Help With Wording

[sahm1225]

I close at 5:30 with a 5 minute grace period before late fees get charged. I have a few families that have been picking up 5:32-5:34 and it's driving me nuts.
I have 3 kids that need dinner, homework, and baths all before 7:30 and 8pm bedtime. I'm also in school and go to classes 2 nights a week, I teach Sunday school on sundays and am a Girl Scout leader.... so at the end of the day, I'm tired. I only get limited time with my kids and those 2-4 minutes are MINE!

Am I being petty? Today i had to run to put local church acre blocks away after daycare, so I had the kids outside all bundled up. I love my dcfs and I really don't think they are doing it on purpose, I'm just really busy and every minute counts..

I guess this is more of a vent than anything.

[Blackcat31]

I close at 5:30 with a 5 minute grace period before late fees get charged. I have a few families that have been picking up 5:32-5:34 and it's driving me nuts.
I have 3 kids that need dinner, homework, and baths all before 7:30 and 8pm bedtime. I'm also in school and go to classes 2 nights a week, I teach Sunday school on sundays and am a Girl Scout leader.... so at the end of the day, I'm tired. I only get limited time with my kids and those 2-4 minutes are MINE!

Am I being petty? Today i had to run to put local church acre blocks away after daycare, so I had the kids outside all bundled up. I love my dcfs and I really don't think they are doing it on purpose, I'm just really busy and every minute counts..

I guess this is more of a vent than anything.

A grace period is often viewed a permission to use that time for free. So most do.

Either eliminate the grace period or limit it. No more than 3x's a year or something like that.

You have blurred your 5:30 closing time and now close at "somewhere around 5:30ish"

[Play Care]

I had a similar family for two years, and it gets old.

I would no longer allow a grace period and start charging right at your closing time. If possible start interviewing for other clients because more than likely they won't see the "big deal" since it's only a "few" minutes.

[Gemma]

A grace period is often viewed a permission to use that time for free. So most do.

Either eliminate the grace period or limit it. No more than 3x's a year or something like that.

You have blurred your 5:30 closing time and now close at "somewhere around 5:30ish"

and that "ish", if you don't addressed it, will keep on expanding closer and closer to 6:00 (and beyond )

[childcaremom]

Agree with above. I was having similar issues. Families picking up right at close time (or pushing boundaries). Lots to do in the evenings. What helped me was changing my hours. So where I was open to 5:30, I changed to 5. That gave me extra time in the evenings, allowed for the occasional "oops I'm late" issues so that it wouldn't affect me too much. It helped a lot.

Be prepared for pushback from these families. No one likes giving up things.

[Second Home]

I have this happen too . If there is a day where I know I have to leave right at 5 I tell all my dcp . I let them know they have to be on time or early because of an appt if they can not be early or on time then I will have to begin closing early on days where I have an appt scheduled after 5 pm . But for me the 2 families who are scheduled for 5 pm pick up can be here as early as 4:30 they just choose not to .

[Play Care]

I have this happen too . If there is a day where I know I have to leave right at 5 I tell all my dcp . I let them know they have to be on time or early because of an appt if they can not be early or on time then I will have to begin closing early on days where I have an appt scheduled after 5 pm . But for me the 2 families who are scheduled for 5 pm pick up can be here as early as 4:30 they just choose not to .

I did this as well and it never worked. Aside from the fact having to ask grown adults to be ON TIME, which they contractually agreed to, ticked me off.

I found that when THEY had earlier activities they could get here just fine. I came to realize that they would just never value me/my time and nothing would change. If they hadn't been aging out, I would have probably termed.
Like another poster, I wound up changing my closing time.

[sahm1225]

I'm
Going to have a conversation with the families being late. It's always less than 5 minutes but it irks me! If that doesn't work, then I'm starting to interview to fill
Spots and change to a 5pm closing time.

[Josiegirl]

I'm
Going to have a conversation with the families being late. It's always less than 5 minutes but it irks me! If that doesn't work, then I'm starting to interview to fill
Spots and change to a 5pm closing time.

Definitely the way to go IMO. I was going to suggest moving your closing time to 5, just think how much less stress you'd have!

[Heart12]

I close at 5:30 with a 5 minute grace period before late fees get charged. I have a few families that have been picking up 5:32-5:34 and it's driving me nuts.
I have 3 kids that need dinner, homework, and baths all before 7:30 and 8pm bedtime. I'm also in school and go to classes 2 nights a week, I teach Sunday school on sundays and am a Girl Scout leader.... so at the end of the day, I'm tired. I only get limited time with my kids and those 2-4 minutes are MINE!

Am I being petty? Today i had to run to put local church acre blocks away after daycare, so I had the kids outside all bundled up. I love my dcfs and I really don't think they are doing it on purpose, I'm just really busy and every minute counts..

I guess this is more of a vent than anything.

I would get rid of the grace period. Give them an inch..

[rosieteddy]

I have to say since I retired I have a new respect for anyone trying to pick-up someone.The traffic is crazy. A couple of minutes happens so easy. That being said I was in your place for almost 30 years.I feel your annoyance. I moved my hours after awhile ,I started at 7;30 -6;00 then changed to 8-530 when realized all parents could get here by then. If I were you I would close at 5:00 instead of 5:30.Then I would charge starting at 5:05 =$5, When I did the hour change I explained that I would not be taking a cost of living raise in pay (never did).That I noticed parents did not need the time and my family did.Good luck.

[AmyKidsCo]

A grace period is often viewed a permission to use that time for free. So most do.

Either eliminate the grace period or limit it. No more than 3x's a year or something like that.

You have blurred your 5:30 closing time and now close at "somewhere around 5:30ish"

Ditto.

My feeling is that if they can pick up before 5:35 consistently they can pick up before 5:30.

[Snowmom]

Agreed.
When you have a grace period, your closing time then becomes more of a "suggestion".

To break this habit, I would start charging a per-minute late fee and make it clear that they need to allow themselves enough time to arrive, sign out and gather all their child's belongings before the 5:30 cut off time. If they are still in the daycare space at 5:30, late fees apply.