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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Many Charge A Fee For Late ARRIVALS?
wahmof3 05:04 AM 02-16-2012
I'm really tired of waiting for these DCP's to arrive every morning. They are scheduled to be here at 7:30-7:45 and show up any where from 8:15-8:30. My scheduled breakfast is 8 & I am forced to wait until they show up which puts me so far behind getting my dd ready for school.

So who charges late arrival fee's? TIA
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Angelwings36 05:35 AM 02-16-2012
My contract states:

I will assume that a child will not be attending for the day if your child is later than 30 minutes past their scheduled drop off time without a phone call. In order to ensure that your child’s space will remain open for the day in the instance that you are going to be late dropping off your child please be sure to call/text/email me and inform me of your later drop off time. If you fail to inform me ahead of time that you will be later than 30 minutes to drop off your child your child’s space will no longer be available for that day. In the same way that you have tasks to complete on time at work, I too as a childcare provider have tasks to complete on time and waiting unknowingly on a late drop off pushes that task to a later time and disrupts the overall daycare day.

If you serve breakfast at 8:00am, personally I would not allow any drop offs whatsoever between 8:00am - 8:30am so the children can eat in peace. I would contract this all in and if your families are not following the contractual regulation then they lose their space for the day. It will only happen once per family for them to realize that they need to be on time.
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Angelwings36 05:37 AM 02-16-2012
You could also charge a $10/child inconvenience fee if you feel that would be a better option for you.
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Crazy8 05:39 AM 02-16-2012
this has become a thorn in my side lately as well and I am getting so sick of it!!! Thinking of changing my policy as well so curious to hear the responses!!!
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Cat Herder 05:55 AM 02-16-2012
If breakfast is at 8...serve it at 8 to ONLY those present by 8. If they miss it, have the parent feed their child breakfast before dropping off. If they forget to feed breakfast, turn them away at the door to go get breakfast before returning.

It won't take more than a couple weeks of what you are ALREADY dealing with for this to end permanently. You MUST enforce it strictly, though....one slip and you will have to start all over again.

Personally, I also have an attendance cut-off time. After morning snack, no drop-off will be allowed (without a doctors appointment/prior notification).
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MrsB 06:14 AM 02-16-2012
I dont mind the late arrivals most of the time but I always tell my parents that if they arrive after 8:15 they need to be fed. I also tell them that we have a different schedule everyday and if they dont notify me that they arriving late before hand there is no guarantee that I will be here. (Sometimes if the weather is really bad I take them to chick-fil-a or the mall to play or sometimes I have kids I have to take to school) Whenever I seem to have a problem with a parent arriving really late (more than 20-30 minutes after scheduled drop off) I make sure we have an outing planned that day! Even if it is a walk around the neighborhood, (not within eyeshot of my house) All of my parents have gotten the clue after one time trying to drop off late and I am not there
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Blackcat31 06:16 AM 02-16-2012
I am a mixture of Catherder's policy of having a cut off for drop offs...after a certain time, there are none allowed, and a mixture of Angelwings where I assume a child is a no show if they are outside of their scheduled drop off time by any more than 30 minutes with no phone call.

I have turned them away at the door before and RARELY has it happened to a family more than once.

Most people "get it" after the first time.
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wahmof3 07:40 AM 02-16-2012
So my policy does say 15 minutes late without a call I may not be here....

&

my policy also states that my meal times are strict and that if you arrive after a scheduled meal time your child must be fed.

Since this seems to be more than one family maybe a warning letter will go home today. Hopefully that will be enough to get things changed if not maybe I will change policy to tack on a late fee.

What do you think?
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Cat Herder 08:18 AM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by wahmof3:
my policy also states that my meal times are strict and that if you arrive after a scheduled meal time your child must be fed.

maybe I will change policy to tack on a late fee.

What do you think?
I think that enforcing the policy you already have will fix it BUT if you would like a way to earn a little extra the fee would work, too.

The question at that point is what is the fee for? If they pay it do they get to eat late?

The way the policy reads now is if they are on time, they eat...if not they don't, ykwim?
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CheekyChick 10:05 AM 02-16-2012
I love late drop offs. I feel like paying THEM for a few minutes of reading or catching up on e-mails.

As far as breakfast. We serve it from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. If someone comes at 9:30 a.m., we fix them breakfast as well. I'm a softie.
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wahmof3 10:20 AM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by CheekyChick:
I love late drop offs. I feel like paying THEM for a few minutes of reading or catching up on e-mails.

As far as breakfast. We serve it from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. If someone comes at 9:30 a.m., we fix them breakfast as well. I'm a softie.
I wish I could be this laid back

The problem I have is that I am a very scheduled person & I don't feel I am a cafeteria (constant fixing everybody food at different times takes away from the kiddos).

Also it makes getting my daughter ready for school more of a challenge. I have thought about getting my daughter earlier, but I feel why should I change around my schedule because they can't be on time?

Another issue is I know that the later they arrive the grumpier the child. I know when its closer to 8:30 that the dck coming in will be throwing a fit. Funny how in the rare time that they are on time the kids come in like little angels. My dh works 2nd shift so when they come in screaming bc they aren't getting their way then it wakes him up.

Another thing regarding the meal time, my food program lady says if they arrive after a schedule mealtime that I am not obligated to feed them the meal they missed.

So hopefully all it will take is a reminder or they feed before they come.

ahhhhh the joy
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wahmof3 10:24 AM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by Catherder:
I think that enforcing the policy you already have will fix it BUT if you would like a way to earn a little extra the fee would work, too.

The question at that point is what is the fee for? If they pay it do they get to eat late?

The way the policy reads now is if they are on time, they eat...if not they don't, ykwim?
I see what you are saying, thank you this helps.
Going with reminding everyone of scheduled meal times & if they are not here by that time their child must already have been feed.
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bice99 10:26 AM 02-16-2012
$25 finder's fee due if a parent fails to notify me of late arrival or absence by their contracted drop off time. I tell them that it messes with my day and I also worry that something has happened. I've only had to charge it once to two different families.
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wahmof3 10:27 AM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I am a mixture of Catherder's policy of having a cut off for drop offs...after a certain time, there are none allowed, and a mixture of Angelwings where I assume a child is a no show if they are outside of their scheduled drop off time by any more than 30 minutes with no phone call.

I have turned them away at the door before and RARELY has it happened to a family more than once.

Most people "get it" after the first time.
How do parents react when turned away at the door? I had a parent show up yesterday that was over 30 minutes late. I had locked my door so I could throw a load of laundry in. They show up. Then when I didnt get to the door in time they left. They never called to let me know they would be late, but made me feel like it was my fault. Per policy, more then 15 minutes w/out a call I might not be here.
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Crazy8 10:48 AM 02-16-2012
mine isn't even an issue of meals - they know if they aren't here by 8am they need to come in fed. Mine is more of just interfering with my morning routine. I have one that has started coming any time between 7:30 and 9:15 and its starting to get annoying! I have to get my own kids fed, dressed and out the door for their buses, and them coming at 8:20 as I'm getting my son out the door instead of 7:45 when they are supposed to be here really throws a kink in things. I also feel like I need to be waiting around near the front of the house for them, so I end up WASTING all that time instead of doing something productive. Even things like feeding a baby, putting baby down for nap, etc. get messed up with late arrivals since I plan that stuff around arrival times - so the 8am mom who shows up at 9:15 can stand on my front porch in the rain until I am done putting the baby down. And I can't wait until spring when we are already at the park when they show up!!!
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Crystal 12:48 PM 02-16-2012
If this is consistent I suggest:

1. Changing your opening time to 8:00
2. Stop serving breakfast, period.

I will say, if I was a parent that decided to spend 30 extra minutes with my child in the morning and the provider attempted to charge me a fee for a service she hasn't even rendered, or turned me away at the door when I am paying for my child's space in care, it would be the LAST time I showed up, at all.

I think it is absurd to charge a fee for late arrival. What you think if your child's school tried to charge you for a late arrival.....it's probably a huge inconvenince for teachers, but there is no way they'd get away with charging for it.....even at a private school that charges tuition.
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CheekyChick 01:19 PM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by wahmof3:
I wish I could be this laid back

The problem I have is that I am a very scheduled person & I don't feel I am a cafeteria (constant fixing everybody food at different times takes away from the kiddos).

Also it makes getting my daughter ready for school more of a challenge. I have thought about getting my daughter earlier, but I feel why should I change around my schedule because they can't be on time?

Another issue is I know that the later they arrive the grumpier the child. I know when its closer to 8:30 that the dck coming in will be throwing a fit. Funny how in the rare time that they are on time the kids come in like little angels. My dh works 2nd shift so when they come in screaming bc they aren't getting their way then it wakes him up.

Another thing regarding the meal time, my food program lady says if they arrive after a schedule mealtime that I am not obligated to feed them the meal they missed.

So hopefully all it will take is a reminder or they feed before they come.

ahhhhh the joy
I have to be honest... If I didn't have assistants, I probably wouldn't be as laid back. BUT, I just can't let a child go hungry. It goes against the mommy in me. If it were myself here alone, I would give the child a cereal bar and some milk to tide them over until lunch. I couldn't care less about getting paid for one meal here and there, so that's a non-issue for me.

I agree, the later they come, the harder it is to transition them into our day. I think the extra time with mommy or daddy makes them want MORE and it's harder for them to accept they aren't spending the entire day with them.
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wdmmom 01:31 PM 02-16-2012
If they are going to be absent or late, I require a 1 hour notice prior to drop off time.

If no notice is given, it's a $10 per day convenience fee in addition to their regular daily rate.

No admission after 9am unless advance notice is given.

I feed breakfast at 8am. I've had parents drop off at 845am and say, DCB needs breakfast. I rolled him right out of bed and got him dressed to come here.

TOO BAD, so sad. My policies have been the same for 3 years. I'm not changing them today, tomorrow or yesterday to accommodate. Given we eat lunch at 11am, they'll live.
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Lucy 02:39 PM 02-16-2012
It irks the heck outta me when they show up late without telling me. On the one hand.... GREAT! I get some paid time off from that kid for a little bit. But on the other hand.... I hate wondering if they actually told me they were coming late (or not coming at all) and I forgot.

My policy is that if you are late, I assume you're not coming, and I go on with my day. If we were heading out somewhere, we go ahead and go. I'm not calling you to find out.... it's your responsibility to inform me of a change in schedule, and MY option to accept the change. But as I approach the big 5-0, I don't trust my memory. LOL. I'm afraid I'll leave, and someone will show up and say, "Remember -- I told you she had an appointment and we'd be here at 11:30??" And I'd think -- oh yeah, you did.
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Blackcat31 03:03 PM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by wahmof3:
How do parents react when turned away at the door? I had a parent show up yesterday that was over 30 minutes late. I had locked my door so I could throw a load of laundry in. They show up. Then when I didnt get to the door in time they left. They never called to let me know they would be late, but made me feel like it was my fault. Per policy, more then 15 minutes w/out a call I might not be here.
I haven't had to turn anyone away for a loooong time but I have a roster of drop-in moms who work at home and they usually call me in the mornings and see if I have any open space. When someone doesn't show up, I give their space to one of the drop in moms. When I turn them away at the door, I say "I am sorry Judy, but I assumed you were a 'No show' today and filled your space since you didn't call to let me know you were running late." The parent understood and never failed to notify me again. Other than that, I haven't had to turn anyone away.

Originally Posted by Crystal:
If this is consistent I suggest:

1. Changing your opening time to 8:00
2. Stop serving breakfast, period.

I will say, if I was a parent that decided to spend 30 extra minutes with my child in the morning and the provider attempted to charge me a fee for a service she hasn't even rendered, or turned me away at the door when I am paying for my child's space in care, it would be the LAST time I showed up, at all.

I think it is absurd to charge a fee for late arrival. What you think if your child's school tried to charge you for a late arrival.....it's probably a huge inconvenince for teachers, but there is no way they'd get away with charging for it.....even at a private school that charges tuition.
I agree that a parent SHOULD spend any extra time they get with their child. However, I expect their choices to NOT effect my program. If you are going to use those few extra minutes, then a phone call would be the proper thing to do. Yes, I called the school when my kids were going to be late. It is only a courtesy but one that is expected IMOP

Plus, if I made the money that teachers did, I wouldn't HAVE to be so strict about these types of issues. When money is directly related to someone's actions or lack of...then I think we have every right to expect a call when running late or the right to turn them away at the door if they don't call.

Originally Posted by CheekyChick:
I have to be honest... If I didn't have assistants, I probably wouldn't be as laid back. BUT, I just can't let a child go hungry. It goes against the mommy in me. If it were myself here alone, I would give the child a cereal bar and some milk to tide them over until lunch. I couldn't care less about getting paid for one meal here and there, so that's a non-issue for me.

I agree, the later they come, the harder it is to transition them into our day. I think the extra time with mommy or daddy makes them want MORE and it's harder for them to accept they aren't spending the entire day with them.
I can't just give ONE child a cereal bar/milk if all the others have already eaten and it is no longer breakfast time...then ALL the other kids want to eat again and I am not Burger King. We have meal times and we only eat during those times.
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momma2girls 03:08 PM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by wahmof3:
How do parents react when turned away at the door? I had a parent show up yesterday that was over 30 minutes late. I had locked my door so I could throw a load of laundry in. They show up. Then when I didnt get to the door in time they left. They never called to let me know they would be late, but made me feel like it was my fault. Per policy, more then 15 minutes w/out a call I might not be here.
I have written an hr. late, I assume you are not coming, and will go about my day. If I am outside, taking a walk, etc. you probably will not find me. I also have times for snacks, and meals in my contract. If you arrive late, you must feed your own child. I am not about to make dinner, breakfast, etc. two to three times a day
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Heidi 03:10 PM 02-16-2012
Here's my real issue with late drop offs:

Over the last several years, there have been several news stories about people leaaving their (sleeping) child in the car in a parental-space-out moment and going to work. The child ends up terribly injured or killed when they overheat.

In almost each case, it was a very young infant and the parent was probably over tired from a long night, or the parent who didn't usually do the dropping of at dc was doing it that day.

Is it the provider's responsibility to solve this? no But dang, I don't want that on my consience because I'm stubborn. So, I have it in my policies that if you are more than 15 minutes late without a call, I will start making calls. First the parents, then the back ups, then the police. Our state requires that we have an action plan for these situations. It isn't required that I do all this, just that I state what I WILL do.

So, that means if someone can't be bothered to text me, everything else gets put on hold until I find out where they are. It's happened once, and it was grandma, and she got a stern lecture. She thinks I'm a big old meanie now, but oh well.

I terminated a lady once years ago because she was quite honestly a nut job, couldn't arrive at the same time two days in a row. Always some sort of emergency/drama (the horses got out, the baby woke up late, dh threw out his back, she just couldn't get it together this am, whatever). She's arrive at 8:15 one day, 10:05 the next, 9:30 the next. She never called, and she expected me to be there. So, one day, we just went out on our usual 10am walk around the neighborhood, and I didn't call her. When I got back at 11:30, there were 11 messages on my answering machine. "B, where are you, I am SO worried".. I fed the kids lunch, put them down for nap, and very calmly called her at 12:15, and terminated her a**.
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Cat Herder 03:12 PM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by Crystal:
I will say, if I was a parent that decided to spend 30 extra minutes with my child in the morning and the provider attempted to charge me a fee for a service she hasn't even rendered, or turned me away at the door when I am paying for my child's space in care, it would be the LAST time I showed up, at all.
Even if the stipulation was that IF you were arriving past breakfast time you would simply need to feed your own child before dropping off? As a parent I can't see you wanting that for your childs morning regardless.

As a provider, I don't think you would be ok with a hungry child coming in the middle of art (at least that is what I do after breakfast) more than once without prior notification....

I know I'd be really annoyed by it happening repeatedly....
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daycare 03:47 PM 02-16-2012
If you child is expected to eat breakfast in the morning and will not be here, you must notify the provider by 8:00am. Failure to notify provider in advance will result in A food waste fee of $5.00.

Breakfast is served at 8:30 am ONLY, if you arrive after this time, your child MUST be fed a healthy meal at home.
It is up to you as the provider to enforce your rules.

Class time starts at 9:30am sharp daily. If you are not here by 9:25, the front door will be locked and you will need to wait until after circle time has ended at 10:30am. No arrivals without prior notice will take place after 10:30am.
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momofboys 06:17 PM 02-16-2012
Originally Posted by Crystal:
If this is consistent I suggest:

1. Changing your opening time to 8:00
2. Stop serving breakfast, period.

I will say, if I was a parent that decided to spend 30 extra minutes with my child in the morning and the provider attempted to charge me a fee for a service she hasn't even rendered, or turned me away at the door when I am paying for my child's space in care, it would be the LAST time I showed up, at all.

I think it is absurd to charge a fee for late arrival. What you think if your child's school tried to charge you for a late arrival.....it's probably a huge inconvenince for teachers, but there is no way they'd get away with charging for it.....even at a private school that charges tuition.
So what do you do in certain scenarios where you do have to leave the house & parents know this? Case in point - I provide care for a very small group - my own children (2 who are in school), & 2 other families. Most days I drive my children & the SA child I watch to school. If a family is late they risk my children & another child being late to school. We also have planned outside-the-home activities (storytime at the library, playtime at the library, etc - 1 mile from my home). So if a parent is late I should just wait & miss the activties that another family is counting on me partaking in? Not all providers stay home all day! This is where a parent needs to communicate that they will be late or not be ticked off if the provider is gone when they arrive.
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bice99 09:04 PM 02-16-2012
I drive my DD's to school everyday. One DCG comes 30 minutes before we leave. The next, about 10 minutes before. Her dad is now getting very good at texting me his ETA. When she wouldn't show, I would text to ask an ETA. Sometimes I heard back, sometimes I didn't. Last week, I texted. No answer. Texted that we were loading up to go to school. No answer. Drove past their house (3 houses down), his truck is warming up like normal. Pull onto the main road and his text - on my way up. I responded. Driving to school. Should be back by 8. I'll text you when I get home.
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Crystal 12:34 PM 02-17-2012
Originally Posted by Catherder:
Even if the stipulation was that IF you were arriving past breakfast time you would simply need to feed your own child before dropping off? As a parent I can't see you wanting that for your childs morning regardless.

As a provider, I don't think you would be ok with a hungry child coming in the middle of art (at least that is what I do after breakfast) more than once without prior notification....

I know I'd be really annoyed by it happening repeatedly....
Not sure I understand your first question...but I'll try to answer it....as a parent, I'd just feed my child and bring them when I was ready. I would personally let the provider know, and as a provider would appreciate a call, but I don't require it.

I don't mind feeding a child who arrives late and I would NEVER let a child go hungey just because their parent failed to feed them. I prefer they do not arrive late unfed, but it has happened and I just give them a cereal bar and a piece of fruit, (or something similiar) and go about my day.

If it became a daily habit, and it was all of my families, I would do what I said in my OP......change my opening hours, as they clearly don't need me at 7:00 or stop serving breakfast at all....problem solved
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Crystal 12:37 PM 02-17-2012
Originally Posted by momofboys:
So what do you do in certain scenarios where you do have to leave the house & parents know this? Case in point - I provide care for a very small group - my own children (2 who are in school), & 2 other families. Most days I drive my children & the SA child I watch to school. If a family is late they risk my children & another child being late to school. We also have planned outside-the-home activities (storytime at the library, playtime at the library, etc - 1 mile from my home). So if a parent is late I should just wait & miss the activties that another family is counting on me partaking in? Not all providers stay home all day! This is where a parent needs to communicate that they will be late or not be ticked off if the provider is gone when they arrive.
I would never make my child late to school. I'd simply put a sticky note on the door....or a plastic clock with moveble hands and a sign that says "will be back at (insert time) If it is a scheduled field trip I'd leave a note on the door that says "sorry you missed us. we had a planned field trip today and have left as planned. see you next time " If they are upset, too bad and it probably won't happen again.
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Crazy8 04:34 PM 02-17-2012
Originally Posted by Crystal:
If this is consistent I suggest:

1. Changing your opening time to 8:00
2. Stop serving breakfast, period.

I will say, if I was a parent that decided to spend 30 extra minutes with my child in the morning and the provider attempted to charge me a fee for a service she hasn't even rendered, or turned me away at the door when I am paying for my child's space in care, it would be the LAST time I showed up, at all. I think it is absurd to charge a fee for late arrival. What you think if your child's school tried to charge you for a late arrival.....it's probably a huge inconvenince for teachers, but there is no way they'd get away with charging for it.....even at a private school that charges tuition.
But YOU would be breaking the contract by not contacting the provider that you are going to spend that extra 30 min. at home that morning. If after a few times of breaking that rule and being reminded of it, why is it so inconceivable to start assigning a fee to it????

I agree I wouldn't want to start adding a fee to late arrivals but when its become a problem in the daycare and is stated in the contract then it is just like any other rule (paying late, etc.). And if a child comes in my daycare after 8am I am not going to drop everything or rearrange my schedule to feed them. They are not going to starve by waiting till our 9:20 snack time to eat. It is a parents responsibility to get them here by 8am or feed them at home. I actually had a parent who used to come at 8:30 start bringing their child at 7:45am because "it was too hard" to feed them at home.
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Cat Herder 04:44 PM 02-17-2012
Originally Posted by Crystal:
Not sure I understand your first question...but I'll try to answer it....as a parent, I'd just feed my child and bring them when I was ready. I would personally let the provider know, and as a provider would appreciate a call, but I don't require it.

I don't mind feeding a child who arrives late and I would NEVER let a child go hungey just because their parent failed to feed them. I prefer they do not arrive late unfed, but it has happened and I just give them a cereal bar and a piece of fruit, (or something similiar) and go about my day.

If it became a daily habit, and it was all of my families, I would do what I said in my OP......change my opening hours, as they clearly don't need me at 7:00 or stop serving breakfast at all....problem solved
I agree.

I misunderstood your post to say you would terminate a provider who required you to feed your child before drop off if you arrived after breakfast was over.

I actually changed my opening time to 8am for this exact reason, myself. It gave me time to get my kids ready for school before I opened without stress of juggling parents/DCK's.
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Jewels 07:33 PM 02-19-2012
I dont mind late arrivals, Extra time for me or one less to feed, I have never had a child come past 8:30am without being fed, Ever, I always make a plate for everyone who is supposed to be there, and if they come during breakfast, then I have their plate already ready, And kids that arrive after breakfast, just jump right into whatever we are doing, I really don't see an issue with this. When I used to have my son in daycare, There were many mornings where I was able to go in a little late to spend extra time with my son in the morning, I would let her know most times, and I would have breakfast with him, and have a little quality time, and then bring him, if my provider would have ever turned me away for spending more time with my son in the morning, when I pay her full time(yet I'm keeping him home a little longer) I would have been PO'd.


**Actually just got a text from one of my parents that they would be arriving after breakfast tomorrow!!! And they are my earliest arrival, Extra time in the morning for me
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Tags:breakfast - late, drop off issues, drop off policy, enforcing policies - consistency, fees, late arrivals, late fee, late fee policy
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