Parents Request Extra Work From Me

[mim]

I am just wondering if anyone has run into this and how they handle it. Do you charge for extra time etc.

I had a parent who needed my to write a letter to their lawyer stating how much per week and such for a custody and payment battle. I had to do it outside of daycare hours and it took me a bit. Then I had to get into my food program and figure out average hours, what time dcd usually dropped off etc. All in all it probably took me an hour or so of my time, plus my ink and paper to print it all out and stuff.

Then I had a dcm whom moved from another state and was in an abusive relationship. So she need me to print out sign in out times, write a letter make a whole new detailed receipt so she could get victim reimbursement or some thing. This was like 4 different days and probably an hour a day, plus ink and paper.

From here on out I was thinking about charging per 30 min and per page printed for special requests.

I just feel like I'm working for free when I have to do things like this.
What do you think?

Would you charge extra or how do or would you handle it?

[Blackcat31]

I wouldn't do it.

A majority of the things you posted could easily be tracked by the parent.

You do it (track that stuff) so it seems easiest for them to just ask you but I wouldn't do it.

If something is required by the court in regards to time sheets, attendance etc, then I would supply it if the court or DHS asked me to but not in other situations.

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

I agree with Blackcat. I had a DCF going through an ugly divorce one time, and the DCD insisted that I provide him with a detailed report from my attendance records indicating every drop-off/pick-up time and who did it for the 8 months DCB was here. I told he could come look at my files and write them down himself, on a Saturday, and pay me my regular daily fee for my time and use of my property. What do you know? He didn't need it after all.

The only way I would commit time like that is if it were court ordered.

[daycarediva]

I wouldn't do it.

A majority of the things you posted could easily be tracked by the parent.

You do it (track that stuff) so it seems easiest for them to just ask you but I wouldn't do it.

If something is required by the court in regards to time sheets, attendance etc, then I would supply it if the court or DHS asked me to but not in other situations.

This. I have had parents use their tax return (childcare deduction) to 'prove' how much they pay on average for childcare.

I do not supply letters or statements to parents.

[permanentvacation]

I've done things like that a couple of times for different parents. I wouldn't do it but once - maybe twice for each parent. I wouldn't let them take advantage of me. But I, myself, have had to get companies to write a letter on their letterhead for me. Which isn't something they would typically do. So, I do know that things do happen that require a company writing a letter for you.

When they start to ask me to do this, I always look at them funny and make sure they understand that this is NOT something that I typically do. If I think it's something that they can do themselves, I tell them so and tell them how they can do it themselves. If they insist that a letter has to come from me, I do it, but let them know that this is a one time only thing and that it is not something that I typically do. I never charged my parents for writing the letter. However, I tell my parents that I will write it during nap time during the day. I think I've only done something like this in the evening for someone I had known personally for about 10 years. Then, as a personal favor, I got everything together for him that evening. But I wouldn't have done that for a regular daycare parent.

If you did research and write the letter for them after hours especially if you told them you would do it during your regular hours, but they demanded it be done in the evening or over the weekend, then I see no reason why you couldn't charge them overtime for the hours you worked late specifically for them.

[renodeb]

I don't mind doing things like that for clients, I have only had to do stuff like that for maybe 3 clients in almost ten years. The only time it made me mad was when a past client called me up and needed a letter in like two days then told me he didn't even use it in court. I was a bit miffed at that!
Deb