Normal Closing Times And Max Hours Per Day

[Checkinkids.com]

I have a question to all Day Care providers. Do you charge a late fee based on max hours per day or based on your closing time? What is your late fee and how do you enforce it?

[morgan24]

I don't have a open and close time. I do contracted hours. For example one dcg hours are 7:30-3:30 if they come after 3:30 I charge my late fee. I do $10.00 for each 15 minutes. I will do earlier or later if they give me a couple of days notice for no charge. When I interview I make it clear that it does not matter if someone else has a later pick up time that does not mean I will be available for them later. The are to drop off and pick up within their contracted hours.

[momatheart]

I love the idea of contracted hours. (Wish we had used those)

Our center uses a dollar a min you are late past the closing time.

Since we (I mostly) will enforce that even a min late I hardly EVER have a late pick up. Being nit picky to the min helps. We also moved our clock ahead a few minutes and let them know that the close time is to the daycare clock NOT your clock. We did this because we KNOW that the latest parent can pick up 15 min before our closing time. I also open at that daycare clock as well but I do not let them know that. LOL since they are probably looking at their own clock at home for leaving. I have had a few right there waiting for me to unlock before. But not very often.

[Cat Herder]

Q. Do you charge a late fee based on max hours per day or based on your closing time?

A. Closing Time, which equals 10 hours a day available time.


Q. What is your late fee and how do you enforce it?

A. I charge $1.00 per minute if they are late WITHOUT a phone call. Fee must be paid at pick-up or at drop off the next morning, cash only. Family will be turned away at the door if they don't have cash in hand. I know it is a trivial amount, it is meant to be inconvienient, I do not want a repeat.

Sidenote: I also call "Mother Hen" style..... "Are you OK? I have been worried! Was your cell phone dead??"

I am very reasonable, easy to work with and fully understand traffic/employer drama/car trouble but I offer childcare services to ADULTS so if there is a pattern of this I have ZERO empathy.

[nannyde]

My hours are contracted for a max of nine hours a day.

The late fee is a dollar a minute but I never charge it. If they are persistently late I would term.

[momatheart]

My hours are contracted for a max of nine hours a day.

The late fee is a dollar a minute but I never charge it. If they are persistently late I would term.

NannyD I think your years of experience have gotten you to the point of really laying in all out in there in an interview process and establishing respect right off the bat with parents.

To me a persistently late parent does not respect the provider or their business.

[My Daycare]

Both...

If they are late beyond their contracted time, then I charge $5/hr beginning with the 1st minute after that time.

If they are late past closing time, the fee is $15 for the 1st minute and $1 for every $5 min. after that.

I also don't contract anyone for over 9.5 hrs/day.

Closing time is when the last parent is contracted to leave.

I have only been doing this for half a year already, so no one has been late yet. For me, enforcing it is something I am scared to do, but must do and plan to do when the time comes.

[momatheart]

Enforcing it can be scarey. I usually put a sign on my sign out sheet that states they are late and the cash fee is due. Then I don't have to say anything verbal.

I will also have the child dressed and ready to leave. They can sit with a book or something until mom or dad get there but hey 5min before they are due to pick up that child is getting ready.
I think too if you have the child ready when mom or dad show up it makes for a faster pick up and less chit chat. Hand them the board with the paper on it say the time is such and such sign here and then say have a nice evening. See you in the morning.

I have had parents come up with money in hand even after a min of being late.

[momma2girls]

I do the same thing- contracted daycare hrs. only- up to 9 hrs. per day.
I also have the children ready to go. I start 5 min. before contracted pick up times!!

[Cat Herder]

. For me, enforcing it is something I am scared to do, but must do and plan to do when the time comes.

No need to be scared. Just remind yourself that it is a "rudeness" and "disrespect of your family" Fee.

Being rude and interfering in your families time SHOULD be expensive and inconvenient for them.

They should be the one scared while they are approaching your door if they did not even have to common courtesy to call you.

What would their Momma say????

[texascare]

My contract states $15.00 for every 10 mins after 5:30 which is closing time.

[newtodaycare22]

I am open 7am-5pm. My kids can come anytime within that period. Contracted hours would not fly around here.

I charge 1.00 per minute after 5:00. If they call ahead of time and let me know, and it's less than 10 minutes, I don't charge them. If they don't call, I totally enforce it. I write the time on the sign out sheet and have parents intial daily. When they are late, I circle the time and write the fee next to it. They notice and I don't even have to say anything. I've only had it happen 1 time with any set of parents.

I'm also flexible if they give me a heads up about being late. I kept a girl an additional hour for the week (no chrage), when her mom was in the hospital with a newborn-I do have a soul::

[PitterPatter]

I have a question to all Day Care providers. Do you charge a late fee based on max hours per day or based on your closing time? What is your late fee and how do you enforce it?

My basic hours are 8:30 - 6:30pm

I require each parent to have their own contracted time frame. I allow 30 minutes drive time after work hours. If they are late for pick up the contract states they are to pay $5 per hour after the initial 30 minutes.

I do daycare for the state and usually have clients who recieve free daycare through welfare so they sometimes take advantage which is why I began the fee policy last year. Being that the clients may only pay $1 or $2 per day for care I allow the fee to be paid at time of payment, usually every 2 weeks. Then I add all inof on the reciept. Working for the state I am not allowed to make them pay in advance and until last year we weren't even allowed to charge ANY fees. We were always told if they didnt pick up or pay on time we have the option to terminate them but we would have to give 30 days notice (not fair when u arent getting paid, here's 30 more days of free care because it's the law @@). ****s working for state sometimes. Plus side is I know I will get 80% - 90% of my money as it comes from state the next month.

[nannyde]

NannyD I think your years of experience have gotten you to the point of really laying in all out in there in an interview process and establishing respect right off the bat with parents.

To me a persistently late parent does not respect the provider or their business.

Yup

My late policy is: "don't do it"

There's times when stuff actually happens and they can't help it. I never charge for that. I don't have anyone here who is rude to me about anything. I'm actually very easy to get along with.

[daycare]

9.5 hours max per day
5 min grace period dropping off and picking up after contracted times. Late fee is $1.00 per min. I hardly have parents late anymore. Maybe once every few months. Which I will allow a free pass if I know it's a legit reason and not always happening. Case by case

Also if they inform me and are more than 20 min late I will make them still pay the late fee regardless of legit reason or not.