How Many Hours a Day Do You Accept Children into Care?

[Miss A]

I have a family that has been coming around 7:30am each morning. Mom works out of town and works late into the evening. Dad goes into work early in the morning, and is off between noon and 3 each day, depending on the work load.

Mom has contracted pick up time to be 4:00pm, so that dad has time to run errands before he picks up the baby.

Lately. Dad has been giving mom pushback, and will not pick up the baby, leaving Mom to rush home from work to pick up the baby. I do not want to become involved in their personal affairs, but dad did sign the contract in which 4:00 was stated as the pick up time. I need to enforce my contract with the dad, as he is the one giving all the push back on it. Mom understands, and she is hurting over dad's choice to not spend time with their baby. Their relationship is on the rocks over this issue, as well as other issues.

What do I do about this situation? This baby has medical issues, and I have been providing care after their last daycare told they that they do not "have the time" to care for a baby with higher needs. I love providing care to this child, and the mother is so wonderful to work with. We collaborate together, and have come to get the baby on a schedule that works, and are now helping the infant to meet the developmental milestones they are behind on.

Should I notify dad that pick up time is firm, and not to be bucked for the sake of enforcing my contract with him, or do I stay out of this family issue?

[mommyneedsadayoff]

I have a family that has been coming around 7:30am each morning. Mom works out of town and works late into the evening. Dad goes into work early in the morning, and is off between noon and 3 each day, depending on the work load.

Mom has contracted pick up time to be 4:00pm, so that dad has time to run errands before he picks up the baby.

Lately. Dad has been giving mom pushback, and will not pick up the baby, leaving Mom to rush home from work to pick up the baby. I do not want to become involved in their personal affairs, but dad did sign the contract in which 4:00 was stated as the pick up time. I need to enforce my contract with the dad, as he is the one giving all the push back on it. Mom understands, and she is hurting over dad's choice to not spend time with their baby. Their relationship is on the rocks over this issue, as well as other issues.

What do I do about this situation? This baby has medical issues, and I have been providing care after their last daycare told they that they do not "have the time" to care for a baby with higher needs. I love providing care to this child, and the mother is so wonderful to work with. We collaborate together, and have come to get the baby on a schedule that works, and are now helping the infant to meet the developmental milestones they are behind on.

Should I notify dad that pick up time is firm, and not to be bucked for the sake of enforcing my contract with him, or do I stay out of this family issue?

I would stay out of it. Whether it is mom or dad picking up, as long as they are there at 4:00, it is not my business which one is doing it. That is an issue for them to work out on their own and in private. Now, if they are late picking up, then late fees and a warning that any more late pickups will result in termination would be how I would handle that. As for dad's lack of parenting and mom being upset with it, they need to work that out and I would not be comfortable involving myself in that issue. It is a very slippery slope and usually does not end well. Part of this job is having a glimpse into our family's private lives, but we really need to keep that strong line between invovling ourselves in something that is not our business.

[Thriftylady]

A quick question first. Are they still picking up by 4? I am asking because if so I guess there isn't much you can say. If not, you can ask to change the contract, and charge more for the extra time.

Above that, my only thought is that it is their marriage to work out. Sounds like all is not happy in paradise, but that really isn't your issue to deal with.

[Miss A]

No, they are not picking up on time. It is usually about an hour after pick up. I just have a hard time charging the late fee whennitnis mom paying the fee out of her pocket, and she is the one abiding by the contract. Ugh, why do some families have to be so tough on my heartstrings!

[Thriftylady]

No, they are not picking up on time. It is usually about an hour after pick up. I just have a hard time charging the late fee whennitnis mom paying the fee out of her pocket, and she is the one abiding by the contract. Ugh, why do some families have to be so tough on my heartstrings!

Well I would charge the late fee. The fact that mom is paying it wouldn't mean anything to me really. If she has to pay it a few times, she will have to get dad in line. Or don't charge the late fees per say, but do another contract with a higher weekly fee for the added time. They won't deal with it if you don't force it. And maybe they are not bickering about it at all, maybe that is just the story you are getting. Either way it wouldn't matter to me, it is business not personal.

[ColorfulSunburst]

inform them that they have two choices:
1. pay late pick up fee ($1 per every minutes after 4 pm)
2. Change their contract hours. In this case the new weekly payment will be $ xxx per week.

[childcaremom]

inform them that they have two choices:
1. pay late pick up fee ($1 per every minutes after 4 pm)
2. Change their contract hours. In this case the new weekly payment will be $ xxx per week.

I would be enforcing the late fee. They will continue to pick up late until YOU do something about it. If 4 pm is their contract time, they should be abiding by it. I bet once they pay a late fee once or twice they start picking up on time. That would be the most important issue to me.

[Unregistered]

I would also give the family a choice, either they can renegotiate the contract (paying however much extra you charge for the additional time), or they can pay the late fee.

It's tough that they're having relationship issues. You can empathize with them, and express that to mom when you talk to her Those aren't your issues, however. What is going on between them is going to bubble to the surface either way.

[Blackcat31]

I would also give the family a choice, either they can renegotiate the contract (paying however much extra you charge for the additional time), or they can pay the late fee.

It's tough that they're having relationship issues. You can empathize with them, and express that to mom when you talk to her Those aren't your issues, however. What is going on between them is going to bubble to the surface either way.

Their issues should NOT be your issues.

You are running a business. If you dont respect and follow your own policies, why should your clients?

Like the above poster said, you can feel bad and empathize with mom or dad all you want but unless you want to work for free, this isnt your issue.

Either have them change their contract (if that works for you) or enforce the contract they have now. Even if that means they will find alternate care arrangements.

[rosieteddy]

If you are open later and want the child longer I would change the contract.Today I would start charging the late fee or offer the longer hours at additional cost.I would stay out of their issues.Not your circus ,not your monkey (my favorite quote).Maybe with the babies issues Dad doesn't feel able to care for baby.Who knows their issue to work out.The one thing I have learned is no matter how well we think we know the families at the end of the day we are expendable.They will eventually move on.

[Ariana]

The truth is you have no idea what is going on. Dad might just be a jerk but mom might also just be a pushover. This is why it is super important not to get emotional as you are only getting one side of the story and you really have no idea what is going on. Trust me as someone who believed every word that was told to me by a mom (a few years ago) imagine my shock when I realized she was lying the whole time just to get my sympathy and to manipulate me. I vowed to never get emotionally involved again!

I had to deal with this recently and I simply wrote the mom and asked her if we needed to renegotiate the contract for a longer pickup time. I ended up getting paid more money so she could pick the child up at 5 instead of 4:30pm. She was choosing not to come straight to my house after work but was instead going home first. Not my business and if she didn't want to pay the extra $$ there was a simple solution