When Is It Okay to Charge?

[Play Care]

A couple of recent threads got me thinking. Some providers have asked if they can charge parents for damage to their homes. While in some cases this would be inappropriate, I was surprised by the amount of providers who thought it was never appropriate. So, do you feel a parent is responsible for excessive damage caused by their child? Have you ever charged for it?

I have charged parents three times in almost ten years. In two cases the child was playing too roughly/ inappropriately with something and was given warning and refused to comply. In both cases I was heading toward the child to remove the items from their hands, but they broke it before I could get to them. Both were older 4+ and were being deliberately disobedient (in one case I was told to "make me" when he was asked to stop)
The other case was a parent who wanted their 2 year old potty trained but the child was not ready. One day they sent her I underwear and didn't tell me, hoping she would just use the potty and I'd be pleasantly surprised. I got her down from breakfast and followed her to the changing table. She ran to the corner of the playroom and said she had to poop. Me, thinking she was in a diaper told her I would change her as soon as she was done. I did give her a couple of minutes (because she usually took a little while) and started changing other kids. She started running around and one of the dcb's said "missy pooped everywhere!" I turn around and she has it all over the place. Up her back, down her legs, on the floor, etc. the day they decide to sneak in panties is the day she had diarrhea So yes, they got charged for the steam cleaning fee. Of course they were lucky I didn't term...

[Play Care]

Oh, and the last one was the day I learned to check for diapers before admitting kids in for the day

[preschoolteacher]

I'd say those reasons are TOTALLY fair! Ugh, the diarrhea story.

I have it in my contract that anything that is broken willfully by the child is grounds for the parents to replace. I'd say a child has to be old enough to understand that doing X will break the object, but chooses to do it anyway. I most cases I wouldn't expect to charge a parent of a child younger than 4.

[Familycare71]

A couple of recent threads got me thinking. Some providers have asked if they can charge parents for damage to their homes. While in some cases this would be inappropriate, I was surprised by the amount of providers who thought it was never appropriate. So, do you feel a parent is responsible for excessive damage caused by their child? Have you ever charged for it?

I have charged parents three times in almost ten years. In two cases the child was playing too roughly/ inappropriately with something and was given warning and refused to comply. In both cases I was heading toward the child to remove the items from their hands, but they broke it before I could get to them. Both were older 4+ and were being deliberately disobedient (in one case I was told to "make me" when he was asked to stop)
The other case was a parent who wanted their 2 year old potty trained but the child was not ready. One day they sent her I underwear and didn't tell me, hoping she would just use the potty and I'd be pleasantly surprised. I got her down from breakfast and followed her to the changing table. She ran to the corner of the playroom and said she had to poop. Me, thinking she was in a diaper told her I would change her as soon as she was done. I did give her a couple of minutes (because she usually took a little while) and started changing other kids. She started running around and one of the dcb's said "missy pooped everywhere!" I turn around and she has it all over the place. Up her back, down her legs, on the floor, etc. the day they decide to sneak in panties is the day she had diarrhea So yes, they got charged for the steam cleaning fee. Of course they were lucky I didn't term...

I actually would be one to say I would never charge! BUT the underwear story- yes def would!!
As far as willful destruction I can say I've never had it happen to the extent you explained- I've had things get broke because they weren't playing nicely with a toy and before I can stop it the toy broke but never : make me! I think I would have warned the parents that in the future if it was that purposeful I would charge for replacement and do a probation period.
In general I feel like I get paid to supervise children- to be it is the most basic part of my job. So if something gets ruined it is on me for not doing my job. So I hear some stories and wonder where were you!? And I hope the parents wonder the same! I'm sure we have all had moments where in the one min we didnt pay attention something happened but IMO that is on me not on the child and certainly not on the parent....

[Shell]

I can totally relate to the above story with dcg I mentioned the other day. The first time it happened, dcd dropped off in underwear ( I didn't realize until it was too late) and said dcg had gone potty before they arrived. Within minutes of the door closing, dcg has an accident...everywhere.

Dcg has some kind of digestive issues-I should have mentioned this the other day. It has been going on since dcg was an infant, and I have talked to them over and over again about getting it checked out. I suspect a food allergy, maybe wheat- but she usually goes here, and not at home. Each time dcg goes for a check up, they "forget" to mention it. It was only when she wasn't gaining weight that the dr was concerned. Yet, still nothing has been done to address this, I have tried to isolate foods in her diet, but they aren't on board, and dcg has the worst BM issues I have ever encountered! That's why I was considering charging for the third ruined carpet-I probably wouldn't have, but it would have been nice for dcm to at least care

I have one great family that broke a cheap little toy that we had here- they offered to pay, and I refused- that kind of stuff happens. I thought it was nice that they at least offered, though!

[Familycare71]

I can totally relate to the above story with dcg I mentioned the other day. The first time it happened, dcd dropped off in underwear ( I didn't realize until it was too late) and said dcg had gone potty before they arrived. Within minutes of the door closing, dcg has an accident...everywhere.

Dcg has some kind of digestive issues-I should have mentioned this the other day. It has been going on since dcg was an infant, and I have talked to them over and over again about getting it checked out. I suspect a food allergy, maybe wheat- but she usually goes here, and not at home. Each time dcg goes for a check up, they "forget" to mention it. It was only when she wasn't gaining weight that the dr was concerned. Yet, still nothing has been done to address this, I have tried to isolate foods in her diet, but they aren't on board, and dcg has the worst BM issues I have ever encountered! That's why I was considering charging for the third ruined carpet-I probably wouldn't have, but it would have been nice for dcm to at least care

I have one great family that broke a cheap little toy that we had here- they offered to pay, and I refused- that kind of stuff happens. I thought it was nice that they at least offered, though!

Yes- always nice when they offer

[Laurel]

A couple of recent threads got me thinking. Some providers have asked if they can charge parents for damage to their homes. While in some cases this would be inappropriate, I was surprised by the amount of providers who thought it was never appropriate. So, do you feel a parent is responsible for excessive damage caused by their child? Have you ever charged for it?

I have charged parents three times in almost ten years. In two cases the child was playing too roughly/ inappropriately with something and was given warning and refused to comply. In both cases I was heading toward the child to remove the items from their hands, but they broke it before I could get to them. Both were older 4+ and were being deliberately disobedient (in one case I was told to "make me" when he was asked to stop)
The other case was a parent who wanted their 2 year old potty trained but the child was not ready. One day they sent her I underwear and didn't tell me, hoping she would just use the potty and I'd be pleasantly surprised. I got her down from breakfast and followed her to the changing table. She ran to the corner of the playroom and said she had to poop. Me, thinking she was in a diaper told her I would change her as soon as she was done. I did give her a couple of minutes (because she usually took a little while) and started changing other kids. She started running around and one of the dcb's said "missy pooped everywhere!" I turn around and she has it all over the place. Up her back, down her legs, on the floor, etc. the day they decide to sneak in panties is the day she had diarrhea So yes, they got charged for the steam cleaning fee. Of course they were lucky I didn't term...

I never have but I can't remember having a toy break (they are made so well nowadays). If one did break it was a cheap one so I wouldn't care. I have had some books torn but the children were too young to have done it willfully.

I would have definitely charged for the carpet incident though. That was the parent's fault and they should pay.

Laurel

[Meyou]

I have only charged once and it was because a school aged DCB jumped off the top of a slide, grabbed my clothesline and pulled it out of the tree and house while snapping the cable AFTER being told not to touch the clothesline OR to jump off the top of slide structures. He destroyed the line and the mechanisms on either end. His parents bought me a replacement clothesline which my dh installed.

I was in the yard saying, "Nooooooo...." at the time as well.

[Play Care]

I never have but I can't remember having a toy break (they are made so well nowadays). If one did break it was a cheap one so I wouldn't care. I have had some books torn but the children were too young to have done it willfully.

I would have definitely charged for the carpet incident though. That was the parent's fault and they should pay.

Laurel

I had an awesome wooden shovel that the kids LOVED. Had it for years and though it was indestructible. We were outside playing archeological detectives (I had buried some dinosaurs for the kids to find:: ) and the boy just started slamming the shovel against the play set. I was right there and told him to stop. As I was walking toward him it snapped the child was 4.5 and old enough to either know better or stop when told. I admit I do have some cheapie plastic shovels that do get broken simply because they are cheapie shovels. This was NOT a cheapie kids shovel, and I was not about to **** up that cost. In the other case we were outside playing and the child (also a 4+) was swinging on the cross bar of my lamppost. Again I was right there and told him "No!" This was the "make me" kid but yeah, mostly when things do break it's because I picked them up on the cheap

[Blackcat31]

My handbook states
"Normal wear and tear and breakage of toys and equipment is understandable and part of this business. These costs will be absorbed by me. However, parents will be responsible for anything their child willfully destroys or damages while in my care."

During the interview, we discuss what "willfully" means to me so there is no confusion.

I have charged a parent only a couple times and all of those times were children that were plenty old enough to know better and the destruction of the property was deliberate and with intent.

Otherwise, anything that breaks while being used is MY responsibility to cover. It's part of the job.

[Leigh]

My contract states that I expect wear and tear on my home and toys, and I expect to cover the costs of that as a normal business expense. Parents are then required to sign an agreement to cover costs of intentional damage (intentionally breaking toys-which has happened more than once with an older DCB, damage to my home (I had one in a rage that kicked a hole in a hollow door because he didn't want a time-out for fighting).

It's pretty easy to convince a parent to pay for damage when they already agreed to and can look at the damage and KNOW that their (or a) child caused it...I make the kids tell their parents what happened, as well. I would only charge for excessive damage that was intentionally caused (other than for those little toys broken on purpose-once Mom and Dad have to pay for a toy or two, they deal with the problem at home, and it stops).

For the most part, I deal with damage myself. It's often a matter of supervision-if my lack of supervision allowed it to happen, it's my fault (if I'm in the bathroom or whatever). If it happens in front of me after a warning to stop, the parents pay.

[butterfly]

I never have charged parents for damages. I feel it's a part of doing business and the expense to repair it is a right off. Someday there may be something that comes up that I'll feel like it's necessary to charge for, but I feel in most cases the parents are going to be ticked that their child wasn't more directly supervised if I tried to charge for something that got broke.

[Play Care]

I never have charged parents for damages. I feel it's a part of doing business and the expense to repair it is a right off. Someday there may be something that comes up that I'll feel like it's necessary to charge for, but I feel in most cases the parents are going to be ticked that their child wasn't more directly supervised if I tried to charge for something that got broke.

I agree. The few times I've had to do it, I could tell the parent exactly what happened. None of the cases did I care if the parent was ticked, in fact I wanted them to be annoyed. Because after that you would be surprised at how much more careful the kids were and how much better they listened (the kids and the parents!) ::

[daycarediva]

I had a child throw a wooden block when in T.O after I told him to put it down and it cracked my front door window. I charged.

I had another child write with permanent marker all over my entryway bench's custom cushions with a marker from Mom's purse during pickup. I charged.

everything else, I have replaced at my own cost.