No Call No Show Charge?

[daycare]

First, daycare....I am sorry for your loss. I can completely understand why you feel obligated to call no showing parents. It makes sense.

I also understand how mentally and emotionally the "what if" game can play on your sanity and acceptance and understanding of such a tragedy.

However, I care for 10 kids (sometimes 12). I cannot possibly pick up the slack for those times that a parent doesn't call me or show up at care. I will say that if it is highly unusual for a parent to no show, without calling, then I probably would call them. I might forget though because it does get crazy busy here in the mornings.

In your scenario, why didn't the dad's work call someone when he didn't show up? Why didn't the mom call and check up in her child? There are a lot of others that could've, should've and would've called to check on him too...I just don't always feel like ALL of this should become a child care providers responsibility.

Bottom line is that there will always be "what ifs" in all situations and I don't feel that a child care provider SHOULD have to call to check on a family.... especially because a big majority of the time, the family is simply being irresponsible and disrespectful.

If you have the time to do so, great! I would call. If you don't have the time, I don't think you should feel badly about that. It's simply a matter of what you (general you) as a provider feel lies within your realm of responsibility and what doesn't.

Some providers DO go above and beyond...some don't. NEITHER are wrong.

Of course I would never say someone would be wrong for not calling and in NO way am I saying that it is the responsibility of the daycare to be the one to call, I was just saying food for thought .....

I also have 12 kids daily and I know how crazy it can get to have to stop and make a phone call when you are needed else where......

[craftymissbeth]

Getting parents to agree to paying in advance isnt as simple as just demanding it. NO ONE does that anywhere near where I live and if I required it I'd be finding another job right quick as no families would ever contract for care with me.





Kelsey, I hope everything is ok with your famiky. If it is and they're just being rude by not ccommunicating with you that something changed then please consider terming them. Tacking on a fee may curb some of that, but plenty of parents will happily fork over even large amounts of money for the go ahead to disrespect you.

No one requires pre-pay and two week deposits here, but I do and I have absolutely no problem getting clients. I just went for it and it worked... had it not, then I would have changed my policies to be closer to other providers here.

[craftymissbeth]

Well good for you, and good for where you live, but that isnt the reality in many parts of the country .

I always try not to get offended when other providers rag on others about doing things differently, and make passive aggressive snippits about how they're better respected/more professional/smarter than others who don't *but* it rarely works out that way.

Getting payment up front has NOTHING to do with being professional or being respected.

Period.

It's a low blow to say that imo.

I quoted you in the previous post before I read your response here...