Sorry for any typos, but I just need to throw this up somewhere...
So,
I was contacted earlier this week by a mom who seemed like she needed care, like yesterday. She wanted to start the next day, but I require an interview, so I allowed her to come by way past closing, at around 7:30 pm. That's already unusual because I don't normally conduct business past 6:30, but I figured, hey, everyone needs a little help here and there.
So, she gets here a couple minutes late to the interview with her husband, no kids. The interview goes okay. They mentioned receiving help from the county to pay for daycare, which I do accept. Then they told me the time they would need care. Their oldest (7 yo boy) would need after care from 3:30-close (5:30); their youngest (4 yo boy) would need care all day on Monday, then Tues-Fri 7 am-11 and 3:30-5:30.
Now listen folks, my usual group doesn't come rolling in until 7:30-8, so I've gotten reeeaaaal used to taking my time and having a really relaxed morning, so I wasn't too excited about that, but those are the hours I advertise for, so sucks for me
.
The older boy goes to school all day and the younger one goes to preschool for a half day. The parents said they had a system to transport them where they needed to go. I say okay! I ask them to read the policy before they enroll and fill out the paperwork to make sure this is a good fit and they guarantee that they will. I told her to read the policy like three times. She even made a joke about obviously it's really important to me to read the policy.
After the interview, I sent them a thank you email with a link to some paperwork and the policy handbook as well as instructions on how to pay (cash or check due upon drop off on their first day). I told her this in person as well. I also told them the amount that was due.
The night before they're supposed to come, the mom calls me...at
10:53 PM, just as we're dozing off to sleep to ask if I accept CashApp. I shortly tell her no and that I'm sleeping. My husband wakes up at 3:30 am to go to work. Usually when you get a call that late, it's something very important, so I answered. We were both pretty pissed.
Fast forward to the day they're supposed to come. They don't. She tells me they're going to start the next day instead at around 7:20. Fast forward to today. They're supposed to be here at 7 and the older boy is supposed to get picked up by a cab to take him to school at 7:40. I wake up early and get ready to greet them at 7. I have to poop at 6:59, but I hold it in. It's 7, 7:15, 7:30. I poop and then text the mom to see if they're coming. She texts oh, their dad is going to bring them. They should be there soon. The cab comes at 7:40. They get there around 8.
~~Things you can learn from reading the policy or the email I sent them are in italics~~
Dad hands over the paperwork and asks
how much they need to pay. He only has the registration fee. Then, dad asks if can I get him something to eat because he didn't get a chance to take him to McDonald's this morning. I tell him
snack is at 10 and he looks surprised and says, okay I'll come back to get him something. I love that he cares enough to come back to feed his kid, but
outside food is not allowed.. I take into consideration it's his first day, so I say I'll feed him. We go in and I now have to stop everything we're doing to get everybody some cereal because it's only fair.
Mom calls. I answer, she refers to me as "young lady" and proceeds to ask about payment because the government is supposed to pay for them, so why does she have to pay me now? I tell her the money is due on the first day. The government payments are not set up yet, so she has to pay. She says okay and we hang up. Mom calls again and tells me her older son has a half day TODAY and will be coming right before nap time for the rest of the day.
There's more, but I'm tired of typing. Needless to say, these guys will not be here long.
I try to give everyone a chance, but I think I need to start turning people down
Would you guys give it another week? The mom wants to know if this will work by tomorrow instead of giving herself the 2 week trial period. I know they're still working out some kinks in their plan, but jeez!