Snow Removal and DCFamilies

[Blackcat31]

**PS: Just thinking about your liability issues here. I could be wrong but if a client falls walking through the snow wall and you can show that you already pay for snow removal of your driveway and sidewalks and that the client fell walking through the snow wall created by the city and fell on city property I doubt your clients could win. I mean it's not like you're being negligent and if the only snow that's left for them to fall on is that wall blocking the driveway and sidewalks isn't that in the street? I mean even if the client fell on the sidewalk that's not your property ... it's city property so I'm assuming it's the city's problem. Just thinking out loud here.

I actually have a clause in my contract that states that there may be times when the snow, ice or weather may be dangerous or pose a risk to parents/children at drop off and or pick up. I let them know that I do the best I can under the circumstances and that they MUST assume some responsibility in the situation.

Living where we live (or anyone) means that there are certain precautions that must be taken. For example, I will NOT file a claim for a parent who slips on the salted, shoveled side walk if they are wearing 6 inch heels and not snowboots or appropriate footwear for the weather....kwim?

I also state that if it is snowing at the time, THEY must simply deal with it. I don't actually say those words but you know what I mean....

[DaycareMomma]

I have to say I'm a bit nervous about this too. My husband clears the sidewalks before he leaves for work at 4:30am, but he doesn't get home til after 6pm. So in between that time, if it snows more or if the city comes by and plows, I'm SOL. I'm 7 1/2 months pregnant and shoveling is on my not to do list from my doctor. I'm going to have to rely on my 7 year old son to shovel after school before parents get here if its an issue.

[ninosqueridos]

I have to say I'm a bit nervous about this too. My husband clears the sidewalks before he leaves for work at 4:30am, but he doesn't get home til after 6pm. So in between that time, if it snows more or if the city comes by and plows, I'm SOL. I'm 7 1/2 months pregnant and shoveling is on my not to do list from my doctor. I'm going to have to rely on my 7 year old son to shovel after school before parents get here if its an issue.

My DH clears what he can before work and I can't do anything during the day either. I had a problem family tell me once after an ice storm (which DH had cleared and spread salt on), "I hope you can clear this ice duing the day today. I had to walk in the snow to avoid it." They were termed a week later for that among other things.

[hgonzalez]

It used to not be an issue, but now my son is away at college most of the time.

Here's how it works: I paid 350.00 for the snow plow guy to come and plow once by 7 am when it snows more than 2 inches. This is for the entire winter.

The problem is that I have drop offs starting at 7 and ending at 8:45. If the city plow comes between the time my plow guy comes and the last drop off, someone is stuck climbing over the snow mound that the city plow leaves at the end of my driveway. The kids old enough to shovel are already at school by 8 or so.

I like the idea of adding it to my contract that I am not liable. I already have a section in there about the snow situation and recommending they were practical shoes. Ugh...it is always the guys that complain also or the women in high heels!!

[MyAngels]

Ugh...it is always the guys that complain also or the women in high heels!!

You'd think they would have enough common sense to put on a pair of boots in the snow, wouldn't you?

[Nellie]

I feel that sometimes there is only so much a person can do. Could a car drive though the mound that the city plow pushes in? If so, let them drive in like you offered. I live out in the country with a long driveway. Last winter my husband was working out of state and I worried so much about the guy we hired to plow coming before the first drop offs. As a back up plan I thought that I might meet parents at the end of the driveway and pull the kids up in a sled or drive my 4 wheel drive down the driveway and shuttle them up. When I talked to my parents about it they told me not to worry about it. They would walk there own child up if needed. My mom told me that when my sisters were little that she often walked them up the driveway of the daycare they attended when it was snowing heavily. It snowed badly once while my husband was gone and nobody went to work that day. I think that the plow did make it before the first scheduled drop off, but he plowed my cars and front steps in 3 feet of snow. I did shovel it all out that day, but one of the DC dads told me that if it snowed again while my husband was gone to call him and he would take care of the shoveling. His wife had done DC at one point and he knew how hard it was for her to take care of things like that when he was out of town.

[countrymom]

you are paying too much. for that price he should come back and reclean it and add salt, thats what you need to contract for. My dh drives his atv and does this (his bff acually plows for a living and he does this too, goes back and adds salt) also, I would pay maybe by the job because what happens if it only snows once during the whole year then you are out of luck. Look on craigslist, there are people out there, call around. Find someone who will come back and salt. Oh I have parents who come in high heels too.

[kitykids3]

I don't have a driveway or anyone to help with the snow, and we're supposed to get about 2-3 inches today during the day.

Anyways, I do what I can early in the AM, the rest of the day, the parents have to understand the circumstances.

Like a pp said, do they go out and shovel in the AM's when they leave or before they get their kids out of the car when they get home?

Personally, depending on what percentage of the families complain, you could just split it up evenly each week and add it to their total. I have a loading zone that I have them pay for and split up the cost for the license renewal. It's for their convenience.

It could get expensive if it snows too often and you try to eat the full cost. Again, would depend on your total situation (how many families you have, financial, how many are complaining).

Can you do what you can beforehand and then have him come a little later?

[mema]

I do what I can in the morning before arrival. We are on the city bus route, so usually the plow has gone by before 7am. If it snows a lot during the day and we don't get outside, then they just have to deal. If they can pull in to the drive over it, great, if not, then it's up to them to have appropriate shoes to step in the snow bank. I will have my ds do it after school if need be, but he also has his job and homework, so he may not be able to. It snowed here last night and I didn't realize it. I never looked out the window or left the house, so when I got up this morning I was like . I did a quick shovel and got one side done. When the kids went out to play later in the morning, I did the other side.