I just charged a parent that.

She is contracted to come at 8:30 and showed up at my house at 7:08. I wasn't surprised, but I was still disappointed. No one was supposed to arrive until 7:30 today, so I was enjoying my late morning until I saw her walking up to my house.

No call, email, text, smoke signal, nuthin. I told her I have an early fee and would charge her this time and she explained the perfectly good reason why she was early. I told her I would still charge her and I don't think she believed or understood me. I charge parents based on their contracted hours. I've had issues with her in the past but have been very lenient. It was always, "usually I would charge you blah blah blah, but since you blah blah blah, I'll let it pass."

She took forever to pay me the first two weeks. Last week I gave her a final warning that from then on, I would follow my policy handbook, especially after she didn't pick her child up until almost half an hour after I closed last week. I didn't even charge her a late fee all the other times she's been late or paid late in the only two weeks she's been here.
I'm trying to be understanding. I really am. She's having a hard time-recently divorced, new to the country, low-income, but I really feel like she is using me as the point in her life that she can do as she pleases, you know? She has to get to her job on time, she has to pay for the food she eats, but the daycare lady? Meh, come early, come late, you don't have to really pay the fees and it's all good! None of the other parents would even dare. I don't think she understands that I am a legitimate business. I feel pretty bad for charging her this, but if I don't, I feel like she's always going to take advantage of me not wanting to rock the boat.

Maybe I should just term her, but her daughter is actually a pretty good kid and I don't want to give up the tuition.

I guess I'm not really looking for advice, just for someone who understands where I'm coming from to tell me I'm not a monster :/

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