Non-Paying Parent Busted!

[Meeko]

This scenario happens over and over and over again in day care. It's maddening...but parents think we are the last ones who need to be paid.

A few years back, I had Mom One give me a sob story and so I let her slide a few days on her payment. Mom Two arrived one day and innocently let it slip that she had seen Mom One at the mall over the weekend. She said that Mom One showed her a $100 bottle of perfume she had just bought!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She couldn't pay me, but she could buy a $100 bottle of perfume!

I vowed then and there to never buy the sob stories. I'm a business. Walmart doesn't give stuff away with the promise of payment later....I don't either. The credit card company doesn't care WHY the payment was late...just that it was late and therefore late fees apply. Same here.

Parents sometimes wonder why we have such rigid rules and policies. It's because if we don't, we get walked all over.

[TBird]

YUP...It's all sh**s and giggles when it's not THEIR money. But let their company not pay them for a hard day of honest labor.....UH BOY....there would be HELL to pay!!!

Sorry Sweetie but they have no respect for you or your business whatsoever. And the funny thing is that they probably act like their child is the most beautiful, special, important thing in their world. Well, apparently not if non-payment to that child's provider is the giggly highlight of their day.

[NiNi.R.]

Oh the nerve! that is horrible...I'd lay your foot down hard from now on. They would be absolutely stupid if they didn't understand why after you seen them do all that. Sorry that might sound horrible of me to say. But seriously, how can they just walk around and pay for stuff like that without feeling embarrassed.

On a side note you must be from an incredibly small town like I am

[Christian Mother]

It's hard when you love the kids so and you know the parents are playing hooky with your hard earn $$. I would draw up a letter and tell them effective immediately they are to pay what they owe plus late fees. You can tell them right there what the letter in tells or just hand it to them and let them know right away that kids will not be allowed back into care with out full payment CASH at drop off Monday morning. Or tell them directly at pick up that bc of running into dcd and witnessing that there really is no hardship you see that you do expect that they pay up what they owe plus late fees. There is no dout that they will most likely fight it. Get good and mad if you have to. That is how you gain your back bone and let them know your upset. By smiling back to dcd it's letting him know there isn't any fault or harm in what he was just caught doing. Or what it implied to you. Some parents are clueless unless they are made to know there is something wrong with that picture. You've got to take back your biz. Let us know what happens!! We all stand by you 100% girl...lay it on them...they need to know that just wasn't ok!!

[Crystal]

Oh hell no! I would have called him out on it right in front of anyone who was with him. I also would have told him not to return, other than to retrieve belongings.

This is a business. It needs to be treated as such, by the parent and by the provider. You can only be taken advantage of it if you allow it.

[Happiness]

I would have had the waitress deliver my bill to his table, as soon as I saw him. Let him wiggle out of it, and explain to his lunch partner, why!

Now that would have been SOOO FUNNY...

Totally agree with everyone in here... it sounds like it is just TIME to stand up to them..... best to do it in writting though... that normally works a lot better...

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

That takes a lot of nerve! Sees you all over the place while wasting his money on junk food and stuff, but doesn't pay his daycare bill?
Since you've let them go without a late fee up to now, but you DO want to keep this family because of the children, I would NOT charge a late fee right now. Nor would I mention seeing him blowing his money on junk food (unless you want to lose the children). Let it go. BUT let them know by written note that their money is due by Friday ALONG WITH this week's money. If not paid on Friday, you will have to charge the late fee. If both weeks are not paid, with the late fee, by Monday morning at drop off, you will not be able to care for the children that day, or anymore, until the money is paid, plus each day's late fee. Usually parents just have to see that you do mean what you have written in the policy. That your policies apply to them as well as everyone else. Once they see you're serious, they will more than likely pay up without taking the children out. Then from then on, NO MORE SYMPATHY! They pay regardless. You go to a store and buy things, but walk out without paying because you can't afford what you bought? No, I don't think so! They bought services from you, but have walked out without paying twice now. To me that's plain and simple stealing.
Last year I had a mom that owed me $10. That was it. But she "couldn't afford it and would pay later". Her daughter told me they went out to eat with mom that night. And "Look at my new shirt! Do you like it? Mommy got it for me." But yet, my $10 didn't get to me until the next week, after nagging her all week, and each day she said she'd pay the next day. After she tried that again the next month, I Finally sent out a note saying late fees for the payments are $1 per day. The next time and from then on, when I asked for the payment, she gave it on time. She simply saw I was serious and that rules applied to her as well. I didn't have to actually charge her a late fee. I just had to tell her there would be one. And constant reminders every single day probably helped also. She could see I wasn't going to let her by without paying, and she probably ran out of reasons she "couldn't afford it" ::
Just remain professional... and stick to your own polices

[PitterPatter]

That takes a lot of nerve! Sees you all over the place while wasting his money on junk food and stuff, but doesn't pay his daycare bill?
Since you've let them go without a late fee up to now, but you DO want to keep this family because of the children, I would NOT charge a late fee right now. Nor would I mention seeing him blowing his money on junk food (unless you want to lose the children). Let it go. BUT let them know by written note that their money is due by Friday ALONG WITH this week's money. If not paid on Friday, you will have to charge the late fee. If both weeks are not paid, with the late fee, by Monday morning at drop off, you will not be able to care for the children that day, or anymore, until the money is paid, plus each day's late fee. Usually parents just have to see that you do mean what you have written in the policy. That your policies apply to them as well as everyone else. Once they see you're serious, they will more than likely pay up without taking the children out. Then from then on, NO MORE SYMPATHY! They pay regardless. You go to a store and buy things, but walk out without paying because you can't afford what you bought? No, I don't think so! They bought services from you, but have walked out without paying twice now. To me that's plain and simple stealing.
Last year I had a mom that owed me $10. That was it. But she "couldn't afford it and would pay later". Her daughter told me they went out to eat with mom that night. And "Look at my new shirt! Do you like it? Mommy got it for me." But yet, my $10 didn't get to me until the next week, after nagging her all week, and each day she said she'd pay the next day. After she tried that again the next month, I Finally sent out a note saying late fees for the payments are $1 per day. The next time and from then on, when I asked for the payment, she gave it on time. She simply saw I was serious and that rules applied to her as well. I didn't have to actually charge her a late fee. I just had to tell her there would be one. And constant reminders every single day probably helped also. She could see I wasn't going to let her by without paying, and she probably ran out of reasons she "couldn't afford it" ::
Just remain professional... and stick to your own polices

I have had it in my contract that the late payment fee is $10 per day. Should I make that lower? I don't want to make it so low that the clients think, so what I will pay it, but right now the fees are much more than the payment.

What I dont get is why DCD thinks he can do this. Unless he thinks I was paid somehow I dont know. As for DCM I told her right to her face last time that the fees would no longer be forgiven because it effects my personal obligations as well as family. With the little bit of cash I get from the parents I use to replenish the kids milk, bread, eggs etc. I am only paid by the state once per month so I depend on the payments to get by. She said she understood so apparantly it's that they just don't care.

After getting the support here I will be telling her when she brings the kids Friday morning that I need payment or they will not be able to attend. I am also having her sign a seperate piece of paper aknowledging the fees so when DCD claims he didn't know oh well DCM did sorry, not my problem that you guys dont talk. I get that a lot by the way that she doesnt tell him anything and he is in charge of finances. Not my problem. I wrote on the last reciepts that I forgave the $10 late fees and that they wont be forgiven anymore. Being the 1 in charge he should see that but he claims she doesnt give them to him. He said he never saw a single newsletter that I put such details in so this month I called him told him she had recieved it and to ask her for it or check the diaper bag where it all goes. I think he knows too just doesn't care. So as of Friday care will be denied. I am also going to see if I can charge them up front and whatever they dont use in those 2 weeks will be credited. I have to ask the state because in the past they denied us that right.

Thanks everyone, I will update!

[Crystal]

No! Don't make it lower, that will just tempt them to pay late even more!

It is in my contract that there is a $25 per day late fee.....in over 14 years in this business I have NEVER had a parent pay me late. They know I mean what I say and do not want to pay $25 per day.

[Kaddidle Care]

I had asked if he paid in cash or credit card:

Cash! He handed the cashier cash at the restaraunt to cover he and his friends meal then again at the thrift store. I made it a point to spy I don't know what he used at Walmart I didn't see him leave there.

Oh bugger! I'd be pretty hot too!

What I dont get is why DCD thinks he can do this. Unless he thinks I was paid somehow I dont know.

He doesn't/did not think. Without his kids in eyesight he's not thinking about you at all. Trala-lala-la!

You get him girl!

[mismatchedsocks]

Do not lower it! Mine is $25 a day like Crystals. I have had a parent try to be last once, told me Friday at pick up, can I just pay you Monday morning? I said sure, but add $50 on for late fees. Needless to say she whipped out her check book and paid on the spot.

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

Oh, no. Don't lower the late fee. I didn't mean the $1/day was for their weekly daycare rate. It was for something else. She owed me for something rather than the owner. Our weekly payments are supposed to be due on Friday, paid in advance for the upcoming week. Our policy says the late fee is $10/day for daycare payments. Don't feel bad about that. Their full rate would probably be at least $100/week if they weren't on state assistance, so $10/day is just enough to make them NOT want to make that mistake again

[dEHmom]

Was he paying for these things with cash or credit card? Because if it's credit card, he's probably not paying them back either.

I like the No Pay/No Stay policy. Remind them that you are not blind as well.

true, BUT he could easily walk over to the atm in walmart and pull out some cash on the credit.

[PitterPatter]

Updating.... I probably won't ever see my money. DCM just called me and told me the kids won't be coming tomorrow now either because she is terminated from her job because she calls off too much. Her words to me were this "Work just called to tell me not to come in tomorrow I am terminated because I have had to call off too much on weekends when you can't watch the kids because I have no one else" She just took an extra unnecessary week off THAT is why she got fired!!

I told her there is not a provider on this earth that will keep daycare open 7 days a week for her kids. She said she understands and for me not to worry because she applied for a night time job and told her friend she better get her hired. (ok ask that friend to watch the kids on weekends. AND she BETTER get her hired? niiice ) I informed her that she may want to try to find another day shift somewhere else because I don't stay open all night. She says it would only be until 1am or so. Yeah and I open at 8am so when am I supposed to sleep and have some family time? She said she might just have to find another provider. I said ok you do that good luck to you. I reminded her I still need paid tomorrow. She said she will try to stop by.

[MarinaVanessa]

She said she might just have to find another provider. I said ok you do that good luck to you. I reminded her I still need paid tomorrow. She said she will try to stop by.

My response?

Um ... no. You have no job. That means you are free tomorrow. You need to pay me when I'm due no matter what. I get paid tomorrow period. If I am not paid when I'm due I AM adding the late payment fee. Let me know if you just don't plan on paying me at all so that we can save time and I can go straight to the collections office.

... or something like that. Late payers + try to skip payment = me mad. Grr