Love New Family; Makes Me Realize How Taken of Advantage I feel by Family #1

[momofboys]

I just recently started providing care for my second family. So far it's going well although it certainly keeps me hopping! In so doing it has made me realize how taken advantage of I feel by family #1. Case in point. . . family #1 is always borderline late &/or just assumes if they are late it is OKAY (no, it is not!). I know to a point it is my fault, I do not have a late fee but I may have to implement one b/c it's getting bad. Mom #1 used to pick up around 4:45 now it seems like everyday she drives into our driveway at 5:00 still chatting on her cell & doesn't get to the door until 5:05. I guess my biggest fault is I am too nice but nice doesn't get back my family time. Tonight she told me (as she was dropping off) that she had a meeting & dad would be unable to pick up so she would not be here until 5:15, in all actuality is was 5:35 when she picked up. I agreed but I think I will tell her that one day next week she has to pick up early b/c of an appt we have. So I guess my question is if you don't have a late fee in place how is the appropriate way to let parent/s know that there is now one in place. We did have an arrangement where she was supposed to call if it would be later than 5:00 but now she NEVER does so, she isn't really late but a few minutes; however, it is not unusual for her to be 10-15 min late one night a week. Ughhhhhhhhhhh

[momofboys]

To add to what I previously had written I should mention I am fairly certain she runs errands after work. She works about 20 min from our home & gets off at 3:50. Even with traffic there is no reason for her to not be at our house by 4:30 at the latest. I don't begrudge anyone the ability to do errands on their own & I wouldn't care if she would be more prompt. But picking up right at our closing time & even minutes after is really starting to burn me up.

[mac60]

I would simply write something up that said:

The agreed upon pickup time is _______ and this is the time that I based payment on. Any pickups after _______ will be considered late pickups and when they occur an additional fee of _______ will be charged.

Any scheduled late pick ups need to be ok'd in advance.

Reminder, my closing time is 5:00 p.m and this includes scheduled late pickups.

Unfortunatly you are going to have to put it on paper and spell it out.

[tymaboy]

I would wright a note stating a late fee charge will be implemented starting XX date. Write the latter to everyone that way you are not pointing fingers at 1 person. Also make it clear that the late fees start after their contracted time. I have mine writen that if they call to let me know that they can save a late fee but if it becomes a regular thing then then I will start charging. This is how I have mine stated in my policy.

Inconvenience Fee:
There is a 15 minute grace period beyond the scheduled drop-off/pick-up time. If a child is more then 20 minutes late of being dropped-off/ picked-up you will be subjected to a charge of $5.00 per child for every 15 minutes (or part of 15 minutes) after the agreed upon time. Example: If your child is to be dropped-off/ picked-up at 9:00 and you show up at 9:15 you will not be charged the fee but if you show up at 9:20 you will be charged the fee of $10.00 for the 1st 15 minutes plus the fee for the second 15 minutes. You will also be charged the late fee if the child(ren) are to be dropped-off/ picked-up (whether it is written in contract or told verbally) between a certain time and are not dropped-off/ picked-up within 15 minutes of the latest time given. Example: If your child(ren) are to be dropped-off/ picked-up between 9:00 – 9:30 and you do not show up until 9:45 you will be charged $5.00 for each child.

There will be no grace period on Wednesdays. Any late fees accumulated on a Wednesday will be doubled. If these fees are not paid by the Friday of that week you will be charged the $10.00 per day late payment fee.

The above inconvenience fees will also be charged to you if Grandma or another person is suppose to arrive to drop-off/ pick-up your child.

DHS will not pay any late fees that are accumulated.

[Pammie]

I know I'm in the minority, but I don't charge late fees...and I don't accommodate late pick-ups either. I found that too many families were willing to pay the late fees.
What I did was include an addendum to my policy book that stated,

"Daycare hours are 7am-5pm. Out of respect for my family and personal time, all pick-ups MUST be made before 5pm. Late pick-ups will no longer be accommodated without prior arrangement. Late pick-ups without prior arrangement will result in immediate termination of daycare services."

When I did include this new policy, I had one dcm that was certain this did not pertain to her. She was a teacher whose contract day ended at 3:45, but still could not manage to get to my home (5 min from her school) before 5pm. I gave her two warnings the first two late pick-ups after that, and then the third time, terminated care on-the-spot.

That was over ten years ago, and the legacy of that incident is still in "daycare lore"....most of my current families are sure to tell the story to prospective clients when they call for references

Since then, I've never had a problem with late-pickups without prior arrangements.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do
Hugs
Pammie

[mac60]

Personally, I would not give the notice to all families, especially if there is only 1 abusing it. I would put it in my handbook though for future reference.

[momma2girls]

This is one of the reasons I started this in my contract- My drop off and pick up times are based on the needs of my families only- for work and commute times only- this has worked for the most part!!

[gbcc]

I would just write up an addendum to your policy that includes a late fee. I stated a late fee and parents assumed it meant late after closing hours. I had to then change it to state a late fee after contracted hours. I send it to all families that way everyone knows this is my new policy so don't get any ideas. My fees are $5 for the first 10 minutes and then $1 per minute after. I may change this though because families think it's ok to be 15 minutes late and pay $10.

[Carole's Daycare]

I would just write up an addendum to your policy that includes a late fee. I stated a late fee and parents assumed it meant late after closing hours. I had to then change it to state a late fee after contracted hours. I send it to all families that way everyone knows this is my new policy so don't get any ideas. My fees are $5 for the first 10 minutes and then $1 per minute after. I may change this though because families think it's ok to be 15 minutes late and pay $10.

My contract states late fee of $5.00 per 15 mn after scheduled pick up time, and I still continually had problems. This year the only change I'm making is to increase that to a 5 mn grace period, then $20 per 15 mn or part of 15 minutes to be paid before drop off next day, and failure to pay will result in termination. It seems that my families were willing to pay $10 to have an hour to themselves. If we really can't be late and need our personal time the cost has to be so prohibitive they really can't afford it, or terminate immediately.

[tenderhearts]

I have never had a problem with late pickups in all the years I've done daycare other than on the occassion which I understand. However I started a family last march and right off the bat he started being 10 -15 min late and after my closing time, I so wish i stuck with my policy right at that time, it's my fault I let it slide, he wasn't late every week but enough, I finally told him I wouldn't let it slide anymore that I would need to charge my late fee. Well he had been on time and well before 5:00 the last 4 months UNTIL last night, he called at 4:30 and said he might be a few minutes late he was at a doctors appointment, well at 5:30 I called him and asked if he was on his way he said he was almost here, he got here at 5:40 I was steaming, but because I don't have a backbone I said this is too late, and if you're going to be late like this it needs to be discussed ahead of time as stated in my contract, I have my family and places I need to be this just happened this is one night I didn't, next time it will be a late fee I wont charge it this time since you've been on time lately. I wish I would have but this is a guy that I don't care for at all, I don't like talking with him at all, but I like his son and his wife, which I dont' get to deal with much. I will from now on make sure any new clients are aware of my closing time of 5:00 and late fee's will apply.
It's hard and frustrating when one person ruins it, I've been doing daycare for 11 years and have never had anyone be late, maybe once in a very great while a few minutes but now 40, I had his shoes on and daycare lights off when he pulled up with him at the door. He knew I was mad. I know things happen but not that much and this guy doens't even work. Sorry to invade your post.

[momma2girls]

I have never had a problem with late pickups in all the years I've done daycare other than on the occassion which I understand. However I started a family last march and right off the bat he started being 10 -15 min late and after my closing time, I so wish i stuck with my policy right at that time, it's my fault I let it slide, he wasn't late every week but enough, I finally told him I wouldn't let it slide anymore that I would need to charge my late fee. Well he had been on time and well before 5:00 the last 4 months UNTIL last night, he called at 4:30 and said he might be a few minutes late he was at a doctors appointment, well at 5:30 I called him and asked if he was on his way he said he was almost here, he got here at 5:40 I was steaming, but because I don't have a backbone I said this is too late, and if you're going to be late like this it needs to be discussed ahead of time as stated in my contract, I have my family and places I need to be this just happened this is one night I didn't, next time it will be a late fee I wont charge it this time since you've been on time lately. I wish I would have but this is a guy that I don't care for at all, I don't like talking with him at all, but I like his son and his wife, which I dont' get to deal with much. I will from now on make sure any new clients are aware of my closing time of 5:00 and late fee's will apply.
It's hard and frustrating when one person ruins it, I've been doing daycare for 11 years and have never had anyone be late, maybe once in a very great while a few minutes but now 40, I had his shoes on and daycare lights off when he pulled up with him at the door. He knew I was mad. I know things happen but not that much and this guy doens't even work. Sorry to invade your post.

You always get that one or two families that ruin it!!
Write up a note saying that from now on Jan. 2010- you will be charging a late fee, and believe me I have had some families that would pay it all the time. So now I have only their hrs. and I say that I need to go somewhere appts. activities , etc. I will need to leave with their child, and a note with my cell # will be on the door, and where they need to come and find me at. SO far it has worked, but next yr. I have to put back in a late fee, I deleted it and forgot to put it back in for this yrs. I hated that!!!! Oh Well!!!

[momofboys]

I have never had a problem with late pickups in all the years I've done daycare other than on the occassion which I understand. However I started a family last march and right off the bat he started being 10 -15 min late and after my closing time, I so wish i stuck with my policy right at that time, it's my fault I let it slide, he wasn't late every week but enough, I finally told him I wouldn't let it slide anymore that I would need to charge my late fee. Well he had been on time and well before 5:00 the last 4 months UNTIL last night, he called at 4:30 and said he might be a few minutes late he was at a doctors appointment, well at 5:30 I called him and asked if he was on his way he said he was almost here, he got here at 5:40 I was steaming, but because I don't have a backbone I said this is too late, and if you're going to be late like this it needs to be discussed ahead of time as stated in my contract, I have my family and places I need to be this just happened this is one night I didn't, next time it will be a late fee I wont charge it this time since you've been on time lately. I wish I would have but this is a guy that I don't care for at all, I don't like talking with him at all, but I like his son and his wife, which I dont' get to deal with much. I will from now on make sure any new clients are aware of my closing time of 5:00 and late fee's will apply.
It's hard and frustrating when one person ruins it, I've been doing daycare for 11 years and have never had anyone be late, maybe once in a very great while a few minutes but now 40, I had his shoes on and daycare lights off when he pulled up with him at the door. He knew I was mad. I know things happen but not that much and this guy doens't even work. Sorry to invade your post.

Wow~ What in the heck was he doing at the dr's so late if he doesn't even work? That's ridiculous, he should have made an earlier appt & if it was so late he should have picked up his child first. Annoying! Don't worry about "barging in" on my post. I appreciate everyone's insight. I think I will give her a note saying effective Feb 1st etc. . . .I don't think I will give it to my other dcm b/c she (so far) has been super-early regarding pick-up. It's tricky b/c the first mom is an acquaintance of mine from church & so we know each other outside of daycare although I wouldn't say we are friends who do things together. I just hate them leaving at 5:15! Not fair to me or my kids & husband.

[wejo928]

late times

I use the local CCIS or Title 20 rules.
They pay for care form 1/2 hr before work and a 1/2 hr ater work.
ANything after or before that is not paid so I have to be paid for my time.
No childcare is free. If you get out early I sometimes will let it slide if you are still here on time.

One family I had there children in a daytime daycare & me in the nightime & weekend daycare. SO we would pick them up at the other daycare.
Her latefee was 1 st minute free after that $15 a minute. Payable when you pick your children up or they will not be alloud to attend the next day.

She said after they pay it 1 or 2 times they are there early or on time. .

The families we pick-up & drop off never have late fees cause we control the times.
The other one has always been good but they are on a flexible schedule and not here on a stead basis. They do dropin care for date night for motercycle riding but call it time for their only child to be with other children. .

[Unregistered]

To prevent these (and more problems) I wrote a handbook for parents that works in conjunction with the contract. It has all of the policies like, late payment fees, bounced check fees, dropping off late or early, picking up late or early, parking policies (where parents can and can't park, no horn honking etc) and pretty much everything else you can think of. Doing this prevents a lot of problems and amending it is easy. If you don't have a contract make one now. Add a part in it saying that you'll have a handbook of policies that they also have to agree to and have them sign it. Add something in the contract and handbook that says "A failure to enforce one or more terms of this contract does not waive the Provider’s right to enforce any other terms of this contract" so that if you want to be lenient on some terms you can be without it being an issue with other terms. It doesn't have to fancy or elaborate. The first handbook I made was pages one sided and very plain and now I have a 20 page (front and back) with a cardstock cover that I have printed at Kinko's. It's all up to you but I highly recommend it.

Any time you want to add a new term or change an exsisting one do it in writing and have the parents sign (all of them). You don't want to make one family feel like you're singling them out. I believe that you have to give a two-weeks notice when changing or adding terms to a contract or policy but it may not be so in all states. Good Luck.

Marina

[Unregistered]

$1 per minute late fees

I surveyed everyone in my greater area, and the going rate is $1 per minute late fees.

I made the last 10 minutes into a grace period (4:50 to 5:00) and after 5:00 the late charges happen. I ask for the fees on the spot.

I put this into my contract for everyone.

The trick is to enforce it right away the very first time it happens. It was hard to do that, but once you get over your fear that they will cancel your services if you stand up for yourself, then you will get more confidence.

Most people don;t prioritize being on time to pick up their children. We just need to give them a reason to make it a priority.

Linda