Aggravated and Venting

[TheGoodLife]

If you close at 4pm and have an appointment, I don't see why you can't tell her "OMG< I'm sooooo sorry! I so can't do it! I have an appointment that I just CANNOT reschedule, and at this point, it less then 24 hrs so I will get charged if I just cancel! I'm sooooo sorry! If I would've had more notice I would have rescheduled it with out a doubt!" Kiss butt, look really sad etc. This way you can close AND she still feels like she has you under your thumb because you are grovelling.
Just a suggestion anyways!

. Yes, please don't let her do that to you, but you might need to be nicer than you should about it. That's such a bad position to be in : (

[TheGoodLife]

In such a situation, simply restate your intentions: I need your child picked up by xxx time on xxx day so that I can take care of some of MY family's needs. If you have to work, I understand. Please call one of the backups you agreed to arrange when you signed on. I am unable to take your child past my closing time.

Yes, or suggest making arrangements to take her child to the meeting if she has to- you CLOSE at 4, not 5.

[MyAngels]

In such a situation, simply restate your intentions: I need your child picked up by xxx time on xxx day so that I can take care of some of MY family's needs. If you have to work, I understand. Please call one of the backups you agreed to arrange when you signed on. I am unable to take your child past my closing time.

This is what I'd do, too. And if they didn't show up by 4:00 I'd start blowing up the phones of all their emergency contacts at 4:01.

[Play Care]

I'm not sure why your son getting one of these women as his teacher is a good reason for you to be a doormat. If they do get him and you are not providing their day care, you will have all the power. The power to make their lives miserable, to be the thorn in their side, etc.

I also think that by not asserting yourself you are setting the precedent that you (and by association your family) can be treated like crap. If your son does get this woman I would feel bad for him no matter how bendable you have been. I can almost guarantee he will be the class whipping boy

Supposedly we are not allowed to request certain teachers, but I would have NO problems going in to the school and telling the principal or guidance counselor that my child could NOT have that particular teacher. I have no problems being the squeaky wheel.

[My3cents]

So, my two pretty princess DCMs strolled in my door, together, about 10 minutes late yesterday. No mention of why, no apologies. They KNOW my own son has soccer on Wednesday nights, and they have BOTH been late the past two Wednesdays. It feels very intentional, and I am sick to death of it. I didn't say anything, bc at this point it isn't even worth it.

Then pretty princess #2 looks at me on her way out the door and says "Oh, we have a meeting tomorrow. We should be done by 4:30." I close at 4:00, and my best friend is flying in this morning from NC for a visit. They KNOW this, and they also know I have preparations to make for my son's birthday party at school tomorrow, and that I have an appointment tonight that can't be missed. They also know about their meetings well in advance, and it felt like they told me at the last minute just to be mean.

These are the infamous two mean girls, who only act badly when they are together. I know I should charge late fees, refuse to work late, etc., but it isn't worth the fight. I am closing in 19 days, and just have to get to the end of the year, but I am so darn sick of these women treating me like a piece of gum on their shoe. I am a person, with a family and a life, despite what they may think.

It is so hard to do this job when you are almost done. I have been biting my tongue for weeks, and have come so close to telling them to go pound sand...but I can't for many reasons (the biggest one being that I think pretty princess #1 is going to be my son's teacher next year).

Thanks for letting me vent. Sorry for sounding like a broken record. I just needed to get it off my chest and somehow writing makes it easier. Uggggh!

if you had plans and you told them ahead of time then you simply say, you are going to have to make other arrangements because remember I told you I was not available. You say this nicely but to the point. You don't look back. Pretty or not

[NeedaVaca]

It's always worth it to stick up for yourself

[My3cents]

I'm not sure why your son getting one of these women as his teacher is a good reason for you to be a doormat. If they do get him and you are not providing their day care, you will have all the power. The power to make their lives miserable, to be the thorn in their side, etc.

I also think that by not asserting yourself you are setting the precedent that you (and by association your family) can be treated like crap. If your son does get this woman I would feel bad for him no matter how bendable you have been. I can almost guarantee he will be the class whipping boy

Supposedly we are not allowed to request certain teachers, but I would have NO problems going in to the school and telling the principal or guidance counselor that my child could NOT have that particular teacher. I have no problems being the squeaky wheel.

like this and another one I read way back similar.

And if the only teachers available are these two, you already have an in with them and if your firm then they will know you won't hesitate to go above them if need be. and I would if I had to do that. I don't want to do that but if they are going to treat my son bad you bet I would, no matter who it was. Don't be a door mat. Closing or not. Simply put it out there at pick up time. I am closing at 4 tomorrow and I hope you have back up. Don't offer out an excuse, be kind and just say it. Don't fall for back lash of it, just listen and repeat that your closing at 4. They might leave mad, if they do they do. They will come to understand or not. I think kind people are often taken for as people to be walked over because we like it. We don't. They don't know that unless you say something and never let anyone put you up against a wall like that. No matter if it is in your head or real. If you don't stand up for yourself who is going to do that? Hope to hear that you turned this around in your favor lovethis

[My3cents]

Try not to take it so personal and then maybe it would be easier for you to stand up for yourself. Maybe they are not treating you nicely because you are not treating yourself nicely. This is your business, your family, your life! So when your family needs you after business hours respect yourself enough to say NO to these mean girls. Make them realize you are a professional and should be treated as such. You run a business and this business has business hours that need to be adhered to. You don't need avoid the drama to keep them happy, you are already following the contract they signed. If they are no longer happy with that contract it is their own fault they are unhappy. Go about you life and let them be unhappy.
Please put yourself and family first, as you deserve, and text or call them. Explain that you are going to be unable to stay past business hours. No need to explain why. They signed. Contract for the hours they needed.

[My3cents]

I would stand up to them. I think they will actually be less likely to "pick on" your son next year if they don't feel like you will make trouble for them. If they did happen to treat your son badly you go to the principal or further up.

[mema]

This is what I'd do, too. And if they didn't show up by 4:00 I'd start blowing up the phones of all their emergency contacts at 4:01.

:hug:
You're almost done!happyface

[Rockgirl]

They can only treat you that way if you allow it. No way would it fly with me if a dc parent told me they'd be half an hour past my closing time.

I couldn't resist saying, "Well, just remember to bring cash for late pickup fees. That's really going to add up! $2 per minute times 30 minutes. And there are TWO of you--Ka-CHING!!!"

[julie]

Bunnyslippers, what happened to the other first grade teacher? The third one who didn't go to your daycare and who is apparently miles more awesome than the other princesses? Why isn't she available? I would try to get into her class by any means possible and yes I would be making a big deal about the conflict of interest with BOTH teachers. To be honest, I wouldn't let them push me around just because my kid was in their class. To be frank, if they are behaving badly now, acting nice or standing up for yourself will probably not sway them either way from being a crummy person in general. They just are. Look at how they treat the person taking care of THEIR kid, for goodness sake! I would be standing up for myself AND my son even more during this. You let THEM know how it`s going to be next year. If they took it out on my son, then I would be going after them professionally too, because then SHE would be unprofessional.

If they stroll in like that and just let you know they will be a half hour past your closing time, just say "oh, so who will be watching your kids then? Because you KNOW I will not be here. And if I HAVE to be here when I am not supposed to be here and you have been INFORMED of that, then you will not have care tomorrow and all of your emergency contacts notified if you are even a minute late. I look forward to hearing about your alternate arrangements tonight. Kthanxbye!"