Contracted Hours - Late Pick Ups

[spud912]

I just wanted some quick feedback. I do contracted hours, so the earlier pick-ups result in less $$ due. With that being said, I have a child up until 5 pm but the other families pay for the earlier pick up time of 4:30. One of those earlier families pays for the 4:30 time but consistently picks up earlier than 4 pm (but don't want to pay less "just in case" they are running late .... super thoughtful parents). The other two families who pick up at 4:30.....well.....mostly pick up on time. One picks up between 4:15-4:35 but usually picks up after 4:30 about once a week. She often likes to socialize too so if she shows up at 4:35, it's usually 4:45 by the time I get them out the door. At the very least she ALWAYS lets me know via text that she is running late. The other family has been showing up 8-15 minutes late 3 times a week for the last two weeks. They don't even text to say anything. Sometimes I get a quick "sorry....traffic" excuse. Every time I challenge them on a policy they argue with me .

Anyway, I am planning on initiating what many of you do (sorry....stealing the idea ) where you give a sheet at pick up stating how late they are and how much is owed so there is no question. I can TOTALLY see perpetually late family giving me hell: "Seriously? This is ridiculous....I'm only 3 minutes late. Plus you have a child here still for the next 30 minutes anyway...who cares." They don't realize it often takes another 5 minutes to get him out the door (getting shoes on, getting his crafts gathered from the day, telling them how his day was, etc.).

How do you all handle this? Or do you let the first 5 minutes slide every time? I just find it really unfair and annoying that 5 pm family pays more every week for that later time and these people get it for free. Plus it's disrespectful of my time and their child, who is often standing at the front window staring for several minutes asking where his parents are. On top of that, I hold off nursing my baby until they get here. Many times she starts fussing at 4:20 pm, only for them to waltz in at 4:45 and she had to wait a full 25 minutes to eat . On other days I plan to start preparing my family's dinner at 4:30 and the late arrivals are starting to really affect my ability to get dinner on the table on time so we can get to pre-scheduled plans in the evening.

[Thriftylady]

Well if they pay less by picking up earlier, I would handle it by giving them the rate for pick up a half hour later whatever the increase is. Do they sign in and out? If so it will be easy to do just show them the sign out sheet and they will see how often they have picked up past their time. Or, charge your late fee, but tell them "I have given you X amount of time to get your schedule in line, I have to follow my policies".

[spud912]

Well if they pay less by picking up earlier, I would handle it by giving them the rate for pick up a half hour later whatever the increase is. Do they sign in and out? If so it will be easy to do just show them the sign out sheet and they will see how often they have picked up past their time. Or, charge your late fee, but tell them "I have given you X amount of time to get your schedule in line, I have to follow my policies".

The difference of 4:30 to 5 pm is only $5 per week and to be honest I expect them to give advance notice if they plan to change their schedule, which is why I was going to charge the traditional late fee to discourage last minute changes. Otherwise, let's say they pick up at 4:40 on Monday without letting me know and I charge them the $5, now they are going to think it's ok to pick up late for the remainder of the week "because they already paid for the later pick up," which may or may not work with MY schedule.

Sign in/out sheet: I'm legally unlicensed and don't do one, but it's looking like this is the best idea. I used to do it when I first opened but got sick of constantly reminding parents to do it and I became lazy. I think I will start this.

[Baby Beluga]

What if you did an extended day fee?

Say, anything after x hours per day is considered an "extended day" and will result in a fee of $5 for each 15 minutes increment.

How many hours per day are they contracted for?

[Unregistered]

I would charge them the late fee every time they sign out after their contracted hours. It's not fair to those paying for the later pick up. It sounds like they are taking advantage of you because they know if they argue with you you will not enforce your policies. As for signing in/out I am required to do this since I'm licensed and on the food program so it curbs the late pick ups. I also have a late pick up slip that I complete with the late pick up time and fee owed I hand to parents when they pick up. I fill in the form 5 minutes before the contracted pick up and fill in the date, time, fee when they are signing out. As for the socializing I wrote in my newsletter that due to licensing and my liability insurance, no one can be on premises before or after my operating hours. Once they pick up they must leave. They must converse on the street if they want to socialize, which I see them doing.

[spud912]

What if you did an extended day fee?

Say, anything after x hours per day is considered an "extended day" and will result in a fee of $5 for each 15 minutes increment.

How many hours per day are they contracted for?

The family who is the most problematic with pick-up times is contracted for 7 am to 4:30 pm, so 9 1/2 hours a day 5 days a week.

What I do is this:
Pick up of 4 pm: $130
4:30 pm: $135
5:00 pm: $140
5:30 pm: $150
6:00 pm: $160

Schedules are due on Fridays by 5 pm (although everyone always just sticks with their regular schedules). I have 3 families with 4:30 times and 1 with 5:00 pm. Nobody has ever changed their schedule for the week (despite me encouraging to do so). Late pick up fee is $5 for the first 15 minutes or any part thereof and $1 for each additional minute. I have NEVER charged a late fee, which I think is 100% of my problem.....I'm too much of a softie .

[spud912]

I would charge them the late fee every time they sign out after their contracted hours. It's not fair to those paying for the later pick up. It sounds like they are taking advantage of you because they know if they argue with you you will not enforce your policies. As for signing in/out I am required to do this since I'm licensed and on the food program so it curbs the late pick ups. I also have a late pick up slip that I complete with the late pick up time and fee owed I hand to parents when they pick up. I fill in the form 5 minutes before the contracted pick up and fill in the date, time, fee when they are signing out. As for the socializing I wrote in my newsletter that due to licensing and my liability insurance, no one can be on premises before or after my operating hours. Once they pick up they must leave. They must converse on the street if they want to socialize, which I see them doing.

The conversing is with me . It's gotten to the point where I just say, "Sorry, I can't talk right now. Close the door behind you when you leave. Thanks!" and then I walk away. And yes, I think it has 100% to do with the fact that I've never followed through with my own consequences .

[Thriftylady]

The difference of 4:30 to 5 pm is only $5 per week and to be honest I expect them to give advance notice if they plan to change their schedule, which is why I was going to charge the traditional late fee to discourage last minute changes. Otherwise, let's say they pick up at 4:40 on Monday without letting me know and I charge them the $5, now they are going to think it's ok to pick up late for the remainder of the week "because they already paid for the later pick up," which may or may not work with MY schedule.

Sign in/out sheet: I'm legally unlicensed and don't do one, but it's looking like this is the best idea. I used to do it when I first opened but got sick of constantly reminding parents to do it and I became lazy. I think I will start this.

I am legally unlicensed also, but was licensed before and there are many advantages to the sign in sign out sheet. Sounds like you need a bigger discount for early pickups. Many parents won't mind the extra $5 and usually it isn't the money we really want, therefore you make the later fees higher and they will either not pay it, or at least you will feel like you are getting some benefit. In my book a schedule change for these late families would be permanent. But really it all depends how you think you want to do it.

[Unregistered]

I have NEVER charged a late fee, which I think is 100% of my problem.....I'm too much of a softie .

This was my problem too with one family that was constantly late 1-5 minutes on days they were working and days they were off. I would just let it go. I finally charged when they were 20 minutes late because they didn't expect so much traffic coming back from the beach (there is always traffic coming from there). I was livid! Especially since they could have brought the kids with them to bond with their out of state relatives that were visiting. But of course typical they didn't want to be busy watching their kids because then how would they have fun. They had two kids with me and were surprised I charged the late fee for each child. As usual they didn't fully read my policies. That was the last time they were late. Now I have no problem charging late fees because my time is important.

[Unregistered]

I would charge a higher late fee. Five bucks is not enough imo. If the goal is to have them not pick up late, then you really need to discourage it and $5 is not enough to that for some parents. I would say that a few dollars per MINUTE would do just that. Hit them where it hurts and that is almost always the pocketbook. You will be amazed at how quickly they learn to beat "traffic"

[childcaremom]

When I had contracted hours (which I am switching back to) I always had late fees.

I had a sheet, would circle what they owed and it was in their bag for them or handed to them. If questioned, "You are contracted until this time. It is now x o'clock"

My late fees start immediately at their contracted pick up time.

[spud912]

I'm thinking of doing sign in/out sheets so they can SEE how often they are late. I will be changing out the black pen to a red pen after their designated pick up time. At the end of the week they can add up how many minutes they are late. If it's 1-15 minutes, then the fee is $5. anything after that is $1 per minute. So for example, 3 late pick ups (14 minutes late, 8 minutes late, 8 minutes late) in one week would be an additional charge of $20.

I am legally unlicensed also, but was licensed before and there are many advantages to the sign in sign out sheet. Sounds like you need a bigger discount for early pickups. Many parents won't mind the extra $5 and usually it isn't the money we really want, therefore you make the later fees higher and they will either not pay it, or at least you will feel like you are getting some benefit. In my book a schedule change for these late families would be permanent. But really it all depends how you think you want to do it.

I see what you're saying . My longest standing family (and my absolute favorite person!) picks up at 5 pm. I don't want any increase in fees for her so that's why the increase is so little. I don't mind the 5 pm pick ups either, I just want to know about them ahead of time so I can plan my day accordingly. There is nothing like it being 4:35 pm....my baby has been screaming to be fed for the last 15 minutes and dck has been staring out the front window for 5 minutes asking constantly "where is MY mommy???" Then the parent strolls in 5 minutes later without so much of a mention of being late.....as if it's to be expected. If I say anything about a late fee (which I stated a couple of weeks ago), they tell me I'm being ridiculous . Last night when this happened again I had a pounding migraine and I just didn't feel up to the argument.

[Thriftylady]

I'm thinking of doing sign in/out sheets so they can SEE how often they are late. I will be changing out the black pen to a red pen after their designated pick up time. At the end of the week they can add up how many minutes they are late. If it's 1-15 minutes, then the fee is $5. anything after that is $1 per minute. So for example, 3 late pick ups (14 minutes late, 8 minutes late, 8 minutes late) in one week would be an additional charge of $20.



I see what you're saying . My longest standing family (and my absolute favorite person!) picks up at 5 pm. I don't want any increase in fees for her so that's why the increase is so little. I don't mind the 5 pm pick ups either, I just want to know about them ahead of time so I can plan my day accordingly. There is nothing like it being 4:35 pm....my baby has been screaming to be fed for the last 15 minutes and dck has been staring out the front window for 5 minutes asking constantly "where is MY mommy???" Then the parent strolls in 5 minutes later without so much of a mention of being late.....as if it's to be expected. If I say anything about a late fee (which I stated a couple of weeks ago), they tell me I'm being ridiculous . Last night when this happened again I had a pounding migraine and I just didn't feel up to the argument.

You don't have to. That is the great part about having your own business. You can change your contract for whatever families you want or need to and leave the rest alone.

[Unregistered]

Then the parent strolls in 5 minutes later without so much of a mention of being late.....as if it's to be expected. If I say anything about a late fee (which I stated a couple of weeks ago), they tell me I'm being ridiculous . Last night when this happened again I had a pounding migraine and I just didn't feel up to the argument.

These parents have no respect for you and your business. If a parent ever said I was being ridiculous for enforcing my policies, I would reply with an immediate term. I will never keep a disrespectful parent who thinks they can tell what to do in my own home. Some people are unbelievable!

[laundrymom]

You don't have to. That is the great part about having your own business. You can change your contract for whatever families you want or need to and leave the rest alone.

This. Absolutely this!!!!