeved about it because I knew she wasn't paying me intentionally but because she really forgot (DCG has a cold and a boogery nose and will fight you if you try to wipe it) DCD dropped it off that afternoon. I know I will have to enforce the rules but MAN it makes me nervous...

[Provider_Manda]

I am BAD at enforcing any rules One DCM forgot the check two mornings in a row and all I said was Okay with a smile. I wasn't too peeved about it because I knew she wasn't paying me intentionally but because she really forgot (DCG has a cold and a boogery nose and will fight you if you try to wipe it) DCD dropped it off that afternoon. I know I will have to enforce the rules but MAN it makes me nervous...

Yes it makes me so nervous too !! I want to be a people pleaser..and I have only done this a year so it is still all pretty new to me. But wow I can't stand up for nothing it seems like.

[Cat Herder]

Yes it makes me so nervous too !! I want to be a people pleaser..and I have only done this a year so it is still all pretty new to me. But wow I can't stand up for nothing it seems like.

Try to think about it as standing up for your family..... not turning down a simple request for "special". Make it about them, not you, in your head.

Giving "special" to one means you feel obligated to give special to all...the worst part is they won't even see it as "special". Before you know it, you are burnt out.

Your being burnt out (stressed, hurt, tired, upset, resentful, walked on, etc.) all effects how you interact with your family. It is all connected.

Put your families needs first and you should have nothing to feel bad about. happyface The biggest perk is they magically stop asking after a couple No's.

It is amazing what people can accomplish when we don't enable them not to....


Edit: What version of MMK are you using?? It should already have "Accounting" and "Bill parents/record payments".

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

MMK and their childcarepay.com link has been a lifesaver for me. It automatically creates and e-mails the invoices for me. Some parents even have it automatically deduct the amount from their account (auto pay is amazing)!

Get the money they promised to pay you. I'm sure they have paid sick days at their jobs.

[cheerfuldom]

Try to think about it as standing up for your family..... not turning down a simple request for "special". Make it about them, not you, in your head.

Giving "special" to one means you feel obligated to give special to all...the worst part is they won't even see it as "special". Before you know it, you are burnt out.

Your being burnt out (stressed, hurt, tired, upset, resentful, walked on, etc.) all effects how you interact with your family. It is all connected.

Put your families needs first and you should have nothing to feel bad about. happyface The biggest perk is they magically stop asking after a couple No's.

It is amazing what people can accomplish when we don't enable them not to....


Edit: What version of MMK are you using?? It should already have "Accounting" and "Bill parents/record payments".

LOVE the bolded!

[chellebica]

tuition and late fees

I am having trouble wording a letter to enforce not only my tuition but also my late fees being enforced!! Help please

[Blackcat31]

I am having trouble wording a letter to enforce not only my tuition but also my late fees being enforced!! Help please

Please consider registering with the forum. There are LOTS of threads about this topic and lots of members willing to assist and help.

Most of these "perks" come with registering.

[spud912]

I so wish I was better about enforcing every rule. On top of me being a ****er too many times, every time I get angry and want to enforce something, my dh steps in saying how he "feels bad" or he doesn't want me to burn bridges .

[TwinKristi]

This is where monthly billing and paying in advance is helpful. If I close for illness I don't charge, but if they're out sick, on vacation, grandma wants to have baby that day... they still pay. If I owe them a day because I closed for illness they can deduct it from the next month's payment. Even for PT parents. I would much rather owe them a day the next month than be owed and have to Chase down my money, KWIM! It's worked great and no one has ever questioned it. Like someone else said, you're holding their spot at daycare for when they do attend, not charging for your services based on attendance.

Eta- I'm horrible at enforcing other polices though! I haven't charged a late fee ever. I don't have a lot of late parents but one late Nana. She is always running a few mins late but that's just how she is. I told DCM that I don't charge late fees as long as they communicate to me that they're running late or something. I understand that sometimes there is massive traffic and she could be stuck for an hour and I would feel bad charging her for something completely out of her control. But that's just me. Nana, on the other hand, just loses track of time. After the first of the year I thought of changing my late policy and charging if you're late. They're my only family currently so it's not like a chronic issue I have or I'm closed and he's the last one here... But a DCM who's got about 6wks left stops to get gas on her way here and is often 10 min late but it's not the close of business so it doesn't really "bother" me. It's the ones who are here until my last minute who are then 10+ mins late. No thank you!