Just A Little Vent...

[blandino]

We have a new daycare baby (3.5 months old), he is a typical baby - not extremely difficult - and really no problems with him at all. Parents are very nice, but they are committing one of our biggest daycare pet peeves. This is only his second week, and last week he was at daycare from 7:15 - 5:30 (we close at 5:30), which is just too long for any child (let alone a baby that little). This morning put the icing on the cake, dad was standing on the porch when I unlocked the door at 6:58 (we open at 7:00), and came at 5:25. That poor baby was at daycare all but 5 minutes that we were open today.

On one hand I feel sorry for the little boy, because he is spending so much time in daycare each day. And on the other hand, I am so genuinely irritated that the father was standing there waiting for me BEFORE I even opened.

The funny thing is, mom started him out part-time, so that he wouldn't be spending to much time in daycare when he was so little.

[EchoMom]

That upsets me so much too. Luckily none of the kids I have are here every day for that long. I have some that are here from open to close 10 hours, but they don't go to daycare every day of the week.

As a parent, I absolutely cannot fathom being apart from my child that long, it's just like forfeiting your baby to someone else to raise. And as good as your care may be, you just aren't his mommy and you just aren't his home, although he probably has no idea who/what is or isn't.

[Nickel]

Do they actually need care that long, or are they just dropping off so they don't have to deal with him?

I understand as needing care for that long. When my oldest was born she was in daycare (a center) from 6am to 5pm sometimes 6 at least 3 days a week and 7-5 the other two days. But I was a single parent that lived far away from any family members and had no choice (I was active duty military). Does it ****, yes, but if their job requires that commitment and you are open and available, not much you can do.

As a provider, I would never work that long. Like I said, my child was at a center. All of my dck have contracted hours. So while I am technically open from 8am-7:30pm my children, I would be very upset if my dck that gets out at 2pm stayed till 730 I'd be livid!!! AND I don't work those hours every day and only for certain families.

[blandino]

We don't have actual contracted hours, but our contract states that we expect your child's hours of attendance to coincide with your work hours. I can't imagine they actually need this many hours in care. The baby is here for 10.5 hours today, and the parents work 8.5 hour days. They have a 30 min (at most commute). Especially being at the door before I even opened, normally he has been a 7:15 drop off, so I don't know why he was here 20 minutes ahead of schedule.

I had to open the door to let my assistant in, and he was standing behind her. Part of me wanted to just look at him and say "oh, we open at 7". I don't want to be rude, but showing up before my hours is also rude. There was also another father coming in at the same time, but that father HAS to be to work (30 miles away) by 7:30 - so I understand him being here right at 7.

Not trying to overblow this, because I realize it isn't a HUGE deal - but is certainly obnoxious.

Once upon a time we handed out contracted hours forms, but that has gone by the wayside - and we will be starting contracted hours soon (problems with other families too). My question is, what do you say if a parent comes to you and asks that their child say longer on a specific day ? If they are all paying the same rate (which all of our families do), then it seems like the wouldn't understand why their child can't stay later one day ? I thought of allowing 2 "late days" a month, that each family can use to stay longer than contracted hours ?

[cheerfuldom]

While I can see how this would rub you the wrong way, if you are open for business, it shouldnt be surprising that parents and kids are there.

Once you go to contracted hours, it is important to fully outline what that means for parents (their kid cannot come whenever, they still have to have a schedule!) as well as late and early fees. I personally would not allow any extra hours free of charge. Any hours needed outside of regularly contracted hours must be approved first and will be charged at a high fee (or not allowed at all, depending on your regulations/ratio/availibility).

I wouldnt even allow early drop offs (unless pre-approved). I have no problem turning people away at the door or making them wait in the car till their contracted drop off time.
I would do $1 a minute late fees (late being after their contracted pickup time, doesnt matter if other kids are still there)
I would do $5 or $10 for every half hour of time outside of contracted hours IF you have pre approved this change for a particular day

[Nickel]

I don't allow any late days. They are expected to be here at their pick up time or they are late. Period. I tell each parent that I have to have their schedule and they are contracted from this time to this time. If they ask why htye can't stay late I tell them I must maintain ratios and I have some parents that come at 8am and some that come at 1:30pm. See what I mean. I gave them a rate. So the one that is here from 1:30-7:30 is here about the same time as someone from 8-2 see what I mean. It wouldn't be fair for that person to pay the same as someone who needs care from 8-6. I also do not quote a price until I know what days/hours they need. And no one knows what the others pay (although they all pay the same price except one, but that's a long story. So even the ones that area here 3 hours pay the same as someone who is here 7).

That's how I run my business because I need to know when someone is coming and going. I also need to know when I can go certain places, etc. For instance one family is fine with my running errands and going places because they are here until 7:30pm and they appreciate that I am open that late for them. But I don't run errands with my other families. So if an infant is suppose to pick up at 4 and they are late, I might not be able to go do what I needed to do, even though I am technically "open"

I have had no problems with this at all. I even make a point to go over this when we do their contract? Oh, you get out of class at 1:50, well lets put 2:30 just in case you have to stay late. This way if you ever need to stay behind or hit traffic you aren't late. Like I said, I have had zero problems. So far

I do think showing up early is obnoxious, but it depends on how you had your interview. I've had a parent show up early twice and both times I continued cleaning and setting up and didn't engage with her child until her actual drop off time other than good morning, you are early. I'm not ready yet! She stopped that REAL quick ::

It could also be that dad works closer to you so he drops off even though mom is home later? And then maybe she picks up but she works later? I honestly don't know. You could just ask him. Hey, I noticied you were here ealry this morning. Did you have an early meeting? Something along those lines? Not sure it would help. I am assuming they felt you were open those hours and they could drop off and pick up any time in those hours? That's how a center is, so maybe they assumed the same thing. Sometimes parents just really don't know and you have to explain it to them!!!

sorry so long. I hope that was at least a little helpful!

[blandino]

It really is outlined (very strictly) in our contract, that drop off and pickup times are to be consistent. And that "just because we are open from 7 -5:30, does not mean that you can drop off and pick up any time during that time frame. Please base your drop off and pickup times on your work hours that were initially discussed during the interview". So him showing up 20 minutes early, was unusual. Im sure they didn't think twice about it - but it threw me for a loop.

Especially considering these were not the hours we discussed in their interview. Like I said, it's not a huge ordeal for me, but was just rubbing me the wrong way this morning.

[blandino]

While I can see how this would rub you the wrong way, if you are open for business, it shouldnt be surprising that parents and kids are there.

Once you go to contracted hours, it is important to fully outline what that means for parents (their kid cannot come whenever, they still have to have a schedule!) as well as late and early fees. I personally would not allow any extra hours free of charge. Any hours needed outside of regularly contracted hours must be approved first and will be charged at a high fee (or not allowed at all, depending on your regulations/ratio/availibility).

I wouldnt even allow early drop offs (unless pre-approved). I have no problem turning people away at the door or making them wait in the car till their contracted drop off time.
I would do $1 a minute late fees (late being after their contracted pickup time, doesnt matter if other kids are still there)
I would do $5 or $10 for every half hour of time outside of contracted hours IF you have pre approved this change for a particular day

It doesn't surprise if they are here DURING business hours, but waiting on my porch before hours will always surprise me. To me, it is just good manners to at least wait in your car until I open instead of standing there waiting. I could have used those last 5 minutes to let the dogs out to go to the bathroom (as I normally do). I think the poor manners of waiting at someones door is what got me the most.

[nanglgrl]

I just adopted a new way of charging with the help of Blackcat. I open at 7:30 am, most of my children leave at 3:30 they are charged $125, if they want to contract hours until 4:30 it's $140 and if they want to leave at 5:30 they are charged $150. They still have to contract their hours and stick to them. If a person contracted until 3:30 shows up at 3:45 they pay $1.00 a minute late fees. If they call ahead of time and ask if their child can stay late and I approve it I charge $5.00 an hour. If they are contracted to arrive at 8:30 am and come at 8:00 am they are charged $1 a minute for early arrival unless it is approved and then they are charged $5 an hour. I don't think this is exactly how she does it but her outline really helped me. I like it when everyone leaves by 3:30. It gives me time to run errands and schedule appointments without having to close early or take the day off.
I also got really sick of having children 10 hours a day. I just don't get it, I understand some parents commute and all but I've been doing this for a little over 10 years and it wasn't until the last 5 years that I've seen a trend in my area of children being in daycare for 10 plus hours a day.

[countrymom]

I started doing contracted hours and omg its so good. This way I know when kids are coming and going. Just because I open at 7am and close at 5pm doesn't mean a child needs to be at my house all day. I have a parent who needs me at 7am but picks up at 1pm another one comes at 8am but picks up at 5pm, these are contracted hours. Also, these makes parents more responsible for picking up their kids instead of wondering all over the city.

I think you need to sit down with the family and again go over their contracted hours, you don't need to say contracted hours, but you can say, "mom and dad, I see your hours have changed at work (make sure you say work to guilt them) do you need to change your hours for daycare too" and then show them the penelties for early and late arrivals.

[Blackcat31]

I just adopted a new way of charging with the help of Blackcat. I open at 7:30 am, most of my children leave at 3:30 they are charged $125, if they want to contract hours until 4:30 it's $140 and if they want to leave at 5:30 they are charged $150. They still have to contract their hours and stick to them. If a person contracted until 3:30 shows up at 3:45 they pay $1.00 a minute late fees. If they call ahead of time and ask if their child can stay late and I approve it I charge $5.00 an hour. If they are contracted to arrive at 8:30 am and come at 8:00 am they are charged $1 a minute for early arrival unless it is approved and then they are charged $5 an hour. I don't think this is exactly how she does it but her outline really helped me. I like it when everyone leaves by 3:30. It gives me time to run errands and schedule appointments without having to close early or take the day off.
I also got really sick of having children 10 hours a day. I just don't get it, I understand some parents commute and all but I've been doing this for a little over 10 years and it wasn't until the last 5 years that I've seen a trend in my area of children being in daycare for 10 plus hours a day.

I started doing contracted hours and omg its so good. This way I know when kids are coming and going. Just because I open at 7am and close at 5pm doesn't mean a child needs to be at my house all day. I have a parent who needs me at 7am but picks up at 1pm another one comes at 8am but picks up at 5pm, these are contracted hours. Also, these makes parents more responsible for picking up their kids instead of wondering all over the city.

I think you need to sit down with the family and again go over their contracted hours, you don't need to say contracted hours, but you can say, "mom and dad, I see your hours have changed at work (make sure you say work to guilt them) do you need to change your hours for daycare too" and then show them the penelties for early and late arrivals.

Yes! Contracted hours are fantastic and completely eliminate the children who are simply left from open to close.

Well, I do have the rare family that still leaves their child from open to close and although they only work a portion of that time, I don't feel it is my right to dictate to them when they can and can't "buy" my services and for what reasons so I figured if I charged "over time" basically, atleast I felt compensated.

[Lilbutterflie]

This is something I have a hard time finding a back bone with. I'm getting there, but I really hate confrontation.

My parents have contracted hours, too. But it always seems like the TELL me what their hours are going to be upon interview (and it's in their contract); but they always slowly drop off earlier and earlier and pick up later and later. Only a few minutes at a time so I don't ever feel like it's a big enough issue to discuss; but put it all together and it really adds up!!

This morning though was the very first time a parent showed up 3 minutes before I even open, and 18 minutes before contracted drop off. I wasn't even going to answer the door, except that we had the front door open to let some cool air in through the screen (they could see my daughter in the hallway as they walked up) and my daughter yells out "MOOOOM! So&So is HERE!!!!"
So it was just too ackward to not answer the door. I did make a comment about how early they were, and DCD just had this blank stare on his face. If it happens again, I'm NOT answering that door.

Then I have another family who put 7:15-5:15 on their contract, but DCM explained more times than not, her husband gets off work around 3 and would be picking up DCG. Just in case, though, they wrote down 5:15 in the event she had to pick her up. BIG mistake there, I should have made her write 3:30 as pick up time. DCD has picked up DCG 3 times in 2 months; and when he does, it's usually around 5. DCM even told me yesterday that DCD does all of their shopping because "he gets off work so much earlier than me." What really bothers me is that I KNOW DCD is off work, most likely resting at home just down the street from us; and keeping his daughter in daycare for 10 hours each day.