Before I found this forum I was such a pushover. I HATE confrontation so I would let my dcp's walk all over me. Pay me late, show up late, etc.
So yesterday, a dcm walks in and says, "Yeah, I'm going to pay you on Friday because I don't have any money."
Now I totally get financial problems, but the fact that she didn't even ask or anything. She just assumed I would be okay being payed 4 days late. She gets a heck of a bargain for before and after school care (25 dollars), so on the one hand it's not like I depend on it, but it's the principle of the thing!!!!
So after my face stopped looking like this
I told her that Monday is payday and there is a late fee. She immediately went on the defensive and said, well I don't have the money and if I gave you a check you'd have to hold it until Friday anyway!
Because of my "bleeding heart" I told her that I would still take care of her son this week (after 3 days on non-payment I don't allow the child into care without full payment plus fees) however she would have to pay the fee. She said fine and left. Well after thinking about it, I realized that I should have reminded her about how much my fee was. This would require further sticking up for myself, which I am NOT so good at.
This morning I reminded her that the late fee was 10 dollars a day. She just looked at me and said, well if I pay today is it still 25? I told her no it's 35 because it's a day late. She said, well then I'll have 35 when I pick him up today.
So I just want to thank everyone on here for showing me how to stick up for myself and grow a backbone. That wasn't even an extreme situation, but it's something I would have just "let slide" in the past and I didn't today! If I can do that, then maybe I can handle the next time a parent tries to break the rules!
Thanks everyone!
So yesterday, a dcm walks in and says, "Yeah, I'm going to pay you on Friday because I don't have any money."

So after my face stopped looking like this

Because of my "bleeding heart" I told her that I would still take care of her son this week (after 3 days on non-payment I don't allow the child into care without full payment plus fees) however she would have to pay the fee. She said fine and left. Well after thinking about it, I realized that I should have reminded her about how much my fee was. This would require further sticking up for myself, which I am NOT so good at.
This morning I reminded her that the late fee was 10 dollars a day. She just looked at me and said, well if I pay today is it still 25? I told her no it's 35 because it's a day late. She said, well then I'll have 35 when I pick him up today.

So I just want to thank everyone on here for showing me how to stick up for myself and grow a backbone. That wasn't even an extreme situation, but it's something I would have just "let slide" in the past and I didn't today! If I can do that, then maybe I can handle the next time a parent tries to break the rules!

Thanks everyone!
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