Updating My Contract

[melissa ann]

I have decided to make some changes. For starters, I will be going to paying in advanced. My CCIS parent does it and this will make things less complicated. Everyone will be paying for the same week at the same time. Right now, the other family is paying on fridays after care is given.
2nd, I will be getting paid for 6 out of 10 holidays. Right now I don't get paid for any. The ones not paid are Good Friday, day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. All others will be paid.
I am going to be changing my rate as well. Right now, I have a daily rate with a 3 day min. Right now, my 3 day rate is $54/week. My daily rate x's 3. I will be going to part-time: 3 days or less: $60 and full-time: 4 or 5 days $90. I will also only accept payments during my business hours only. I will not wait over the weekend for no-shows. This has only happened about twice to me in about 2 yrs. But I'm covering everything.
Now, my current contract runs out the end of June. I am closed for vacation the week of July 5-9. So I will start everything then. This way the other family won't have to pay for 2 weeks at once since I don't charge for my vacation. So instead of "skiping" a payment, they won't.

I do have a question. Does anyone charge a replacement fee when you give parents forms to sign that they "lose"? I have one parent that I always seem to have to give them another copy of a form. I was thinking of charging $2.00 for replacing a form. I know it might sound a little steep but the cost of paper and ink add up when I have to give them 2 or 3 copies of something.

[gbcc]

I always give the parents a copy to take home and read. they can keep this for future reference if needed. Once they have read it, I will have them sign a copy here for my records.

[melissa ann]

They do get to keep copy of the handbook, newsletters etc. But whenever I need something signed like the agreement, grandpa always "loses" it and doesn't like to sign for anything. His daughter fills out the current forms for her 2 kids.

[gbcc]

What I mean is I make two copies of what needs to be signed. One goes to them to read over and keep for reference. The other gets signed with the copy I keep at my home. They have a deadline to sign it, usually 2 wks. I tell them they are my policies and they are non negotiable. If a parent doesn't want to sign it I politely tell them that I may not be the provider they are looking for.

If they loose a copy then it is their copy, not mine.

[Former Teacher]

We would give the parents one copy at registration. If they happen to "lose" that copy, then we would give them the papers that needed to be signed and they needed to sign them right there in front of us. We would go over the other paperwork but they couldn't take it with them. Cheap, I know but like you said, those things do add up.

As for our summer packet with a calendar of all the field trips, and permission slips etc...there was a big note that said something like if you have to replace this packet it was a cost of $3.00. Then again it was several pages. Of course we never charged them. We always had to post trips etc on the door anyway since it is required by state.

I do agree though that yes you should charge. I think $2.00 is a fair amount

[tymaboy]

I hand out all the paper work at the interview. If they loose it I will email it to them or they get a copy of it of the website. They have 2 weeks to return the paper work to me.

[melissa ann]

This happened yesterday so this will be going in my updated handbook. Any amount over what is due will not be credited to next week's bill. I am not a bank and normally don't have any money on me. So, they can either have the exact amount, give the extra or be short and pay a late fee. Their choice.
It's a pain having to deduct off their bill what they paid extra. If he does pay extra it's normally $5. like would that kill him to give me an extra 5 bucks? His boy is here from 6am -5pm, my hours. Heaven forbid he would show up a little earlier to pick him up. But, anyway, that's a different story and I"m getting sidetracked. Sorry

[Former Teacher]

This happened yesterday so this will be going in my updated handbook. Any amount over what is due will not be credited to next week's bill. I am not a bank and normally don't have any money on me. So, they can either have the exact amount, give the extra or be short and pay a late fee. Their choice.
It's a pain having to deduct off their bill what they paid extra. If he does pay extra it's normally $5. like would that kill him to give me an extra 5 bucks? His boy is here from 6am -5pm, my hours. Heaven forbid he would show up a little earlier to pick him up. But, anyway, that's a different story and I"m getting sidetracked. Sorry

Sad I know but as they say.."gotta get their money's worth!"

[alyssyn]

Yes!! Sad but true!