Originally Posted by momofboys:
Do you have another family in your care? If you don't I would let the parents know that you do not expect them before 9:30 at the earliest & if they happen to arrive prior to that that you may not be home & then BE GONE until 9:30. If you are home b/c of another family let them know you need advance notice for early drop-offs & you have to approve it - also early drop-off is not FREE - state a rate - $5/ per haf hour early of whatever. Sometimes if things aren't free then the parents will realize maybe I don't need to drop off early. Last of all take a deep breath & try to relax. I know this family isn't helping with that but try to take some control back & I would be having those kids wash their hands after every nose-picking incident- that's gross. 
Yes I have two other families that I care for. I thought we had an understanding of the times for that family but .... after a couple of weeks of care they forgot the hour arrangement.
But ........... Its all good. Friday I printed up a letter with a Rate Increase on it and when their mom finally picked them up on Friday I told her all about their behavior all week that I had to deal with. I explained to her that it wasnt worth it for me for the rate that they were paying because their children did not listen to me. She tried to get me to continue watching them for that rate and I just told her that honestly, its not worth my time. The rate increase needs to be done to make it worth my time. So she said she cant afford it.
What I have found is that the families that do not mind paying what their childcare is worth are the families that end up being those you would actually want. The others that want a lower rate, want to get as low of childcare as they can end up being the ones you have to remind to pay you, as well as being the ones that you have issues with hours and everything else. So to me ... I dont really care if she can afford the childcare or not. That is what it is worth to me because I cannot afford to feed her kids for 10 hours/day for nothing either. So I do not pitty her at all. I have to look out for my families needs as well.
Yes my soap supply had to be increased with those kids because their fingers were up there noses all day long. So I was constantly making them wash their hands.
Anyways ........ they are no longer a worry of mine and honestly I am relieved. So even though I lost that income, I will just work on replacing them with a family that isnt going to be so much stress.
It all worked out because one of the parents I babysit for needed childcare for Spring Break for her older child. So I am not out as much as I thought for this week.