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why are you asking them to pay you early. I have teacher kids here and they get paid on thurs every other day. Thats when they pay me. They live on a tight budget and I would never ask them to pay me early because its hard for them. I wouldn't charge them any fees.
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I agree to an extent, but when you chose and in home child care, you go in knowing that there will be times the provider will be closed. I think the onus is on the parent to find a care situation that works for them. As a parent I would probably NOT go in home simply because I need care when I need care...Now, if the OP tends to be one who takes a lot of time off (and I don't know what she's been off the whole year - if it was just those 4 days and now her scheduled vacation then that's not too much) she will have to deal with any fall out from that.Comment
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This made me rethink my OP. If your contract with the parents states that payday is every Friday, then I don't know if you have a legal leg to stand on by changing in in the newsletter, or charging a late fee. Something to look in to, for sure! It might prompt me to change my payday to the last day I am OPEN/child attends rather then say always on Fridays.Comment
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See I ran into that myself. I get paid the Friday before services are given (prepaid) and because I was taking vacation and going to be closed on a Friday I choose to ask parents to just pay the following week at drop off on Monday. It kinda ****ed not having my money but its not fair if you contracted a set date and then try to change it. But asking for a post dated check before you close is also a good idea.~AmandaG~Comment
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Depends on what is in the contract of the OP. I charge weekly. My policy is that you pay on your child's last day of care for the week. If that is Wednesday, then you pay Wednesday or late fees acrue.
She also stated that she had this in the newsletter that the parent didn't read, for anyone that couldn't pay earlier, she was going to stay open that extra hour, NOBODY said they couldn't work with her, so she made plans to be away. Again, it's the dad's fault for not reading the newsletter.
I give reminders to parents, not that I should have to, but I just don't want the headache, and then if they still mess up, I can say, "That's why I gave you all those reminders
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As the parent he should be thinking about what a dumbass he is for not reading his childcare providers newsletter! Doesn't matter that she had to unexpectedly close
She had prearranged to be close those 2 days and he blew it. I think we all know that parents have to work, that's why they send their kids to childcare. But unexpected circumstances and prearranged holidays are something that goes with home childcare and Dad needs to read his newsletters. I agree about reminders. Not our job to constantly remind them, but it makes my life easier.
OP, what my school does is has a cut off part at the bottom of their newsletter that we send back to the school. It lets the school know how many parents are reading the newsletter, and it also gets put in a draw. I'm not saying you should do a draw, but might be a good idea to make the parents accountable to prove to you they've read your newsletter.Comment
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My payment policy is also worded "last day of care" for the upcoming week.
I also highlight ALL pay dates on the yearly calendar I hand out with marked closed days and holidays.
My parents all either pay me through automatic bank transfers or they leave a check. I do all banking on Saturdays no matter when I received the check.Comment
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First of all, OP informed the parents that she was going to be closed on Thursday December 20th through to January 2nd on NOVEMBER 1ST! This was already scheduled into her yearly time off - the parent is in the wrong for having not read her newsletter and planning for backup care for Thursday/Friday. He had well over a month to plan.
Second of all, yes, as clients of home childcare providers parents need to understand that they DO need to drop everything and find alternate care if we close due to emergency. This woman lost her child. I would consider that an emergency. It's not like she was out shopping or getting her nails done
You think she should cancel her Thursday/Friday vacation days to make up for her closure last week? That's ridiculous.
Thirdly, your comment that you "would never ask them to pay me early because its hard for them"... good for you. But it's hard for us too when parents don't pay us on time. The OP is paid once a month on the first of each month (or earlier if the first falls on a holiday/weekend) why should she have to wait an extra 2 days when this dad had more than a month to plan to pay early?Comment
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The OP is paid once a month. On the first of each month. If she's like me, she has it written in her contract that when the first of the month falls on a weekend, a holiday or during my vacation the parent is required to pay fees no later than the proceeding business day prior to the closure - daily late fees are applied as usual.Comment
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It's in my contract that when I am on holidays families are to pay me on the last available day that I am open. I was going out of my way to open for one hour on the 1st of January (which was still during the time I was on holidays) to work with families who would not be able to pay me early for a small fee of $10 for my time. No one cut off the bottom of the sheet and returned it to me to make this request so I made plans and now I won't be home.Comment
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I realized that these people have to go to work but I didn't plan to have a miscarriage and have to close for the 4 days last week. No I did not send out reminders last week because I was in the midst of having a miscarriage and was taking care of myself during that time. As per contract I only have to give a month's notice for my holiday days, I gave 5 months notice, which I thought was really nice of me. It's unfortunate that this family didn't read the newsletter and write the holiday days down like everyone else did. I feel that I did the best I could. In the past I have never reminded families other than in my newsletter and no one has showed up on my days off. I have been operating for 6.5 years so I assumed that the notice in my newsletter was enough. Lesson learned.Comment
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this right here...... In the past I have let to many families guilt me with their problems. NOT any MORE....Do they pay by check? or cash?
I would charge him a late fee (again, not YOUR problem he didn't read the info you supplied) and ask that he leave you a post dated check or deposit the money directly into your bank account. He doesn't need you account number to do that....only your name.
Please do NOT rearrange your plans due to the ignorance and disrespect of this family! I would tell him he needs to figure it out as you already made plans and if he doesn't figure out a solution he will not have daycare services any more.
IMO, he is trying to make this your problem when it isn't. He wouldn't dream of trying to negotiate with any other place he owes money to so why is he trying to do so with you?...because he assumes you WILL make exceptions for him. Sooooo not cool!
(((Hugs))) for dealing and STAY STRONG!!!!!!
I have the same exact issues with my parents not reading any of the stuff that is sent out. It makes me extremely angry that they don't, then come at me with a million questions. I always say, all of that information is in the monthly news letter and weekly (yes weekly) reminder, please go back and read it..... I refuse to answer questions twice.....
the only way that you will get them to start reading the information sent out is to hold them accountable for it. He failed to read the the news letter and missed out on some very vital information. This is not your fault in anyway.....Hold them accountable for not doing so and enforce the rules.
This is exactly why I only do email communication, when I used to write letters, I never knew if people actually got them or not. I am sure the papers would either stay in the car and end up as trash or get mixed up with the kids papers and again end up as trash. Emailing it to the parents there is not a single excuse.
I am very routine about when I send my newsletters out, so I tell parents if you don't get it by the 3rd of the month, you need to contact me......
BUT even emailing them out, parents still don't read it..................I really don't think that there is anything that we can do other than just hold them accountable for not reading the information.Comment
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I put the info in my newsletter and if parents do not choose to read it so be it. I do not send reminders, post it in different places. My job is to care for their children, not them. When not reading the newsletter puts them out enough times they will start reading it. Mine did.
I wouldn't feel one bit guilty and wouldn't give it a second thought. That is the parents job.Comment
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