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tymaboy 02:06 PM 02-20-2010
This is the email I got from a Mom today. She did not say if DCB would be picked up early or not. She does not realize that I am already putting in more then 11 hours a day & her extra hour will tack on another 1 1/2 - 2 hours to my day.

Originally Posted by :
I need to leave Dbq. as early as possible on Friday, March 12th, so I will be bringing *** when you open at 6. I wanted to give you a heads-up now while I was thinking of it. Can you believe there's only one week left of February?!!!
See you Monday morning.
This year I change my policy to contracted hours instead of open & close hours. This is also the 1 family that tell me if she will be 5:15, 5:30 or 5:45 at pick up. 5:30 is her pickup time. I allow a 15 grace period for pickup/ drop off. Her drop off is 7:45 sometimes she is here at 7:30 (a few time 7:20 which I let slide) but I am just not in the mood for this any longer. I do not want to come off sounding like a major B*tch which is what will happen if I write an email back to her at this time with consulting with everyone here. She has pushes my illness policy which does not help anything at all.
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momma2girls 03:18 PM 02-20-2010
Originally Posted by tymaboy:
This is the email I got from a Mom today. She did not say if DCB would be picked up early or not. She does not realize that I am already putting in more then 11 hours a day & her extra hour will tack on another 1 1/2 - 2 hours to my day.



This year I change my policy to contracted hours instead of open & close hours. This is also the 1 family that tell me if she will be 5:15, 5:30 or 5:45 at pick up. 5:30 is her pickup time. I allow a 15 grace period for pickup/ drop off. Her drop off is 7:45 sometimes she is here at 7:30 (a few time 7:20 which I let slide) but I am just not in the mood for this any longer. I do not want to come off sounding like a major B*tch which is what will happen if I write an email back to her at this time with consulting with everyone here. She has pushes my illness policy which does not help anything at all.
I hate to say this, but I proved it many times over now- the more you let someone get away with, the more they will abuse everything!!! Is this true or not???? I have now put my foot down and not let things slide, enforcing late fees, etc...
You just need to be firm with everything!!!!! It will make things a whole lot easier on everyone!!!!
Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!
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momofboys 03:51 PM 02-20-2010
Originally Posted by tymaboy:
This is the email I got from a Mom today. She did not say if DCB would be picked up early or not. She does not realize that I am already putting in more then 11 hours a day & her extra hour will tack on another 1 1/2 - 2 hours to my day.



This year I change my policy to contracted hours instead of open & close hours. This is also the 1 family that tell me if she will be 5:15, 5:30 or 5:45 at pick up. 5:30 is her pickup time. I allow a 15 grace period for pickup/ drop off. Her drop off is 7:45 sometimes she is here at 7:30 (a few time 7:20 which I let slide) but I am just not in the mood for this any longer. I do not want to come off sounding like a major B*tch which is what will happen if I write an email back to her at this time with consulting with everyone here. She has pushes my illness policy which does not help anything at all.
How do you handle the time that is not contracted? Do you charge per 1/2 hr or hour? I would simply say:

"That is fine for ________ to be here early that day. Thank you for the heads-up. I will be sure to mark my calendar for that day. Since _______ will be here an extra 2 hrs I will be adding a _______ fee to that day since it is beyond our contracted hours."

Oops I missed the fact that you don't have "Open/Close" hours. I'd reword what I had written above saying this. I guess you need to ask yourself do you want to accomodate these earlier hours? If so, I'd say

Thank you for the heads-up on _______________'s early arrival on March ___________. Please keep in mind that I don't have open/close hours only contracted hours. Since _______________ will be here an extra 2 hours you will have an additional fee of __________ for this day of service. Please let me know if you have any questions.
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Daycare Mommy 05:04 AM 02-21-2010
I let these occasional early mornings with notice slide with most families at no charge, BUT not for a family that is constantly pushing the opening time earlier and the closing time later. (I just gave one of those families the boot because I can't STAND this!)

And it wouldn't matter to me whether or not he is being picked up early that day. He's going to be getting care outside of the contracted hours, so it costs more. I'd write back:
"Thanks for the heads up on needing early hours on March 12th. I am available to work that morning and the overtime fee of $___ / per hour applies and is due with your next tuition payment.

While you brought this up, I thought I'd remind you that your regular contracted hours are for 7:45am - 5:30pm. There have been a lot of early drop offs and late pick ups.. If you need different hours (even 5 or 15 minutes earlier in the morning or later in the evening) we need to discuss this and come up with a different weekly tuition to cover the longer hours that you need."
Maybe not perfectly worded, but I wouldn't be heartbroken if they left. People who are constantly trying to push the policies as far as they can either need to get with the program or leave.

(Anyone who thinks this is mean, I've been burned by 3 families on this. One left their kids with me 50 hrs a week when they only worked 25 "to get their money's worth". I don't mind working (I'm here anyway for the other kids) but that is so not fair to the child! Another had 10 hrs/day contracted but saw that I advertised 24 hr care so left their newborn here 12-14 hrs a day without explanation or apology even though their contract was perfectly clear that they only paid me for 50 hrs/wk. The last was a family that did just what this one is doing, dropped off 20 minutes early and picked up 15 minutes late. She only worked part time but her son spent more time with me than the full time working mom's children. I came to find out that she was going to the gym every day. Grrr!)
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jen 08:19 PM 02-22-2010
I don't think it's mean...I think its smart.
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momma2girls 05:01 AM 02-23-2010
Keep us posted as to what happens.
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MarinaVanessa 08:44 AM 02-24-2010
Wow, not even a question more like "as a matter of fact". Id at least have the courtesy to ask if it was ok not just assume that I can just tell you that I'm doing it.

I agree that you can accept the child but should charge her an additional fee. The idea to remind her and point out that she has been leaving the child there earlier/picking up later etc is also great. Most parent's will keep doing what they're doing until you say something.

Please keep us posted to what you said and the outcome. Good luck.
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tymaboy 09:49 AM 02-24-2010
This parent is always like that & it irks me that she never asks I sent her an email saying that I am not available that early this yr. She dropped off on Monday & never said a word about it. I am now in the process of writting another email to all my parents - its in the vent thread. I am tired of people taking advantage of me for being nice - NO MORE, I am sick of it. If I loose families OH well!
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momma2girls 10:33 AM 02-24-2010
Originally Posted by tymaboy:
This parent is always like that & it irks me that she never asks I sent her an email saying that I am not available that early this yr. She dropped off on Monday & never said a word about it. I am now in the process of writting another email to all my parents - its in the vent thread. I am tired of people taking advantage of me for being nice - NO MORE, I am sick of it. If I loose families OH well!
Yes, good for you!!! I am so tired of it all the time as well!!
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momma2girls 10:37 AM 02-24-2010
Originally Posted by Daycare Mommy:
I let these occasional early mornings with notice slide with most families at no charge, BUT not for a family that is constantly pushing the opening time earlier and the closing time later. (I just gave one of those families the boot because I can't STAND this!)

And it wouldn't matter to me whether or not he is being picked up early that day. He's going to be getting care outside of the contracted hours, so it costs more. I'd write back:
"Thanks for the heads up on needing early hours on March 12th. I am available to work that morning and the overtime fee of $___ / per hour applies and is due with your next tuition payment.

While you brought this up, I thought I'd remind you that your regular contracted hours are for 7:45am - 5:30pm. There have been a lot of early drop offs and late pick ups.. If you need different hours (even 5 or 15 minutes earlier in the morning or later in the evening) we need to discuss this and come up with a different weekly tuition to cover the longer hours that you need."
Maybe not perfectly worded, but I wouldn't be heartbroken if they left. People who are constantly trying to push the policies as far as they can either need to get with the program or leave.

(Anyone who thinks this is mean, I've been burned by 3 families on this. One left their kids with me 50 hrs a week when they only worked 25 "to get their money's worth". I don't mind working (I'm here anyway for the other kids) but that is so not fair to the child! Another had 10 hrs/day contracted but saw that I advertised 24 hr care so left their newborn here 12-14 hrs a day without explanation or apology even though their contract was perfectly clear that they only paid me for 50 hrs/wk. The last was a family that did just what this one is doing, dropped off 20 minutes early and picked up 15 minutes late. She only worked part time but her son spent more time with me than the full time working mom's children. I came to find out that she was going to the gym every day. Grrr!)
Now if your hrs. are over 45 or 50 in a week, can you say something like - These hrs. are for your work and commute times only, anything over 45 or 50 hrs. whatever you would like to do- is at an overtime rate of ____ per hr. This will hopefully fix the 10 hrs. per day. Your weekly rate should be for like 45 hrs. or something like that anything over should be paid to you as overtime. I have seen contracts that have over 45 hrs. will be $10.00 per hr. and I seen $5.00 per hr. I do like this if you are open long hrs. otherwise families are going to keep abusing this time after time after time!!!!
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tymaboy 11:04 AM 02-24-2010
This is what I sent the mother about the early morning.

"I am sorry but I am not available that early this year. This year I changed the policy to contracted hours which is stated in the policy and our signed contract. I currently am working more then 11 hour days. I am not available to work more hours. I do enjoy my job but it is a consuming job, I hope you understand that I must limit the hours that I work so I do not get burnt out."

This is what I am sending out in just a few minutes to all my parents

"Dear Parents,

PLEASE re-read the policy that I have attached. Also, please review your signed contract as these are your hours of care and these are the hours that I am going by. If I have made arrangements with you for earlier pick-ups than the time written on your signed contract, do not worry, those times are fine.

I am making one adjustment on my (Inconvenience Fee Section) grace period. I am no longer offering a grace period of 15 minutes. This is the most abused and is no longer offered. There is now a $2.00 fee for every 3 minutes or partial 3 minutes that you are late dropping off or picking up your child. The fee applies to both contracted hours and time told verbally. If a parent calls at scheduled drop off or pick-up time to indicate they will be late, the fee applies. Please remember that you will also receive a warning slip when late drop-off or pick-up occurs.

Please respect my policy and procedures that I have had in place before you signed on. Not only does it show that you respect me, but it also shows that you respect the other families that are in care.

Thank you. "

I hope they get the point. Cuz it is to the point that if they dont they are gone. Parents should not be the ones to give us grief.
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Tags:contract, drop off, fee, grace period, pick up
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