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Once again, oh well! If they are habitual late payers, they will eventually become no payers, and well, do you want to work for free? or would you rather try find alternate family?
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sorry you did what? Tell them to prepay?
Once again, oh well! If they are habitual late payers, they will eventually become no payers, and well, do you want to work for free? or would you rather try find alternate family? -
I feel for you. When there's other daycares anywhere even half way close to your own, providers can't enforce their policy's without a parent getting mad and finding another place. When you're hurting for children anyway, and might as well close your business if even one more leaves, providers just pretty much have to let parents do what they want, or else look for another line of work. This happened to us lately. Mom owed for a day her son didn't come, and she asked for the upteenth time if she still owed since dcb wasn't there. She's always trying to get by with that. Owner told her yes, so dcm told her she was pulling him out as soon as she found another place. It'd be nice if all the providers in every town or city had the same policies, and everyone enforced them just as strictly as the next one, so parents would know it wouldn't do them any good to threaten pulling their child out just because you enforced your policy because It'd be the exact same way at the next place... but then, i guess it's nice to be able to do what works best for you and your family when you can make up your own individual policies.
Good luck with this one! Sounds like the parents know they have you between a rock and a hard place
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Here's where I get confused....
IF you are renting a house or apartment, you often have a credit check or have references to prove you have a good history of making payments....
IF you buy or lease a car, you have a credit check to make sure you have a good history of making payments
IF you take out a loan at a bank, you get my drift!
Basically, whenever you are going to be responsible for making regular payments for services or something of the sort, you get references. WE as Daycare providers have references because parents want to check out the person that will be caring for their child. Why is it then not required that to place your child in any service, they are required to have references of some sort? Why can't we call their last daycare and check on them. I understand most would lie and say they've never done it before etc.
Seems dumb to me. We should all be able to phone each other and say watch out for that one! ooooh I like that idea. There should be 1 website in the whole world, where every daycare provider has to go to list their service for their area, and then, should a client be a bad one, their name goes on the black list.Comment
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What are parents not paying......the next week of care in advance on time or picking up late and not paying your late fee? What does your late fee state? I guess I still don't like how you are wording things....I'd like to see what your current late fees are. I would enforce a no-pay, no stay policy and not provide care even one day without pay. If they show up at your door without pay, don't let their child come in. Sure the parent and possibly the child may become upset or yell at you, but they'll learn the first time you're serious that they're not paid. Tell them to go home to get the checkbook or go to the bank, then return with their child. LOL.Comment
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I don't have a problem with late pickups very often. My issue is that my payment day is Thursday, and just about every single week, I'm not getting paid until Monday afternoon. One family didn't pay me until the following Wednesday (this week).
My current contract states that there's a $10 late fee for every calendar day after their scheduled payment day. So, the Wednesday parent should have owed me an extra $60. The check didn't include it. I ask about the late fee THAT THEY AGREED TO, and they give me a ton of attitude and tell me that they don't think it's "fair" and they act all insulted and leave in a huff.
Normally, I'd terminate in a hot second, but I flat out can NOT afford to lose anyone right now. It's put up with it or don't eat or feed my children.
The reason that I brought this up is that I'm interviewing a new family today (my first daytime, non SA family in a long time) and I don't want to fall into the same pattern with them.Comment
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Understand.
I understand you like to have a particular payday, but is it maybe that the parents get paid on a different week? And that's why they are always late?
What about asking each parent what are their paydates, and setting it up so that that is their payday to you as well? That may help, and you'll be getting paydays at different times, so it's like everyday is payday (or every other day)Comment
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I've actually asked them that. At one point I talked to both of my families and said "tell me what day is best for YOU". One said "The way it is is fine" and one said "We'll go home and talk about it and let you know", and never told me anything after two weeks of me asking.
Sorry, I wish I could say "yay, that's it!" and go with these suggestions.Comment
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I would tell them on pickup today or next week, They pick the payday that works with their payday, then that will be the day for making their payment, no excuses. Whatever day they pick make them sign a form changing the payday to that date. Should they be more than 1 day late after that day, your late charges will be in effect and everyday that it is late, it doubles so first day charge 5 dollars 2nd day 10 so that's 15 for 2 days late, then 3rd day charge 20 so that's now 35.
Or if you want to avoid discussing it, hand them a form, tell them you expect it back at drop off, with it signed and completed.Comment
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