I am sure I am not the only one here that has this issue.

I am having a really hard time finding a way to break parents of this.

I work on contracted hours only. My fees cover 9.5 hours per day
anything over that is $6.50 per hour or fraction thereof

I have my parents set out to arrive at 10-15 min apart arrival times

Parents are contracting me at 730 and not showing up until 745-800, sometimes later.

These are my first arrival kids.

I need to figure out a way to either 1, have a different method of set-up or 2 find a way to have parents STOP being able to do this.

We teach preschool here, so there is a lot to be done each morning, we also cook breakfast each morning, so there is a lot going on. We all know that drop off is the most difficult part of the day so I need to get it under wraps.

I thought about saying if you are more than 15min late without notice, then I have the right to fill your spot, but I think that is very harsh.

I have been having issues with a few clients on this, one in particular that claims that she needs a 15 minute window each morning to drive the additional 1.5 miles that we moved.

I accidentally laughed in her face this morning....yeah thank god its friday

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Let me guess...... This is the same lady who wanted a discount because You moved your daycare.

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I don't think the 15 minute rule is harsh. I added it after one dcm started dropping off as late as 2 hours late without notice. She wasn't paying (her ex was) so she didn't care about fees. So, I just added the policy. She was really disrupting our routine and making it difficult to plan anything for the children who were here on time. Why punish the families that do make an effort to be on time because another family can't plan ahead? Maybe that's just me...I like routine.

No reason to need an extra 15 minutes for 1.5 miles...I would've laughed too...

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YEsssssssssssssssssss

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If it's a problem, maybe do a reminder note to go home to the parents that their time is their time and to respect it. How many kids do you have?

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reminder notes dont seem to work at all.....

I have 11 kids here for breakfast daily and 14 total throughout the day

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I set a "no drop off after __am" rule. It works because that is what time curriculum starts. Easy peasy.

(barring doctors appointment)

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well I have that, but it is 9am. no drop off after that time.

I am talking about the parent that is supposed to drop off first, contracts me for 730, but then does not show up until 15+30 min later.

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I had a DCM (my first family, an old college friend) who was always 15-20 mins late. I told her I was going to have to change her drop off time if she wasn't coming on time (an extra 15 mins of sleep- yes please!!). And I did.

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Hugs to you, I don't think I could handle 14 different drop offs. I have only 6 and most times they're almost all at the same time. It's sometimes crazy, but at least it's all done at once. Sounds like you're just going to have to flat out tell the person then.

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I think that with a big group like that you have to let the parents know the "whys" so they understand the policies. I think they will be more likely to follow them if they know why. My group is small and I have varying schedules, but it works for me because I never have more than 6 at once, but 14, yeah, you have to stick to some boundaries and get them all on the same schedule!

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I understand. What I am suggesting is to let your boundary go since it is only upsetting you and creating more adult care drama.

DCM pays her contracted rate anyway. Breakfast is served, if kid misses it he can wait until snack. Preschool does not start until X time...no drop offs are allowed after that anyway. So the only thing stressing you out is policing/keeping score of your 15 minute boundary.

Simplify things and let go of what you can't control.

I am all about less stress than more order. You already know that about me...

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I have the answer!

I attach $$ to the a.m. drop-off time, just like so many providers do for the evening pick-up time.
Under the guise of "controlling their costs", I gain control of my time
Well, and they do get to control their costs. Most parents will cut it to the quick, in order to save a couple of bucks
Then, if they come before their contracted drop-off time, there is an "early fee" that is equivalent to my "late fee" at pick-up time.

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Since she obviously KNOWS that she needs 15 minutes extra, then SHE will need to adjust HER schedule accordingly, to allow herself 15 minutes to drive down the road.

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the thing with this is that I have to control it.

if I let all 12 families drop off at the same time, heck even 4 families at the same time then it would cause massive issues on my street and my neighbors would be complaining to the city in seconds

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exactly what I told her this morning. her work is now even 15 minutes closer.

so if you know you need additional time to get to school or work then you are the one that needs to adjust your schedule.

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Post a sign today, give them a week to adjust, then stop opening the door for drop offs after the time you gave.

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This is what I was thinking. I know you have a hectic schedule with that many kids, but she still comes before preschool.

I only have 5-6 per day (usually 5). I have nowhere near the amount you do, but I have one parent who needs a 60-minute window, and another who is consistently late 15-45 minutes. Eh ... doesn't bother me. As long as they are on time for pickups!

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but like i said, I have to control it. If I let this happen all of the parents would be showing up at the same time and now I have traffic issues on my very small street.

I have set my program this way so that I can be accommodating to everyone and out of 14 families 3 have major issues with it.

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Can you have say 6 sign in sheets.

One for 7:00-7:15
another for 7:15-7:30
another for 7:30-7:45
etc


Have each parent/family listed on the appropriate sign in sheet (that matches the time they set for themselves)

Once 7:16 arrives, pull the 7:00-7:15 sign in sheet and that will force anyone late to have to sign in on the wrong sheet.

At the end of the week (or whenever you do invoices) take who ever was late or signed in at the wrong time and add an appropriate late fee to their invoice.

IDK...just a suggestion.

I was using Cake to have parents sign in and out. I set it up so that if they signed in more than 15 minutes AFTER their scheduled time, it automatically added the late fee to their account and sent a reminder to them as well as listed it on the memo kiosk page the next day so they saw it upon signing in the next time.

I don't stagger drop offs as it isn't an issue for parking and street use here so that's all I got.

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Can you then make the rule that if there is already a parent in the driveway the client must drive around the block. No parking or blocking the road allowed?

Mine do it often... they call it "cruisin the cul-de-sac"... After a few times they police themselves so they don't have to do it.

Natural consequence? The kids hate it.... "where are we going??" "I want Mrs. Cat Herders house!!" "Why? Where? but.....".

They tease each other about it on facebook.. "Ha! saw you cruisin this morning. Beat you! Neener..."

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The drive around the block idea is fabulous. A natural consequence and I'd add a late fee too to make it hurt.
I HATE late drop offs.

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I love this idea..... I will have to make sure that I get that in my PHB that is about to go out in a week.

Funny that they tease each other about it.

I don't know how the late fee dropping of would go considering that they have already paid for that time.

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My daily attendance sheet has such information about drop off time:
-drop off time by schedule
-drop off time in fact
-drop off person
-signature
and the same information about pick up time.
As a result an every day the parents see their schedule and write when they drop off and pick-up. So ... they just pay the early arrival or late pick-up fees. $1 per minute.

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sorry, I do not under stand what you mean can you explain for me??

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Sounds like a plan!

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I haven't finish reading replies but could you provide a bigger window? Do you NEED to have them staggered for drop-offs or could you just have a bunch dropping off at the same time? I have around 10 preschoolers here and I open for the group at 8:00 and ask that EVERYONE is here by 9:00 as that is when we eat breakfast. I have kids come in early, they are contracted to do so and they have a 15 minute window where if they are late ... they HAVE to wait until 8:00 and I WON'T open the door, and the rest are coming in between 8:00...8:05....8:15....8:30....8:40...etc. Sometimes, 2-3 walk in at once. Other times, they are all staggered and don't come in until 8:30-8:40! I just sit in one of the center time rooms playing with the kids waving at the door as parents come in and get their kids checked in and situated. It is much nicer for me because I don't have performing kids who act shy/like they can't listen/etc. If they throw a fit, then I shoo the parent out the door and go and get the child.

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If they are my first kid and are arriving regularly later than what they asked for then I tell them if it happens again I will be setting them up with a new schedule...one that reflects when they are actually arriving.

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I read why you are staggering them...so, in this case I would TOTALLY do what BC is suggesting. It is a good one!!

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Well I guess what I could say is that I open at 730am. You hve from that time until 815am to get here. No drop off after 815am

this is the crew that will be eating breakfast here and we eat at 830, so I really need to know who will or not be here for BK.

I am on the food program.

We have drop off, breakfast, potty break, little bit of singing and then it's preschool time right at 905 every day.....

905-1230 is preschool time, this is why no drop of after 9am

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it looks so IMG_2028.jpg

PS i don't have drop off after 9am.

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I love it!!

I love that you can put both the actual and factual drop off/pick up times....and can actually state right on the form how late or early a family was.

Nice!!

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ahhhh ok.....I see that....awesome.

only question is, when they arrive early or pick up early one day and then late the next do you credit them or do they not get any credits for picking up early.

only hit with a fee for picking up late?

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no credits for picking up early.

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ok maybe I have lost my marbles.....but I am throwing this out to the parents for 30 day trial.

I have told all parents that they will have from 745am to 815am to drop off. that is a 30 min window. If they see more than 3 parents dropping off, they need to do a cruise by, flip a u-turn and wait for one family to leave. I promised super fast drop of...Oh yippie.

I then made sure to tell them that their current fee only covers 9.5 hours of care, so if they decide to drop off earlier, then they will be billed at the rate of $6.50per hour or fraction thereof.

My only concern is that we have to drop off our youngest child at school each morning by 745am (school is less than a 2 min drive) and if my husband is gone, everyone shows up at the same time, I will be over capacity. BUT I don't think that will happen unless everyone is willing to pay more $$$$$$$$$$... currently most of my families are right at their 9.5 hours of care usage.

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do you fill in the time that they are supposed to be there or do you???

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I fill in the children's names and the schedule time.

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BC....

I really really wanted that cake program to work, but it just did not work and took FOREVER setting up. I took me almost 2 weeks to figure out how to input the first kid.

I really want to move to an electronic check in system, just can't find one that does not cost too much.....

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I also thinks it helps to explain the benefit to THEM, not why YOU need the staggered drop-offs. For instance, you need them to drop off within their scheduled window so you're able to give them and their your full attention instead of having to juggle several families. When push comes to shove parents care most about what's best for them, not anyone else.

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Even though I have not had any kids yet since working on my restart into daycare I learn a TON from reading these posts by you ladies!!! Thank you all. I am going to add a new rule, no use of my driveway (wondered how I would get around that when DH has a tractor trailer parked there!). Must park in street, bring kids in and drive around block to leave. If no parking available, drive around block till there is.

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I agree. She is paying from 7:30 so what is the issue? I feel like sometimes we want it both ways. I have a rule about breakfast (here by 8 or eat at home), and nap (don't even try it) but other than that, I just ask if the parents are coming after their normal time can they please send me a text. If a child is not here by 30 minutes or so after their "usual" time, I will send a text asking what is up. Other than that, I try not to stress it.

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