So, my dd wants to take lessons in her sport during the summer and the nearest place is about 45 minutes away. I don't mind driving her there at all (I have no one else to help out with this) but it would require me closing 15 minutes earlier than normal for 8 weeks this summer. Most of my families are here and gone before I would need to leave but I have a few that run errands, go home and clean up, etc. before coming to get the kids.

So, can I tell them I need to close 15 minutes early for those 8 weeks and if so, how do I word it? My families pay weekly tuition, not hourly. I don't want to tick anyone off but am frustrated because I have no other way to get my dd to her practices that she really wants. I know I chose this job and understood the ramifications but now my kids are getting older and are getting screwed. All of the other parents take time off left and right for their kids.

What are your thoughts? Thanks for your help and ideas.

Reply

Would it be every day?

Reply

Nope, only 8 days total from first week in July to last week in August and all on Thursdays so at least it is consistent.

Reply

I did something similiar with my son for his soccer practices. I just put up a note on my door that said beginning the week of X, I will be closing at 5:00 instead of 5:15 on Monday and Wednesday. I had nobody complain, I left the note up the whole soccer season and it worked out fine. I'm a firm believer in MY FAMILY first and my DS shouldn't suffer because I chose this job. It's only 15 minutes, and esp. if your parents are off work and just running errands. IMO, they should have be taking their kids for those errands anyway, but I'm sure they can adjust for 8 weeks. I say do it! I don't think we'll ever be sorry for spending time with/for our kids.

Reply

I like that idea- I agree to tell them with plenty of warning, post a note, etc. You could offer to open 15 min earlier that day if a parent would need to get a certain number of hours in at work. But not necessary.

Reply

tell them just like you told us..

Dear parents,

My daughter will be taking private lessons this summer and will require for me to close the day care 15 mintues earlier than normal on the following days. Please be sure to arrange your schedules to pick up your children on time these 8 days.

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please feel free to call me.

Thank you,

Reply

I would send a note to families saying that you would be closing 30 min early on xyz dates due to a temporary family obligation. That you are sorry for the inconvenience and will do so unpaid, divide your weekly fee by 5 then by however hours they are in care each day and divide by half. Credit them that much. Good luck.

Reply

It's 15 minutes... for 8 days. That's only 2 hours total. I wouldn't credit anything. Esp. since you said they are all usually gone, and just run errands. They can run errands the other days in those 8 weeks, right?

Reply

I have learned to never offer a credit first... always tell them what you need with plenty of advance notice... Offer them to come to you if there is an issue with your request. Then and only then if they have an issue with it offer a credit to please them...

I only offer credit up front if it is less than a 48 hour notice..

Reply

you decide what you need, no credits, no apologies, no wiggle room on them showing up late. Its only 8 days and only 15 minutes. I would stress that they need to be here at this time and out the door at this time. You don't want them rolling up "early" but taking those extra 15 minutes just to get out the door.

As a final option, do you have anyone that can come and do the last 30 minutes of care on those 8 days? a friend, relative or anyone that could help out? then just let the parents know the plan. They can pick up early if they don't like that option or the child can remain with whoever you feel is capable of helping out a bit.

Reply

Thanks so much for all of the ideas. I get so worked up about stuff. I never take any time off (only one sick day in the last 3.5 years and I wouldn't have even taken that if I could've stayed out of the bathroom!!!). I am sick of my kids missing things and of me missing their concerts, etc. I even missed an important funeral that I shouldn't have. I am trying to get better at this.

I will send home a note today and let you all know how it turns out.
Hugs,
Me

Reply

I would do 30 because honestly, can dc parents tell time? Gives you a nice window. I do refund. They seem to respond better and most people lose pay by clocking out early. Which is what you are doing. Let us know how it goes.

Reply

good for you. I just close when I need to and thats that. I used to be more worried about this or that and ended up missing stuff and having regrets about decisions I made. Not anymore. Now I am happier and my family is and that is more important to me than a random parent getting annoyed because they might have to watch their own kid for an extra 15 minutes.

Reply

I just think it's a dangerous game to start crediting for 15 minutes. They start expecting things all the time if you do them once. Next they will pick up 15 min. early for their reasons, and want a credit for that too. Just my experience.

I agree with you completely. I have learned that doing what I need to for my family feels the best, and I have had surprisingly little complaint.

Reply

most of my parents could swing a drop of the hat day off or time off if needed. But i do have two DCF that couldn't. i have a mom that has to work 2 hours away 2 days a week and there is NO way she could leave her job early to come get her child. She is a single mom and has no help.

I feel that I have to be considerate of everyones work schedule when making the decisions to close early or close for the day. This is why I always give as much notice as possible and try to work with everyones schedule.

Reply

....I sent a note home telling everyone what I wanted and told them to talk to me if it was an issue...everyone said no problem. Major shocker! I feel so much better. Thank you everyone! I did not offer a discount. Oh happy day!

Reply

I actually started working less hrs. when my child entered swimming lessons, softball, soccer, gymnastics, etc. otherwise I would have missed everything!! I am not going to miss my own children's things, because of parents that can definately be here on time. They are all school teachers, and there isn't any reason they can't be. I had a couple of teacher's over time, ssay they couldn't be here for pick up til 5 or 5:30- sorry, school dismisses all over here @ 3:30!! I live 5-20 min. from every school here in town!

Reply

This is what I have done in the past. Just yesterday I closed early to bring my son to the circus. 1 other family decided it would be fun to go to the circus too , we saw them there. I offered to open 30 min early if they needed to work XX hours per day but not one person complained. I contract hourly but if someone says something is going on this day I need to pick up X amount late I always comply (as long as its not past my closing hours which it has never been). I figure they have dr appts and meetings etc too. I think kindness is usually appreciated and have never had one peep about closing early.

In fact, I close at 4 two days a week every week of the school year to teach an evening class and only take families that can comply. I think in this job you need to have some access to time for your family too!

Reply

(MARSTELAC here)....just a follow-up to my closing early for sports......ended up only being 6 weeks. First week went fine. Tonight, not so much. One dcp calls and asks what time do I absolutely need to leave because he is going to be 1/2 hour late. I know his wife cannot make it as it is her late week at work but there are MANY relatives in town who could get the kid. I offered to take kid with me and even feed him dinner so we wouldn't be late but he said no and that he would just get the kid and take him back to work with him.
Finally, last parent is a no show. I tried to call. No answer. Voice mail never came on. I waited a few minutes....had my kids get in the car with all of their gear and wait. Texted parent. No response. A few minutes later went back in house looking for emergency contact number to come and get kid. Then dcp shows up. 15 minutes late. We barely made it to lessons. If we would have been late, my kids wouldn't have been able to participate. Late is not an option. DCP never apologized. I said I closed early today and now we are late. Have a great weekend. DCP said phone didn't work and left. I wanted to charge my late fee but cannot since I really don't close at that time normally. I am just still livid about this. Thanks for "listening". What would you all have done?

Reply

UGH!!!!!! I want to go back to bed. SOOOOOOO....this same family.....asked me to open 40 minutes early today and was a no show. 10 minutes after I opened for them, they texted and said someone would bring the kids in an hour! Now this screws up my close time....I had planned on 5 p.m. (since they only get 10 hours within the 10.5 I am open) and they would've had 40 minutes overtime. I charge 10.00 per family per 15 minutes for overtime outside of my working hours. I made plans for tonight since I knew I'd be done early. Now I'm working until 5:30 and going to be late AGAIN! What would you all do about this total lack of disrespect? I need a hug.

Reply

You need to have set open and close hours, put them in a new contract and stick to them. Parents don't run us, we run our businesses. I'm getting a hard shell because even though I have GREAT parents it just takes one to make you change your mind on a whole bunch of stuff. I gave my parents a 3-4 months notice on a time change and you would have thought it was going into affect that day! I was just getting tired of hearing I will be there at ******** and then it would be 1/2 hour to 45 minutes later. Even though I was still opened, it would only be for one child and I had missed being able to get my own children places.

So even though they may need you earlier, tell them impossible and go on. They wouldn't ask the mall to open earlier, stay late, or open on a day off. Why should they ask you. When they get there tell them you will be closing earlier because you had made plans based on the time you gave them and it won't be happening again. I know its hard but once you do it, it feels great!

Reply

Yep, I agree with Country on this one. I would have everyone sign a contract with a set schedule of hours, that's what I do too. I may be open from 6am to 6pm but every family that I have has their set schedule of 10 hours. Family A is 6am-4pm, Family B, C & D are 8am-6pm. If they come late they lose out on their hours that they miss and they are not credited and aren't allowed to stay later to make up the hours that they missed. If they want to come earlier, they pay extra ... even if they pick up earlier. If they stay later, they pay extra ... even if they arrived later.

If they ask me to open earlier for them or to stay open later for them I don't accept UNLESS they pay me up front for it at the time of the request. If they find alternative arrangements and they cancel with at least a MINIMUM OF 24 HOURS then they get a full refund. If they cancel with less than 24 hours notice I give a refund minus $10 per child for the incinvenience. If they cancel after the start time of the request (I call it the reservation) then they don't get a refund at all. I've had plenty of clients ask me to open earlier or to stay open later only to have them either not show up or tell me last minute that they don't need it afterall. Now it's not a problem.

Reply

Oh thanks guys. I do have that I am open 7-5:30 and you may come to daycare for 10 of those hours. Everyday I get different schedules. My one family that is divorced, one parent drops at 7 and the other drops at 7:30. It is different everyday. My other family, the parents drop at 7 even tho they don't start work until 8:30 and it's only a few minutes away from here. Another family comes three days per week and the times vary every week. I never know when someone is coming or going! No wonder I have gray hair!!!! If I made them do contracted hours, then the ones that only need me until 3:30 each day would let the kids stay until 5:30 to make sure they got every last penny worth of daycare. UGH!!!!

Reply

I'm bbaaaaaacccckkkkk... :-( So, I billed the parent my overtime fee and they came today with a normal check disregarding the overtime fee. Now my check is short. I just wrote up another invoice and now included a late fee since the check was short. Is that okay?

Reply

Ughhhh! Did you check the check when they gave it to you or how do they pay you? I wouldn't have accepted it or I would have said you still owe me the overtime & now there is a late fee tacked onto that. I hope you get your $$$.

Reply

Yes, that is how to do it. Add the late fee. Also make sure to include a copy of your contract where it (should) states that habitual non-payment/late payment is grounds for termination.

Also, make it clear at pickup that payment in full is required before their children will be accepted back into care. And that every day is another late fee tacked onto the total.

That's nervy!!

Reply

I just take the checks and go set them on the counter. I enter them and do receipts after the parents are gone. I was so disgusted that this one was thirty bucks short! I just want to cry at the disrepect some days.
It's been a bad two weeks...

Reply

In the future, I would verify the amount before they leave. I always glance at the amount to make sure it's correct. If it's not, I'll stop them in their tracks and they will give me another check or cash to cover the difference or they won't have daycare that day.

Reply

I will have to start. I just found another that overpaid by almost 20.00 bucks. My invoices are printed right from MMK.....very clear and easy to read.

Reply

Wow, one shorted you $30 and one overpaid you $20

I bet you'll have a helluva week

Reply

Yeah, go figure. I did get paid the 40 last night (with a little pissiness attached...is that a word?) and then got apology phone call from the ex spouse (even though they both lied)..these two dcps have taken to lying about a lot of things lately.
The overpayment I wasn't sure why they did it but I ran a credit on their next invoice and let them know I did that. Hoping for a "NORMAL" /better Tuesday!

Reply

When one of my families' check had an overpayment of $10 on it I asked them about it and it turned out to be a raise. Unasked for and greatly appreciated. Love my families!

Reply

I am looking for the thread on this (I was sure there WAS one) but cannot find it....so now, my ds has a great opportunity to be on a sports team in another town. I will need to close at 5:15 instead of 5:30. I am going to send home a letter today changing my hours to be open 10.25 hours per day instead of 10.50. Shouldn't be too much of an issue....BUUUUUUTTTTTT (and that's a big but)....How do I word it nicely so they are not hanging around once they arrive at 5:14 and 45 seconds? I will need to be able to get out of my driveway and I have some putsy families.....Can I just tell them I will be leaving my driveway promptly at 5:20? I don't know a nice way to say it!!!! This is going to be a permanent change. I am giving 3 1/2 weeks notice.

Reply

I had to do this when my own kids had activities in the evening. I'd just state you will be closing promptly at 5:15 and need to immediately leave your house to ensure you get there on time.

Reply

(MARSTELAC here) I sent home the note that my hours are changing......the phone calls have started. I am not responding until Monday. Thanks for helping me out fellow providers......will let you know the outcome.

Reply