What is your normal reply...

[Play Care]

I also ignore texts like that. As long as they are here by the time they need to be, then I am fine.

Do your parents regularly text you about what they are doing while their child is in your care? I guess I assumed the OP meant for those pick ups that would be late due to the errand. I'm just curious as I've never had a parent call/text during the day to tell me what they were doing unless it meant they would not be near a phone/able to answer a cell and to call the other parent if I needed to get in touch with someone.

[TaylorTots]

"Oh YAY!!!!! happyfacehappyfacehappyface I LOVE myself some extra money. Take your time"

Nice.

[Mister Sir Husband]

I'd send them my grocery list.. as long as they are at the store anyways they fan save me a trip. We can calculate late fees vs what they spent for my groceries when they arrive.

[daycarediva]

My reply, “Standard lates fee will be due at pick up, $1 per minute in cash. Thanks for giving me a heads up.”

Also in my contract/handbook it states notification of late pick up will not void appropriate late fees due.

If they are going to be late they get this.

If they aren't late, they get k.

I also don't understand WHY they tell me what they are doing if it doesn't affect me. :confused:

[Cradle2crayons]

Since this so rarely happens it would depend on how my day went. My late fee is $1 per minute so they'd know they will owe me x dollars before they even texted.

On a good day I'd probably ask them how late, multiply that in my head by dollars and give them my shopping list to that number....

EX: "Oh, cool! 10 minutes late? I"ll trade you a toddler free shopping trip for a bag of that awesome hazelnut coffee you brought me for Valentines last year." The standard response would be "Deal! See you in a few"

On a bad day my response would be "K". The standard reaction to a short text would be on the doorstep "Hi! I decided to just come on, little slugger loves how they give out free popcorn, anyway."

I think they get me..... lovethis

Good luck with what you decide, it can be such a slippery slope and depends so much on your relationship with the parents.

"Oh YAY!!!!! happyfacehappyfacehappyface I LOVE myself some extra money. Take your time"

I'd send them my grocery list.. as long as they are at the store anyways they fan save me a trip. We can calculate late fees vs what they spent for my groceries when they arrive.

I've done all of these . I live quite far from everything. My parents have an hour to arrive here after their shift to pick up. That's when late fees start. If they have no traffic they have time to stop and pick up a few things on the way through.

My mom of special dcg and infant brother often brings me a happy or two. She rarely stops for anything though and always comes straight here. Rarely she will call and ask if she can stop for something if she's running close to time. But she always ASKS, doesn't expect a YES, and will always pick me up something she knows I need, even if she isn't running behind. One time she brought me two cases of soda (yes,my downfall) because apparently she noticed I was running low and she found them on sale. why can't I clone her??? WHYYYYYYYY

[Laurel]

I'd send them my grocery list.. as long as they are at the store anyways they fan save me a trip. We can calculate late fees vs what they spent for my groceries when they arrive.

::

[mountainside13]

They would have stopped that quickly with $25.00 late charges over here. That is crazy.

When they started I agree to Dad picking up usually once a week. Because older brother had to be picked up from his moms house by 4:30. The brothers mom is one to find any issue and report them so she can have full custody. So a big mess. Once Dad let it slip that she was doing other things I quickly put a stop to it and would charge them fees.

I'd send them my grocery list.. as long as they are at the store anyways they fan save me a trip. We can calculate late fees vs what they spent for my groceries when they arrive.

That is amazing!!!

[MarinaVanessa]

I'd send them my grocery list.. as long as they are at the store anyways they fan save me a trip. We can calculate late fees vs what they spent for my groceries when they arrive.

Yes. This is genius.

[Leigh]

If I have nothing else going on, I'm happy to oblige. All but one of my families would be paying OT for it, and it wouldn't bother me (one family pays a flat rate regardless of hours, and I let her child stay late, stay overnight, etc., because I love him, and he is very close with my son).

If I don't want the kids to stay late, I just let them know that I have plans for the evening, and the child(ren) must be picked up by XX time.

[My3cents]

...when a parent texts & say/ask if they can make a quick stop at the store before picking up Jr?
Do you say no & explain why? Do you say anything catchy? Do you remind them of the contract/policy? Do you say ok? Do you just say NO!!

If it was an ongoing problem I would call them out on it after the 2nd or 3rd time. If it is a once in a blue moon thing and I didn't mind or have somewhere to go I would let it go. I remind often of my closing time- especially in my interviews I go over this several times because it is important to me to be done at closing time. I have an outside life after daycare that is waiting for me- even if it is just to sit in my chair and loaf. Most nights I do have some place to go and my parents know I am active. After the 2nd time of doing this I would probably say, no problem but I will have to charge you my late fee of $1 a minute after 5pm I never get shook about a parent arriving late, because I never want a parent to rush and get in an accident. I stress this at my interviews. I also stress that after five is a late fee, and my time is important to me. I don't have this issue but I am clear and fair on my policies. Best-

[craftymissbeth]

I have one parent who picks up at 3:15 every day. Every. Single. Friday. She texts me and asks me if she can stop by the bank real quick to withdraw her payment. Every single time I text her back with "Of course. See you at 3:15!". She's never late, so I have no idea why she still texts me. It doesn't bother me, but it's kind of odd.

[Blackcat31]

Since this so rarely happens it would depend on how my day went. My late fee is $1 per minute so they'd know they will owe me x dollars before they even texted.

On a good day I'd probably ask them how late, multiply that in my head by dollars and give them my shopping list to that number....

EX: "Oh, cool! 10 minutes late? I"ll trade you a toddler free shopping trip for a bag of that awesome hazelnut coffee you brought me for Valentines last year." The standard response would be "Deal! See you in a few"

On a bad day my response would be "K". The standard reaction to a short text would be on the doorstep "Hi! I decided to just come on, little slugger loves how they give out free popcorn, anyway."

I think they get me..... lovethis

Good luck with what you decide, it can be such a slippery slope and depends so much on your relationship with the parents.

This^^^ Totally depends on my relationship with the parent.

Some parents get the standard "K" reply and other get the.....well my smart-alec-y reply.

Also depends on whether this parent is MY last pick-up of the day and/or if their errand will effect the time I leave for the day.

[Lucy]

...when a parent texts & say/ask if they can make a quick stop at the store before picking up Jr?
Do you say no & explain why? Do you say anything catchy? Do you remind them of the contract/policy? Do you say ok? Do you just say NO!!

I conveniently have an appointment EVERY SINGLE TIME. It doesn't happen often to tell you the truth, but if it does, I just happen to "have an appointment"

If they are not my last one of the day, and they know that I'm still open after they leave, I'll make it sound like I'm off early to go to that appointment.

[Childminder]

At least you got a text! Last night because of the roads being icy DCM was 1 hour and 46 minutes late. A text would have been nice.

[Mister Sir Husband]

The more I read these, the more I'm finding myself wanting to comment again. I seriously hope no one takes this the wrong way, but I wouldn't tell parents I have an appointment and have to go unless I really did. I feel that this is lying and isn't morally correct to do. The same goes when you find out a parent lied to you about going to work when they in fact don't.

I would simply answer that they are welcome to stop at the store, but late fees will be added if they are late. The same of course goes for the parent being dishonest with me. Instead of lying about working so I will watch Jr., just tell me the truth. "I'm skipping work today, going to the beach with a quick stop at the casino, and will pick him up later".