What To Do About The Late Family?

[daycare]

Was it too much?!

Can I be honest with you. I think it sounded a little emotionally driven, but that is just my opinion. If it is your personality then as long as you got the job done, that is all that matters. BUT like I said, I am like a ***** cat....

[Sugar Magnolia]

Was it too much?!

:hug::hug::hug: 's first. But.....
Maybe a tad too much. All perfectly valid points though. But your email was a little emotional. I try to wait 24 hours before hitting "send" if I'm upset about something. Then review to make sure it's "just the facts."
I'm so sorry this is happening to you. You have every right to be upset. I hope this gets resolved for you.

[daycare]

:hug::hug::hug: 's first. But.....
Maybe a tad too much. All perfectly valid points though. But your email was a little emotional. I try to wait 24 hours before hitting "send" if I'm upset about something. Then review to make sure it's "just the facts."
I'm so sorry this is happening to you. You have every right to be upset. I hope this gets resolved for you.

yes, just the facts.....what I do is so that I can get it out and feel better. I will sit and write out a letter that is normally all full of emotion. Then I just let it sit. Hours later after I have time to really think about it, I will then sit down and take out all of the emotional stuff and rewrite it to only reflect the facts.

[Brooksie]

I'm pretty casual with this particular family, as we have kept touch over their absence. Me and dcm chat often via fb and she vents about her job and talk about surface personal stuff. I took this approach simply because that's how we normally talk to each other, as peers. Most of my families, actually all of my families, are between the ages of 22-28 and while my families respect me as a professional they also find comfort in the age similarities I think. Every one always stays a bit longer to chat and are always respectful and understanding of my policies (except this situation which is why its so hard for me). I'm just now into my second year of business and they started when I was a little more lax (although they had shorter hours so it wasn't a problem). Now that I'm finding my backbone and sticking stronger to my policies I think they were just, idk... expecting something else despite being aware of my progress. I would hate to see them go, as I have developed a good relationship with them, but this is my business and these are my hours. Its all in growth.

[Laurel]

I'm pretty casual with this particular family, as we have kept touch over their absence. Me and dcm chat often via fb and she vents about her job and talk about surface personal stuff. I took this approach simply because that's how we normally talk to each other, as peers. Most of my families, actually all of my families, are between the ages of 22-28 and while my families respect me as a professional they also find comfort in the age similarities I think. Every one always stays a bit longer to chat and are always respectful and understanding of my policies (except this situation which is why its so hard for me). I'm just now into my second year of business and they started when I was a little more lax (although they had shorter hours so it wasn't a problem). Now that I'm finding my backbone and sticking stronger to my policies I think they were just, idk... expecting something else despite being aware of my progress. I would hate to see them go, as I have developed a good relationship with them, but this is my business and these are my hours. Its all in growth.

I don't think it was too much. I personally like the conversational way of telling someone they are breaking the rules. I think it comes across as firm but kind rather than sounding like one is quoting a rule book.

Laurel

[butterfly]

I don't think it was too much. I personally like the conversational way of telling someone they are breaking the rules. I think it comes across as firm but kind rather than sounding like one is quoting a rule book.

Laurel

[MyAngels]

I don't think it was too much. I personally like the conversational way of telling someone they are breaking the rules. I think it comes across as firm but kind rather than sounding like one is quoting a rule book.

Laurel

I didn't see anything particularly emotional about it. You stated the problem, your expectations, how it can be resolved and the consequences if it's not resolved. Good job happyface

[April]

This has also been one of my major issues lately. Because of this I am switching to contracted hours as well as going to begin charging a $1.00/minute late fee. I feel like telling these parents.....A lack of planning on your behalf, does not constitute an emergency on mine! I do not want to lose any of my families however I have been pushed to the point that they will either respect my policies, family and home or I will term and replace them. I have been lenient for far too long which is exactly what has gotten me into this mess. It's these types of things that make me NOW understand why I always heard about providers getting "burnt out." To be honest.....it's not so much that the kids burn me out.....it's the parents!

[se7en]

I am not sure how 1-5 minutes can be picked out per family . Obviously, everyone may have different times on their car clock, wristwatch, etc, than you may have on your daycare clock or cell phone. You say you close at 5:30, but that is when you expect everyone to be out of your house ? Then maybe you could say you close at 5 :15, then they would be gone by 5 :30. Plus someone mentioned that they have the parents sort of " clock out" when they are walking out the door with their child. Then those parents need to get to your home , gather child/ren, discuss with you whatever needs to be discussed, and out the door all before closing time or you charge ? Unless the children are their over 9 hours, or parents work p/t , how can they manage this ? Most people work 8 hours, get an hour lunch, and commute varies. My husband works some 11 hour days. I work 9, including lunch. Then I drive half an hour each way. I have no children in daycare, but the way your home center runs would not work for us. How does any of this work out for your families. ? Some people can't rush out of the office, store , etc when the clock hits 5. I think daycare centers have less rules about when to drop off and pick up.

[Familycare71]

The only thing I wouldn't have added was info about what other families do. Bottom line your pick up time either works for them or doesn't.
I am surprised tho that you expect families to be out the door at your pick up time. I seem pick up time as the latest families can walk through my door- but maybe I am off on this! Def makes me go hmmmm

[Familycare71]

I am not sure how 1-5 minutes can be picked out per family . Obviously, everyone may have different times on their car clock, wristwatch, etc, than you may have on your daycare clock or cell phone. You say you close at 5:30, but that is when you expect everyone to be out of your house ? Then maybe you could say you close at 5 :15, then they would be gone by 5 :30. Plus someone mentioned that they have the parents sort of " clock out" when they are walking out the door with their child. Then those parents need to get to your home , gather child/ren, discuss with you whatever needs to be discussed, and out the door all before closing time or you charge ? Unless the children are their over 9 hours, or parents work p/t , how can they manage this ? Most people work 8 hours, get an hour lunch, and commute varies. My husband works some 11 hour days. I work 9, including lunch. Then I drive half an hour each way. I have no children in daycare, but the way your home center runs would not work for us. How does any of this work out for your families. ? Some people can't rush out of the office, store , etc when the clock hits 5. I think daycare centers have less rules about when to drop off and pick up.

The thing about that tho is this family agreed to her hours and policies... So if it didnt work they shouldn't have signed- that IMO is completely on the dcf as long as it was shared at enrollment.

[blandino]

I am not sure how 1-5 minutes can be picked out per family . Obviously, everyone may have different times on their car clock, wristwatch, etc, than you may have on your daycare clock or cell phone. You say you close at 5:30, but that is when you expect everyone to be out of your house ? Then maybe you could say you close at 5 :15, then they would be gone by 5 :30. Plus someone mentioned that they have the parents sort of " clock out" when they are walking out the door with their child. Then those parents need to get to your home , gather child/ren, discuss with you whatever needs to be discussed, and out the door all before closing time or you charge ? Unless the children are their over 9 hours, or parents work p/t , how can they manage this ? Most people work 8 hours, get an hour lunch, and commute varies. My husband works some 11 hour days. I work 9, including lunch. Then I drive half an hour each way. I have no children in daycare, but the way your home center runs would not work for us. How does any of this work out for your families. ? Some people can't rush out of the office, store , etc when the clock hits 5. I think daycare centers have less rules about when to drop off and pick up.

But the fact that it wouldn't work for you (or anyone), means you shouldn't choose her childcare for their family. I used to have parents walk through the door at 5:30 and take 10 minutes to get their child together and out the door. That's an extra 10 minutes added on to my work day, which isn't fair when I have set hours. My working hours shouldn't be dependent in when someone feels like/is able to leaving work. If I stayed 10 minutes late for each family each day, that is an extra hour out of my week.

I operate the same was as Brooksie. I open my door at 7:00 and close it at 5:30.

It sounds very nice to be as flexible as you, but I have been taken advantage of one too many times.

[se7en]

Well, I work in a daycare center. Many times I am even leaving later than I hoped to.

[blandino]

Well, I work in a daycare center. Many times I am even leaving later than I hoped to.

I completely forgot to make an important point, and probably my biggest reason for being so firm with departure times. I close at 5:30, and a lot of times have places to be at 6:00, especially places like the bank or a store that closes earlier in the evening. If a parent takes 15 minutes to leave, I am going to be late or miss my appointment. I need to plan on being able to leave work at a specific time. And if I start allowing parents to come/stay 5/10/15 minutes after closing, it is bound to happen on a day when I need to leave. So I choose to keep it strict, so that I can count on what time I am off.

I think it would be nice to be more flexible, but added up - I work at least 1 extra workday per week than my clients, and I really don't want to add to that number.

[Cradle2crayons]

I completely forgot to make an important point, and probably my biggest reason for being so firm with departure times. I close at 5:30, and a lot of times have places to be at 6:00, especially places like the bank or a store that closes earlier in the evening. If a parent takes 15 minutes to leave, I am going to be late or miss my appointment. I need to plan on being able to leave work at a specific time. And if I start allowing parents to come/stay 5/10/15 minutes after closing, it is bound to happen on a day when I need to leave. So I choose to keep it strict, so that I can count on what time I am off.

I think it would be nice to be more flexible, but added up - I work at least 1 extra workday per week than my clients, and I really don't want to add to that number.

I totally get that. My kids all play sports, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, my daughter is training for two mini marathons.... When I say I close at x then I expect to be walking out the door five minutes later. End of story.

Of course, in my case, since I do afternoon shift, my daycare kids all go to sporting events with us