Personal Phone Calls Past DC Hours

[sharlan]

I would not miss one of my kids' events for a late parent. I would leave a note on the door saying you can find us here from this time to this time.

We were late picking our kids up once - my dh was in a car accident and I was working overtime 1 1/2 hrs away. When I got home, no dh and no kids so I headed to the provider's house. When I got there, there was a note on the door telling me they were at the local school for her dd's play. It was about 7, my kids weren't fed dinner, but had been given a snack. I was more than happy to pay my late fee the next morning. My kids were not happy to leave the play. This was back before cells.

[PitterPatter]

Been there. done that Jen.

I once missed my daughter singing a solo in a school concert because even though I posted a notice on the door to PLEASE pick up on time as I had an important appointment......one mom decided to call me at 5 minutes past closing to say she was still getting her nails done.......I told her to get over to my house and get her kids as I had to go. She got angry and refused and I missed my daughters concert. The mother thought I was being rude to terminate her contract. My daughter was heartbroken I didn't show up. I wish I could say those kinds of things are rare. Sadly they are not. And THATS why we come here and vent! Because other providers can relate!

I am sorry that happened to u Meek! I almost missed a concert as well but I dragged the toddler to the concert with me and made the Mother pick him up there (when she was done with dinner or course)

[Unregistered]

yeah, see, she didn't call the emergency contacts....

Which tells me

a. They have approached this casually in the past

b. Mom knew the biggest issue was paying 65.00/hour for something that isn't a big deal to DCP.

Every situation is different. I, personally, would call emergency contacts in like 15 minutes if I was closed, mom was late, no call, no idea. What if mom is sitting with a flat tire in a no cell zone? I lose cell signal 3 places near my house. No place to walk and call from.

I think we all assume, based on Dad's behavior and OP's report that she was goofing off. OK. We have no idea what happened and, No, Nanny, not every parent is giving it all away with body language. When I was in an office gig, my bad day didn't go home with me up front, but it did make me snippy and it did make me late.

Why no call to emergency contacts? Its a regular thing. Its a bonus. Offer to extend hours for a little less (than 65.00) every day and make extra every week. I am betting its a nightmare for her to get there in time and they are thinking about changing providers because they need mom's salary too.

[nannyde]

Which tells me

a. They have approached this casually in the past

b. Mom knew the biggest issue was paying 65.00/hour for something that isn't a big deal to DCP.

Every situation is different. I, personally, would call emergency contacts in like 15 minutes if I was closed, mom was late, no call, no idea. What if mom is sitting with a flat tire in a no cell zone? I lose cell signal 3 places near my house. No place to walk and call from.

I think we all assume, based on Dad's behavior and OP's report that she was goofing off. OK. We have no idea what happened and, No, Nanny, not every parent is giving it all away with body language. When I was in an office gig, my bad day didn't go home with me up front, but it did make me snippy and it did make me late.

Why no call to emergency contacts? Its a regular thing. Its a bonus. Offer to extend hours for a little less (than 65.00) every day and make extra every week. I am betting its a nightmare for her to get there in time and they are thinking about changing providers because they need mom's salary too.

Do you really do day care?

You don't start calling emergency contacts until the parent is late beyond a half hour to forty five minutes and that is ONLY if you have blown up both parents phone first. 99 percent of the time when you do start calling them they get off with you and call the parent. THEN you get one of the parents calling you back and the say they will be there in fifteen minutes. You still have the kid for an extra hour.

You emergency contact person almost always gets ahold of the parent before they start the process of getting in the car and coming to get the kid. It's not unusual for the contact to be further away than the parent is.

If you have ANY experience in child care you KNOW that parents who are late because of something that happened TO them DO behave the same the VAST majority of the time. They fly into your driveway. They start opening the door before they even have the car in park. They fight the seatbelt off of them and either slam the door or half shut it.

They scurry up your driveway in run walk steps and their face is full of the stress they haven't released yet. They apologize up and down and hand you off whatever money they have on them. They tell you the story of what happened and keep repeating how sorry they are.

The parents who oversleep act differently. They come in with their head hung low... no eye contact... say "I'm really sorry" with a zombie face. They look like they have surrendered before they even get to your door. No way out now.

People who are purposely leaving their kid at your house come in with a jerky body movement where they russle the kid out the door. They avoid too much eye contact. They act like it's no big deal because they are entitled to have a few late days here and there and you should be fine with it.

Once they do it a FEW times and get the fees then they start coming up with elaborate stories on how this happened TO them. You can tell the difference of their stories from the ones that actually do have something happen TO them. The ones that are lying go into WAY too much detail in a disjointed sequence and are searching your face to see if you are buying it.

If you think they are lying it's best to make a trip out to the car with them as they are yammering their lies. Take a look in the back seat and the passengers seat of their car. You will often see grocery bags or shopping bags.

Ahhhh the look when they realize you see what they REALLY have been doing.

Priceless

I've been around this block many times before and it's a LOOONNNNG block. It's very rare for one of them to come up with one I haven't heard yet. There stories are nearly the same. I do appreciate getting a new one though. I have to give them some credit for creativity.

[littlemissmuffet]

!

Which tells me

a. They have approached this casually in the past

b. Mom knew the biggest issue was paying 65.00/hour for something that isn't a big deal to DCP.

Every situation is different. I, personally, would call emergency contacts in like 15 minutes if I was closed, mom was late, no call, no idea. What if mom is sitting with a flat tire in a no cell zone? I lose cell signal 3 places near my house. No place to walk and call from.

I think we all assume, based on Dad's behavior and OP's report that she was goofing off. OK. We have no idea what happened and, No, Nanny, not every parent is giving it all away with body language. When I was in an office gig, my bad day didn't go home with me up front, but it did make me snippy and it did make me late.

Why no call to emergency contacts? Its a regular thing. Its a bonus. Offer to extend hours for a little less (than 65.00) every day and make extra every week. I am betting its a nightmare for her to get there in time and they are thinking about changing providers because they need mom's salary too.

You obviously don't do daycare... or are very inexperienced at it.
How do you even know that the OP had emergency contacts to get ahold of? I have several families who who do not have emergency contacts because they recently moved here, have no family close by and have not made any friends. Regardless, why should we be wasting time tracking down irresponsible parents who's children are clearly not top priority?

Extended hours? Hah. Now I know for certain you're not in daycare - closing time means closing time, period. Our days are long enough. I'd like you to make under $3 an hour, 10-12 hours a day and then offer yourself to work an hour overtime for next to nothing. You wouldn't... no matter how much you loved your work.

You bet she's looking for a new provider... so what? I am tired of parents who think they can break rules and do whatever they want because we NEED their money... in my home business, I guarantee you NEED me more than I NEED you - though I hate to see any of my little go, the money is easily replaced - I am not. I wish more providers would stand their ground and make this known and stop letting parents walk all over them!
Huge kuddos to OP for charging and receiving the owed LATE FEE!

[Meeko]

I am sorry that happened to u Meek! I almost missed a concert as well but I dragged the toddler to the concert with me and made the Mother pick him up there (when she was done with dinner or course)

..I did not have car seats for the children or I would have taken them with me. The young lady in question was much more worried about her nails (which she constantly obsessed over) than my daughter singing without her mother there. I cannned her because she couldn't care less.

Since then, she has lost custody of both her children to their respective fathers and is homeless...spending most of her time high on meth. I guess her nails are no longer long and perfectly manicured...

[PitterPatter]

..I did not have car seats for the children or I would have taken them with me. The young lady in question was much more worried about her nails (which she constantly obsessed over) than my daughter singing without her mother there. I cannned her because she couldn't care less.

Since then, she has lost custody of both her children to their respective fathers and is homeless...spending most of her time high on meth. I guess her nails are no longer long and perfectly manicured...

OMG I had a woman like that in the past!! She isn't that bad that she lost her kids, yet! But yep definatley the bling queen type! Nails AND shoes were her big things! She would brag about the deals she got. "Only paid $45 for my nails this time, got these nikes on sale for $70!" etc.. I bet she had 20 pairs of Nikes as well as other shoes! Yet they were a government assisted family. Go figure.

I feel bad for u that u missed out I would have too but I was lucky enough to have caught carseats on sale a couple yrs ago and bought a couple extra in case of emergencies.

[Meeko]

OMG I had a woman like that in the past!! She isn't that bad that she lost her kids, yet! But yep definatley the bling queen type! Nails AND shoes were her big things! She would brag about the deals she got. "Only paid $45 for my nails this time, got these nikes on sale for $70!" etc.. I bet she had 20 pairs of Nikes as well as other shoes! Yet they were a government assisted family. Go figure.

I feel bad for u that u missed out I would have too but I was lucky enough to have caught carseats on sale a couple yrs ago and bought a couple extra in case of emergencies.

Since then, I have some emergency ones too. It's in my handbook that I will take children with me if they are left after hours. If I have to go somewhere where I have to buy a ticket, the parent will have to pay me back. I live in the next city south to my day care. So parents will have to go to my home to pick up a child if they are late, which is going in the oppsite diection for some...but too bad. I don't expect my son to give up his evenings to tend.

[dEHmom]

i didn't read all the responses, there are too many...

but did anyone ask if this woman ever talks on the phone when she's home with her child?

[countrymom]

Since then, I have some emergency ones too. It's in my handbook that I will take children with me if they are left after hours. If I have to go somewhere where I have to buy a ticket, the parent will have to pay me back. I live in the next city south to my day care. So parents will have to go to my home to pick up a child if they are late, which is going in the oppsite diection for some...but too bad. I don't expect my son to give up his evenings to tend.

this is what happens here, since i live in a town you have to drive to get to the city or the other towns, I'm not going to sit around and wait for people who can't make it on time, I'm going to be there for my kids.