Personal Phone Calls Past DC Hours

[daycare]

I hope she does say sorry. I was really taken back by her comment.
Yeah the dad is way mellow just like the kid.

I thought the same thing too, chicken way out. Lol
Maybe age realized she was being rude and felt silly.

[Christian Mother]

I would tell her that I was fully aware of what her son was doing at the time and that due to the fact that it was an overseas call, it was pre-arranged for a time that was after my normal working hours.

Remind her that SHE changed that time, not you and it was not arranged in advance.

Love this!! I would tell her this but add also that I do not take text messages in regards to things she feels are not appropriate in caring for her son. If she feels that strongly that call should of been made directly to you or in person. I would address it right away whether by a call or as soon as you see her and not respond at all to her text. But I would def. tell her that not only did she fail to contact you that she would be late but it's your policy that she does...that is why late fees are in place...to make parents accountable. Let her know that ...although it's none of her biz and I would say that ...that was a call that was scheduled and not negotiable. Family time is important and she disrespected you by thinking your time isn't valuable!! This happened to me with a family and I had no problem showing them the door. I will not allow anyone to be disrespectful in my home. The nerve of that lady!!

[cheerfuldom]

yeah she probably rethought her actions and chickened out in responding to your text or paying the fee herself. shame on her but at least you got your late fee.

[TBird]

Well thank goodness someone has some common sense!!! But I know me....I would still have to say something to her or it would build up and brew into an ugly feeling towards her.

[Unregistered]

No excuse for being so late and no notice

But for 65.00 I would expect dinner for my child in an emergency and yes, delayed personal phone calls (canceled plans, whatever). If you just go on with your evening, why charge so much? Let mom pick him up at soccer with you or where ever you are going.

It just really depends on your setting - if you guys are all casual enough that a little late is ok, and a little phone time is fine too, whats the big deal?

Sometimes things really happen. Respecting someone does not mean you can bend time to get there faster, and it also doesn't mean that you have to ignore an overseas call from your mom.

I would look at a 65.00 bonus with glee and take my family out to dinner. I would also be understanding and kind, with an "Are you ok?".

We are all human here.

To some of the other posters in this thread - if you really feel that way about your kids' parents - why do you do this job?

[cheerfuldom]

Everyone has things about their job that are frustrating and for many of us, this is our only corner of cyber space to vent or get ideas. EVERYONE vents about their job, that doesn't mean that they are not good at their job or that they even want to find a different job. The good thing about being self employed is that we can decide what people we want to work with and what issues we are and are not willing to accommodate. Likewise, no one is holding these parents hostage to keep their kids with us. They are welcome to leave at any time as well. It is very easy to judge this OP but if you read the thread carefully, this mom was over an hour late with no call except right when the kid was supposed to be picked up. Her son was safely occupied and supervised while the DC provider was also on a phone call and the mom's only concern was that her son was not receiving 100% attention. Again, she was an hour late. She wasn't holding up her end of the bargain and then had the nerve to complain about not getting even more. That is the kind of issue that drives us crazy and causes us to vent. If you don't feel comfortable with the conversations going on in this forum, why even come on and post? The OP is welcome to charge a million dollar late fee if she wants. The mom can leave permanently or.....hello?.....START PICKING YOUR KID UP ON TIME, CALL BEFORE YOU ASSUME BEING LATE IS OKAY AND DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT WHAT THE PROVIDER IS DOING WHEN YOU SHOW UP! okay I'm done now

[jen]

But for 65.00 I would expect dinner for my child in an emergency and yes, delayed personal phone calls (canceled plans, whatever). If you just go on with your evening, why charge so much? Let mom pick him up at soccer with you or where ever you are going.

It just really depends on your setting - if you guys are all casual enough that a little late is ok, and a little phone time is fine too, whats the big deal?

Sometimes things really happen. Respecting someone does not mean you can bend time to get there faster, and it also doesn't mean that you have to ignore an overseas call from your mom.

I would look at a 65.00 bonus with glee and take my family out to dinner. I would also be understanding and kind, with an "Are you ok?".

We are all human here.

To some of the other posters in this thread - if you really feel that way about your kids' parents - why do you do this job?

LOL! You'd *expect* dinner.. You'd be luck that the only thing you got is a $65 late fee instead of being terminated or finding your child was with social services. She was AN HOUR late...clearly not in an accident.

It is easy to say you would be understanding and kind when you are not the daycare provider. The OP didn't just go on with her night, she had plans that had to be canceled. We have ALL had this experience at least once.

Personally, I missed my sons conferences because a parent showed up 45 minutes late...among many, many other things My favorite is this:

A daycare parent called me AT PICK UP TIME from a restaurant 45 minutes away and said, you don't mind if we're late do you? It's our anniversary so we thought we'd go out to dinner.

Agh, yeah...I mind...I had plans that I won't make now. Parents don't understand that it isn't simply the time that *they* were late or rude, it is that there are several parents in care and when you add up all the lates it gets to be ALOT.

[Christian Mother]

But for 65.00 I would expect dinner for my child in an emergency and yes, delayed personal phone calls (canceled plans, whatever). If you just go on with your evening, why charge so much? Let mom pick him up at soccer with you or where ever you are going.

If there is no call or prearranged notice before hand how can we know that it's was a emergency...it isn't like mom came in apologizing saying I am sooo sorry I was just in an accident etc. There's a reason why late fees are put into place,..to make parent accountable for there children. Other wise these parents will stretch the time on when they pick them up... I am sure that if this mom had made the call to say I am sorry but I might be a hr late today bc of this or that...the op would be able to decide whether she can push off her call a little later or just tell this mom no problem but I have a schedule call coming in I have to take so i might be on the phone when you arrive. Or what ever plans she has in effect for that day. Parents do not take in account sometimes that we do have a life outside of our business. And I am sorry but my family will always come first.

It just really depends on your setting - if you guys are all casual enough that a little late is ok, and a little phone time is fine too, whats the big deal?

The big deal I am sure is that it wasn't just a little time..it was a hr of no call no show.

Sometimes things really happen. Respecting someone does not mean you can bend time to get there faster, and it also doesn't mean that you have to ignore an overseas call from your mom.

Yes, life happens and we really want to be there for for our parents but we don't want to be step all over on either. It's a 2 way street...we will be happy to help out in anyway we can but we ask that you be courteous and give us a heads up if you are going to be late. That doesn't mean we will always wave our late fees.

I would look at a 65.00 bonus with glee and take my family out to dinner. I would also be understanding and kind, with an "Are you ok?".

If a parent is even 15min late I will text or call to see if there ok, I don't wait at all...I want to make sure first off if everything is alright specially if they aren't known to be late. Most times though I always get a text or call.

We are all human here. To some of the other posters in this thread - if you really feel that way about your kids' parents - why do you do this job?

We do this to help....that is the main reason...I am sure money is the second. It is nice to make something on the side to help our families out but if like cheerfuldom. This is our business and we get to decide our rules and enforce them. No one gets to dictate how we run it for any reason. This op is right in charging her late fees. A no call no show is a NO NO!

[Meeko]

LOL! You'd *expect* dinner.. You'd be luck that the only thing you got is a $65 late fee instead of being terminated or finding your child was with social services. She was AN HOUR late...clearly not in an accident.

It is easy to say you would be understanding and kind when you are not the daycare provider. The OP didn't just go on with her night, she had plans that had to be canceled. We have ALL had this experience at least once.

Personally, I missed my sons conferences because a parent showed up 45 minutes late...among many, many other things My favorite is this:

A daycare parent called me AT PICK UP TIME from a restaurant 45 minutes away and said, you don't mind if we're late do you? It's our anniversary so we thought we'd go out to dinner.

Agh, yeah...I mind...I had plans that I won't make now. Parents don't understand that it isn't simply the time that *they* were late or rude, it is that there are several parents in care and when you add up all the lates it gets to be ALOT.

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!

[jojosmommy]

But for 65.00 I would expect dinner for my child in an emergency and yes, delayed personal phone calls (canceled plans, whatever). If you just go on with your evening, why charge so much? Let mom pick him up at soccer with you or where ever you are going.

It just really depends on your setting - if you guys are all casual enough that a little late is ok, and a little phone time is fine too, whats the big deal?

Sometimes things really happen. Respecting someone does not mean you can bend time to get there faster, and it also doesn't mean that you have to ignore an overseas call from your mom.

I would look at a 65.00 bonus with glee and take my family out to dinner. I would also be understanding and kind, with an "Are you ok?".

We are all human here.

To some of the other posters in this thread - if you really feel that way about your kids' parents - why do you do this job?

I completely disagree. Would you show up at a store an hour AFTER they closed and assume they would still be there waiting for you to come in and shop? I think it's none of my dcp business who I call during the day and especially after hours. I would be in my pjs painting my toes when they showed up. And like other people said, lucky the kid was still there and I didn't call all her emergency contacts to have him/her picked up.

[familyschoolcare]

But for 65.00 I would expect dinner for my child in an emergency and yes, delayed personal phone calls (canceled plans, whatever). If you just go on with your evening, why charge so much? Let mom pick him up at soccer with you or where ever you are going.

It just really depends on your setting - if you guys are all casual enough that a little late is ok, and a little phone time is fine too, whats the big deal?

Sometimes things really happen. Respecting someone does not mean you can bend time to get there faster, and it also doesn't mean that you have to ignore an overseas call from your mom.

I would look at a 65.00 bonus with glee and take my family out to dinner. I would also be understanding and kind, with an "Are you ok?".

We are all human here.

To some of the other posters in this thread - if you really feel that way about your kids' parents - why do you do this job?

Who every you are I do not appreciate your tone here are in other post I have read I have tried to give you the benefit of the doubt by to label all Day care providers you guys in a place that we are supposed to be able to go and vent and get advice form other day care providers before getting to know the whole story is stupid. We do not know wither or not the child was feed dinner we baby this provider usually closed at 5:00 and therefore expecting dinner war not necessarily reasonable maybe wither or not the child would be feed before mom picked up was talked about when mom called at pick up time or maybe the child was feed the original post does not talk about those details. If you wish to continue this conversation and would actually like for me to consider your post to be worthy of reading then please send me a message I know that might be difficult because you do not want to registrar.

What ever you problem with DCP is you relay need to find a parent driven place to work on those issues.

[Hunni Bee]

But for 65.00 I would expect dinner for my child in an emergency and yes, delayed personal phone calls (canceled plans, whatever). If you just go on with your evening, why charge so much? Let mom pick him up at soccer with you or where ever you are going.

It just really depends on your setting - if you guys are all casual enough that a little late is ok, and a little phone time is fine too, whats the big deal?

Sometimes things really happen. Respecting someone does not mean you can bend time to get there faster, and it also doesn't mean that you have to ignore an overseas call from your mom.

I would look at a 65.00 bonus with glee and take my family out to dinner. I would also be understanding and kind, with an "Are you ok?".

We are all human here.

To some of the other posters in this thread - if you really feel that way about your kids' parents - why do you do this job?

I have to disagree. Keeping a child an hour past closing time without a call or arrangements from the DCPs and NOT calling Child Protective Services is not a service that should come with dinner and further rearrangement of the providers personal life, IMO. It was a courtesy, and the late fee is a penalty. As with any other service agreement, you pay for services rendered and if you violate the agreement, you get charged a penalty. Just because we provide services to children and families does not mean contracts are open to be violated at will.

The mom left her child at daycare beyond operating hours. After operating hours, the daycare turns back into a home. Being that she was basically stealing daycare at that point, she had no right to comment on the OP's phone call.

I won't go into details, but very recently we had a child to be left with no phone call and parents unreachable SEVERAL HOURS after closing. We would have and should have contacted CPS and charged a extremely hefty late fee, but didn't at the word of the director. When we finally caught up with the mother, she was unapologetic and unconcerned.

I personally love my job and my kids, but I don't like being taken advantage of and treated as if I don't have a life outside of daycare.

[nannyde]

But for 65.00 I would expect dinner for my child in an emergency and yes, delayed personal phone calls (canceled plans, whatever). If you just go on with your evening, why charge so much? Let mom pick him up at soccer with you or where ever you are going.

It just really depends on your setting - if you guys are all casual enough that a little late is ok, and a little phone time is fine too, whats the big deal?

Sometimes things really happen. Respecting someone does not mean you can bend time to get there faster, and it also doesn't mean that you have to ignore an overseas call from your mom.

I would look at a 65.00 bonus with glee and take my family out to dinner. I would also be understanding and kind, with an "Are you ok?".

We are all human here.

To some of the other posters in this thread - if you really feel that way about your kids' parents - why do you do this job?

The 65 dollars isn't a bonus. It's a fee for over usage of the business. The parent agreed to pay it by contract.

When I was on vacation last week my son asked to play with my phone. I thought he was going to play with my games. After a few minutes of him having the phone I looked at the screen and realized he was on youtube. He had downloaded two youtube videos. I don't have free internet on my phone. His two videos cost me SEVENTY FIVE dollars in fees.

The car I rented had unlimited miles. I had to pay a premimum rate to have unlimited. If I didn't pay the rate I could get about a thousand miles with all additional miles being twenty five cents a mile. Think about that kind of money when you are twelve hours away from home.

If I bounce a check my bank charges thirty bucks PER each attempt the check clears.

Why is it in home child care we are to look at the fees for over use are somehow different than my cell phone, bank, car rental etc.? The answer is because we are a bunch of women and we should do as we are told. We are to be understanding.... realize things happen....

We don't "just get on with our evening" when we have a child left in our home when we are CLOSED. I run eight kids. A kid alone and awake here in the evening is making me keep my eight child business open for one kid. I can't make money with one child in my house. It costs me more to have them here than I make.

Why would you expect your kid to be fed when you are paying a late fee for being an HOUR late? I didn't expect for the cell phone company to give me something special when I accidently accessed expensive services from their services. MY mistake... I pay. I don't get special when I'm the one who makes the mistake. I get a big fat fee to pay.

If the provider would have known minute to minute that the kid was going to be there THAT late she would have been best to put him/her down for an hours rest so that he was well rested for the wonderful evening the parent had planned to make up for what she did to him.

When parents are that late they are nearly ALWAYS avoiding calling the provider and telling them the truth. They force the provider to stay open way beyond her hours because the provider can't walk away from her job or put it in a closet to deal with tomorrow. The provider sits there minute to minute expecting THIS is the minute the parent is going to show and was disapointed sixty five times before she actually showed. It would have taken nothing to call her and tell her she was running that late. The parent didn't do it because she didn't want the provider to refuse to do it. She wanted to just show up when she pleased so she could show her who her boss REALLY is. It was incosiderate and rude to not keep the provider posted on where she was and what she was doing. She did as she pleased, was rude when she picked up the kid, and then she paid.

Another one of those deals and she would find herself looking for day care if she was at my house. I've had parents be an hour late before but they have the common curtesy to call me and let me know when they are going to be here. They are gracious and apologetic. When I need something special they do it for me because I did special for them.

We are SICK TO DEATH of people thinking it's no big deal to have their kids in day care beyond their contracted hours. It's not "no big deal" to anyone BUT the parent. We have a right to decide our business hours and shouldn't be FORCED because it's a little kid that we deal with to continue operating beyond our business hours.

"Are you okay?"

Are you KIDDING me? If the parent wasn't OKAY they would have called to say what happened TO them to cause them to be so late. When parents have something happen to them where it is beyond their control.... believe me.. we KNOW about it because they call and tell us.

It wasn't something that happened TO the parent... It's something she DID. We know the difference the second they pull up the driveway and get out of the car. When a parent is a victim of a bad circumstance they have the body language and the words that show you they have been in a bad deal not of their making.

When they do it on purpose and don't care what you want then they do stuff like text you about what YOU were doing while they were late. They deflect their incosiderate behavior onto you so they don't have to discuss what they did.

BTDT and have the t-shirt

[Auntie]

I would say, "well just put him in a center but be careful because if you pick up your son more than 30 minutes late they will call the police and social services to report you for child abandonment. " and give you a $40 late charge
I'm not kidding, they will do it. The Long Beach day nursery has that policy.

We have this policy at my work.

[PitterPatter]

The 65 dollars isn't a bonus. It's a fee for over usage of the business. The parent agreed to pay it by contract.

When I was on vacation last week my son asked to play with my phone. I thought he was going to play with my games. After a few minutes of him having the phone I looked at the screen and realized he was on youtube. He had downloaded two youtube videos. I don't have free internet on my phone. His two videos cost me SEVENTY FIVE dollars in fees.

The car I rented had unlimited miles. I had to pay a premimum rate to have unlimited. If I didn't pay the rate I could get about a thousand miles with all additional miles being twenty five cents a mile. Think about that kind of money when you are twelve hours away from home.

If I bounce a check my bank charges thirty bucks PER each attempt the check clears.

Why is it in home child care we are to look at the fees for over use are somehow different than my cell phone, bank, car rental etc.? The answer is because we are a bunch of women and we should do as we are told. We are to be understanding.... realize things happen....

We don't "just get on with our evening" when we have a child left in our home when we are CLOSED. I run eight kids. A kid alone and awake here in the evening is making me keep my eight child business open for one kid. I can't make money with one child in my house. It costs me more to have them here than I make.

Why would you expect your kid to be fed when you are paying a late fee for being an HOUR late? I didn't expect for the cell phone company to give me something special when I accidently accessed expensive services from their services. MY mistake... I pay. I don't get special when I'm the one who makes the mistake. I get a big fat fee to pay.

If the provider would have known minute to minute that the kid was going to be there THAT late she would have been best to put him/her down for an hours rest so that he was well rested for the wonderful evening the parent had planned to make up for what she did to him.

When parents are that late they are nearly ALWAYS avoiding calling the provider and telling them the truth. They force the provider to stay open way beyond her hours because the provider can't walk away from her job or put it in a closet to deal with tomorrow. The provider sits there minute to minute expecting THIS is the minute the parent is going to show and was disapointed sixty five times before she actually showed. It would have taken nothing to call her and tell her she was running that late. The parent didn't do it because she didn't want the provider to refuse to do it. She wanted to just show up when she pleased so she could show her who her boss REALLY is. It was incosiderate and rude to not keep the provider posted on where she was and what she was doing. She did as she pleased, was rude when she picked up the kid, and then she paid.

Another one of those deals and she would find herself looking for day care if she was at my house. I've had parents be an hour late before but they have the common curtesy to call me and let me know when they are going to be here. They are gracious and apologetic. When I need something special they do it for me because I did special for them.

We are SICK TO DEATH of people thinking it's no big deal to have their kids in day care beyond their contracted hours. It's not "no big deal" to anyone BUT the parent. We have a right to decide our business hours and shouldn't be FORCED because it's a little kid that we deal with to continue operating beyond our business hours.

"Are you okay?"

Are you KIDDING me? If the parent wasn't OKAY they would have called to say what happened TO them to cause them to be so late. When parents have something happen to them where it is beyond their control.... believe me.. we KNOW about it because they call and tell us.

It wasn't something that happened TO the parent... It's something she DID. We know the difference the second they pull up the driveway and get out of the car. When a parent is a victim of a bad circumstance they have the body language and the words that show you they have been in a bad deal not of their making.

When they do it on purpose and don't care what you want then they do stuff like text you about what YOU were doing while they were late. They deflect their incosiderate behavior onto you so they don't have to discuss what they did.

BTDT and have the t-shirt

AMEN Sister!!!!! ^5 Thank u on behalf of every provider that has been put in this position!!