Lesson Learned - Never Again

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

Last week, for the very first time in 13 years of daycare, I sent out a mass e-mail to all the parents to please pick up their kiddos immediately following work. All DCFs have at least one parent off by 4:30, but they will run an errand, stop for gas, or just fart around until almost 5:30. I've made a big show in the past hinting around about needing to get out ASAP for something, but I swear it makes them be even later, or maybe it's just Murphy's Law.We had to register my DS for high school (a big moment for my family), and registration was only till 6pm, and by the time one or two get out of my driveway it is usually almost 5:40. I did NOT want to miss it, so I thought it would be better to be direct and ask for an immediate pick-up, expressing how I saved them the inconvenience of closing for the whole day. There were a few unnecessary comments, which I have come to expect after this long and let roll off my back. Last kid left at 5:00, and all was well.

Then, one DCD was 10 full minutes late arriving late for pick-up last night. He came in at 5:40, declaring there was an accident, and says "I guess that makes us even for the early pick-up last week."

Wow. Just wow. I decided not to make a stink, and chalk it up to another lesson in the school of hard knocks. I will just close for the day next time.

[crazydaycarelady]

Yeah, I had my last kid get picked up at 5:20 the other day. Dcm acted like it was my lucky day for getting off 10 minutes early.

[Shell]

That is beyond rude!!!

[daycare]

Yeah, I had my last kid get picked up at 5:20 the other day. Dcm acted like it was my lucky day for getting off 10 minutes early.

WTH..... that stinks.

But I guess it all depends on how you are charging your parents. If they pay a flat rate and get to use those hours, then they are paying for it. BUT I would have been tempted to tell dcd If you really want to keep score on late pick up or early drop off, I will be more than happy to do that for you, I always love a good challenge...then smile and walk away.

[AmyLeigh]

WTH..... that stinks.

But I guess it all depends on how you are charging your parents. If they pay a flat rate and get to use those hours, then they are paying for it. BUT I would have been tempted to tell dcd If you really want to keep score on late pick up or early drop off, I will be more than happy to do that for you, I always love a good challenge...then smile and walk away.

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

Yeah, I had my last kid get picked up at 5:20 the other day. Dcm acted like it was my lucky day for getting off 10 minutes early.

No joke!

I also love this: On Monday, a DCM notices the attendance chart is not quite full, and says "Light day today, huh? That must have been nice." Sure...sure. I had 3 toddlers instead of 4, so there were odd-man-out squabbles all day. The preschooler's buddy was out, too, so guess who was in my face all day? Add the 2 babies under one, and that totals a complete day off for me. They can be so clueless! And before I get jumped on, I don't mean that to be mean. I wouldn't have understood it either before I did daycare, either. But it does seem awful clueless.

[Unregistered]

Yeah, I had my last kid get picked up at 5:20 the other day. Dcm acted like it was my lucky day for getting off 10 minutes early.

LOL! That reminds me of the dcm who picked up last dcb at 5:10. He asked her if he could go in my backyard and swing and she told him, "Sure. You still have 20 minutes." (!!!!!!)

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

LOL! That reminds me of the dcm who picked up last dcb at 5:10. He asked her if he could go in my backyard and swing and she told him, "Sure. You still have 20 minutes." (!!!!!!)

OMG! No! No way! That is outrageous! You win. By a landslide! ::::::

[MarinaVanessa]

Then, one DCD was 10 full minutes late arriving late for pick-up last night. He came in at 5:40, declaring there was an accident, and says "I guess that makes us even for the early pick-up last week."

"Oh, we're keeping score? Well let's see, in the last x months of being a client your DCK has been late x times for a total of xx minutes, today you were late x minutes. I closed early last week for x minutes, so that brings us to xx minutes that you still owe me. I'm so glad you brought that up, now I can get what I am owed"

Or long, uncomfortable blank stare.

[AuntTami]

LOL! That reminds me of the dcm who picked up last dcb at 5:10. He asked her if he could go in my backyard and swing and she told him, "Sure. You still have 20 minutes." (!!!!!!)

You're kidding right? What did you do? I would have lost my mind, or stood there completely dumbfounded not knowing what to say/do! But I bet I would have had some words!


OP: Do you do contracted hours or is it a flat daily fee? I guess I could kind of see their point if you do a flat daily fee, but that is NOT the way to approach it and really? Like you said, they're already off of work so what's the big deal? God forbid they take their child with them to do their grocery shopping!

[CraftyMom]

Next time address it as "I will be closing at 5 pm on xxx day". The end (with as much notice as possible)

I learned that the hard way, thinking parents will be considerate...nope, it's all about them after all

[Play Care]

I would have charged a late fee.
My daily rate is the same no matter how many hours are used. So me closing a half hour early one day to make an appointment, doesn't rate a discount, IMO. In fact I DO close early on Fridays (45 minutes!) and did NOT give a discount for that time, and let parents know that they will incur late fees if not picked up by the "new" time. I also don't make a point of saying my hours are x to x really or that parents are paying for so many hours a week, KWIM. They are paying for a child minding service while they are working, not 50 hours of care per week.

In general though I agree that if you want to make sure not to miss something, it's better to close the whole day. Stinks that it has to be that way though.

[BabyMonkeys]

LOL! That reminds me of the dcm who picked up last dcb at 5:10. He asked her if he could go in my backyard and swing and she told him, "Sure. You still have 20 minutes." (!!!!!!)

That's hilarious!! I probably wouldn't think it was so funny if it was my daycare though

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=AuntTami;527527]You're kidding right? What did you do? I would have lost my mind, or stood there completely dumbfounded not knowing what to say/do! But I bet I would have had some words!

I told her that I consider myself "off-duty," when the parent arrives, and I had things to do. (I think I also rambled on about my own kids wanting to spend time with their mom because I was freaked-out defensive and annoyed.)

[melilley]

How rude!
If I need to close early, I always tell them a time to pick up and usually give myself an hour at the least. My parents are great, but ya never know.