I've been in operation for about 6 months now and I have had very good luck with my families. They are all very good parents, no problems with payment, considerate, always on time, etc.
My newest family is a single mom sharing custody, going to school and working a weird schedule (i.e., weekends and different days each week). When they first came to interview she wanted Tue/Thurs/Fri until May when it would become Tue thru Fri. No problem. When he actually started it was just two days per week, sometimes the three we had agreed on. She asked if that was ok just until May I said sure. May came and went and no mention of going to four days. I finally asked and said that I had stopped advertising because I thought he would be four days and I would be full. I told her that if it was only going to be 2 days I'd have to take on another p/t child. She said that now it wouldn't be until September because her work delayed her fulltime schedule but that she would pay for four days to hold his spot because she didn't want to take him somewhere else.
Then she emails asking if she could start at the four day rate next week as she's short on cash (mentions that she's doing it on her own, no help from dad). Sigh. Okay, next week is fine. She gave me a check for the four days today. After kids go home I ran to the atm and deposited the check. Just checked my email and she's asking me to hold the check until Friday because that's when she gets paid. I replied that I had already deposited the check, she responds no problem I'll transfer money over. Really? You have the money in another account and you're asking me to hold your check?
I feel like I'm headed for trouble with this family, like she's taking advantage of me. Here I am feeling bad that I'm charging a single mom for days that DCB isn't even coming. Then my husband points out that she shows up dressed in expensive clothes typing on her smart phone and her son wears a new pair of Nikes every other day while we're barely scraping by. I guess I've been spoiled by my other families. I guess I need one of those backbones you all keep talking about
