How Often Do You Terminate?

[Live and Learn]

Seven years, three terms.

[Autismworld]

I've termed twice in 16 years.

First was during my 3rd year. Mother was the issue. She would constantly call and ask me to keep her kids beyond contracted time. Once in a while I would do it because I still had other children here beyond her contracted time. Then one day I told her nope, won't work today and she got very rude and quoted my business hours... I reminded her that my business hours and my contract hours with them are two different things. She then tried insisting that her kids were going to stay late...I told her not a chance. About 20 minutes later the dad called, and tried telling me it was my job to keep their kids and after all "You work for us" ARGGGG! When the dad arrived before contracted time to pick up their children I handed him a written two weeks notice. Sometimes the kids can be great but the parents, yeah, something else.

Second term was in my 5th year... a young mother with 3 kids, 3 kids each more naughty then the next. The two younger ones I was able to get control of fairly quickly... the girl however, nothing I did worked. For the safety of the other kids I had to term her... of course her brothers went with her. Looking back and knowing all I know now... I believe this child probably was affected by Fetal Alcohol.

There have been kids and parents alike, that I've tossed around terming over the years... but for the most part... I have been super lucky with having a great group of parents who work well with me and kids who don't make me pull my hair out on any sort of regular basis

[momofboys]

I've termed twice in 2 years. My very first DCF was a nightmare but I didn't realize it b/c they were my first. I felt sooooo much relief after I termed them. Their SA child taught my boys some terrible language, how to make annoying noises etc. The parents were the majority of the problem, would pick up late, schedule dr's appts for 15 min prior to my closing time & expect her kids to stay here while she went to the dr::::, tried to get me to give them discounts/credits when their child had to leave an hour or two early, made it sound like dad would take SA to school so I would only have him after school so I gave them a really cheap price. Dad NEVER drove the boy to school, after 3 months I insisted in changing his price. They always paid me on time but I always had to ask for it or they would "forget". SO glad I don't have them to deal with now.

The other family I termed had GREAT behaved kids, the parents were sweet too but the mom's expectations were way high. I was watching her SA daughter who was 8 years old & what started out as me suggesting I could assist with one school subject (she homeschooled) turned into the mom expecting me to do all the home schooling during DC hours! I did attempt to do it during nap times but it got old very quick & my pleas to the mom that I didn't have time to do it all (I had 4 other children in my care & doing all the homeschooling would have likely taken 1.5 hrs every day!) fell on deaf ears. I finally termed.