How to Respond to this DCM

[childcaremom]

So my dcf that has been having trouble following rules.... picking up a few mins after closing, payment was late. I sent out a warning on Friday, paper and email, reminding them of policies.

Today she picked up 2 mins late. At 5 pm (her pick up time) I put the note in her bag.

She just emailed me for clarification. Stated she was not late.

(I am advertising to replace. These parents are as much work as their kids)

[Thriftylady]

Can you put the clock you use near the door? Then when she gets here, you can point at the clock and say "oh look DCM, you are X minutes late".

[childcaremom]

Yes, I am going to the store tonight to get one. We are outside at pick ups but I guess I need to get something because this family needs some hand holding.

I told her that I use the time on our phones. But a little visualization will go a long way, I guess.

I just feel like she is going to argue this to no end.

[NoMoreJuice!]

Do you have a late fee for late payment? And a fee for picking up late? It seems she's just not taking you seriously, and I would stop that behavior right now. Let her know that she will be charged $2 a minute after closing time, and she owes $XX.00 for the late pickup and $XX.00 for the late payment.

I agree, get a clock and point it out when she is late.

[childcaremom]

Do you have a late fee for late payment? And a fee for picking up late? It seems she's just not taking you seriously, and I would stop that behavior right now. Let her know that she will be charged $2 a minute after closing time, and she owes $XX.00 for the late pickup and $XX.00 for the late payment.

I agree, get a clock and point it out when she is late.

Yes, I gave her the warning on Friday.

Now she is late picking up. I have a sheet always ready so I can pop it in a bag if the alarm goes off (I set my alarm to each pick up time). So at 5, alarm goes, in goes the sheet.

I had to chat with her about her little guy screaming and not napping again and her older one ran off. But verbal warning I guess, too, is needed.

[NightOwl]

I have a clock directly above my sign in sheet and, in my policies, it clearly states that that particular clock is atomically set and late arrivals are determined by the time on that clock alone (not mom's cell phone, or the radio clock in their car, etc). I even advise them to set their most used clock to match mine. So my response would be to tell her that I go by the displayed time on my clock above the sign in sheets and no other.

[childcaremom]

I have a clock directly above my sign in sheet and, in my policies, it clearly states that that particular clock is atomically set and late arrivals are determined by the time on that clock alone (not mom's cell phone, or the radio clock in their car, etc). I even advise them to set their most used clock to match mine. So my response would be to tell her that I go by the displayed time on my clock above the sign in sheets and no other.

So I would potentially say:
"Dcm, as per my email on Friday, I use the time on my phone for the accurate time. At 5 pm, you were not here, and I placed the late slip in the bag. Pick up time was 5:02."

[childcaremom]

And can I just say how much I hate having to deal with dcps like this. They are so.much.work.

Just follow my policies for petes sake. It isn't even big things... but they add up. And they are only on their third week.

[Blackcat31]

So I would potentially say:
"Dcm, as per my email on Friday, I use the time on my phone for the accurate time. At 5 pm, you were not here, and I placed the late slip in the bag. Pick up time was 5:02."

And can I just say how much I hate having to deal with dcps like this. They are so.much.work.

Just follow my policies for petes sake. It isn't even big things... but they add up. And they are only on their third week.

That is exactly what I would say. Time on 99.9% of cell phones and on computers is accurate and in sync.

She may have pulled into your driveway before 5 and be thinking that is why she wasn't late..... I make sure my families know that when they say 5 pick up time, that means have your child and be gone BY 5 not get here at 5.

I also agree that parents are becoming more work than ever and I used to dread it....now I kind of have fun with it.....

[daycare]

maybe I am the odd man out here, but you don't give any kind of grace period? I give 5 min grace period each way. lets face it, its impossible to get anywhere exactly at a certain time. DC is the only place that it's not good to show up 10 min early and its bad to show up 5 min late.

I would not be billing for 2 min over pick up. If it were more than 5 min after pick up, then yeah I would be giving them a bill. whats a difference of 3 min??? it's a buffer.....

I have a time clock now, but when I didn't I removed their time sheet and put a late time sheet out there that they had to sign.

so if they there pick up was 500 then at 505 i would remove the normal sign out sheet and give them a late sign out sheet. In bold red letters at the top said late pick up or late sign out.

are there other issues? how long have they been with you??

[MarinaVanessa]

There are a couple of things that can be done in this situation.
First and foremost you should be direct with her and have the conversation face to face. My policies say that they are not to be even on minute later than their scheduled pickup time and that the time is based on MY clock.

Other things you can do:
- charge $1 per minute past the pickup time.
- have a sign in sheet for parents with a digital clock right next to it. Have a blue/black pen ready for them to sign and if they are not there yet for pick right at their scheduled pickup time CHANGE the pen to a red one.
- don't have a pen there at all and you be in charge of writing the time in for them and they have to sign.

Personally I didn't like dealing with this issue so I purchased a Schlage LiNK system. It's hardware that goes on your front door with a keypad. I went ahead and paid for the $10 monthly fee and was able to designate a code to each parent that ONLY works during their scheduled pickup times. One minute early or late and their code doesn't work so they have to knock. No way to argue that.

[childcaremom]

maybe I am the odd man out here, but you don't give any kind of grace period? I give 5 min grace period each way. lets face it, its impossible to get anywhere exactly at a certain time. DC is the only place that it's not good to show up 10 min early and its bad to show up 5 min late.

I would not be billing for 2 min over pick up. If it were more than 5 min after pick up, then yeah I would be giving them a bill. whats a difference of 3 min??? it's a buffer.....

I have a time clock now, but when I didn't I removed their time sheet and put a late time sheet out there that they had to sign.

so if they there pick up was 500 then at 505 i would remove the normal sign out sheet and give them a late sign out sheet. In bold red letters at the top said late pick up or late sign out.

are there other issues? how long have they been with you??

I don't do grace periods anymore.

She has been late by a few mins a few times. Sat in her car on her phone once and I brought the kids to her. Then late with payment. I gave her the warning on Friday after that. Told her there would be late fees going forward. So staying firm on that, put the sheet in the bag.

This is only her third week.

And dcb doesn't nap well. He screams. Not related but he only slept 20 mins today.

[childcaremom]

so then...

Do i charge?

She doesn't sign out ever. It is in my policies that if they don't sign out, then it is up to me to write the time in and late fees will be based on this time.

I charge $10 per part of the first 15 minutes late.
I charge $30 per part of the first 30 minutes late.

After 30 mins, I reserve the right to terminate care immediately with no refund of fees.

[childcaremom]

I guess I feel that this is a he said/she said.

[MarinaVanessa]

I wouldn't do grace periods either. A 5 pm pick up time with a 15 minute grace period could quickly turn into a regular 5:15 pm pickup everyday