Am I In The Wrong Here?

[TaylorTots]

Hubby has a company dinner tonight and my MIL is coming over to watch daycare kids for the last 45 minutes. I notified all the parents she would be here helping so I could get ready as Hubby will be stopping to pick me up at closing time.

Usually all the babies are gone by 4:15 and she is coming over at 4:30. One of my parents 'informed' me this morning that dad would be picking up one of the babies at 4:45 or so because she was going out for drinks with friends after work. Yes, their contracted hours are till 5pm but it still irked me - she didn't ask if the change of pick up time was ok at the last minute. I didn't have much of a backbone since they are within their contracted hours but I informed her that my mother in law would be in charge as of that time etc. She didn't seem to have issues. It mostly upset me as I told my MIL that she would only be watching a couple preschool/school age kiddos for that 45 minutes - no babies.

Am I wrong to be a little upset that it was such a last minute "by the way pick up will be later than usual" deal even though it is in the contracted hours? Normally it wouldn't matter to me at all... which makes me think it isn't a big deal and I am overreacting...which is very possible

[Rockgirl]

I think since she's contracted till 5, she's fine.

[Dia]

I would just **** that one up personally and be glad that they normally pick up much earlier than their contracted time. But I do know how that feels. :hug:

[Blackcat31]

Hubby has a company dinner tonight and my MIL is coming over to watch daycare kids for the last 45 minutes. I notified all the parents she would be here helping so I could get ready as Hubby will be stopping to pick me up at closing time.

Usually all the babies are gone by 4:15 and she is coming over at 4:30. One of my parents 'informed' me this morning that dad would be picking up one of the babies at 4:45 or so because she was going out for drinks with friends after work. Yes, their contracted hours are till 5pm but it still irked me - she didn't ask if the change of pick up time was ok at the last minute. I didn't have much of a backbone since they are within their contracted hours but I informed her that my mother in law would be in charge as of that time etc. She didn't seem to have issues. It mostly upset me as I told my MIL that she would only be watching a couple preschool/school age kiddos for that 45 minutes - no babies.

Am I wrong to be a little upset that it was such a last minute "by the way pick up will be later than usual" deal even though it is in the contracted hours? Normally it wouldn't matter to me at all... which makes me think it isn't a big deal and I am overreacting...which is very possible

(the following is said with a kind heart and a nice tone )

Yes, I think you are wrong for feeling upset that this mom wants to use HER time in full. Until 5:00

Just because she normally picks up a little earlier than her contracted time doesn't mean you should automatically expect her to always do that. kwim?

Technically, YOU should have asked her if she will be picking up early (like she has been doing) or if she will not be arriving until her contracted time.

YOU are the one who needs to do something out of the ordinary so it is YOU who should have planned accordingly.

I would not have told my MIL that she only had x amount of kids until I actually confirmed it with the DCP's.

...that's my 2 cents.

[TaylorTots]

Very well put BC, I will be giving notice to parents a week in advance and just closing early next time. I was trying be nice and flexible by staying open till normal time - I shouldn't have - it was definitely my error since I didn't tell the dcf I'm upset with right now since I assumed they would pick up at their normal time - which doesn't ever match up with their contracted time. My error again.

Thanks for the helpful thoughts so far ladies The fact I'm perturbed means the situation wasn't handled correctly and I need to find a better solution for the future. Either closing early or adjusting this baby's contracted hours seems like the better choices.

[sharlan]

Yes, you are in the wrong.

Just because they normally pick up early, doesn't mean you shouldn't have double checked. They are planning to pick up within THEIR CONTRACTED TIME.

[TwinKristi]

Yeah I have to agree! I think I would have probably tried to cover my bases beforehand and not assume everyone will be gone early! I just had the same issue, I'm going to dinner with my mom & dh and everyone goes home really early today except one and he usually goes home earlier today anyway... Usually it isn't a big deal if stays late because we have baseball til 6pm anyway so it's not like we're relaxing poolside! LOL But of course, today, when everyone else is going home early and we don't have baseball and we're going out to dinner she's going to come at her normal later pickup time.

[nannyde]

Whenever a parent is paying until X time I always feel it is a blessing when they pick up early. Even if the pattern is early pick up... I feel blessed each and every time they do it.

I've had a handful of parents who pay weekly for the safety net of a later pick up. Every day I assume the contracted time and then am grateful if they do come earlier.

[TaylorTots]

Thanks ladies - I'm kind of happy to hear I'm the issue here as I like this DCF. But like I said, if I'm irked then I didn't handle it correctly. I think I'm left with a two options for the future:

1) Adjust her contracted hours to actually reflect their normal hours.
2) Give a week notice of closing early.

Both of these would have created a better situation and I wouldn't be wrongly upset

[MotherNature]

If they're within contracted hours, then yes, you're overreacting. Sure, it'd be nice to get out at normal time, but hey, look at it this way..They aways pick up early, technically.

[TwinKristi]

Thanks ladies - I'm kind of happy to hear I'm the issue here as I like this DCF. But like I said, if I'm irked then I didn't handle it correctly. I think I'm left with a two options for the future:

1) Adjust her contracted hours to actually reflect their normal hours.
2) Give a week notice of closing early.

Both of these would have created a better situation and I wouldn't be wrongly upset

Maybe give her the option? I'm sure she'd prefer to keep this time to allow a cushion and avoid a late fee vs needing to pick up later today and needing to pay a fee for it. Are you going to discount her fees? I doubt she'll want to give you time and not take the money back in return. I would probably just let people know a week in advance. It's not like you're closing early, you have coverage so it really doesn't effect them. It just happens to be a busy night for the mamas!

[daycare]

its ok.... I feel that way sometimes too and then have to remind myself, I am just lucky that they normally pick up early.

I have one family left that is contracted until 6, they have been with me for 3 years, all other families pick up at 5:30, which I would technically say I am closed, because the family that is contracted until 6 always picks up early at 530.

It never fails that when we have to go some where the 6 kid gets picked up at 6. BUT I know that I am technically scheduled until that time so I get over it quick.

I keep telling myself that i need to just tell the parents that I close at 530 now and that if they want to pick up after that they can inform me the day before. I still have not gotten around to doing that just yet.

[melilley]

Yes, I think you overreacted since they were within their hours, but it's normal to be irritated.

I have a dcm who brought her snotty, coughing child today even though she has the day off, and she does this every day she has off, and every time, I am irritated. Then I have to remind myself that they do pay for the day so I shouldn't be irritated, but I just can't help it.

[Naptime yet?]

I always assume everyone will be here until my closing time of 6 (I don't do contracted times), so if everyone leaves early, bonus!

I also figure Murphy's Law will be in play, if there's somewhere I need to go immediately after everyone leaves, someone will be late in picking up.

[Crazy8]

agree with others…. totally understand your frustration but at the same time you really can't complain when they are within their contracted times. Things like this is one of the reasons I added a little stipulation to my contracts that I reserve the right to change contracted times if a family continually comes at a time later/earlier than their current contracted time.

One of the things you do have to keep in mind is if you will be lowering their rate if you change their contracted pick up time. I understand your frustration today but a better option would have been to just mention to mom a few days ago that you'd be leaving early on Friday and just want to make sure she'll be picking up at her "usual" 4:15. If she said yes and then came late I'd be irritated but yet still she's within her contracted time so you really can't penalize them for it.