Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Late Fees
SilverSabre25 03:56 PM 12-20-2013
Do you charge late fees per kid in the case of a sibiling set who's late being picked up?
Reply
Blackcat31 04:00 PM 12-20-2013
I just charge per payment/family.

I would love to charge per kid but I doubt I could get away with explaining that.

It wouldn't feel right anyways. Sorry.
Reply
Cradle2crayons 04:01 PM 12-20-2013
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
Do you charge late fees per kid in the case of a sibiling set who's late being picked up?
I charge per family also.
Reply
SilverSabre25 04:02 PM 12-20-2013
That's sort of how I was feeling. I don't generally have the guts to charge the fees anyway.

But half an hour late (It's SEVEN PM!) on the last day before vacation. on a friday. Made my daughter miss her scouting event she was soooo looking forward to (they were going caroling).

And actually, they still aren't picked up. 32 minutes and counting. Mom texted twenty minutes ago and "ran into traffic" and "is on her way"
Reply
Patches 04:28 PM 12-20-2013
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:419935:
That's sort of how I was feeling. I don't generally have the guts to charge the fees anyway.

But half an hour late (It's SEVEN PM!) on the last day before vacation. on a friday. Made my daughter miss her scouting event she was soooo looking forward to (they were going caroling).

And actually, they still aren't picked up. 32 minutes and counting. Mom texted twenty minutes ago and "ran into traffic" and "is on her way"
I charge per family also. Sorry about your daughter missing her event. I'm mad for you
Reply
Blackcat31 04:31 PM 12-20-2013
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
That's sort of how I was feeling. I don't generally have the guts to charge the fees anyway.

But half an hour late (It's SEVEN PM!) on the last day before vacation. on a friday. Made my daughter miss her scouting event she was soooo looking forward to (they were going caroling).

And actually, they still aren't picked up. 32 minutes and counting. Mom texted twenty minutes ago and "ran into traffic" and "is on her way"
Omg! Id be super mad!! Traffic or not!

I'd be charging double fees and pass it off as "holiday" fees verses per child fees... because late a pickup that causes a delay in the start of your vacation is NOT cool at all!!!

Sorry Silver.
Reply
SilverSabre25 06:20 PM 12-20-2013
she finally picked up an hour and seven minutes late. I felt too bad about charging the higher fee after 15 minutes, and she actually opened the conversation by asking, "What's the late fee? $1/minute?" so i just took that. I'm grateful enough that she was so willing to pay me. So, a $67 late fee.

And not that it matters, but not christmas present either. Not that I expected one. I got a really REALLY nice one from my other family, that makes up for it. sort of.
Reply
Leigh 06:53 PM 12-20-2013
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
That's sort of how I was feeling. I don't generally have the guts to charge the fees anyway.

But half an hour late (It's SEVEN PM!) on the last day before vacation. on a friday. Made my daughter miss her scouting event she was soooo looking forward to (they were going caroling).

And actually, they still aren't picked up. 32 minutes and counting. Mom texted twenty minutes ago and "ran into traffic" and "is on her way"
It's too late now, but I only will take kids if the parents are willing to sign an agreement to allow me to transport. I would have put the kids in the car and taken them with me and then let Mom come find you to pick them up. I won't wait around for someone who is late if I have something planned (I recently had a parent come find me in Wal Mart to pick up their kids).
Reply
SilverSabre25 06:56 PM 12-20-2013
Originally Posted by Leigh:
It's too late now, but I only will take kids if the parents are willing to sign an agreement to allow me to transport. I would have put the kids in the car and taken them with me and then let Mom come find you to pick them up. I won't wait around for someone who is late if I have something planned (I recently had a parent come find me in Wal Mart to pick up their kids).
Unfortunately that's not an option for me. Our car only fits two kids inthe backseat, and that's my own two kids. I really want a minivan someday though, so I can do exactly what you mentioned.
Reply
Unregistered 07:05 AM 12-21-2013
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
Unfortunately that's not an option for me. Our car only fits two kids inthe backseat, and that's my own two kids. I really want a minivan someday though, so I can do exactly what you mentioned.
I love my mini van but I really miss the gas mileage on my small car! I get maybe 12 miles per gallon on my van. The car before was 32 miles per gallon!
Reply
julie 07:40 AM 12-21-2013
Wow, that really sucks. I know I am in the minority, but I charge per kid. I don't think it is any harder to explain than late fees in general. In fact, if they were needing an explanation at all, then they would likely be gone. Honestly, if you are an hour late and want to stay, then you pay whatever the heck I ask you to pay to make it right, and DO NOT LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN. I am not going to feel bad about charging late fees, and I know they do not feel bad about me working late on my vacation and missing important family time.

They are per kid and meant to be a deterrent to stop situations like this from happening. If there were two separate families in care for that long with one kid each, then they would each be paying me that fee, so why would I give a discount to someone being punished for their poor planning. So yep, I would take the $132.00 and take my daughter out for a nice day to spoil her with the money, since she is the one that missed out due to this mom's poor planning.

Hope you have a really great vacation, and sorry you had a rough night.
Reply
spinnymarie 02:01 PM 12-21-2013
Sorry that happened.
Every daycare I've ever worked at charged per kid. They do pay for each kid to attend, so they should pay for each kid you watch overtime, IMO.
I actually never thought about this myself tho, so now I will know what to do when it happens
Reply
Tags:late fees
Reply Up