Late Pickup

**AnneCordelia** · 08-16-2011, 04:54 AM

It's going to be an everyday thing unless you put forth a policy to discourage it. Clearly $1/minute is a rate she's willing to pay and she will continue to do so.

If I were you I would tell her that the late charges are not meant as welcome overtime but as a deterent for lateness. I would explain that I have a busy family life after my daycare hours and that needs to be respected. I would explain that she has utilized care for 3 days and has been late on all 3 days by larger and larger amounts on all 3 days, which is unacceptable. I would institute a '3 strikes you're out' system and tell her that she's already used 2.

Honestly. 100 minutes late? Unless someone died then it's unacceptable and, in my daycare, they'd have been terminated on the spot for it.

**WImom** · 08-16-2011, 04:55 AM

I would term (once she's all paid up) if this happens again.

**TBird** · 08-16-2011, 05:11 AM

Wow...I have no late parents now but in the past I've thought about terming over 15/20 minutes late.

**Cat Herder** · 08-16-2011, 05:34 AM

Has she paid the fees already??

**nannyde** · 08-16-2011, 06:01 AM

Have you actually been paid for any of these dollar per minutes? If she's just giving you the words that she will do it ... it could end ugly with her just leaving to avoid the payment.

I wouldn't allow her back thru the door until she was paid up. Also, the dollar per minute needs to be PER KID.

If she can afford the dollar a minute then you have to raise it. You just need to find her threshhold that makes it where it is actually a deterent.

If you just have words for payment... gear up for a term without notice.

**wdmmom** · 08-16-2011, 06:07 AM

$1.00 per minute, per child.

And, I'd tell her that after 3 times (which she's already been late), it goes to $5.00 per minute. Bet she isn't late anymore! :

:

I'd tell her that she needs to contract hours. Same pick up and drop off each day and if she's going to be beyond the pick up time, she needs to designate someone to be here on time.

I'd give her a 30 day probationary letter and tell her that if she's late again, she's terminated on the spot.

SHOW her you don't play games!

**MyAngels** · 08-16-2011, 07:05 AM

I don't even charge a late fee. My late policy is: Don't even try it :

:. Fortunately it's extremely rare that any one does - try it, that is.

**Dahlia** · 08-16-2011, 07:31 AM

Originally posted by AnneCordelia

If I were you I would tell her that the late charges are not meant as welcome overtime but as a deterent for lateness. I would explain that I have a busy family life after my daycare hours and that needs to be respected.

^^This. She may not quite get that it's a hardship (especially if she's agreed to pay the late fee), and since she's already told you that Dad is out of town for training, she may think you have an understanding that it's a temporary situation that she's compensating you for.

I'd let her know that it's a problem for you, that schedule changes (related to Dad being out of town or whatever) that extend past normal hours need to be approved in advance, and that 15 minutes (or whatever you're comfortable with) after closing time you're going to start calling the people on her emergency contact list.

**AfterSchoolMom** · 08-16-2011, 07:56 AM

Originally posted by MyAngels

I don't even charge a late fee. My late policy is: Don't even try it :

:. Fortunately it's extremely rare that any one does - try it, that is.

I think Nannyde has a policy like this too. What do you do if someone does try it? I'd love to know, because that's the kind of policy I want as well.

**MyAngels** · 08-16-2011, 08:31 AM

Originally posted by AfterSchoolMom

I think Nannyde has a policy like this too. What do you do if someone does try it? I'd love to know, because that's the kind of policy I want as well.

It starts at the initial interview. I stress, stress, stress that this is non-negotiable. I tell them that if there's any possibility they will run into problems getting here well before 5:00 p.m. (my closing time) that they should find a provider who is open later.

If I have a parent call me and say that they work until 5:00, but will arrange to get here earlier in order to meet my closing time I will pass on that family because I don't want this issue.

I stress it again when the family starts. If anyone begins to inch toward that time with pick ups I will reiterate it again.

Every one of my families over the years has known that this is a deal breaker for me. Apparently they value my care enough that they don't want to risk it. I appreciate the fact that they are so respectful on this and other policies as well, and don't hesitate to let them know it.

**MARSTELAC** · 08-16-2011, 06:05 PM

I too don't want pick-ups after my end-time any longer. I have just sent home a revision to my contract indicating that families must be departed from daycare no later than 5:15 as I need to leave immediately. I know I will have several who will run late, pay the late fee, and never look back. How do I nip it before it starts? I MUST leave to get my children to sports. I told the parents that they could add people to their list of approved pick-up people just in case. Just yesterday I took my kids to their doc appointments and closed an hour and a half early. Two families were 3 minutes late. I had high blood pressure for the next several hours :-( I barely made it to the appointment because of traffic and trying to get out of my driveway. I was in hopes that they would be courteous and have the kids picked up actually a few minutes before the time I needed to leave. I'm really frustrated by the lack of respect lately. I am just glad I have you all to "vent" to. Sorry this is so long. I'm a big, whiny baby this month.

**MARSTELAC** · 08-16-2011, 06:09 PM

p.s.....

Originally posted by MARSTELAC

I too don't want pick-ups after my end-time any longer. I have just sent home a revision to my contract indicating that families must be departed from daycare no later than 5:15 as I need to leave immediately. I know I will have several who will run late, pay the late fee, and never look back. How do I nip it before it starts? I MUST leave to get my children to sports. I told the parents that they could add people to their list of approved pick-up people just in case. Just yesterday I took my kids to their doc appointments and closed an hour and a half early. Two families were 3 minutes late. I had high blood pressure for the next several hours :-( I barely made it to the appointment because of traffic and trying to get out of my driveway. I was in hopes that they would be courteous and have the kids picked up actually a few minutes before the time I needed to leave. I'm really frustrated by the lack of respect lately. I am just glad I have you all to "vent" to. Sorry this is so long. I'm a big, whiny baby this month.

I know many of you suggested contracted hours. I don't know how to do that. I have families that parents have two different work schedules and some parents who are not together and alternate parenting. Several of my parents have schedules that alternate weekly. I am SOOOOOO confused...

**beachgrl** · 08-29-2011, 11:13 AM

Thanks for all the responses, I obviously have A LOT to learn from everyone and from my experience so far. I too need to think about contracting hours and how to go about that with the families. I think the situation has resolved itself though with Dad picking up the kids an hour or more ahead of my closing time last week, he even picked up at 12 on one day! We will see how this week goes, I do like a couple of the suggestions especially letting parents know you will be leaving and have to be somewhere as well as giving them notice after three times its a termination or will be calling emergency contacts after 15 min, all great ideas.

Mom and dad don't seem to be on the same page but Dad has definitely stepped up last week in ensuring they were picked up on time. They pay daily and paid in full including late fees every time so that was good at least.

Thanks guys,
this is a great place to get advice and vent...I really look forward to getting to know everyone!

**beachgrl** · 09-02-2011, 07:12 AM

Being a doormat evidently, not getting any better

So update on this, I thought things were improving as dcd picks up early and drops off later when he brings the dkb, but that being said..I never know when to expect him so I am up and ready and downstairs waiting at 7:30 am not knowing when he will actually get here. It has been around 9am usually if dcd brings, and he will typically pickup a half hour or so early. He even picked up a half day early on one day which was a nice surprise but should have known it would be turned around on me at some point.

So they have a late fee for one afternoon from over a week ago and one from a day ago, and although they pay me consistently..the late fees haven't been paid because they have only ONE checkbook and it's never with whoever is picking up or dropping off and I get I can run it by one afternoon no problem but yet I still haven't gotten the money despite having gotten paid for the regular days. I wasn't worried about the one day because i thought they would pay it when they paid for their days this week, but they forgot. Add in the fact they said the dkb would be ft when his sibling went to school, now they want to just do drop in days and aren't sure if they want to do full time yet (mainly bc they prolly know I don't have the spaces filled so they don't have to worry about losing a spot and can save themselves some money although I told them it would be a pt rate if he was coming 3 days or less and ft if 4 days or more) Add in the fact that this week I was supposed to have dkb one day and dcd waited until 3 hours later to call and say he got busy and would be another hour so he just wasn't going to mess with it that day, so I lost the pay for that day. Then I skipped a day they wanted to bring him bc we had already talked about them not needing that day and I told them I would take care of some things I needed to do that day and of course they called that day and I told them I could but that I had already made plans so he said that was fine so I skipped pay that day to make a point. Then I had him yesterday and dkm was late and didn't have checkbook of course. Supposed to have him today and dcd calls at almost 9 to tell me dcb won't be here bc he is keeping him home as he isnt feeling well and feels warm and sibling has been sick already and is home too. (okay, good that he let me know and didn't bring him sick, I appreciate that although he was prollly already feeling bad yesterday and that is why he was more cranky than usual)

Okay, so all that being said, when dcd calls to tell me this I ask if someone will be coming by to pay the late fees as dcm didn't and he said I have no idea when she will be off and we were going to talk to you about that anyway, we can't really keep paying that bc we are paying the same thing we would pay for a full day and with you being out in a rural area ten min away and with the train and all it's just going to be a problem for us and can I just stay open until 6 so they don't have to pay the late fees and other places all stay open until 6..that was the only drawback to my center was the 5:30 thing but they like me and my center and want to use me..blah blah blah..oh, and can I just trade the late fees for that half day when he picked the kids up early????? what? omg...I feel like a doormat although I didn't say yes to any of that and said I close at that time so I can do things i need to do with my family and for school, etc and that there are plenty of other centers that close at the same time as i know the people running them. I also said day cares charge $5 min instead of $1 so I was trying to make my late fees reasonable in comparison. I was taken by surprise with his stuff this am but I did try to have a backbone somewhat, I don't have a handbook or contract yet and am working on that this week but I think they know I only have one other kid who is a drop in and so I don't have a lot of choice right now. I want to try to work with people and not be unreasonable but at the same time I don't want to be taken advantage of. He said he understands a late fee if its like 7:00/7:30 but for ten minutes while getting stuck by the train (which doesn't work out to ten min bc then dcm would be there at 5:40 not 5:30 and with the 5 min grace period would only owe $5 not $20..so obviously she is not leaving work in a time that will allow her to get here!!!) so I know that if the time is an issue for the couple days dcm has to pick up that I may lose them but Idk what the solution is? Charge a specific amount more per day to them for any time up to 6? make them pay a weekly fee regardless of days? I feel like they should owe for at least the one day this week when he didn't just bring the kid, Idk about charging for the days kids are sick for drop ins so I guess I just wonder how others would handle this and especially from the viewpoint of him being a drop in)?

Sorry so long, I just had to vent bc this fam has been a challenge and yet they are all I have other than one other dcb I picked up for a cpl days a week drop in. I worry about getting enough kids in to make it or how long I should wait before I have to go try to find an outside job, I am stressing about money (my income was the major income for our household as a teacher and with my hubby and I both in school he has to stay at the job where he is for now which costs us quite a bit in gas and stress and physical problems for him with his back and such). I have turned down people who wanted me to keep their kids half the day until almost 10pm and with wacky schedules and the one who wanted me to keep 3 kids all weekend for about 14 hours shifts I didn't hear back from so I have no other prospects yet>

Late Pickup

Late Pickup

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment