Help With Letter for DCPS?

[Soccermom]

I need to change my closing time and am looking for a good letter to hand out to my DCPS.

The reason is because our DS just joined hockey and DD has been accepted into a volleyball team. (So happy for her!)

I will need to close at 4h30 in order for us to eat and have the kids to their activities 3 days a week.

My normal closing time is 5h15.

I will likely lose some clients but that is okay. Family comes first and I want to support my kids in the sports they choose to play.

[JoseyJo]

I just wanted to respond real quick and say good for you! happyfacehappyface

I think a lot of times we loose focus on why we started doing daycare in the first place and get caught up in what's best for everyone else except our families

[Blackcat31]

Dear DCP's

Due to some changes in my family life, child care services will no longer be offered after 4:30 p.m. Please adjust your schedules accordingly as I am not able to make exceptions to this timeframe.

If this time change does not work for you, please let me know and I can give you some assistance in locating alternate care arrangements.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter

Sincerely

Daycare Provider

I wouldn't go into detail in the letter. If parents ask and you want to tell them, that is up to you.

I like to keep my letters short and to the point or the message gets lost...kwim?

If it's only a couple days per week, you can edit/alter the above letter to state that or if you wanted to personalize it a bit.

Otherwise, I hope it helps.

[Annalee]

I just wanted to respond real quick and say good for you! happyfacehappyface

I think a lot of times we loose focus on why we started doing daycare in the first place and get caught up in what's best for everyone else except our families

I agree, it is refreshing to see a fellow provider put her family first..... happyface

[VTMom]

I'm changing my closing time this spring for my kids as well. I wrote "In order to try to meet the evolving needs of my family, I will be closing at 5:15 as of March 30, 2014".

Family comes first. Good luck!

[daycarediva]

I like bc's letter, way to go op!

I am also doing earlier closing time in spring. I am replacing my later families with 4pm pickups, not interviewing for later pick up times, etc. I also put an ad in the hospital news letter for staff employees (targeting those 7-3 shift nurses and staff!) and I got my newest client from it. He is picked up no later than 3:30. I LOVE IT, and I don't even mind the earlier mornings because of it.

[nanglgrl]

I changed my closing time to 3:30 so my daycare kids would be gone by the time my children got home from school and it's been wonderful. There have been times I've thought of going back to 5:30 because things are slow around here and I could be full if I had a later closing time but so far I've been able to make it work.
I only have one child that's at home all day and he will be off to preschool soon. It's really nice for my children because they hardly have to deal with daycare anymore. I take off a lot of winter break and have really low numbers in the summer (I have a lot of college students) so the only times they have to be here when my daycare is open is on the odd days that school is closed but I'm not.
There were a lot of things my oldest daughter didn't get to do because I had daycare kids. Last year my youngest daughter wanted to do soccer and I just realized that I didn't want her to have to miss out and that the extra money really wasn't worth it.

[cheerfuldom]

also, I would take the chance to really crank up your late fees! It is going to be a huge pain if people are showing up late regularly. You want the fees high enough to eliminate late pickups completely.

[Annalee]

also, I would take the chance to really crank up your late fees! It is going to be a huge pain if people are showing up late regularly. You want the fees high enough to eliminate late pickups completely.

I have late fees as well $10 first minute and a $1 per minute per child thereafter. When my mentor looked at it, she said by having late feels I am allowing parents to be late. She suggested I put late pick ups are NOT tolerated and this was grounds for termination. ????? I haven't went that far, but it has made me think.

[cheerfuldom]

I have late fees as well $10 first minute and a $1 per minute per child thereafter. When my mentor looked at it, she said by having late feels I am allowing parents to be late. She suggested I put late pick ups are NOT tolerated and this was grounds for termination. ????? I haven't went that far, but it has made me think.

That is what I have. I don't allow late pickups at all, do not have late fees and would rather terminate but not everyone is comfortable with that. I will say that I have had very very few late pickups in the last 6 years. A few due to weather, which I understand, and one dad that tried a late pickup and I really gave it to him. Its been like a year since then and he has not tried it again

[Blackcat31]

I have late fees as well $10 first minute and a $1 per minute per child thereafter. When my mentor looked at it, she said by having late feels I am allowing parents to be late. She suggested I put late pick ups are NOT tolerated and this was grounds for termination. ????? I haven't went that far, but it has made me think.

Nan's policy on late fees is "Don't do it" ::

I have a fee ($1 per minute) and it doubles with each occurrence.

The 3rd time it happens, it is grounds for immediate termination.

I totally understand what your mom is saying but sometimes I really do think "stuff happens" and it can't be helped. When that does happen though, I expect to be paid WELL for having to deal with it at all.

[MyAngels]

That is what I have. I don't allow late pickups at all, do not have late fees and would rather terminate but not everyone is comfortable with that. I will say that I have had very very few late pickups in the last 6 years. A few due to weather, which I understand, and one dad that tried a late pickup and I really gave it to him. Its been like a year since then and he has not tried it again

I don't charge late fees, either, and I'm very clear about it up front. My policy is like Nan's Don't Do It policy. I can't remember the last time someone was late, so it must be working .

[mountainside13]

Dear DCP's

Due to some changes in my family life, child care services will no longer be offered after 4:30 p.m. Please adjust your schedules accordingly as I am not able to make exceptions to this timeframe.

If this time change does not work for you, please let me know and I can give you some assistance in locating alternate care arrangements.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter

Sincerely

Daycare Provider

I wouldn't go into detail in the letter. If parents ask and you want to tell them, that is up to you.

I like to keep my letters short and to the point or the message gets lost...kwim?

If it's only a couple days per week, you can edit/alter the above letter to state that or if you wanted to personalize it a bit.

Otherwise, I hope it helps.

Thank you! This letter will be perfect for my situation next week. Thank you!