Update On Variable Hrs Mom- She Doesn't Get It!

[legomom922]

For those that were helping me write the letter to the mom who has variable I wanted to let you all know she just "doesn't get it"..I don't think she understood my letter at all! All of you saw what I wrote her, was I not clear enough? Do I have to get more bold? I have a extremely appt on Tues at 4..She has not worked till 4 in 3 months..I made the appt late in the afternoon for a reason, and I have already rescheduled it because of her crazy schedule once before! And now after my reading my letter, she has the nerve to tell me her schedule is going to get crazier than ever?? NO WAY! I am not going to be at her beck and call..What do I say now??

This is what she emailed me today:

For this week the times we will be bringing Jack will be...

Tuesday - 12-4
Thursday - 9-2
Friday - 9-2

Once I get my schedule for Lands End for the following week, I will let you know what times. My schedule will fluctuate based on the hours I get at LE. I usually get the schedule for the following week, by the latest, on Thursday of the current week. Now once the lacrosse season practices start, then the schedule will be really crazy all over the place. If we are outside (no snow on the turf) then we will be practicing 5:30-7:30pm and will be letting LE know that I can work during the day on Tues, Thurs, and Fri. We usually can't get outside until March, but depending on how the weather treats us we may be able to get on our set schedule earlier. Until then, I believe I have given you the weeks where I will have morning practice and will need to have you watch Jack every day. If this is a problem because of another child you are taking on, please let me know asap so that I can try and make other arrangements for Mon and Wed.

Let me know if you have any questions or if I'm not following protocol correctly. I just want to make sure that Jack is taken care of on the days that I need to be working.

[SilverSabre25]

Has she agreed to the terms that you put forth in your letter to her? It looks like those days/times this week (except for Tuesday) fit into the terms you set down (I was looking back and forth between the two, ). I can't tell from the email whether she's expecting you to watch him on those random 5:30-7:30 days.

I guess I don't completely see the problem?

For this Tuesday, I'd be apologetic and explain that you can't watch him until 4 due to a prior engagement (explain that it's an important appt that you can't reschedule).

[legomom922]

Silver, read this thread, and maybe it will make more sense to you:

https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24573

I hope I did that right..

[Abigail]

Wow, Legomom....it sounds like you are letting her "run the show" with writing you a letter weekly stating her hours. If she is paying the full time rate for five days a week and only comes during some of your open hours, I think you need to just "deal with it" if you need the income. How much do her hours change week to week? Maybe you could alter her rates (so it looks better for her) according to specific time frames that are acceptable to wait for her child to be dropped offed and picked. I would not give her the entire day's time frame for when you're open, but have her choose more set-in hours. Can you call a local center and ask how they would charge according to unusual schedules and adjust your rates accordingly?

[legomom922]

Wow, Legomom....it sounds like you are letting her "run the show" with writing you a letter weekly stating her hours. If she is paying the full time rate for five days a week and only comes during some of your open hours, I think you need to just "deal with it" if you need the income. How much do her hours change week to week? Maybe you could alter her rates (so it looks better for her) according to specific time frames that are acceptable to wait for her child to be dropped offed and picked. I would not give her the entire day's time frame for when you're open, but have her choose more set-in hours. Can you call a local center and ask how they would charge according to unusual schedules and adjust your rates accordingly?

If she wants to pay my FT rate of $175/wk, then I will deal with it, but what she is doing to me right now, I will not deal with it. Her hrs and her days change daily, weekly & monthy! She is driving me nuts! Sometimes she texts me at 1030pm to tell me what time she is coming in the am...

I offered her contracted hrs of m-f from 630am-230pm but of course that does not cover her days that she works until 4..Did you read my letter I wrote to her in another thread? https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24904 Blackcat called around and centers and the YMCA told her they would have to charge her FT rates too.

I had one idea..so I posted a new CL ad, raising my rates to $44/day, & being available from 7am-2pm and then when she says something to me tomorrow I can tell her I have an ad out & I would contract her for 4 days at my new rate which would be $168 for 4 days vs $175 for 5...

[Abigail]

I just got done reading your other thread and OMG that was long! I would NOT allow her to switch the days. I would have her choose the 3 days as part time and have any hours contracted that fit her needs as long as you have other children present since she is not usually there. Then, you would only provide care the fourth day or fifth day IF you have a drop in spot available and have that be a minimum per hour for so-many hours or else slightly higher than the daily rate if it's all day drop in. I would make her choose specific days of the week and not let her change unless she pays the full time rate for five days. I would not have put up with her crap unless I really couldn't fill my spots. If she chooses the 3 days if that is your minimum, I would not help her with her finding alternate care the other day(s) if she is part time because with any other part time family you would not bother to set up their schedule for them. They can do it themselves and it shouldn't be any of your business or concern.

[legomom922]

I just got done reading your other thread and OMG that was long! I would NOT allow her to switch the days. I would have her choose the 3 days as part time and have any hours contracted that fit her needs as long as you have other children present since she is not usually there. Then, you would only provide care the fourth day or fifth day IF you have a drop in spot available and have that be a minimum per hour for so-many hours or else slightly higher than the daily rate if it's all day drop in. I would make her choose specific days of the week and not let her change unless she pays the full time rate for five days. I would not have put up with her crap unless I really couldn't fill my spots. If she chooses the 3 days if that is your minimum, I would not help her with her finding alternate care the other day(s) if she is part time because with any other part time family you would not bother to set up their schedule for them. They can do it themselves and it shouldn't be any of your business or concern.

See she cant pick 3 days...Nov her days were t, th, fri, and dec were m, th, fri and now this. She even wrote me a schedule with "maybe" written on it, and no times..what would happen if she was contracted for t, w, f, and then the next month she needed m,th, fri, but all I had open was fri? then she would be paying me for 3 days and only using one!

I am thinking I just term her and forget the whole thing...I am so stressed over this whole ordeal, and her email to me cleary tells me her sch is only going to get worse, and I guess I am just going to have to spell it out for her..

"I CANNOT ACCOMODATE YOU ANYMORE UNLESS YOU WANT TO CONTRACT 5 DAYS. IF THIS IS NOT AGREEABLE TO YOU, CONSIDER THIS MY 2 WK NOTICE"

Do you think she would "get it" then?

[momofboys]

See she cant pick 3 days...Nov her days were t, th, fri, and dec were m, th, fri and now this. She even wrote me a schedule with "maybe" written on it, and no times..what would happen if she was contracted for t, w, f, and then the next month she needed m,th, fri, but all I had open was fri? then she would be paying me for 3 days and only using one!

I am thinking I just term her and forget the whole thing...I am so stressed over this whole ordeal, and her email to me cleary tells me her sch is only going to get worse, and I guess I am just going to have to spell it out for her..

"I CANNOT ACCOMODATE YOU ANYMORE UNLESS YOU WANT TO CONTRACT 5 DAYS. IF THIS IS NOT AGREEABLE TO YOU, CONSIDER THIS MY 2 WK NOTICE"

Do you think she would "get it" then?

I would do this if you can afford it. Not knowing the schedule upfront would make it impossible for me to schedule appts for myself or my 3 kids. No can do for me!

[Lilbutterflie]

Legomom, after reading the other thread, I now see her variable hours are due to retail. I would suggest you offer her two options:

1- Discuss with her employer that her availability is changing. She is no longer open to work variable days. Her and her employer can pick 3 days in which to work, and you need to give her a deadline to let you know what those three days are. How do you think college students work retail? They tell their employer what their availability is based on their classes, and the employer works AROUND that. She needs to tell her employer she can no longer work variable days. Easy as pie.

2- If she is not willing to talk with her employer about fixed days, she needs to pay for 5 full days.

Now, if she picks option 1 and wants drop in care for Lacrosse; if it's on one of her contracted days... GREAT! If it's not a contracted day, treat it like a drop in. IF you have a spot, you can accommodate. She needs to find back up care if you are not available.

I wouldn't necessarily terminate over this, you are right... she just doesn't really understand. Sometimes it's hard for a parent to switch hats and see things from our perspective. Give her those options & terminate if she doesn't agree.

[SilverSabre25]

Ow my head...yikes. I would definitely make her contract for all 5 days, within certain hours, and if she needs care outside those hours, then it's on a drop-in basis. She could also just set a schedule for the boy and bring him regular times, every week, regardless of her schedule--it would at least give the kid some stability. I think having a regular schedule is important for a child and this poor kid obviously doesn't have one. If she needs care outside her "normal" schedule for the week, then she can check with you, or have another sitter available, or something.

[legomom922]

Legomom, after reading the other thread, I now see her variable hours are due to retail.

She has 2 jobs..The retail one and her coaching job. She works the retail one around her coaching schedule, which is always changing depending on the season, the month, the weather and the sport.

Like for feb she has me for 630-1230 5 days for a wk only because of coaching games in the am..Some days she has games, and then when she is not coaching, she is working retail, so its a double wammy..

[momofsix]

For those that were helping me write the letter to the mom who has variable I wanted to let you all know she just "doesn't get it"..I don't think she understood my letter at all! All of you saw what I wrote her, was I not clear enough? Do I have to get more bold? I have a extremely appt on Tues at 4..She has not worked till 4 in 3 months..I made the appt late in the afternoon for a reason, and I have already rescheduled it because of her crazy schedule once before! And now after my reading my letter, she has the nerve to tell me her schedule is going to get crazier than ever?? NO WAY! I am not going to be at her beck and call..What do I say now??

This is what she emailed me today:

For this week the times we will be bringing Jack will be...

Tuesday - 12-4
Thursday - 9-2
Friday - 9-2

Once I get my schedule for Lands End for the following week, I will let you know what times. My schedule will fluctuate based on the hours I get at LE. I usually get the schedule for the following week, by the latest, on Thursday of the current week. Now once the lacrosse season practices start, then the schedule will be really crazy all over the place. If we are outside (no snow on the turf) then we will be practicing 5:30-7:30pm and will be letting LE know that I can work during the day on Tues, Thurs, and Fri. We usually can't get outside until March, but depending on how the weather treats us we may be able to get on our set schedule earlier. Until then, I believe I have given you the weeks where I will have morning practice and will need to have you watch Jack every day. If this is a problem because of another child you are taking on, please let me know asap so that I can try and make other arrangements for Mon and Wed.

Let me know if you have any questions or if I'm not following protocol correctly. I just want to make sure that Jack is taken care of on the days that I need to be working.

Did she even read the letter you sent her???? She's acting like you never said anything! I would talk to her in person. Make sure she got your letter and understands that she needs to pay the full time rate if she's going to expect every day to be open for her son when she needs it. Obviously something didn't get through, though your letter was very well written and clearly spelled out.
Either she didn't get your letter, didn't read it yet, or is just "playing dumb"-hoping you'll keep accomadating her without charging her more.

[legomom922]

She thought she could just stay on 3 days when I spoke with her this am, BUT she said her hrs would still be all over the place. I told her the problem is the days and times each week change, and I just cannot schedule anyone else in case she needs it. Then she says "well your policy says you are open 630-430" and I am not familiar with "contracted" hrs, as this is a new concept to me, so I didnt know how to answer it, so I said my rate was based "up to" 8 hrs and clients can choose which hrs they want within that time frame, but it doesnt mean you can come 630-430 for the same rate. Then I said I am now only offering care until 230pm m-f and that any new clients coming in are paying a higher rate too. So then she said well I dont know if I can stay anyway then because I need care until 4 on some days. I told her staying until 4 would have to be approved based on my availability and that is something I cannot guarentee if it is going to vary. Is there any other way of explaining "contracted" hrs? At this point I think I just want her gone..

[Unregistered]

How can expect a clinet to only have contracted hours till 2:30pm MOST parents work untill 5pm and it takes travel time. I would make her pay fulltime rate Monday threw Friday and give her your REGULAR daycare hours which I think you said are 6:30am to 4:30pm and that way she can use anydays she wants during the week but has to pick up BY 4:30pm. This is the main reason I dont do part time.

[legomom922]

How can expect a clinet to only have contracted hours till 2:30pm MOST parents work untill 5pm and it takes travel time. I would make her pay fulltime rate Monday threw Friday and give her your REGULAR daycare hours which I think you said are 6:30am to 4:30pm and that way she can use anydays she wants during the week but has to pick up BY 4:30pm. This is the main reason I dont do part time.

Because 90% of the time she always has picked up before 230, and more times often than not, has dropped off by 630, so I went with her most common hrs. I understand that most parents may work until 5, but we cant forget the ones who have odd shifts like this one. I like the clients with the "out of the norm" shifts as long as they are consistent. I passed up a banker who needed m-f 10-2..if only I knew then what I know now...that would have been a no brainer!

The other issue I have is that I go to physical therepy 2x a week, so I need to go to those appts, and then there are other appts like dentists, drs, the kids, etc, and with her giving me schedules at 1030 at night and such, I have had to break, change & resch more appts in the month of dec alone because of her always changing her hrs. I cant make a appt for 3 wks out at 230, because her schedule could be 12-4 that day and vise versa, so I am trying to pin her down to pick up by 230 anyday

Also, if she used the full 630-430, it would cost her OT fees because she is then going over my 8 hr limit. I dont generally have "traditional" clients. I put out there what days hrs, I am available and see what bites.