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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Closing Time..Letter...But Thinking of Terminating
My4SunshineGirlsNY 07:00 AM 06-24-2010
The mom of my 4 year old daycare boy was fully aware when I took her son back in a month ago that I close at 5p.m. I had her son back in Jan. for 2 weeks only, before the father's work ran out and they didn't need me any longer. She asked last month if I had a spot and I explained to her I do, but I need to close at 5p.m. because my girls are in Softball with practices at 5:30 so I need time to clean up and get my kids dinner, ect.

In the past month that I have had her son she has picked up past 5p.m. about 7-8 times (maybe more, I would have to look at the calendar). It is in my contract any pick ups after 5 will be charged a late fee of $4/hour with a one hour min. (WAY too cheap I know!)...I wasn't charging it and I know I should have been consistant but let it slide until last Friday...5p.m. rolls around and she's not here yet...my kids were anxiously waiting to use the swimming pool and once again I had to wait around for her..so I decided no more nice girl, I'm charging the late fee....she gave no problem paying it.

So last night I typed up a daycare newsletter...letting parents know what we have been doing in daycare and then addressed the late fee. I explained that in all fairness to my closing time I will be charging my late fee for anytime after 5pm...but then proceeded to say that I need to close at 5p.m. sharp and if your work schedule cannot accomodate this pick up time, parents will need to make arrangements so their child can be picked up at that time, or find an alternate daycare that has a later closing time. I start my day at 5:30a.m. and I don't want any kids past 5p.m....my family time is important, even if it's 5:05 it bothers me.

She is the only mom that picks up after 5 so basically that is all directed toward her....I have not yet given her the newsletter because I feel it will be wise to wait until I get paid on Friday (yup, I'm learning!)

Well now I'm wondering if I should just scratch that letter and just write out a termination letter instead. I don't like to terminate loosly....but honestly I have found myself in a "hairy" spot again...the kids are now all out of school and I feel I have WAY too much on my plate...too many mouths to feed, too many messes to clean up...too many arguments to break up...just a lot of things going on for one person...I have 4 of my own kids plus 5 full time daycare kids and 2 part time kids coming 1-2 days/week starting next week.

I thought I could handle it, but now I'm thinking not, and feel bad to terminate because of my fault, know what I mean? However the after 5 pick ups is a good enough reason for me, but if she fixes that issue I'm still not sure I want to continue with him because of too many kids for one person. I think he's harder to tolerate because his mother irritates me...letting him get into her running car, dropping him off whithout seeing me, not giving me much response when I tell her he isn't listening to me all day long, letting him be her boss, ect.

I know it's my business and I need to do what works for me and my family, and I feel letting him go will help reduce my stress level, it just feels good to write it all out and get it off my chest. I keep tossing my mind up of should I let him go or just give her the late fee newsletter and hope she needs to find someone else to meet her work schedule needs. Something I need to think hard about today and tomorrow.
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MsKara 10:55 AM 06-24-2010
I guess you have to decide this. If she starts picking him up on time, are you still going to regret keeping him. If you will still be annoyed for other reasons, I'd let him go. It's not good to have too much on your plate.
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My4SunshineGirlsNY 11:05 AM 06-24-2010
Originally Posted by MsKara:
I guess you have to decide this. If she starts picking him up on time, are you still going to regret keeping him. If you will still be annoyed for other reasons, I'd let him go. It's not good to have too much on your plate.

Yup, that's it...I have found myself still irritated today because the boy won't listen to me. Same things over and over and over....this isn't enough to terminate alone, but with a combo of other things, I think I will do it.
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nannyde 11:19 AM 06-24-2010
Originally Posted by My4SunshineGirlsNY:
Yup, that's it...I have found myself still irritated today because the boy won't listen to me. Same things over and over and over....this isn't enough to terminate alone, but with a combo of other things, I think I will do it.
It is enough to terminate. You don't have to put up with disrespectful not minding kids. Tell the Mom that she can't be one minute late and that her kid needs to start being respectful and MIND you or find another day care.

Why are we SO afraid to make them mad? It's okay for them to make us mad and their kid to treat us like crap but we don't want to upset them?

If you want the money then keep him and deal. If you can do without the money then you have NOTHING to loose by putting the hammer down on both of them.
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My4SunshineGirlsNY 11:48 AM 06-24-2010
Originally Posted by nannyde:
Why are we SO afraid to make them mad? It's okay for them to make us mad and their kid to treat us like crap but we don't want to upset them?

If you want the money then keep him and deal. If you can do without the money then you have NOTHING to loose by putting the hammer down on both of them.
I think we get aftraid to make them mad because it's our daycare reputation...we don't want to get a "bad name"...and a lot of parents feel we are the "professionals" and since we are in the profession, we should be able to handle these situations and deal with them. Little do they know what some parents are like! But that's just my take on it. I 100% agree..we shouldn't have to deal with constant disrespect and not listening. It gets tiring and if the parents are not going to help fix it and it's still happening in daycare, I don't know what else to do.

I'm at a good place where I don't need this extra money...yup it's nice, but I can budget without it right now. That's why I keep telling myself my kid's time is more important than the extra money.
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nannyde 12:26 PM 06-24-2010
Originally Posted by My4SunshineGirlsNY:
I think we get aftraid to make them mad because it's our daycare reputation...we don't want to get a "bad name"...and a lot of parents feel we are the "professionals" and since we are in the profession, we should be able to handle these situations and deal with them. Little do they know what some parents are like! But that's just my take on it. I 100% agree..we shouldn't have to deal with constant disrespect and not listening. It gets tiring and if the parents are not going to help fix it and it's still happening in daycare, I don't know what else to do.

I'm at a good place where I don't need this extra money...yup it's nice, but I can budget without it right now. That's why I keep telling myself my kid's time is more important than the extra money.
I could give a flip about my reputation. I want to get paid.
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gbcc 01:15 PM 06-24-2010
Originally Posted by My4SunshineGirlsNY:
I think we get aftraid to make them mad because it's our daycare reputation...we don't want to get a "bad name"...and a lot of parents feel we are the "professionals" and since we are in the profession, we should be able to handle these situations and deal with them.
That is my exact first thought when I have to confront a parent.
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My4SunshineGirlsNY 02:11 PM 06-24-2010
Ok, my mind is made up...after I get paid tomorrow I am not hesitating to terminate. All day long this boy doesn't listen to me...this afternoon my daughter got hurt because he didn't listen...he did what I have told him not to do over and over and over...he ran my daughter over in the driveway with my double stroller while a parent was picking up her school age girls. Her knee was cut open and a bit on her ankle. I have told this boy endlessly NOT to push the stroller because he could hurt my little daycare boy. Just NOT happy, that does it.

I told her about it at pick up and she asked if he said he was sorry..I said he did..he's good about saying sorry and using manners when told BUT he doesn't listen all day long..still does the same things he's not supposed to do over and over again. I guess I'm a different mom, I would have appologized to my provider and said I will have a talk with my child to fix the listening issue. This mom is just "duh" and doesn't get it...I don't know if it's really the child that is the whole issue here, or the mom that just irritates the heck out of me with her lack of manners. Either way, I'm downsizing, starting with this boy.
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mismatchedsocks 07:12 PM 06-24-2010
Good luck.

For future use maybe.... Here is something I got from another provider. I make sure to go over this with ALL families every year. Upon everyone signing and me going over each point and having EVERY family INITIAL every spot, I have had no Late pick ups. And I had 3 families pushing their limit!

HOURS OF OPERATION:
6:00 am -5:00 pm Monday through Friday– __________initials

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
1. All forms in packet, except immunization form and health report, upon start date.
2. Child must be up to date with immunizations (turned into me within a month)
3. Signed/dated contract and policies
4. Child must have health report signed by doctor on file within 3 months of starting. I cannot accept your child once the 3 month passes.
__________initials


TERMINATION OF SERVICE:
1. Termination is immediate and Lil’ Rugrats is not required to give a two week termination notice for:
a. Non-payment of fees
b. Non-compliance with daycare policies
c. Failure to maintain immunizations
d. Harmful and/or disruptive behavior– child and/or parent
__________initials

HEALTH POLICY:
A child with any of the following symptoms must be kept out of daycare until
symptoms have passed. If the child goes to a doctor for the illness, a doctor’s note may be supplied, stating the child is in no way contagious.
a. Anything contagious
b. Diarrhea
c. Vomiting
d. Severe sore throat (leads to strep throat)
e. Temperature over 101 degrees
f. Unable to participate in the normal activities of this childcare because of not feeling well. Physical impairments such as broken bones, etc. are welcome.
If your child has been exposed to a contagious disease, please let me know as soon as possible so that I may notify the other parents right away.
__________initials

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES:
Before a child with any communicable disease may return, a note from the child’s doctor must be supplied.
__________initials

PARENT RESPONSIBILITY:
1. Toy guns and war toys are not allowed. Children may bring no more than one toy per day and it must have their name on it. Toys with no names will be kept in child’s cubby.
2. Parents supply all medications for child.
3. Weekly fees and late charges must be paid on time.
4. Two weeks notice or two weeks payment must be given upon termination of child care.
__________initials

WEEKLY INVESTMENT:
*Fees must be paid weekly each Monday (may be bi-weekly but must be paid in advance)
*Contract rate remains the same each week regardless of holidays or your child’s absence (unless using days off)
*There is a $20.00 per day charge for late payments
*NSF checks have a $25.00 fee plus any bank fees for 1st time, and then must be paid in cash or money order from that NSF fee payment on.
__________initials

OVERTIME CHARGES:
Parents are expected to pick up and drop off their child at the time contracted everyday. Only under pre-approved circumstances, may a parent arrange a late pick up or early drop off. If prior arrangements are not made, the following charge will apply (Except for unforeseen emergencies) and this is paid directly to the staff member arriving early or staying late.
$1.00 for each 1 minute, beginning with the first minute.
__________initials

HOLIDAYS:
There will be no child care available for the following paid holidays in 2011:
New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

____________initials
LEAVE TIME:
All parents are given leave time equal to the number of days contracted for in a week. For example, a family that is enrolled for 5 days each week is allowed to take up to 5 days, per year, off without financial responsibility to the daycare. Leave time is given primarily to encourage parents to tend the needs of their sick child at home.
____________initials


This contract will provide a space for your child ______________________at Lil’

Rugrats daycare beginning ______________ and ending on December 31, 2010.

The rate is $_______________ the days and times needed to be scheduled are as follows:

Monday: ______ to ______

Tuesday: ______ to ______

Wednesday: ______ to ______

Thursday: ______ to ______

Friday: ______ to ______

I understand that if I drop off my child early or pick up my child later than the times stated above, without prior arrangements, I will be charged the early/late fee.
__________initials
I have read and fully understand everything involved in this contract, and have taken all opportunities to clarify any questions prior to signing this contract, and under-stand that I will be held legally responsible for all payments discussed in this con-tract.
__________initials


Parent Signature ___________________________________ Date ____________



E-Mail Address ______________________________________________________





Parent Signature ___________________________________ Date ____________



E-Mail Address ______________________________________________________






Provider Signature ___________________________________ Date ____________
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jen 05:05 AM 06-25-2010
Originally Posted by My4SunshineGirlsNY:
Ok, my mind is made up...after I get paid tomorrow I am not hesitating to terminate. All day long this boy doesn't listen to me...this afternoon my daughter got hurt because he didn't listen...he did what I have told him not to do over and over and over...he ran my daughter over in the driveway with my double stroller while a parent was picking up her school age girls. Her knee was cut open and a bit on her ankle. I have told this boy endlessly NOT to push the stroller because he could hurt my little daycare boy. Just NOT happy, that does it.

I told her about it at pick up and she asked if he said he was sorry..I said he did..he's good about saying sorry and using manners when told BUT he doesn't listen all day long..still does the same things he's not supposed to do over and over again. I guess I'm a different mom, I would have appologized to my provider and said I will have a talk with my child to fix the listening issue. This mom is just "duh" and doesn't get it...I don't know if it's really the child that is the whole issue here, or the mom that just irritates the heck out of me with her lack of manners. Either way, I'm downsizing, starting with this boy.
Good for you! Let us know how it goes!
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misol 07:41 AM 06-25-2010
Originally Posted by :
WEEKLY INVESTMENT:
*Fees must be paid weekly each Monday (may be bi-weekly but must be paid in advance)
*Contract rate remains the same each week regardless of holidays or your child’s absence (unless using days off)
*There is a $20.00 per day charge for late payments
*NSF checks have a $25.00 fee plus any bank fees for 1st time, and then must be paid in cash or money order from that NSF fee payment on.
__________initials

OVERTIME CHARGES:
Parents are expected to pick up and drop off their child at the time contracted everyday. Only under pre-approved circumstances, may a parent arrange a late pick up or early drop off. If prior arrangements are not made, the following charge will apply (Except for unforeseen emergencies) and this is paid directly to the staff member arriving early or staying late.
$1.00 for each 1 minute, beginning with the first minute.
__________initials

I understand that if I drop off my child early or pick up my child later than the times stated above, without prior arrangements, I will be charged the early/late fee.
__________initials
I have read and fully understand everything involved in this contract, and have taken all opportunities to clarify any questions prior to signing this contract, and under-stand that I will be held legally responsible for all payments discussed in this con-tract.
__________initials

I LOVE that you call it a weekly investment! Especially since that is exactly what it is. I am going to start calling it that too. It sounds so much better than "tuition" or "payment".

I also like that the overtime fees are paid directly to the staff member that was inconvenienced by having to stay late or arrive early. I am going to write this into my policies (even though I am the only staff member at this time)
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