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SilverSabre25 03:18 PM 03-04-2014
I enforced a late fee for a minor lateness for the first time ever!!! 8 dollars. she said she called me but my phone was off. Yeah sorry you're late you still owe a late fee.....she seemed irked. Oh well.
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Naptime yet? 03:20 PM 03-04-2014


Good for you! Hopefully it will only get easier.
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Patches 03:22 PM 03-04-2014

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TwinKristi 03:49 PM 03-04-2014

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Luna 04:30 PM 03-04-2014
I bet she doesn't do it again!
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bloominggenius 10:32 PM 03-04-2014
Yeah she will. There was a study done that shows that small late fees lead to the parents being late more often because they think if they are willing to pay the fee they can be late. Your late fee needs to be $20 the first 15 minutes and $20 every 15 minutes after that. And calling doesn't make you on time. It makes you polite, but when you work extra hours you get overtime. So do we.
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Patches 05:00 AM 03-05-2014
I enforced an $8 late fee in January for my problem family. Dcd was 8 minutes late, I reminded him about the late fee and he was fine with it. I text mom in the morning to remind her to bring it and dcd didn't tell her and she flipped out basically saying it wasn't fair and that traffic is out if their control and threatened to pull her kids. I told her to go ahead (but in a professional way) and she paid the late fee and apparently pulling was an empty threat, because when I termed a couple weeks later she had nobody lined up to watch them. My point being I don't understand why parents get mad as US when THEY are late. Makes no sense. Glad you enforced your policy
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EntropyControlSpecialist 05:58 AM 03-05-2014
Originally Posted by bloominggenius:
Yeah she will. There was a study done that shows that small late fees lead to the parents being late more often because they think if they are willing to pay the fee they can be late. Your late fee needs to be $20 the first 15 minutes and $20 every 15 minutes after that. And calling doesn't make you on time. It makes you polite, but when you work extra hours you get overtime. So do we.
She is correct. I have had one family for nearly 2 years now and they were always late (well, Dad was). I must have gotten at least $20 a month from them until Dad's job changed and he actually had a reason for a later arrival. Now, he still is late (past the altered end time!) and will mosy on up not being bothered in the least. Mom is very quick to run in and check the child out so no late fee is charged.
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SilverSabre25 08:00 AM 03-05-2014
Originally Posted by bloominggenius:
Yeah she will. There was a study done that shows that small late fees lead to the parents being late more often because they think if they are willing to pay the fee they can be late. Your late fee needs to be $20 the first 15 minutes and $20 every 15 minutes after that. And calling doesn't make you on time. It makes you polite, but when you work extra hours you get overtime. So do we.
Just to point this out--that is only slightly more than $1/minute, and I have considered such a thing. However I feel it will encourage a parent to linger and be later "Well I already am three minutes late and owe $20 I can wait a few and be 10 minutes/12 minutes/14 minutes late. My late fee doesn't "need" to be anything. It's fine the way it is, thank you.
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NeedaVaca 09:03 AM 03-05-2014

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daycarediva 10:02 AM 03-05-2014
Good for you!

SOME parents don't care about the late fee. No matter how high it is.

SOME parents do, and they will try not to be late the next time to avoid even the smallest fee.
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lovemykidstoo 10:29 AM 03-05-2014
Good for you for enforcing. Because her calling you was supposed to make u for being late? Don't think so!

I don't actually have a late fee, some will think I'm nuts. I have never had a problem with late in 13 years. I did have 1 person late by about 10 minutes the first week they were here. I opened the door and was ticked because I was missing my sons track meet. I quite firmly said, this cannot ever happen again. My evenings I'm running like crazy with my 2 kids and this is unacceptable. It never happened again.
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melilley 11:10 AM 03-05-2014
Good for you for enforcing the late fee!

I've only had a family come late once. Dcd got into a car accident (minor) and had to wait for the police to come to the site.
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daycarediva 11:15 AM 03-05-2014
Originally Posted by melilley:
Good for you for enforcing the late fee!

I've only had a family come late once. Dcd got into a car accident (minor) and had to wait for the police to come to the site.
unavoidable!!!


I am envious of those of you with parents who come on time every time. I gave a late fee yesterday and the Mom was rushing the kid saying "I have groceries in the car." (like that means anything to a 3.5yo anyway).
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Blackcat31 11:22 AM 03-05-2014
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
unavoidable!!!


I am envious of those of you with parents who come on time every time. I gave a late fee yesterday and the Mom was rushing the kid saying "I have groceries in the car." (like that means anything to a 3.5yo anyway).
...and if she had gotten her child FIRST and grocery shopped LATER, she wouldn't have been late.
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daycarediva 11:27 AM 03-05-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
...and if she had gotten her child FIRST and grocery shopped LATER, she wouldn't have been late.
I wouldn't take that kid with me to the grocery store if he behaved the way he does for her. BUT, that's not MY problem.

$15 went into my savings, and he helped me clean the playroom.
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itlw8 11:45 AM 03-05-2014
I had a friend late fee was $1 a minute first offence. $2 a minute second offence. 3rd offence you were terminated. he parents towed the line they know she meant it
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Unregistered 04:05 PM 03-06-2014
I charged a late fee after no call once and was promptly ripped off for 1,300 ...sigh
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Tags:backbone, enforcing policies - consistency, late fees
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