What To Say.. What To Say...

[play2learn]

So I am new to owning my own in home. I have a gotten myself into a little situation that I'm not sure how to handle it. Here it is.

So I had send home a reminder on Friday reminding the family about being closed on memorial day and remind them what my early pick up and late drop off policy was along with late payments. I also put on that that if they went going to send the new baby by June 3rd then I am going to have to charge full price for dcb. I figured i would get a phone call or a text that night. I didn't until monday. It was a long text talking about how i gave a discount because she was speeding the word. Made me laugh because I haven't gotten any kids from her. She was telling me how her new baby has gas issues and doesn't want her to cry it out at all. I sent a text back explaining the amount of hours they send their son and the amount of money they pay me, makes me making UNDER $2.50 an hour. I said I don't know anyone who could live off that because i know i can't. Then this morning she sends a text back and asks if i can change the hours from 7:30-5:30 and she said that she wasn't sure when she would be sending the baby because they haven't figured out how to handle both kids. I just laughed. So now... I have no idea what to really say. Just because i am open for 10 hours doesn't mean i want you kid for 10 hours. I know for a fact that they don't work for 10 hours. Not even 9. So why can't they pic him up at 5? I just need some help with what to say. Should i just **** it up and change their hours and charge full price until the baby comes? Then that means that i will be watching two kids for ten hours a day at a discount of $50 a week. GAHHHH!!!! why can't parents just follow the rules.

Vent over. Sorry so long. Just hate having to deal with conflict.

[Second Home]

What time do you close? If you close before 5:30 then remind them if your hours and that you do not stay open that late . Stick to your hours ,by changing for them you will just be opening up a situation where they will always be expecting you to do what they want .

I would charge full price until the baby begins .

When I give a sibling discount both kids must be full time and I apply the discount towards the lesser fee . So if I charge my full price (150 ) for an infant and discount the second child by$25 . I do not give a discount on both children .

[CraftyMom]

Do you do contracted hours? If so then they should pay more for staying longer. What is the $50 discount for? Sibling discount? I don't do discounts

[butterfly]

What are the hours that you WANT to have the child? What are the hours that they NEED?

Anytime there is a change in schedule, I feel that allows a change in rate. So if the hours are changing, that's a perfect opportunity to change their rate to what it needs to be to work for YOU. If the parents are being turds, I wouldn't worry about it upsetting them and causing them to leave. You are the boss of your business - YOU set the rates. Do what YOU need to do!

I would reply back that I could accommodate Xam to Xpm (hours you want to work) for $X.

I charge a flat weekly rate. No sibling discount.

[butterfly]

What time do you close? If you close before 5:30 then remind them if your hours and that you do not stay open that late . Stick to your hours ,by changing for them you will just be opening up a situation where they will always be expecting you to do what they want .

I would charge full price until the baby begins .

When I give a sibling discount both kids must be full time and I apply the discount towards the lesser fee . So if I charge my full price (150 ) for an infant and discount the second child by$25 . I do not give a discount on both children .

Exactly!! OP - why are they getting a sibling discount if they aren't bringing the sibling?

[Angelsj]

You figure out what you need to make it work. If you want to work/keep them until 5:30, do so and charge them what you believe is fair. If you don't, tell them what hours WILL work, and charge them what you believe is fair.
It is your business to run as you see fit. It works better if you do not allow negotiation. Just a simple, yes, I can do that and this is what it will cost. Or no, I cannot accommodate that.

[TaylorTots]

So, what are the rules? Do you have contracted hours for fees or a flat rate fee for your open hours - and if so, what are your open hours?

If you have a flat rate fee for open hours then them sending them 730-530 would be in the rules - perhaps you need to change to contracted hours. I have flat rate fees for my opening time (7-5) and most are here about 9 hours.


Not sure I can help with your sibling discount policy - you created the policy. $50 is a HUGE discount though - I only discount full time (5 days/wk) kids at $5 per child per week.

[play2learn]

Thank you everyone for your advice. My hours are from 7:30-5:30. I was going to do a 9 hour max and then if they need longer it will be $5 every 15 mins. Then I didn't put that in. I do have a contract and they did put from 7:30-5 but now that they seem to not be able to make it by 5 they want me to change it because they don't want the late payments. I dont think thats right for their son. Not even two and being at daycare for 10 hours a day. I did tell them that my handbook will be changing as i see fit. Maybe i should put the 9 hour max in there. I just don't know how to put the words together to not make me sound like a bitch. I want to say something like just because i am open for 10 hours doesn't mean i want your kids for 10 hours, but i know i can't say that. What gets me is her mother in law is home with the baby. So you mean to tell me she can't come get him at 5? I just I charged them a discount because they wanted me as a nanny but then i told them i was going to open an in home and they decided to come to me. Although knowing every daycare in Petoskey is gross and i wouldn't even send my dog there, i am now kicking myself in my butt. Learn as you go i guess. Just not sure how to express what i want to say to her.

[renodeb]

Usually the parent who goes to work later in the morning drops off and the first done with work picks up. On average my dc kids are here about 9 or so hours (thats with travel time). Stick with your hours. Dont give them a chance to take advantage. No other dc is gonna hold a spot for free.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I would take away the discount at this point in time. You are now an in-home daycare and are not a nanny. Nannies are well paid.

I also would not offer a sibling discount. My Parent Handbook states this:

Sibling Discount
No sibling discounts are given at this time. Please understand that every child is provided the same level of care, same opportunities, and utilizes the same resources thus making it unfair to our clients with one child if we offer clients with multiple children a discount.

You can always state to her that you have made alternate arrangements and CANNOT accommodate her children past 5:00 and they must be picked up by then, as per her contract. You do not need to say more than that.

[cheerfuldom]

You need to decide what YOU want, tell them "this is the rules, take it or leave it" and then make a deadline where they have to decide. If I know a parent is working X hours, I would not keep a child all day just because they cant make it here on time. I work for working parents who contract hours. No one is here open to close (except me of course). No discounts. No habitual late families tolerated. They are trying to get nanny services for a daycare cost.....don't let them! Stop worrying about what to say and just type up a letter today. They have till Monday to agree to ALL the rules or give a two weeks notice. Done. No negotiation. In fact, I would put on the letter "These daycare policies are non-negotiable. Please refrain from contacting me regarding negotiating policies. This is grounds for immediate termination"

[itlw8]

If they both work at 8 and off at 5 then they need 7:30 to 5;30 IF YOU want to close at 5 then they need to find another provider.WHY can't they make it on time at 5?? picking up the other child? get off at 4:45 traffic ??? or they just want some leeway because you are open until 5:30 anyway

What time can they make it by ??? maybe they only need 10 minutes.

[play2learn]

I am pretty sure the mom works from 8:30am-4:30pm So i have no idea what the deal is. The dad drops off and picks up. I think the mom goes home to attend to the baby. ALTHOUGH her mother in law is home with her all day and somehow she can't pick him up by 5 either. Mind you they live a mile away from me. Thats just my assumption because she can't handle both kids at the same time. I wrote her back and i simply said "I am charging full price and i will allow you to be here from open until close UNTIL the baby gets here. 10 hours a day is a long day for me and him. If you need extended hours when the baby gets here then the rate will be going up. I will draw up another contract that will need to be signed today.

I am slowly finding my backbone. I am just a people pleaser in a sense, and have a hard time saying no. I am learning really fast with these parents though. Thank you everyone so much for your responses. It is very much appreciated.