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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Well I Made $50 In Late Fees...Thank U Back Bone
Sprouts 03:43 PM 04-06-2012
So two parents decide to show up late, one was 20 minutes lates, she called 3 minutes before she was supposed to be here and said she was going to arrive in 10 ( mind u she is on vacation this week, I don't mind watching her child be I am still getting paid) but show up on time! $15 thank u!
But then today she shows up 10 minutes early
I told her if she needs to arrive early to please call before hand so I a, prepared...ridiculous ....oh AND THEN... She writes me a note stating
"I added your home phone number on my cell for next times I might be late, so that I will b able for sure to reach u and not get charged for running late. *
" to which I replied "**The best number to reach me is my cell ******, I don't answer my house phone because it wakes children from nap, I only use it for fax. I usually give parents **5 minute grace period, but after that late fees are imposed.*
The the second parent who is supposed to come at 5:15 comes at 6! She doesn't even text me until 5:25 and says she's on her way. We waited in the car so it looked like we were rushing to leave ....$37 thank you!
I swear the nerve!
But then today she shows up 10 minutes early
I told her if she needs to arrive early to please call before hand so I a, prepared...ridiculous ....oh AND THEN... She writes me a note stating "I added your home phone number on my cell for next times I might be late, so that I will b able for sure to reach u and not get charged for running late. *
" to which I replied "**The best number to reach me is my cell ******, I don't answer my house phone because it wakes children from nap, I only use it for fax. I usually give parents **5 minute grace period, but after that late fees are imposed.*
The the second parent who is supposed to come at 5:15 comes at 6! She doesn't even text me until 5:25 and says she's on her way. We waited in the car so it looked like we were rushing to leave ....$37 thank you!
I swear the nerve!
EntropyControlSpecialist 03:54 PM 04-06-2012
cheerfuldom 04:26 PM 04-06-2012
Make sure they all know that late fees are calculated regardless of whether a call is made, although a call should be made. Keep upping the fees until they are too high for moms to risk late pickups
SunshineMama 06:25 PM 04-06-2012
Originally Posted by Sprouts:
So two parents decide to show up late, one was 20 minutes lates, she called 3 minutes before she was supposed to be here and said she was going to arrive in 10 ( mind u she is on vacation this week, I don't mind watching her child be I am still getting paid) but show up on time! $15 thank u!
But then today she shows up 10 minutes early I told her if she needs to arrive early to please call before hand so I a, prepared...ridiculous ....oh AND THEN... She writes me a note stating
"I added your home phone number on my cell for next times I might be late, so that I will b able for sure to reach u and not get charged for running late. *
" to which I replied "**The best number to reach me is my cell ******, I don't answer my house phone because it wakes children from nap, I only use it for fax. I usually give parents **5 minute grace period, but after that late fees are imposed.*
The the second parent who is supposed to come at 5:15 comes at 6! She doesn't even text me until 5:25 and says she's on her way. We waited in the car so it looked like we were rushing to leave ....$37 thank you!
I swear the nerve!
So two parents decide to show up late, one was 20 minutes lates, she called 3 minutes before she was supposed to be here and said she was going to arrive in 10 ( mind u she is on vacation this week, I don't mind watching her child be I am still getting paid) but show up on time! $15 thank u!
But then today she shows up 10 minutes early
I told her if she needs to arrive early to please call before hand so I a, prepared...ridiculous ....oh AND THEN... She writes me a note stating "I added your home phone number on my cell for next times I might be late, so that I will b able for sure to reach u and not get charged for running late. *
" to which I replied "**The best number to reach me is my cell ******, I don't answer my house phone because it wakes children from nap, I only use it for fax. I usually give parents **5 minute grace period, but after that late fees are imposed.*
The the second parent who is supposed to come at 5:15 comes at 6! She doesn't even text me until 5:25 and says she's on her way. We waited in the car so it looked like we were rushing to leave ....$37 thank you!
I swear the nerve!
Former Teacher 06:35 AM 04-07-2012
Originally Posted by cheerfuldom:
Keep upping the fees until they are too high for moms to risk late pickups
Keep upping the fees until they are too high for moms to risk late pickups
Totally agree!
At my former center we once had a single mother (she lived at home with her parents so she wasn't THAT desperate) who had 2 children. She was ALWAYS pushing herself by coming in at the last minute. It was a Friday night. She came waltzing in at 7:00 p.m. (we closed at 6:30) from shopping complaining about traffic and the lines at the mall blah blah. When she took a breath I told her that it was a $30.00 late fee. I explained to her that it was a dollar a minute. She was stunned. Then she made a big deal like the money was no big deal etc and I got SO mad (again Friday night!) I said "and as a reminder the next time you are late I will charge you for both children." That shut her up and she was never late again
Funny side note: She overheard me once talking to another parent. The other parent was questioning about late fees etc. So I said for the benefit of this parent that first time I will charge for one child however additional late pick ups will be charged accordingly to how many children there are. This mother than told this other parent that she learned the hard way and she will never ever be late again!
It must have scared her so much that she actually started picking the children up at a decent time! 
Kaddidle Care 09:46 AM 04-07-2012
The "Free" late pick ups were part of the reason I stopped doing childcare at home. Perhaps if I had a backbone like you and charged for the extra time I'd still be doing it.
People get so wrapped up in their own lives that they tend to forget that their Childcare Provider has a life too.
People get so wrapped up in their own lives that they tend to forget that their Childcare Provider has a life too.