On One Hand

[laceylmm]

I want people to respect my hours and time, but on another I feel like I'm dealing with people that only want things their way or the highway. I can't afford to lose people.

I made a dcd mad today because he showed up an hour earlier than he was supposed to. I had already told him that we would need to adjust his contract if that is what he wanted to do (with notice of course). So since I'm passive aggressive I text that I was in the shower when he called and I was expecting him at 1:30. So now he is mad and said I never answer their phone calls (not true, I might miss a call but I'm not ignoring them, and they honestly don't call me hardly at all).

Anyway he didn't bring her back at the scheduled time. They are only pt so I wouldn't be losing a ton of money, but I'd at least like another family to fill their spot first.

Do other providers find it hard to find a balance between being flexible or being strict with hours/time?

[JLH]

I am strict about my opening and closing hours, but I don't mind people coming and going as long as they are within those hours. I open at 6:30 and close at 5:30. The only time I have gotten upset has been when I am supposed to open early for 1 child and the parent doesn't bother calling to tell that they will be late or absent. I only take full time children though. If I were taking part time children it may matter more to me.

[Blackcat31]

I am super strict about the hours parents contract me for.

I am paid for ANY time they schedule and don't work for free.

I don't do any hours before or after their scheduled times unless pre-approved AND paid for.

This is my business. My job. My source of income.

Highly doubtful that any of your parents work for free or donate work hours to their place of employment.

I also refuse to be held financially hostage by a parent simply because I think I can't afford to lose the income.

My self-worth, sanity and time is worth far more to me than the money a PITA parent brings in.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I'm very strict with my opening and closing hours. You're a business and you have business hours. It is what it is. Nothing personal.

[nanglgrl]

I am super strict about the hours parents contract me for.

I am paid for ANY time they schedule and don't work for free.

I don't do any hours before or after their scheduled times unless pre-approved AND paid for.

This is my business. My job. My source of income.

Highly doubtful that any of your parents work for free or donate work hours to their place of employment.

I also refuse to be held financially hostage by a parent simply because I think I can't afford to lose the income.

My self-worth, sanity and time is worth far more to me than the money a PITA parent brings in.

exactly. My backbone will always be a work in progress but it gets easier every day. I was really bad about not assessing late fees when parents were only a 10 minutes late and then everyone just started coming 10 minutes late. What really opened my eyes was when you add all of those 10 minutes up I was giving away a lot of free care! It's hard to be tough but you will grow into it! You have to do it eventually or you will burn out. If the dad comes back (which I suspect he will) I bet he will be a lot better about telling you his schedule and showing up when he is supposed to. It usually only takes once and they get that you're not joking.

[wdmmom]

I am super strict about the hours parents contract me for.

I am paid for ANY time they schedule and don't work for free.

I don't do any hours before or after their scheduled times unless pre-approved AND paid for.

This is my business. My job. My source of income.

Highly doubtful that any of your parents work for free or donate work hours to their place of employment.

I also refuse to be held financially hostage by a parent simply because I think I can't afford to lose the income.

My self-worth, sanity and time is worth far more to me than the money a PITA parent brings in.

You got this down to a T! Couldn't have said it better myself!

[bunnyslippers]

I am super strict about the hours parents contract me for.

I am paid for ANY time they schedule and don't work for free.

I don't do any hours before or after their scheduled times unless pre-approved AND paid for.

This is my business. My job. My source of income.

Highly doubtful that any of your parents work for free or donate work hours to their place of employment.

I also refuse to be held financially hostage by a parent simply because I think I can't afford to lose the income.

My self-worth, sanity and time is worth far more to me than the money a PITA parent brings in.

Yup!

[laceylmm]

My self-worth, sanity and time is worth far more to me than the money a PITA parent brings in.

I assume PITA is childcare subsidy where you live? How does it work where you live? Is there a post for this?

For me PT care is anything the falls between 7-24.9 hours a week. JFS families are supposed to have a half an hour travel time. My actual availability is 7:30-5:30. His scheduled hours are T,W, TH 1:30-5:30. He tried bringing her at 12:30. She is my only family today, or I would have probably just let her come in. This means regardless of whether or not she is here 7 hours or 24 hours I get paid the same.

Are you allowed to charge early fees on a family with subsidy, IF they are still within their allowed total amount of hours but outside of their contracted hours? Does that make sense? Anyone have tips on how to handle that specific situation?

[TheGoodLife]

exactly. My backbone will always be a work in progress but it gets easier every day. I was really bad about not assessing late fees when parents were only a 10 minutes late and then everyone just started coming 10 minutes late. What really opened my eyes was when you add all of those 10 minutes up I was giving away a lot of free care! It's hard to be tough but you will grow into it! You have to do it eventually or you will burn out. If the dad comes back (which I suspect he will) I bet he will be a lot better about telling you his schedule and showing up when he is supposed to. It usually only takes once and they get that you're not joking.

I agree, but I just lost my drop-in family due to my tightening to a schedule (I added the $5 late fee when they were 10 minutes late w/o a call or text and now they've decided to go somewhere else, although I don't know anyone that will be able to take her 2 kids at a moment's notice like I did) and my full-time family (who was a friend but would NEVER come at 7:30 for drop off and pick-up would range from 5-5:30 every day) last month. So I am now frustrated and worried about money b/c I only have 1 VERY P/T boy (about $330 a month total).

[hope]

My rates depend upon hours contracted. Once a parent starts coming early or late I am free to raise their weekly rates. So far parents throw me extra money as a thank you when they schedule a late pick up with plenty of notice. I don't have late charges....feel many will just pay and continue behavior when it suits them. If weekly rates are raised it hurts their wallet much more.

[Blackcat31]

I assume PITA is childcare subsidy where you live? How does it work where you live? Is there a post for this?

Oops, sorry...PITA means Pain In The A$$

For me PT care is anything the falls between 7-24.9 hours a week. JFS families are supposed to have a half an hour travel time. My actual availability is 7:30-5:30. His scheduled hours are T,W, TH 1:30-5:30. He tried bringing her at 12:30. She is my only family today, or I would have probably just let her come in. This means regardless of whether or not she is here 7 hours or 24 hours I get paid the same.

I bill by the week. I don't do half time, part time or sometime. I require my families to give me a written schedule of what time they will be dropping off and picking up. They cannot come before that time or pick up after it....even if I have other kids and am still technically open. I bill $1 per minute late fees for late pick up and $1 per minute early drop off fee for dropping off before schedules time.

Are you allowed to charge early fees on a family with subsidy, IF they are still within their allowed total amount of hours but outside of their contracted hours? Does that make sense? Anyone have tips on how to handle that specific situation?

Here subsidy payments cover a certain amount of care. If I bill more than the subsidy program pays, the parent is required to pay it. This includes days I am closed or on vacation, late and early fees, and anything above and beyond what the subsidy paid out to me.

If I wasn't allowed to bill the subsidy families the difference I would NEVER take families using subsidy. Not to be mean but because I can't afford to give anything away for free.

The money used for subsidy payments come from tax payer dollars and I already pay enough taxes in that I am surely not going to volunteer to pay more.

[laceylmm]

I agree, but I just lost my drop-in family due to my tightening to a schedule (I added the $5 late fee when they were 10 minutes late w/o a call or text and now they've decided to go somewhere else, although I don't know anyone that will be able to take her 2 kids at a moment's notice like I did) and my full-time family (who was a friend but would NEVER come at 7:30 for drop off and pick-up would range from 5-5:30 every day) last month. So I am now frustrated and worried about money b/c I only have 1 VERY P/T boy (about $330 a month total).

This is what I'm afraid of!!

[laceylmm]

Oops, sorry...PITA means Pain In The A$$

Lol, I probably should have known that! Thanks for the advice, Blackcat. I will have to check if I am allowed to charge families for the difference.

[bunnyslippers]

I, like many on this forum, do contracted hours. When I interview, I find out what a family needs for hours in child care. If the hours fit within my hours of operation (7:30-4:00) then we proceed from there.

I do not allow early/late outside of contracted hours. I will make exception IF I am notified in advance, IF the family is typically respectful and reliable, and IF it doesn't impact my family schedule in any way.

I think, especially when you are first starting out, that it is hard to stick to your policies out of fear of losing client. I totally understand that fear - I had it, too. I also learned, the hard way, that if you are too flexible,this job quickly becomes a burn out profession. You begin to get bitter, angry, annoyed, etc. If you are firm with your policies, people will know you run a professional child care, and not just a drop-in babysitting service.

It is so very difficult, but with practice and this forum, it will get easier!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I agree, but I just lost my drop-in family due to my tightening to a schedule (I added the $5 late fee when they were 10 minutes late w/o a call or text and now they've decided to go somewhere else, although I don't know anyone that will be able to take her 2 kids at a moment's notice like I did) and my full-time family (who was a friend but would NEVER come at 7:30 for drop off and pick-up would range from 5-5:30 every day) last month. So I am now frustrated and worried about money b/c I only have 1 VERY P/T boy (about $330 a month total).

That is INSANE. The daycare centers around here charge $10.00 or 15.00 (I'd have to check their parent handbook) for the FIRST FIVE MINUTES you are late, and then it's $1.00/minute after. $.50/minute is cheap. I charge $1.00 and once had a parent pay $52 for being 52 minutes late.