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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Does "I need your Child Picked up on time" not Mean ANYTHING to some Parents?
sahm2three 03:44 PM 01-19-2011
I was supposed to go have dinner at church tonight with my family, but once again, I missed out because one of my dc parents don't respect MY time. I close at 5, and told them I would give them until 5:15 to get here, and here it is 5:30 and they are STILL not here. I told them I had plans tonight and they HAD to be on time and still no show. I printed out a bill for a late fee, and they will be getting it tonight. I hate missing out on family time! UGH! It's called RESPECT!
lvt77 03:57 PM 01-19-2011
good job put your foot down..... Sorry you missed your event....maybe after getting the bill they wont do it again.............cross my fingers for ya!!
momma2girls 04:01 PM 01-19-2011
Originally Posted by sahm2three:
I was supposed to go have dinner at church tonight with my family, but once again, I missed out because one of my dc parents don't respect MY time. I close at 5, and told them I would give them until 5:15 to get here, and here it is 5:30 and they are STILL not here. I told them I had plans tonight and they HAD to be on time and still no show. I printed out a bill for a late fee, and they will be getting it tonight. I hate missing out on family time! UGH! It's called RESPECT!
This really sucks!! I have had this happen too many times as well!! Is it just one family? I even to change my contract and write it in a newsletter for everyone!!I was supposed to go have dinner at church tonight with my family, but once again, I missed out because one of my dc parents don't respect MY time. I close at 5, and told them I would give them until 5:15 to get here, and here it is 5:30 and they are STILL not here. I told them I had plans tonight and they HAD to be on time and still no show. I printed out a bill for a late fee, and they will be getting it tonight. I hate missing out on family time! UGH! It's called RESPECT!
missnikki 04:29 PM 01-19-2011
Time to look at your contract and make adjustments to your termination policy. Have them sign it at pick up.
The adjustment should include how many times you let that go with just a fee before you terminate.
The adjustment should include how many times you let that go with just a fee before you terminate.
TSDaycare 04:37 PM 01-19-2011
that really stinks! I would have been furious! Can I ask what time they did show up? In my contract it states what time I close, my late fee charges, AND also says if I have something to do-your child may be where ever that is-I have never had to take any children with me because they haven't been picked up that late-but I won't hesitate to do it-ESPECIALLY if I inform the parent I need them picked up because I have plans!
Blackcat31 04:49 PM 01-19-2011
Boy that is a bum deal! 
I'm sorry that happened to you. I would definately make sure the family knows how po'ed you are! Late fees, etc...plus give them the cold shoulder for awhile too..even if it doesn't make them feel bad, it will make you feel better..LOL! 
I'm sorry that happened to you. I would definately make sure the family knows how po'ed you are! Late fees, etc...plus give them the cold shoulder for awhile too..even if it doesn't make them feel bad, it will make you feel better..LOL!
juliebug 05:10 PM 01-19-2011
bummer! Charge them and Charge them alot! hopefully they paid right then
SandeeAR 06:00 PM 01-19-2011
So sorry to hear that. Thankfully, as a rule my parents are pretty respectful of my time.
sahm2three 06:01 PM 01-19-2011
They showed up at 5:50!!! I was PISSED! I had the late fee and written warning of termination there for her to sign. I told her that if it happened again that I would have to let them go. She apologized over and over, and paid the late fee on the spot, but it is them all the time that is late! UGH! At least it sounded like my family had a good time. 
marniewon 06:22 PM 01-19-2011
I am so sorry you had to deal with that!! I would be super pissed too! Did you charge her a lot since she was soooo late?
jen 06:26 PM 01-19-2011
I'm sorry! That sucks! Use your late fee for a nice dinner out. I hope your late fee is a big one.
sahm2three 06:42 PM 01-19-2011
Originally Posted by marniewon:
I am so sorry you had to deal with that!! I would be super pissed too! Did you charge her a lot since she was soooo late?
I charged her $15 per 15 minutes late. So it cost her $45! Hope it was worth it!I am so sorry you had to deal with that!! I would be super pissed too! Did you charge her a lot since she was soooo late?
Kaddidle Care 06:43 PM 01-19-2011
So.. why were they late? It had better be a good excuse. GRRRR!
Sorry you missed out on your family dinner out. That really stinks.
Double their fee so they leave!
"Sorry folks, in lieu of you not upholding your end of the contract, here's a new one." $$$$
Sorry you missed out on your family dinner out. That really stinks.
Double their fee so they leave!
"Sorry folks, in lieu of you not upholding your end of the contract, here's a new one." $$$$
My4SunshineGirlsNY 07:07 PM 01-19-2011
Oh I would be so upset! So glad you charged her the late fee! I had one mom last year always picking up late, she works at a Dr.'s office so they go past 5 sometimes, yet she KNEW I closed at 5 when she hired me and said she could work it out yet 5:15, 5:20, and 5:30 were pushed...I had enough of it, I open at 5:30a.m., I'm ready to be done by 5 and have my family time.
Parents need to hire a daycare to fit their work schedule...it's VERY rude to disrespect someones closing time, we have those for a reason.
Parents need to hire a daycare to fit their work schedule...it's VERY rude to disrespect someones closing time, we have those for a reason.
misol 04:22 AM 01-20-2011
Originally Posted by sahm2three:
I charged her $15 per 15 minutes late. So it cost her $45! Hope it was worth it!
Good for you. I am sure that you'd have much rather had her keep her money and spend time with your family. I charged her $15 per 15 minutes late. So it cost her $45! Hope it was worth it!
Did she say why she was so late? Or at least why she didn't call to say she was running late????
AfterSchoolMom 04:30 AM 01-20-2011
Oooh, that would have burned me up! Sometimes it seems as if they do these things on purpose, doesn't it? They're on time until you specifically tell them that they need to be?
Too bad you can't get a little revenge by "not hearing" the doorbell in the AM for, oh, twenty minutes or so.
Sometimes it seems as if they do these things on purpose, doesn't it? They're on time until you specifically tell them that they need to be?Too bad you can't get a little revenge by "not hearing" the doorbell in the AM for, oh, twenty minutes or so.
DanceMom 04:49 AM 01-20-2011
Oh My God I would have KILLED them !!! ANytime a dcp is going to be more than 15 minutes late they are required to call their Emergency contact to pick up their child ! Ive had it happen only once..
momma2girls 05:14 AM 01-20-2011
Originally Posted by AfterSchoolMom:
Oooh, that would have burned me up! Sometimes it seems as if they do these things on purpose, doesn't it? They're on time until you specifically tell them that they need to be?
Too bad you can't get a little revenge by "not hearing" the doorbell in the AM for, oh, twenty minutes or so.
This is funny!! HA!!! Only if we could do that!!Oooh, that would have burned me up!
Sometimes it seems as if they do these things on purpose, doesn't it? They're on time until you specifically tell them that they need to be?Too bad you can't get a little revenge by "not hearing" the doorbell in the AM for, oh, twenty minutes or so.
countrymom 05:25 AM 01-20-2011
I would have packed the child up and took them with me. that way a parent would have to wait for me to either get back or come and find me (I've done it before) also then I would have charged the late fee.
momma2girls 05:31 AM 01-20-2011
I have just added this to my contract. If you are not here, and I have to leave, I will have your child with me, and I will leave my # and place on the front door. This don't even matter to one of mine. I actually do not have a base for her child's car seat anyways. Maybe she is thinking this!! HA!! He is almost one yr. old anyways. I do have an extra car seat for this age though.
dEHmom 05:51 AM 01-20-2011
Originally Posted by sdb20636:
that really stinks! I would have been furious! Can I ask what time they did show up? In my contract it states what time I close, my late fee charges, AND also says if I have something to do-your child may be where ever that is-I have never had to take any children with me because they haven't been picked up that late-but I won't hesitate to do it-ESPECIALLY if I inform the parent I need them picked up because I have plans!
I agree with this. that really stinks! I would have been furious! Can I ask what time they did show up? In my contract it states what time I close, my late fee charges, AND also says if I have something to do-your child may be where ever that is-I have never had to take any children with me because they haven't been picked up that late-but I won't hesitate to do it-ESPECIALLY if I inform the parent I need them picked up because I have plans!
I charge a late fee and then per hour on top of that. I've never had to charge it, but I certainly will.
I've had to drag kids to my kids swimming lessons many times, mom worked till 5, kids started swimming at 5. One time she showed up at 530 when I had to go downstairs into the locker rooms to pick my kids up from beside the pool. And I was furious, I'm sure she noticed, because her kids were heavy little kids, and lugging those 2 around, was very hard to do. But she wasn't exactly late, she was usually just earlier. So I got used to that. I live in a small city, and it takes no more than 5 minutes to drive from one end of the city to the other. Even if you hit every single one of the 4 red lights. haha. But the swimming was only 2 minutes from her work.
I would let them know, they owe you this much in late fees, and you will not watch their child again until it is paid in full. So they have to have money in hand when they are late, or they have to have it at drop off. If they do not, then too bad.
What is a ridiculous late fee that is within reason though? I'm thinking if you charged an extra days worth because they were late, they may decide never to be late again? But they may refuse because it's so ridiculous. Hmmm...Lets decide on a good fee that's intimidating but not going to cause major problems
MarinaVanessa 06:34 AM 01-20-2011
Originally Posted by countrymom:
I would have packed the child up and took them with me. that way a parent would have to wait for me to either get back or come and find me (I've done it before) also then I would have charged the late fee.
Yup I have that in my policies also. It really gets my goat when people do this. It's so inconciderate and disrespectful so I feel for you.I would have packed the child up and took them with me. that way a parent would have to wait for me to either get back or come and find me (I've done it before) also then I would have charged the late fee.
And yes I have had to actually do this several times but only with the same dang DCM (which is no longer a client). I gave a 15 minute buffer so at 6:16pm I'd pack her son up and load him up in the car whether I had an errand or commitment or not. I would just think of the most inconvenient errand that I had to do and take her boy with me. I wouldn't even try to call first, I would just leave. If she didn't have the common courtesy to call me to tell me she was running late then I didn't have to tell her I was leaving and toting her son with me.
I LOVED doing this in a large store like Target or Wal-Mart. I'd wait for the call "Um ... I'm at your house", "Oh? I'm not home. We're at [place that I was at]. I'll be here for a little while longer then I need to run to [another place]." Once she arrived I ignored my phone ("Oh woops. I didn't hear it ring") and let her come in to look for me and yes of course I would keep moving. I WAS NOT making it easy for her to find me. I charged her $5 for every 15 minutes that she was late and the clock didn't stop until she picked him up wherever we were. I asked for the late pick-up fee right then and there and if she didn't have it then I tacked on an extra $5 for the late payment fee
. You would think that she would learn but nope. Not right away. It took a few times of this before she paid so much in fees that she finally never picked up late again. I really do wonder what people are thinking sometimes.
momma2girls 06:57 AM 01-20-2011
I almost added a 5 or 10 min. window in my contract. BUt I already know if I would have placed that in there, the one Mom would always be 10 min. late, so I left that out. There isn't any window at all!!!
SandeeAR 07:00 AM 01-20-2011
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa:
I really do wonder what people are thinking sometimes.
They are thinking ONLY of THEMSELVES!I really do wonder what people are thinking sometimes.
Luna 07:07 AM 01-20-2011
Originally Posted by countrymom:
I would have packed the child up and took them with me. that way a parent would have to wait for me to either get back or come and find me (I've done it before) also then I would have charged the late fee.
I haven't run into this problem (yet) but this is the plan I have in mind. I have been halfway down the street when Mom showed up once, Hubby was still at the house & he would have told her I went out & would be back soon. I was planning to have her stand there & wonder where the heck we were until I was good & ready to come back.I would have packed the child up and took them with me. that way a parent would have to wait for me to either get back or come and find me (I've done it before) also then I would have charged the late fee.
Rude, rude, RUDE!
Cat Herder 09:45 AM 01-20-2011
Almost a hour late without a phone call and I would have already called them AND every one of their emergency contacts. They can apologize for worrying their family/friends themselves....
I charge $1 a minute, here...but that is with a phone call and a very good excuse. (copious blood from 2 or more orifices, broken limbs, trapped in a well, etc...)
They can apologize for worrying their family/friends themselves....I charge $1 a minute, here...but that is with a phone call and a very good excuse. (copious blood from 2 or more orifices, broken limbs, trapped in a well, etc...)
misol 10:25 AM 01-20-2011
Originally Posted by Iowa daycare:
I almost added a 5 or 10 min. window in my contract. BUt I already know if I would have placed that in there, the one Mom would always be 10 min. late, so I left that out. There isn't any window at all!!!
Ugh! I kick myself at least 3 times every week for putting a grace period in my contract. I have since taken it out but I have a family that still has the old contract. I can't wait until it's time to renew their contract.I almost added a 5 or 10 min. window in my contract. BUt I already know if I would have placed that in there, the one Mom would always be 10 min. late, so I left that out. There isn't any window at all!!!