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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Problem Family is GONE...
rmc20021 04:09 PM 05-12-2013
My problem family I've kept on way longer than I should have is gone now. I've had one problem after another with them and last week they came on Monday and I never heard a word from them until Friday. They had left on me once before after only being in care for about 3 weeks and after a month dcm showed up at my door wanting to come back...which I did let her (huge mistake). She had left owing me for the last day I'd cared for dcg...was only 10.00 so I didn't bother with it and made them pay it when they returned.
So this time, after not hearing from them all week, I sent a final bill with a note that read "since I have not heard from you since Monday I assume you no longer need childcare and am enclosing your final bill. Then I broke down the amount they owed me and noted that it was due immediately and that late charges would incur, as well as court fees if I have to take them to court.
This went out into the mail late Friday morning. Friday afternoon at 12:30 I get a text that they would be bringing dcg 'shortly'. I also have it in my policy that there are no drop offs between 1-3 pm. After lunch I took the kids into the back room to watch a short movie before nap...so from 12:30-1.
My house is only about 1000 sf...definitely small enough that if they had shown up I would have heard them at the door and I had the tv turned down low so it's not like it was blasting away. I never heard anything...and assumed they had not shown up.
So Saturday I get a text from dcf (we live in the same small town so they must have already gotten my letter) saying that they had come to my house but I wasn't home...my car was sitting right in the drive way and they would have had to passed it in order to get to my door. Then she said she had no intention of leaving daycare and had still planned to pay me for the time she WAS here. Then she asked me if I was closing daycare (have no idea where that would come from) And then she asked me if I was terminating her because dcd had time off from work.
Thank goodness my text is not working for me to send texts...I can only receive them for some reason, because I would have been so tempted to say something back. As it is though, I can refrain from getting involved in one of those drama pits.
She signed a contract which states she has a flat fee that is due whether child is in care or not, and she had the nerve to TELL me she intended to pay me for the time dcg was in care! I even added that I would not charge any of the late payment fees if she pays within 5 days of the post mark...otherwise there would be late fees accumulate for 14 days and then I would take it to small claims court.
I know some may think I'm being harsh...but this family has consistently broken every rule I have in my policy over and over, been late on payments nearly every time, quit daycare once before with no notice...so when I had not heard a word from them from Monday until Friday, it was easy for me to assume they may have quit on me again without notice.
They NEVER respond when I call or text them...they only communicate with me by text if it's something THEY want (which is VERY rare, and surprising when the text on Friday to say she would be there. They usually just show up whenever they feel like it...even though I have consistently told them I need to know what her schedule is going to be in advance)
And for some odd reason...I just have the feeling they are going to show up in the morning expecting me to keep dcg.
So this time, after not hearing from them all week, I sent a final bill with a note that read "since I have not heard from you since Monday I assume you no longer need childcare and am enclosing your final bill. Then I broke down the amount they owed me and noted that it was due immediately and that late charges would incur, as well as court fees if I have to take them to court.
This went out into the mail late Friday morning. Friday afternoon at 12:30 I get a text that they would be bringing dcg 'shortly'. I also have it in my policy that there are no drop offs between 1-3 pm. After lunch I took the kids into the back room to watch a short movie before nap...so from 12:30-1.
My house is only about 1000 sf...definitely small enough that if they had shown up I would have heard them at the door and I had the tv turned down low so it's not like it was blasting away. I never heard anything...and assumed they had not shown up.
So Saturday I get a text from dcf (we live in the same small town so they must have already gotten my letter) saying that they had come to my house but I wasn't home...my car was sitting right in the drive way and they would have had to passed it in order to get to my door. Then she said she had no intention of leaving daycare and had still planned to pay me for the time she WAS here. Then she asked me if I was closing daycare (have no idea where that would come from) And then she asked me if I was terminating her because dcd had time off from work.
Thank goodness my text is not working for me to send texts...I can only receive them for some reason, because I would have been so tempted to say something back. As it is though, I can refrain from getting involved in one of those drama pits.
She signed a contract which states she has a flat fee that is due whether child is in care or not, and she had the nerve to TELL me she intended to pay me for the time dcg was in care! I even added that I would not charge any of the late payment fees if she pays within 5 days of the post mark...otherwise there would be late fees accumulate for 14 days and then I would take it to small claims court.
I know some may think I'm being harsh...but this family has consistently broken every rule I have in my policy over and over, been late on payments nearly every time, quit daycare once before with no notice...so when I had not heard a word from them from Monday until Friday, it was easy for me to assume they may have quit on me again without notice.
They NEVER respond when I call or text them...they only communicate with me by text if it's something THEY want (which is VERY rare, and surprising when the text on Friday to say she would be there. They usually just show up whenever they feel like it...even though I have consistently told them I need to know what her schedule is going to be in advance)
And for some odd reason...I just have the feeling they are going to show up in the morning expecting me to keep dcg.
countrymom 04:29 PM 05-12-2013
well you termed them so now you can't keep them. If they show up send them on thier way.
daycare 05:01 PM 05-12-2013
I would think about adding to your Phb that if you do not hear from a family for 3 consecutive days they will be terminated.
Stay strong and keep your chin up. Headache gone.
Stay strong and keep your chin up. Headache gone.
rmc20021 07:01 PM 05-12-2013
Actually, I had just updated my policy April 1 this year. BUT I did revise it AFTER I had everyone sign it to include 3 consecutive days of no show/no call or 6 days within a year would result in termination.
I don't feel I terminated them, I feel I had been left to believe they had done the same thing as last time, which was to leave without notice and was just sending them their final bill since it was payday.
I don't feel I terminated them, I feel I had been left to believe they had done the same thing as last time, which was to leave without notice and was just sending them their final bill since it was payday.
AnneCordelia 03:12 AM 05-13-2013
Nobody is going to think you're harsh. They up and LEFT you without notice and owing money last time. You let them back (which you recognise as your mistake, good) and then they appeared to do the same thing again.
Honestly, I think you are caring and sweet and not harsh. Most of us would never have let them back in the first place, and I don't think THAT would have been harsh either.
Honestly, I think you are caring and sweet and not harsh. Most of us would never have let them back in the first place, and I don't think THAT would have been harsh either.
EntropyControlSpecialist 08:40 AM 05-13-2013
How has your morning gone without them there? 
rmc20021 09:40 AM 05-13-2013
The sad thing is...this was my ONLY dcg, age 3 and I really, really love her. I have a granddaughter a little younger than her who lives 1000 miles away that I don't get to see very often so I've replaced her (as much as you can possibly replace a grandchild) with this dcg. I miss her terribly.
SHE was the only reason I put up with so much from this family. So even though I'll be done with all the weekly drama from dcp's, I feel empty without dcg.
SHE was the only reason I put up with so much from this family. So even though I'll be done with all the weekly drama from dcp's, I feel empty without dcg.