Part Time / Weekend Pay Question!

[Crunchymom04]

little back info: I have a boy who comes 3 day's a week. I charge for 3 days regardless of attendance. He also comes 1 weekend a month.
The first few months was fine, then his mom started splitting up the weekend days (example M,Th,S for week 1 and S,T,F for week two.) And only paying me for 3 days per week.

I have told her that Monday -Friday is a week, so payment is paid for 3 days every week on friday, Saturday and Sunday are ADDITIONAL days. She asked on Friday this to switch weekends and watch him that same weekend, I agreed, I had already been paid for the previous week and this week from her (payment in advance) so I asked her to bring a check for Saturday and Sunday when he comes next. She replied with " J " was only there 2 days last week so that should cover saturday, and I will bring a check for Sunday no problem.

1)How do I try explaining it differently so she will understand?
2) should I not be charging extra for the weekend care and just let it go feeling "cheated" out of $70 every weekend?
3) if I stop taking him on weekends, I potentially loose him all together. And would that violate the contract?

[Sumshine]

Upcoming Fees notice

little back info: I have a boy who comes 3 day's a week. I charge for 3 days regardless of attendance. He also comes 1 weekend a month.
The first few months was fine, then his mom started splitting up the weekend days (example M,Th,S for week 1 and S,T,F for week two.) And only paying me for 3 days per week.

I have told her that Monday -Friday is a week, so payment is paid for 3 days every week on friday, Saturday and Sunday are ADDITIONAL days. She asked on Friday this to switch weekends and watch him that same weekend, I agreed, I had already been paid for the previous week and this week from her (payment in advance) so I asked her to bring a check for Saturday and Sunday when he comes next. She replied with " J " was only there 2 days last week so that should cover saturday, and I will bring a check for Sunday no problem.

1)How do I try explaining it differently so she will understand?
2) should I not be charging extra for the weekend care and just let it go feeling "cheated" out of $70 every weekend?
3) if I stop taking him on weekends, I potentially loose him all together. And would that violate the contract?

I send out Thursday night a break down of what the parents scheduled for care for the upcoming week and what they owe me come Monday. It states that all of these days are scheduled care days and that they must pay for them regardless if their child is present or not and then it also states that all payments are due Monday morning before any care is given so that has alleviated a lot of questions about why things are charged the way they are because I do my holidays and vacations a little differently than most providers do and then when I have school agers that need Care on days schools are out it is an addition to their already part-time rate and a lot of parents weren't understanding that

I feel if you are doing weekend care you should be receiving all the money you are entitled to. If you are opening yourself to 7 days a week of caring I believe you should make sure you are compensated for it. I would start sending a break down and if she asks again say "As stated in the breakdown of the upcoming fees this is this and that is that and now you owe me this by X date."

[Sumshine]

Example

DCB NAME

SCHEDULED DAYS: 1-2-17 - 1-5-17 (BEFORE AFTER SCHOOL CARE $60) 1-6-17 (SCHOOL OUT FULL DAY $20)
*these are the days you have scheduled for care, please let me know as soon as possible if any of these dates have changed or if they vary from regular pickup times. Regardless if your child is present or not you still need to pay for these days as you scheduled them.

AMOUNT DUE: $80
DATE DUE: 1-2-17
*In the morning, before any care is given

[JackandJill]

I would break it down to a weekday fee and and a weekend fee.

DCM, the weekday fee is $xx, for care Monday through Friday, with a three day minimum. My off-hours/weekend fee is $xx, for care as needed.

If she still doesn't get it, you can explain further that you charge more/separately for the weekends because they are off hours and come a premium rate.

[Crunchymom04]

Thank you, this is very simple and too the point. I will try this approach and see if she will understand what I have been trying to tell her.

I will type it out and print it for her, I have told her things like this before and she is not seeming to "get" it. Every month I try talking with her about the weekend charges and she still splits up the weekends to be included in her regular weekly rates.

Would adding an example also be helpfull?
This this weekend.....
I was paid Friday 12/30/16 $xxx.xx for care from 1/1/17 to 1/6/17. Even tho he only came 2 days the fee was still $xxx.xx. on Friday 1/6/17 weekends were switched and 2 days of care were added, those 2 days of care are $xx.xx going back and putting 1 of those days with a prior payment is like not getting paid for Saturday at all.

[Cat Herder]

Thank you, this is very simple and too the point. I will try this approach and see if she will understand what I have been trying to tell her.

I will type it out and print it for her, I have told her things like this before and she is not seeming to "get" it. Every month I try talking with her about the weekend charges and she still splits up the weekends to be included in her regular weekly rates.

Would adding an example also be helpfull?
This this weekend.....
I was paid Friday 12/30/16 $xxx.xx for care from 1/1/17 to 1/6/17. Even tho he only came 2 days the fee was still $xxx.xx. on Friday 1/6/17 weekends were switched and 2 days of care were added, those 2 days of care are $xx.xx going back and putting 1 of those days with a prior payment is like not getting paid for Saturday at all.

Too many words + remove emotion. :hug:

M - F = $ ___ Per Day
Sat - Sun = $$___ Per Day
Holidays = $$$___ Per Day

(threw holidays in there too since you are already working weekends, not too far a stretch that she will expect some holidays. )

[Sumshine]

Reply

Thank you, this is very simple and too the point. I will try this approach and see if she will understand what I have been trying to tell her.

I will type it out and print it for her, I have told her things like this before and she is not seeming to "get" it. Every month I try talking with her about the weekend charges and she still splits up the weekends to be included in her regular weekly rates.

Would adding an example also be helpfull?
This this weekend.....
I was paid Friday 12/30/16 $xxx.xx for care from 1/1/17 to 1/6/17. Even tho he only came 2 days the fee was still $xxx.xx. on Friday 1/6/17 weekends were switched and 2 days of care were added, those 2 days of care are $xx.xx going back and putting 1 of those days with a prior payment is like not getting paid for Saturday at all.

I would just standardize it across the board and say from this point on every parent gets this notice prior to payment to ensure everyone is on the same page and address it in depth if she is still confused. I have a feeling she knows she should pay you and is choosing not to and playing it off like she doesn't get it. A simple straight forward upcoming fee notice could help make it so she realizes you mean business and will get paid for all scheduled days... if you want to explain it I feel explaining in person and then handing her the simple upcoming fee without the explanations would be the best approach IMO. She probably won't read it if it is more than a few sentences. I know my parents don't!

[mommyneedsadayoff]

If she has to pay for the 3 weekdays, regardless of attendence, i would say something like this,

"dcm, your weekly fee is $$ and you may schedule 3 days for m-f. If you need care on sat/sun, it will be a daily rate of $$." She is just looking to save money, but it is not rocket science, so if she continues to give you a hard time, i would start making it very expensive for her. She will either bail or start following the original agreement as it is more affordable.

[AmyKidsCo]

I would break it down to a weekday fee and and a weekend fee.

DCM, the weekday fee is $xx, for care Monday through Friday, with a three day minimum. My off-hours/weekend fee is $xx, for care as needed.

If she still doesn't get it, you can explain further that you charge more/separately for the weekends because they are off hours and come a premium rate.

ITA.

I'd send out an invoice before care so charges are clear. If she changes days often I'd do a weekly invoice and add the added days to the next week's invoice.

For instance:
Week 1: January 2-6. Weekly rate $30.00. Weekend rate $30.00. Extra fees/Discounts $00.00. Total: $60.00

Week 2: January 9-13. Weekly rate $30.00. Weekend rate $30.00. Extra fees: January 7 $10.00. Total: $70.00.

IMO if she expects you to be available for weekends at the last minute I'd charge whether the child was there or not.

[daycarediva]

I would break it down to a weekday fee and and a weekend fee.

DCM, the weekday fee is $xx, for care Monday through Friday, with a three day minimum. My off-hours/weekend fee is $xx, for care as needed.

If she still doesn't get it, you can explain further that you charge more/separately for the weekends because they are off hours and come a premium rate.

That's how I would explain it, too. Maybe even a 'weekday' contract with a set rate for a 3 day WEEKDAY MINIMUM and a weekend contract that is drop in/per diem with a higher rate.

I'm going to just go ahead and assume this dcm understands perfectly well she's just trying to get around it.