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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Would You Enforce A $55.00 Late Pick Up Fee?
Crunchymom04 04:44 PM 03-03-2017
I closed early on Ash Wednesday at 4pm, it is in my contract, I sent a reminder home 2 weeks prior and reminded parents again verbally as the day approach.
In my contract I have a late pick up fee of $1.00 per minuet after 5 min grace period.

I had 1 parent "forget" and not pick up until 5. I text her a little after 4 asking who was picking up because I was closed.

How do I enforce a $55.00 late pick up fee?
Do I enforce the whole $55.00?
That is a lot of money at 1 time for a late fee.
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Pestle 05:09 PM 03-03-2017
AbsoLUTEly you enforce a large late fee. The larger it is, the more you enforce it, because they need to feel the sting. This parent had you over a barrel--the parent knew three different ways that early pick up was required, the parent knew they were interfering with your practice of religion, and the parent knew you couldn't just up and leave their kid. The more irresponsibly that parent behaved, the more they forced you into the corner of being responsible way beyond. . . what you're actually responsible for.

And I'm the one who reminded her husband the night before that it was a half day at school, reminded him again when he left for work, called him after he arrived at work to remind him again, and then got an angry call from a middle-school teacher who was the last person at the school, sitting with her preschooler, who hadn't been picked up. 9_9 If that teacher had stolen his shoes when he arrived, I would have supported it.
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childcaremom 05:30 PM 03-03-2017
Originally Posted by Pestle:
AbsoLUTEly you enforce a large late fee. The larger it is, the more you enforce it, because they need to feel the sting. This parent had you over a barrel--the parent knew three different ways that early pick up was required, the parent knew they were interfering with your practice of religion, and the parent knew you couldn't just up and leave their kid. The more irresponsibly that parent behaved, the more they forced you into the corner of being responsible way beyond. . . what you're actually responsible for.

And I'm the one who reminded her husband the night before that it was a half day at school, reminded him again when he left for work, called him after he arrived at work to remind him again, and then got an angry call from a middle-school teacher who was the last person at the school, sitting with her preschooler, who hadn't been picked up. 9_9 If that teacher had stolen his shoes when he arrived, I would have supported it.


The point of the late fee is to deter parents from being late, or in your case, from being late ever again.
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Mad_Pistachio 05:33 PM 03-03-2017
if you were planning to attend the service, and their being late interfered with that, then it is not negotiable, and it shouldn't be. (in case you want to negotiate/lower the fee, of course; which you don't have to)
teaching Sunday School, one thing that made me want to quit is parents picking up after the service started, and I couldn't make it. the class was over by something like 10:40, parents picked up at 11:00 and even later, service starts at 11:00, and the sanctuary is not made of latex and won't stretch to fit me. after leaving the class angry 5 Sundays in a row because I was held back, I decided to not return for another year.

sorry. I just hate it when you have this one service that happens once a year, and you want to attend, and can't because someone plopped their kid onto you.
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LysesKids 05:37 PM 03-03-2017
Originally Posted by Crunchymom04:
I closed early on Ash Wednesday at 4pm, it is in my contract, I sent a reminder home 2 weeks prior and reminded parents again verbally as the day approach.
In my contract I have a late pick up fee of $1.00 per minuet after 5 min grace period.

I had 1 parent "forget" and not pick up until 5. I text her a little after 4 asking who was picking up because I was closed.

How do I enforce a $55.00 late pick up fee?
Do I enforce the whole $55.00?
That is a lot of money at 1 time for a late fee.
I enforced a $75 late fee once... never had the family leave and now I have another kid in care 2 years later lol. The dad apologized after getting reamed out by his wife. Dad had the day off and mom had to work late... he fell asleep and forgot about his dd
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Ariana 06:20 PM 03-03-2017
If you want to make sure this NEVER happens again you need to enforce it!
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Gemma 03:32 AM 03-04-2017
Originally Posted by Crunchymom04:
I closed early on Ash Wednesday at 4pm, it is in my contract, I sent a reminder home 2 weeks prior and reminded parents again verbally as the day approach.
In my contract I have a late pick up fee of $1.00 per minuet after 5 min grace period.

I had 1 parent "forget" and not pick up until 5. I text her a little after 4 asking who was picking up because I was closed.

How do I enforce a $55.00 late pick up fee?
Do I enforce the whole $55.00?
That is a lot of money at 1 time for a late fee.
If that's what it totaled, yes you should enforce it....otherwise why having the policy in the first place

If you are uncomfortable with your own policies, dkp will resent them even more, perhaps you should review the late fee policy and restructure it in a way that you can be more comfortable standing by it (?)
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BlueChairBlessings 07:28 AM 03-04-2017
Absolutely, just be sure you are willing to accept that the family may leave. Just last month, I posted on here about having a very new family pick up 52 minutes past my very generous 15 min grace. I missed a non-refundable class and I was ticked. They ended up finally paying it, but left. I was okay with that because I knew it would have become an on-going problem. I would have been FURIOUS if I were you.
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lovemydaycare0912 07:39 AM 03-04-2017
I have in handbook it must be paid next day at drop off or child cannot attend. That's how I enforce it. They either pay or they pay. Lol.
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mommiebookworm 08:03 AM 03-04-2017
Absolutely enforce it. It is so disrespectful.
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Mike 10:36 AM 03-04-2017
Ditto. They knew. They pay. The moment you don't enforce something, you're asking for trouble.
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Leigh 01:44 PM 03-04-2017
I not only enforce the pick up fee, but I take the child with me and have the parents come to me to pick up their child. I'd have taken the child to church with me and then had them pick up after the service (and the fee would have been higher by then). I've had parents have to track me down in a store before when they've been late, and they hate it. But, they don't hate it as much as I hate having their child in my care after I am closed.

I had one parent who didn't allow their child to watch TV. At 5:30, I'd put the kid in front of the television and go about making dinner for my family. I told her at 5:30, I'm done working, and my family time has started, and the TV can come on. After finding her kid in front of the TV a few times, her kid was always picked up on time. I do what I have to, I guess.
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Kajada 04:07 PM 03-04-2017
I once fell asleep while my daughter was at preschool. I was over an hour late picking her up. I was so embarrassed (and I felt terrible to have put my kid and her teacher in that situation) and I gladly paid the 75$ fee. It was an accident, but still 100% my fault. The next time I was tired while she was at school, I made some coffee and avoided the couch!

I haven't had to charge any parents a late fee yet (fingers crossed!) but I certainly wouldn't hesitate to add it to their bill.
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Pestle 04:57 PM 03-04-2017
Originally Posted by Leigh:
I take the child with me and have the parents come to me to pick up their child.
That's hilarious. How do you protect yourself? Insured to transport and the parents sign a contract that includes permission to transport the kids?

Other ideas, much worse than yours:

"At 5:30, the day care turns into a nightclub. Any children left in my care should be picked up from the drunk tank at the county jail."

"At 5:30, I begin indoctrinating any children left in my care into the Liturgy of the Hours. They will learn to wake at 9pm, midnight, and 3am each night, come stand next to your bed, and chant ecclesiastical Latin."
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Crunchymom04 06:12 PM 03-04-2017
Thank you, I have never had to enforce such a high fee before, I have enforced this policy (not with this family) before, I as a parent would be shocked but I am going to enforce it, if they decide to leave I have 2 weeks of pay to find another family! I think I just needed to be reassured that I was doing what needs to be done and not being crazy.
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daycare 06:34 PM 03-04-2017
Originally Posted by Crunchymom04:
Thank you, I have never had to enforce such a high fee before, I have enforced this policy (not with this family) before, I as a parent would be shocked but I am going to enforce it, if they decide to leave I have 2 weeks of pay to find another family! I think I just needed to be reassured that I was doing what needs to be done and not being crazy.
Why have rules is your not going to enforce them? Yes charge it or they will do it again.
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daycare 06:34 PM 03-04-2017
Originally Posted by daycare:
Why have rules is your not going to enforce them? Yes charge it or they will do it again.
Oops sorry I didn't mean to quote you. I meant to respond to the OP. sorry about that
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daycare 06:35 PM 03-04-2017
And then I did that. Omg. Having an off day. Sorry everyone.
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Mike 07:33 PM 03-04-2017
Originally Posted by daycare:
And then I did that. Omg. Having an off day. Sorry everyone.
We all have our off days.
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Leigh 07:04 AM 03-05-2017
Originally Posted by Pestle:
That's hilarious. How do you protect yourself? Insured to transport and the parents sign a contract that includes permission to transport the kids?

Other ideas, much worse than yours:

"At 5:30, the day care turns into a nightclub. Any children left in my care should be picked up from the drunk tank at the county jail."

"At 5:30, I begin indoctrinating any children left in my care into the Liturgy of the Hours. They will learn to wake at 9pm, midnight, and 3am each night, come stand next to your bed, and chant ecclesiastical Latin."
I don't need permission to transport, but I have all parents sign a transport release, anyway. I also don't require extra insurance to transport kids.
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Blackcat31 07:17 AM 03-06-2017
Originally Posted by Leigh:
I don't need permission to transport, but I have all parents sign a transport release, anyway. I also don't require extra insurance to transport kids.
You are lucky there...

We have to have extra insurance, specific training AND parent permission to transport but....

We are also required to submit our "business hours" so even if a parent didn't show up to pick up at the end of the day, I couldn't take a child with me (even if I had ALL the trainings etc) becuase it would be outside my business hours...

My late fee is graduated (three late pick ups/strikes = termination) ...because like Childcaremom said; it's not about the money, it's about it not happening again.
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Play Care 08:31 AM 03-06-2017
Originally Posted by Leigh:
I not only enforce the pick up fee, but I take the child with me and have the parents come to me to pick up their child. I'd have taken the child to church with me and then had them pick up after the service (and the fee would have been higher by then). I've had parents have to track me down in a store before when they've been late, and they hate it. But, they don't hate it as much as I hate having their child in my care after I am closed.

I had one parent who didn't allow their child to watch TV. At 5:30, I'd put the kid in front of the television and go about making dinner for my family. I told her at 5:30, I'm done working, and my family time has started, and the TV can come on. After finding her kid in front of the TV a few times, her kid was always picked up on time. I do what I have to, I guess.
My contract states: At closing time this child care switches to FST - FAMILY STANDARD TIME. Your child will be set up at the table with a book while I start my dinner, my kids start their homework, etc. All programming ENDS at closing time.
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daycarediva 09:30 AM 03-06-2017
ABSOLUTELY!

I had an emergency closing last week. Had a kid picked up VERY late, and charged my $1/minute. Idc if they leave.
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Max 01:12 PM 03-06-2017
I thought someone mentioned before a software they used that made it very easy to add late fees (or it automatically added late fees because parents had to sign in/out). Does anyone know what it's called?

I think if you're more timid or soft spoken, that may be an easier way to address it - use weekly invoices and have the late fee show up there.

But I don't know how easy that software would be to customize (for example, an early closing or families with different hours each day).
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Tags:enforcing policies - consistency, late pick up fee
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