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I have a problem that has been stressing me out lately regarding a family who I have had in my daycare for quite a while.
The kids were great, and for that reason I put up with a lot from their parents. They would frequently not show up without calling, pay me late, Not come get thier sick kids when i call... ect. In general drive me nuts. What annoyed me the most was the constant late payments. I do try to remain flexable when I can, if they talk to me first and explain they are in a tight spot, and this family was in a lot of tight spots, but never was more than a week late on paying, and often paid in cash, which is handy for me.
Recently they had a check bounce. She explained that her husband lost his job, and she was in the process of switching jobs, and her last paycheck was late. She asked if she could pay bounced check and the current week at the same time as next week, because she should be getting both checks then. I agreed.
The next week, she paid the bounced check, but told me that her first paycheck at the new job was not what she expected, and wanted to know if she could take her kids out of daycare for a week, and not pay for that week, then catch up with me the next week for what she was behind.
I didnt like that idea at all, however I reasoned that its better to get some than none, and that I couldnt take her kids back until she paid anyway.
During that week they were gone, she stopped by to let me know that they were going to be moving, and she put her 2 weeks notice in at work that day, and that at the end of the next week they wouldnt be returning. I reminded her the ammount she owes, minus her first weeks deposit, and told her I needed it by friday because I also have Christmas expenses.
She never brought her kids back, but friday (yesterday) she stopped by. I assumed to pay me, but alas, i was wrong.
She stopped by to get her kids things they have left here. I reminded her how much she owed me, by 'right now' and she immediatly went into a long story about how they couldnt afford to get her kids hardly anything for christmas because of the move and because her paycheck was short by almost exactly what she owed me.
Now I understand what its like to be broke over the holidays. however she does owe me for 3 weeks she was acctually in care, and if I wanted to get picky, she would normally owe me for 5 weeks, not counting her last week. And I could easily charge her the $10/day late payment fee starting the first week she was late. I did make clear to her that her financial problems were now causing me financial problems. I told her Im sorry your paycheck was short this week, but when you dont pay me, I dont get a paycheck at all.
She said she would come pay me just after christmas break.
My question is, What kind of follow up can I do to help ensure she pays? Should I give her the benifit of the doubt, again, and wait til after christmas? If she doesnt pay after christmas, what should be my first course of action?
The kids were great, and for that reason I put up with a lot from their parents. They would frequently not show up without calling, pay me late, Not come get thier sick kids when i call... ect. In general drive me nuts. What annoyed me the most was the constant late payments. I do try to remain flexable when I can, if they talk to me first and explain they are in a tight spot, and this family was in a lot of tight spots, but never was more than a week late on paying, and often paid in cash, which is handy for me.
Recently they had a check bounce. She explained that her husband lost his job, and she was in the process of switching jobs, and her last paycheck was late. She asked if she could pay bounced check and the current week at the same time as next week, because she should be getting both checks then. I agreed.
The next week, she paid the bounced check, but told me that her first paycheck at the new job was not what she expected, and wanted to know if she could take her kids out of daycare for a week, and not pay for that week, then catch up with me the next week for what she was behind.
I didnt like that idea at all, however I reasoned that its better to get some than none, and that I couldnt take her kids back until she paid anyway.
During that week they were gone, she stopped by to let me know that they were going to be moving, and she put her 2 weeks notice in at work that day, and that at the end of the next week they wouldnt be returning. I reminded her the ammount she owes, minus her first weeks deposit, and told her I needed it by friday because I also have Christmas expenses.
She never brought her kids back, but friday (yesterday) she stopped by. I assumed to pay me, but alas, i was wrong.
She stopped by to get her kids things they have left here. I reminded her how much she owed me, by 'right now' and she immediatly went into a long story about how they couldnt afford to get her kids hardly anything for christmas because of the move and because her paycheck was short by almost exactly what she owed me.
Now I understand what its like to be broke over the holidays. however she does owe me for 3 weeks she was acctually in care, and if I wanted to get picky, she would normally owe me for 5 weeks, not counting her last week. And I could easily charge her the $10/day late payment fee starting the first week she was late. I did make clear to her that her financial problems were now causing me financial problems. I told her Im sorry your paycheck was short this week, but when you dont pay me, I dont get a paycheck at all.
She said she would come pay me just after christmas break.
My question is, What kind of follow up can I do to help ensure she pays? Should I give her the benifit of the doubt, again, and wait til after christmas? If she doesnt pay after christmas, what should be my first course of action?
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