Early Drop Offs Without Notification

[DaisyMamma]

I have a family with three kids who has a schedule of 8-6. MTW AND 11-6 ThF. So this week the kids have shown up at 7 am everyday so far. In a week that adds up to 9 extra hours. In addition the mom isn't even asking if its ok. The kids are older so she drops them and doesn't get out of the car. I already gave her a lower rate then I wanted to, now she's walking all over me. I'm going to send home a revised policy that says full time care is 50 hrs max. Additional hours will be billed and changes to predetermined schedules need to be cleared with a phone call.

What would you do? Do you allow parents to use your hours any way they like? I'm open 6-6 but that doesn't mean I want a kid there for all 12 hours everyday. I feel that 50 hours is more than generous, especially with those parents who don't even show up for an extra hour after they get off work.

[cheerfuldom]

Start charging fees and demand that parents always walk kids to the door no matter the age (so they can't avoid you!)

[nannyde]

Early arrivals are more problematic than late pick ups in my experience. Get money attached to it and have the fee be STEEP if it is unscheduled and not preaproved.

[TBird]

I guess it all depends on what your contract states. If you just have opening and closing hours, the parents will of course use the entire time if not more. If your contract states that you'll only cover the hours that they need to get back & forth from work then they should only be using those hours.

I usually let my parents use any hours between 7:30am & 5:30pm but it can be kind of annoying when the child first starts and the parent "claims" they'll pick up by 2:30 every day and then that kid is the last one out the door at 5:30. Not that I mind because those are my work hours but it just irks me that they "talk junk" at the initial interview, LOL! I may actually change my contract to only cover the hours that they fill in....it would be nice to have one or two early departures every day.

[laundrymom]

I would send her a note or text in the morning after arrival saying. Hey Joan, your overtime fees for the week from the early drop offs are $.$$. Just bring it at pick up. Thanks and have a great weekend!!

[sharlan]

First of all, NO child enters my door without a parent. No child leaves my door without a parent.

Remind the parents of what their contract says. If it doesn't list specific hours, maybe it's time to revise the contract.

[TBird]

First of all, NO child enters my door without a parent. No child leaves my door without a parent.

Remind the parents of what their contract says. If it doesn't list specific hours, maybe it's time to revise the contract.

Exactly....I think this is what I was trying to say. If the contract is a little "fuzzy" she may not know that she's dropping early.

[daycare]

9.5 hours max. Rate after 9.5 is $6.00 per hour per child
I also require parents sign children in and out.
It forces them to come in. I also require they inform me of any pertinent information about their child/ren
A year ago I had a mom who came in, for some reason the door was unlocked. I was in the bathroom at the at the time and did not see her an her child come in. She signed him in and left. I come out of the bathroom and surprise there's DCB standing on my foyer.
I call mom right away to tell her she needed to pick him up. It was not his regular day to attend care and now I was over my capacity. Of course mom does not answer nor does dad, aunt , other emergency contacts that I called all day.
I called LIC to tell them what was going on.
I was able to get a hold of the grandma and it was 4:30 when I did. She came to get him and I handed a term letter that was effective immediately. Even the grandma was mad at the mom.
Sorry I got of track but thought that I would share that story with you.

I would make sure your contact for the hours set is written very clear. I can share my contracted hours contract with you if you wish...

[PolarCare]

Do you have set open hours?

Or do you just have one family with contracted hours?

I have set open hours, because that's what works well for my situation.

However if you only have one family and have agreed to watch them from one time until another for a set rate, those are the times, or else that isn't the rate. Time changes, rate changes. This isn't Burger King where you drive through when you feel like it and get it your way.

Just hand them an invoice with the extra time calculated into it.

[Meyou]

I'm open 730 until 530 with a set fee that I can live with even if the parents max out my weekly hours. One family does every day. Children must arrive by 9am unless arrangements have been made the day before for an alternate drop off time.

I would either charge a daily fee you can live with or let them know that they have a weekly max of 50 hours to work with.

[DaisyMamma]

2 of the 3 children are only here for this week. This is one of 3 families and they are only here for summer. I sent a notice home last night:
NOTICE: pickup/drop off times
Please always make prior arrangements when picking up or dropping off your child or children outside of their predetermined schedule, whether it will be early or late. The day’s schedule is set around pickup/drop off times.
Thank you for your cooperation.

This is important both ways. I live near a lake and run the summer daycare like a camp. We are there several hours a day and come home to change and get ready only when it's time for parents to come. If they come an hour early then no one is there. What really bugs me is if a parent says 'I'm coming to get DCG at 3' and shows up at 4, meanwhile I had to drag the other 6 kids out of the water to cater to the early pickup.

So anyway, I've reviewed my policies and it says nothing about sticking to the schedule. I do, however, have parents fill out a form that includes their schedule. I will revise and add a clause about extra cost over 50 hours and sticking to the schedule.

I'm a new provider, so I'm learning

[DaisyMamma]

Sorry I got of track but thought that I would share that story with you.

I would make sure your contact for the hours set is written very clear. I can share my contracted hours contract with you if you wish...

That story is very eye opening. What were they thinking?? and what if it were a true emergency and no one was answering their phones!!

If you can send me your contracted hours contract that would be great.

[Kaddidle Care]

Someone needs to physically get their tuckus out of the car and sign the children in. Then you can have a little "heart to heart" with them when they are early. You could just not open the door until it's time for them to come in. hehe!

I'm in a center and we had a parent years ago that would just push their child in through the side door and leave. If we hadn't noticed the child could have gone in a different direction and out the other door! Needless to say the parents were told to come in and sign in for safety's sake. I can't believe some people. ugh!

[nannyde]

I usually let my parents use any hours between 7:30am & 5:30pm but it can be kind of annoying when the child first starts and the parent "claims" they'll pick up by 2:30 every day and then that kid is the last one out the door at 5:30. Not that I mind because those are my work hours but it just irks me that they "talk junk" at the initial interview

How long from the time you start the child till the parent is using the full ten hours? Is there any pattern to it?

[TBird]

How long from the time you start the child till the parent is using the full ten hours? Is there any pattern to it?

Well, the pattern has been....

SAHM's & those who get off of work early usually start using all ten hours when they realize I'm not a psycho killer and their kids love it here, LOL!!! Usually by the end of two weeks. ::

Any suggestions nannyde? I may do a contract update soon....