DCG Won't Be Here, and Payment Not Received

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

That seems like more of a headache than anything! When I had my girls in daycare, Id get paid once a month as a teacher. I'd put money aside in savings so I could have it ready when it was due. I'd never expect my DC to go around my paydays- that's just budgeting 101! How do these people manage any bills?!

I always wonder the same thing. My clients get invoiced on a Thursday and they have until Monday morning at 7:00 AM to pay their invoice. In my opinion, that is plenty of time. One family doesn't pay it until Saturday every other week because they get paid on Friday.
For the most part, everyone else pays on time (a couple of times per year SOMEONE will pay late ... and by late I mean Monday after the cut off time). If not, they get a late fee and their child cannot attend that day. I don't mind the additional money from the late fee and it has only happened once or twice for the families that have paid late. They don't want to pay the fee so it works.

If this was always being done and it bothered me, I would bring it up. I don't have much tolerance for people disrespecting me any longer so break a rule once, I'll mention it. Break a rule twice, I'll bring it up seriously with the parent handbook page printed off and highlighted for you to reference to. Break a rule three times, things will probably get pretty real here and I won't seem so nice.

[blandino]

I think I will do something similar to BC's plan.

But Honesty, like the budgeting points made, thu could just pay bi weekly. Pay for two weeks when they used to pay monthly, set other amount aside and then add the amount they were short to it from the next parent's paycheck. They used to pay biweekly, and then went to monthly - only they don't do monthly - they do 4 weeks at a time.

At this point, I am kind of irritated because they are just ignoring atyempts at communication. I sent a reminder e-mail on Friday, which goes to all parents, and then one over the weekend that says it needs to be submitted before Monday to avoid late fees. And at this point I haven't heard back from either parent, who have each been sent two emails. That's going to make for an awkward Wednesday morning.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Awkward for them since they've been ignoring you. Not awkward for you. You're just following the rules you said you would follow!

[Blackcat31]

I think I will do something similar to BC's plan.

But Honesty, like the budgeting points made, thu could just pay bi weekly. Pay for two weeks when they used to pay monthly, set other amount aside and then add the amount they were short to it from the next parent's paycheck. They used to pay biweekly, and then went to monthly - only they don't do monthly - they do 4 weeks at a time.

At this point, I am kind of irritated because they are just ignoring atyempts at communication. I sent a reminder e-mail on Friday, which goes to all parents, and then one over the weekend that says it needs to be submitted before Monday to avoid late fees. And at this point I haven't heard back from either parent, who have each been sent two emails. That's going to make for an awkward Wednesday morning.

Ugh! That is where my patience and willingness to help out seem to waiver.

When people can't communicate about simple things....

Then they later wonder what went wrong...

Blandino~ I would seriously consider calling/texting/e-mailing with an ultimatum. Tell them you are willing to work WITh them if, and ONLY if they can communicate with you by end of today.

Otherwise, they can continue paying the late fee and having to find alternate care arrangements and/or possibly lose their space altogether.

*sigh* simple solutions to simple problems but someone always has to complicate things.....

[Sunchimes]

I forgot about the avoidance, that does make it a different story. Just a thought, but is she really shy and/or timid? I ask because I had this happen to me once. DCM did not communicate at all. Answered questions with one word, etc. After a couple of months, I realized that she was either really timid or really afraid of me (which is silly, I'm a marshmallow). I decided to go all motherly on her (I can get away with it because I'm older). It took a couple of days of me talking to her like she was part of the family, and she warmed up. After that, we had a great relationship until she quit work to be a SAHM. She called recently and wanted to come back but our hours didn't mesh.

[blandino]

Okay, ladies. I have done a lot of thinking about all the good advice I received.

I still haven't heard back from them, after 2 reminder emails. Clearly they are ignoring them, so that they can pretend like they didn't know/play innocent. I've decided not to get upset about it, and just charge them the late fees. They can't keep DCG out every pay week, so they will either be hit with late fees or they will be hit with a "no pay no stay". Either way, they won't be getting away with anything.

So at this point, I haven't heard back from them after two reminders. Should I just invoice them daily adding on late fees, saying that payment in full will be due before DCG is accepted into care. I know DCD will show up on Wednesday without it, and say that DCM will bring it when she picks up, so I want to give them fair warning that they most definitely owe the late fees and won't be able to leave her in care without payment. Does that sound like a good plan ?

[blandino]

Sent it. And will continue to do so at the end of each day, until they come back.

Hey **** family, we tried sending two reminder emails, both on Friday afternoon and Sunday evening to avoid late fees, but haven't gotten any response.

This is a reminder that daycare tuition for this week has not been received. As of Monday August 19, late fees in the amount of $15.00 have been incurred. Bringing your current balance due to $165.00.

Your past due balance, including all fees, will need to be paid before your child can be left in our care.

As a reminder, payments are due Friday for the upcoming week, and any payment received after that be subject to a $15.00 per weekday late fee.

Thank you,

x & x

[daycare]

My late fees are steep..
first time $50
second time $100.00
3rd time bye bye.....

I had a family that didn't mind paying late fee. They were terrific for 2 years and then got divorced. All of a sudden, they started to have payment issues. By that time, I had fallen in love with the whole family and could not help but let my emotions get in the way. It started out as stated above, but they didn't care about the extra money (both lawyers) so this is what I did, until they finally got the hint. The child is still here...

after paying late the 3rd time, I could not let them go, I was too attached to them and their kid..... so I raised their monthly rate. They also pay monthly.

Well guess I did not raise it enough. So they paid late again. I was charging $100.00 late fee for paying late and then increasing their weekly payment by $25.00, so about an additional $100.00 a month for a total of an extra $200......It got up to $600.00 before they finally decided that they were going to pay on time. They have not been late since and I have since then dropped the increase in the rate by $75.00. this was about a year ago all of this happened........

I would increase your late fee so that it detours people from paying late. To me that is the whole point of the late fee in the first place.......

[blandino]

My late fees are steep..
first time $50
second time $100.00
3rd time bye bye.....

I had a family that didn't mind paying late fee. They were terrific for 2 years and then got divorced. All of a sudden, they started to have payment issues. By that time, I had fallen in love with the whole family and could not help but let my emotions get in the way. It started out as stated above, but they didn't care about the extra money (both lawyers) so this is what I did, until they finally got the hint. The child is still here...

after paying late the 3rd time, I could not let them go, I was too attached to them and their kid..... so I raised their monthly rate. They also pay monthly.

Well guess I did not raise it enough. So they paid late again. I was charging $100.00 late fee for paying late and then increasing their weekly payment by $25.00, so about an additional $100.00 a month for a total of an extra $200......It got up to $600.00 before they finally decided that they were going to pay on time. They have not been late since and I have since then dropped the increase in the rate by $75.00. this was about a year ago all of this happened........

I would increase your late fee so that it detours people from paying late. To me that is the whole point of the late fee in the first place.......

I think we are going to increase it for second time offenders. I don't want the first time to be too steep, because I understand that sometimes people forget. I have only charged late fees one other time, and I would have felt bad for that family if they had been any higher. But you are right, I think this family is willing to pay them, and that isn't the point. I don't want to deal with late payments, I don't want an extra $15.00.

[Cradle2crayons]

I think we are going to increase it for second time offenders. I don't want the first time to be too steep, because I understand that sometimes people forget. I have only charged late fees one other time, and I would have felt bad for that family if they had been any higher. But you are right, I think this family is willing to pay them, and that isn't the point. I don't want to deal with late payments, I don't want an extra $15.00.

I charge $15 a day on the first offense. $25 a day for each offense thereafter. I rarely ever have a late payment. Both of my moms totaling five kids are low income and can't afford late fees so they are very careful not to push it.

[daycare]

I used to let them slide once but then I thought why should I?

I try to use a credit history of on time payments and open communication to decide if I'm going to charge or not. If you don't have an established history with me that is positive then I'm going to charge you. Meaning mostly new families get hot once with a late fee and they never to it again. Honestly I've only charged a late fee 3 times in 11 years.....

[Play Care]

I used to let them slide once but then I thought why should I?

I try to use a credit history of on time payments and open communication to decide if I'm going to charge or not. If you don't have an established history with me that is positive then I'm going to charge you. Meaning mostly new families get hot once with a late fee and they never to it again. Honestly I've only charged a late fee 3 times in 11 years.....

If I've had a family for years and they've been golden then I give the benefit of the doubt - once usually that's the first and last time it happens. Families who are new who start that stuff are charged. I find that after years of on time payments, the first time is a genuine accident/oversight. A few weeks or months into the relationship and they are late? It usually means they are testing.

[Blackcat31]

Sent it. And will continue to do so at the end of each day, until they come back.

Hey **** family, we tried sending two reminder emails, both on Friday afternoon and Sunday evening to avoid late fees, but haven't gotten any response.

This is a reminder that daycare tuition for this week has not been received. As of Monday August 19, late fees in the amount of $15.00 have been incurred. Bringing your current balance due to $165.00.

Your past due balance, including all fees, will need to be paid before your child can be left in our care.

As a reminder, payments are due Friday for the upcoming week, and any payment received after that be subject to a $15.00 per weekday late fee.

Thank you,

x & x

I am anxious for Wednesday to come so I can find out if she shows up or not and whether they have payment.

I would address the non-communication with them directly face to face and let them know that if their plan is to always keep DCG out during pay weeks and pay the late fees, that's on them but the disrespect of not communicating is NOT acceptable.

I have been thinking about this too and I think you are handling the money part awesome....it's that lack of or refusal to reply or contact you that has me baffled.

I understand if a person is shy or quiet like Sunchimes said but come on....these are grown adults in charge of a child.....they really need to stop putting their heads in the sand and start having a conversation with the person they trust enough to care for their child....

I'd set a rule that if you text or contact them via e-mail or phone call, that they are required to atleast acknowledge that you contacted them after so many days so this type of situation doesn't continue to repeat itself....

[Unregistered]

I this point I perssonaly would just wait and see if they are even showing up on Wednesday or what their next move would be since they have not acknowledge your e malls etc.

[blandino]

I kid you not....

Text

DCM: Crap ! Was I due for tuition on Friday ?

Me: Yes, we tried emailing on Friday afternoon before you picked her up and over the weekend, both to you and DCD.

.....