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Have any of you ever had to do this? Refusing to further provide child care because of non-payment? I had to turn a child around this morning because I haven't received payment from a family...And I feel like crap about it.
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I've never had to do it.....yet. But I imagine that i wil feel the same way when I do. That being said, I know, you know, and everybody else on here knows that you did the right thing! You stood up for yourself and your business and that's something to feel good about
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Thank you and I should feel good. I just think it ****s that I had to turn them away while the child was right there.
I would have been willing to work with DCM but she doesn't communicate PLUS I felt like she was genuinely trying to get over. Friday I asked for payment and she gives me this story about how she was fined $600 at court and didn't have it. When she left her court date earlier that day, the first thing she should have done was at least call me to give me a heads up. Then she goes on to say I told her she could pay when she felt like it. I had to pull out copies of the signature page of the contract to counter that ridiculous claim.
Then she calls me Saturday to debate about me refusing care until I receive payment. I was even willing to accept a "goodwill" payment of half, or at least give me some form of payment. I told her to work something out and call me back. She didn't call me back but showed up at my doorstep.
I felt completely disrespected.Comment
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I haven't turned anyone away yet, but I have flat out termed one family for complete disregard of my payment policies.....perpetually late with payments and multiple bounced checks (at one point I had three out at one time which was a span of 6 weeks care).....all while they were going out to eat every night, taking vacations, mom was getting her tan on and hair, nails done regularly and the giant kicker was the kiddo came in bragging about the *two* new bitty puppies they had to travel states away to get over the weekend. When I confronted mom about it she told me their dog had run away, as if that was some sort of reasonable excuse that they bought two new "designer" puppies over paying me what they owed me.
I told her right then to return he had to be paid up in full. Dad brought cash the next day and right after they left I fired off the term letter.
I lied because I knew otherwise I would never see my money, ever. Mom emailed me flat out telling me she NEVER would have paid me had she known I was going to end care with their family, as if she didn't owe me a dime for the nearly 2 months care I had already provided
I definitely didn't want to have to go to court, especially because I knew full well they had the money to pay me if they finally made it a priority.
It was awful, but completely necessary.
It would be one thing if money was genuinely tight, but most parents I think just stink at managing their finances lately. I hear those horror stories are by far the most prevalent in the daycare provider world.
I'm so glad I've only ever had trouble with the one so far.....Comment
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I admit there have been times over the years I have worked with parents when it comes to payments but ONLY if I have a good relationship with them and ONLY if I know that child care payments are a priority for them and that they are being truthful....as we all know money issues happen sometimes.
However, in this particular case, this mom was absolutley disresepctful to you as she KNEW you said "NO-pay NO-stay" and then STILL showed up anyways?!?!
To me, that says, "I really don't take anything you say seriously and if I show up, you will be FORCED to take my child." How utterly rude and disrespectful.
Did she think you would take one look at her child and feel so sad that you would cave....not that you dodn't feel horrible....just that she EXPECTED you to!! I am sorry, but that is pretty ballsy if you ask me.
I think that by turning her away for no payment, you taught her a valuable lesson. I think you definitely did the right thing.
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@ the bolded I can understand as well. But when she brags about the high end things she purchases for her daughter that shows me that she is capable of paying her daycare bill.I haven't turned anyone away yet, but I have flat out termed one family for complete disregard of my payment policies.....perpetually late with payments and multiple bounced checks (at one point I had three out at one time which was a span of 6 weeks care).....all while they were going out to eat every night, taking vacations, mom was getting her tan on and hair, nails done regularly and the giant kicker was the kiddo came in bragging about the *two* new bitty puppies they had to travel states away to get over the weekend. When I confronted mom about it she told me their dog had run away, as if that was some sort of reasonable excuse that they bought two new "designer" puppies over paying me what they owed me.
I told her right then to return he had to be paid up in full. Dad brought cash the next day and right after they left I fired off the term letter.
I lied because I knew otherwise I would never see my money, ever. Mom emailed me flat out telling me she NEVER would have paid me had she known I was going to end care with their family, as if she didn't owe me a dime for the nearly 2 months care I had already provided
I definitely didn't want to have to go to court, especially because I knew full well they had the money to pay me if they finally made it a priority.
It was awful, but completely necessary.
It would be one thing if money was genuinely tight, but most parents I think just stink at managing their finances lately. I hear those horror stories are by far the most prevalent in the daycare provider world.
I'm so glad I've only ever had trouble with the one so far.....Comment
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This is the exact message she is sending to me. Like she is saying "Forget payment I HAVE to go to work. Work is more important, she can wait for payment"I admit there have been times over the years I have worked with parents when it comes to payments but ONLY if I have a good relationship with them and ONLY if I know that child care payments are a priority for them and that they are being truthful....as we all know money issues happen sometimes.
However, in this particular case, this mom was absolutley disresepctful to you as she KNEW you said "NO-pay NO-stay" and then STILL showed up anyways?!?!
To me, that says, "I really don't take anything you say seriously and if I show up, you will be FORCED to take my child." How utterly rude and disrespectful.
Did she think you would take one look at her child and feel so sad that you would cave....not that you dodn't feel horrible....just that she EXPECTED you to!! I am sorry, but that is pretty ballsy if you ask me.
I think that by turning her away for no payment, you taught her a valuable lesson. I think you definitely did the right thing.
My parents know I have a soft spot for children but I had to remind her that at the end of the day I have to protect my income and provide for my family. She understood when I asked her how would she feel if she worked two weeks and her employer advised her she would not be getting paid on payday.Comment
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Daycare is no different than cable or telephone: You get billed regardless of how much you use it and if you don't pay, you get shut off.
Keep your head up!! You had backbone enough to say "No!". Good for you!!Comment
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I haven't had to turn anyone away, but I have sent out an email once over the weekend telling them that their child could not attend the following Monday if I did not recieve their weekely rate plus all late charges. I think you did the right thing!!Comment
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Thank you ladies so much for the reassurance. happyfacehappyfaceComment
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I agree - I've never had to turn anyone away for non payment and I have provided a day here or there before money was given. Mostly because I had *great* long term relationships with these clients and knew I would get paid. I would have no problems turning away someone in the situation you described. In fact, I'd probably be livid with THEM for putting me in that position to begin with.I admit there have been times over the years I have worked with parents when it comes to payments but ONLY if I have a good relationship with them and ONLY if I know that child care payments are a priority for them and that they are being truthful....as we all know money issues happen sometimes.
However, in this particular case, this mom was absolutley disresepctful to you as she KNEW you said "NO-pay NO-stay" and then STILL showed up anyways?!?!
To me, that says, "I really don't take anything you say seriously and if I show up, you will be FORCED to take my child." How utterly rude and disrespectful.
Did she think you would take one look at her child and feel so sad that you would cave....not that you dodn't feel horrible....just that she EXPECTED you to!! I am sorry, but that is pretty ballsy if you ask me.
I think that by turning her away for no payment, you taught her a valuable lesson. I think you definitely did the right thing.Comment
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Ive done it once and it was awful. I ended up terming them after they failed to pay again that week. I learned my lesson on that one
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I admit there have been times over the years I have worked with parents when it comes to payments but ONLY if I have a good relationship with them and ONLY if I know that child care payments are a priority for them and that they are being truthful....as we all know money issues happen sometimes.
However, in this particular case, this mom was absolutley disresepctful to you as she KNEW you said "NO-pay NO-stay" and then STILL showed up anyways?!?!
To me, that says, "I really don't take anything you say seriously and if I show up, you will be FORCED to take my child." How utterly rude and disrespectful.
Did she think you would take one look at her child and feel so sad that you would cave....not that you dodn't feel horrible....just that she EXPECTED you to!! I am sorry, but that is pretty ballsy if you ask me.
I think that by turning her away for no payment, you taught her a valuable lesson. I think you definitely did the right thing. Couldn't have said it better. I've never had to pull a "no pay - no stay" on any one but my dc parents have never treated me with such disrespect, either. You told her what was going to happen if she didn't pay you. She called your bluff and is learning the consequences. As Blackcat said, you taught her a valuable lesson.
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