My families have contracted hours, based on their need for care. Last month dcd dropped dcb off half an hour early (!!) and then asked if we could re-do their contract because he now has to drive farther to work. I did not charge them for that time and I re-did the contract. Today, he shows up 15 minutes earlier than the NEW earlier contracted time. (Usually they are here at 8:20, even though the new time was for 8:00am, and he showed at 7:45).

Okay, here's where I need help. What are your reasons for charging for early drop-off? I'm going over my reasons in my head and they all sound lame!! But I do stand by my policy of contracted hours based on need. I will be billing dcp's for today (my policy is $10 for every 15 minutes early/late) but wanted to be ready for when/if they ask me WHY they can't come earlier without getting charged for it.

Reply

I don't charge for early drop-off, but I've never really had a problem with that (yet, KOW).

As for WHY they can't drop off early--explain that you need to know when to expect children to arrive because you plan your day and activities accordingly. This explanation works whether she's your first drop-off or not. If she's your first, you need to know when the earliest she might arrive is so that you're up and ready for the day then. If she's not the first, you need to know when's the earliest someone might arrive so that you know to listen for the door, have the correct amount of materials/food for a craft/meal/snack, so that you're not outside/on a walk when the child arrives, etc. You probably don't need to give that much detail, but whatever seems appropriate to the situation.

Reply

Not to mention that if they drop off early and don't get charged for it, they are getting free child care and that's not fair to your for the work you're doing. It only makes sense to charge for early drop-offs, because it's extra time that YOU are working and you deserve to get paid for it.

Reply

I charge. My reason is simple - You've been contracted for this time slot and that is what you aer paying for - anything beyond that you must be charged for - the same as a late fee.

I open at 7 and I have a dad that tries to come at 6:50

I sit in my living room and don't answer the door and he has caught on.
I do not open til 7.

Target doesn't open early for you do they? LOL

Reply

LOL - no, they don't! My fist dcb was just dropped off and I was in the living room and happened to see 2nd dcb waiting at the curb for first dcm to pull out. I was SO tempted to go lock the door!! Unfortunately, this dad would NOT get the hint if I did that. Besides, he knew I had another child here because he was waiting to pull in. Of course, I could have been getting 1st child settled, changing a diaper, getting breakfast, etc.

When they wanted to extend their hours last month I did without charging them any more, because it was still under my 10hours/day limit. It still is, even if they come early, but I do have a routine in the morning and am not great with last minute changes in schedule!

Thanks!

Reply

I guess it all depends on how many hours the child is in care for. Like in my situation, I am open from 6am to 6pm Monday through Friday BUT they all have contracted hours that they are allowed to come at. The weekly rate that I charge is based on a flat fee depending on if they are full or part time. Full time for me is 50 hours a week max, part-time is 30 hours or less AND they can't go over 10 hours a day.

So if this parent usually brought their child full time but only for 6 hours and then they needed to drop off an hour earlier I would change the contracted hours and not charge extra because pretty much they are already paying my flat fee. Now on the other hand if they were already here 10 hours a day and wanted and extra hour (or part) then they would pay the regular weekly rate for the first 10 hours a day (or 50 hours a week) AND overtime for anything that went over that. KWIM?

If they wanted to know why they needed to pay extra it would be easy for me to explain that the weekly rate is only for the 50 hours a week, 10 hours a day and if they needed extra time then I need extra pay.

Reply

How do you charge them? Hrly? daily? etc.

I charge by the day weather they are PT or FT, I still get the same pay, and if I open at 730, and a parent wants to come up to a 1/2 hr early, I will charge a $5 early drop off fee. However, if it is an hr early, then I charge my OT rate of $10. If a parent is contracted to come from 8-1pm, and wants to come at 730 and stay until 3, that is fine with me because they are paying for the day, and are entitled to come if they so chose up to 10 hrs a day. So I think it really depends on how you are charging them.

Reply

I have a full-time weekly rate. That rate is good for up to 10 hours/day. I have never had anyone need more than that.

I have had parents ASK to drop off early or pick up late, and as long as it is pre-arranged, I will do it with no rate increase. The point with this family is, they don't ASK. We've just gone all over the whole "you are contracted from 8-5:15" last month, not sure what they are not getting here, but if I keep letting it go without saying anything, they will just start coming whenever they want, and then what would be the point of contracted hours? lol

Reply

It sounds like it would be entirely appropriate to remind them of their contracted hours, let them know that you need to know what the EARLIEST possible drop-off is going to be, and if they drop-off prior to that time, you will charge the them an additional $10/fifteen minutes they're early. And that it's due at drop-off or you won't take her.

Reply

Well if your contract states that their fee covers "up to 10 hrs" then you really cant charge them a early drop off fee, the way I see it. I dont think it would hold up in court either. I think the only way you could get any extra money out of it would be if tehy wanted to drop off before you were open. The contracted hrs doesnt really mean anything, to me anyway, other than you can gauge as to weather or not to charge them PT or FT and you know what time to expect them and if tehy are later than their contracted time, you can charge them the late pick up fee.

I used to have the "up to 10 hrs" clause in my contract, and then I took it out, bcause people were questioning me when they were late, etc. I got the "well I dropped off 1/2 late today so why cant I pick up 1/2 later for the same rate, it s still 10 hrs" thing, so take that out of your contract for future clients, and you wont have that issue.

Reply

Exactly! If you don't say anything then they'll just show up whenever they want and you do not want this to be a regular thing. When you think about it it all adds up.

At this point if they showed up early again I would say something along the lines of "Oh, I wasn't expecting you until another 15 minutes since you are contracted for drop-off at 8. So would you prefer to be charged the early drop-off fee of $xx.xx or is this going to be a regular thing because then we'll need to change the contracted hours and a new contract needs to be signed and we'll need to renegotiate a new fee ..." etc.

Try putting it into persepective by doing the math for them. Let's say that each time they show up early it's 15 minutes earlier than their contracted hours. If they do this twice a week that's about two hours more of your services each month that they are getting for free.

15 minute early drop-offs X 2 times a week = 30 minutes free a week
30 minutes free a week X 52 weeks = 26 hours free a year

That's about 2 days and 6 hours of free services a year.

I don't charge much for overtime but even for me that translates into $130 a year (if I charged hourly) or $520 a year (if I charged the early drop off/late pick-up fee in 15 minute incriments). I only charge $5 an hour for drop-in and $5 per 15 minute minute incriments if they are early/late in dropping off or picking up and I know there are those that charge $10. That means that you would double the totals, and that's what you be missing out if they were only doing it twice a week!

Reply

If the same rate is good for up to 10 hours, why not just change their hours to 7:15 - 5:15?

Reply

Not necessarily true, it all depends on how it's worded in her contract. For example, this is what I have in my contract ...

Just shows that full & part time care has a maximum of up to so many hours. The parents may not need an entire 10 hours a day/50 hours a week so their contracted times could be less than this. Of course if they need more hours and they asked me to change the contracted hours I would gladly do that with no extra charge as long as they asked first and they did not go over the weekly or daily hour maximum.

Here I clearly say that the contracted hours are the only hours that they are allowed to bring the children.

Here I say that there is an extra charge if they are picked up later than the contracted pick-up time.

And here I say that there is an extra charge if they drop-off earlier than their contracted drop-off time.

I've had a lawyer review my contract and because of the way everything is spelled out and the parent's signed and agree to this then they have to follow the policy. The key is to spell everything out clearly. Of course, I am in CA and laws, regulations etc. could vary from state to state. But in my case if a parent just showed up before the contracted hours and didn't ask first I can still technically charge the fee. Would I do that? Who knows, it depends on the family but more than likely I would talk to them first and let the one time slide. If it happened again and they didn't need their scheduled hours changed then you better believe that I would charge, if only to remind them of the policies .

Reply

Again, it may be different for you because you are charging PT & FT rates and saying that PT is up to 30 hrs. Mine is daily withn a max of 10, no PT rates/hrs offered. Everyone pays the same. I would not want to offer PT care up to 30 hrs a wk, and have the kid 6 hrs a day for 5 days. This way I can get $175/wk for part time care.

Reply

This kind of thing just drives me batty!!! As daycare providers we are contracted for a service for a specific amount of time for a specific amount of money. There is no question he should pay the early drop off fee. However, as a business person, sometimes you have to bend your rules alittle for your customers. I would give him a warning and make sure that he knows if he needs to drop off early in the future that he needs to call and prearrange that with you.
It truly is a matter of common courtesy and respect. Some days it feels like we have to fight just to be shown either one.

Reply

I would be sure to mention to dad that dropping off early throws a kink into your schedule. and if he needs it done occasionally then just to call or text you in the mornings,.. to see if its ok. That you will be honest with him if its not ok in a return call or text. But if it needs to happen more often than 2 time s a month you need to change his times and charge him accordingly.

Reply

But I dont understand how you can charge for early drop off when you offer care for up to 10 hrs? If they contracted for 730-530, they would X amount...and if they contracted for 8-530, its the same X amount. I really dont see how you can justify it. They will only change their contract hrs to say 715-515 for the same amount they are paying now. You are not losing any money!

Reply

I can't seem to get how to do multiple quotes, so I'll just reply.

My contract is worded just like MarinaVanessa's. UP TO 10 hours per day. And actually, that isn't even on my contract - the only thing on my actual contract is their contracted times, late fees, vacation and holiday info.

I do not have "open" and "close" times - when a family contacts me for care, I ask what hours they need and if it fits with my schedule, I'll take them and contract their hours here.

Like I said before, I have had families ask me to let them drop off early or pick up late, and as long as it doesn't go over 10 hours/day then I will do it and I don't charge any extra. What is getting to me is that this family has done it TWICE now without asking or even telling me they were going to be early. I didn't charge them the first time - I let it slide as it was the first time, and they wanted to extend their contracted hours. This was just last month. I drew up a new contract and they signed it - says right on there they will be there at 8am, anything before that will incur a late fee.

If I "contracted" them from 7:15 to 5:15 that would defeat the concept of contracted hours. They don't need me that early. Up until dad's office moved to another building, they were coming at 8:20. The new office is only 10 minutes from here, he starts work at 8:30. There is no reason for him to drop off at 7:45. And IF there was a reason (had to go in early, etc) then he needs to pre-arrange it with me, or get charged a fee.

Reply

I respectfully disagree with you thats the reason for contracted times, but you add in your contract that you open at 8am, and then if someone wants to drop off early, then charge them a early drop fee. If they want to contract now for 715-515, you will still get the same money as you do now, and if origninally thats what they contracted, it still wouldnt be any difference in pay for you.

Reply

I think the wording leaves room for arguement is all.
If you have contracted hours that is fine but then instead of saying you are available to watch their child for up to 10 hours. You should instead state in your handbook that the hours of care are the ones listed as the contracted hours on the agreed and signed contract. And that any care beyond that is subject to an addtional fee, however no child shall ever be in your care for more than 10 hours.

This leaves them locked into the contracted times
allows them over time which they will have to pay for
and never allows them more than 10 hours.

Reply

Where are you getting this? I don't have an open time - I just said that. They are contracted for 8am, per their request. They did not request 7:15 drop off - a pp suggested I do that, for whatever reason. I asked several times what the earliest they would be dropping off, and they repeatedly told me 8am. That's why their contracted drop off time is 8am. If they had said a different time, I would have put that down.

[QUOTE If you have contracted hours that is fine but then instead of saying you are available to watch their child for up to 10 hours.[/quote]

I do not say that I'm available to watch their children for up to 10 hours per day. I don't tell them I open at x and close at y. In my handbook it says that the PRICE for care is $xx UP TO 10 hours per day. That is nowhere on my contract. They sign the contract that states their contracted hours.

Anyway, this isn't at all about the money. That late fee is not going to make or break me. It's about following my policies, that they agreed to, and not walking all over me. It's about showing me a little respect.

Reply

This is the important part.
Sometimes you have to hit them in the wallet to make them follow the policies that they have already agreed to!!

Reply

This is where you are confusing me! You say you charge $xx for up to 10 hrs correct?

If they want you from 8-5, it's $xx for those 9 hrs correct?

So they show up at 745 correct?

And they still leave at 5? correct?

So now you want to charge them extra for 15 minutes? correct?

That is 9 hrs and 15 minutes correct?

But your contract "up to 10 hrs" correct?

So how the hek can you charge them more?????

All they have to do now is change their contracted hrs to say 715 (which is an example, I know they have not done this) to 5, and you still will be getting your same $xx!!! That is my point!! they are not going to pay more when all they have to do is change their hrs!

Reply

As I stated before: Anyway, this isn't at all about the money. That late fee is not going to make or break me. It's about following my policies, that they agreed to, and not walking all over me. It's about showing me a little respect. That's why I'm charging them a fee for early drop off. What if they were my first clients and I was just getting out of the shower?? Common courtesy says you will ASK if you can drop off early, not just show up. THAT'S why I have contracted times!

Reply

If you are in the shower, then you are not open yet. That is different!

I will take my shower on my time, when I am not open. If someone wants then to come early, BEFORE I am open, then I charge the early drop fee, and I will then know to take my shower earlier.

I think you need to change your wording in your contract, because if I was that parent, you still have not made your case with me. If he shows up early before you are open and he did not tell you, the you make him wait until you are open, and dont open the door.

Reply

I don't think you are getting it. I am open when my first child is scheduled to arrive!! If my first dcb was not here today, then I would not have been open until 8am - when this family was scheduled to be here. And I'm not sure why you say I need to change the wording in my contract - you've never even seen my contract!

Here is what it says under overtime rates: For the purpose of this agreement, overtime will be considered as drop-off before 8am and pick-up after 5:15pm.

Under the child info part: For the care of ******, the payment fee shall be $110 per week. Care shall be provided normally from 8am to 5:15pm on the following days (and I have all weekdays circled).

Nowhere does it say that those rates are good for 10 hours a day. Nothing in my contract says anything about 10 hours or up to 10 hours a day.

Reply

So I take it the point you are making is that this parent is not honoring your contract, I can understand that.

At next drop off, one of 2 things will happen:

1) he drops off on time, and you could say, "Thank you for coming at 8:00 this morning. It seems like you are getting adjusted to your new schedule. Those early drop offs can get expensive."

or

2) He drops off early again. You could say, "Oh, is it 8:00? Oh, no, it's only 7:45. Are you going to come back, or wait until 8:00?" (He'll say, "Can I drop her off?") "Well, that is 15 minutes early, so if you want to pay the $$$ fee for early drop off, I have the room this morning. Otherwise, you can come back or wait. I need to get back to the kids so what is your plan?"

Reply

Exactly!!!

I made a copy of the contract, highlighting the contracted times, and the overtime rules. I put a note with it saying: reminder, your contracted hours are 8am-5:15pm. Please remit overtime payment (Nov 8 7:45am-8am) of $5 by Nov 15. Thank you.

Reply

Hi I am new to Daycare can someone explain to me what are contracted hours I do not have my license yet but I would like to know

Reply

Let's say you are open from 6am - 6pm, but when you interview a family you ask them what hours they need for care. They tell you they need you from 8-5. So you contract their hours from 8-5. It's just a way to keep parents from dropping off when you open and pick up when you close (which would make them in your care for 12 hours). Most providers will have one rate up to 10 hours/day, and charge more for anything over that.

For me, I don't have set open and close times, I only take families who fit into the hours I'm willing to work, but I'm somewhat flexible also. I use contracted hours so I know who will be here when, and can plan accordingly for our day.

You will find that if you don't put limits on the times the child(ren) can be in your care, some (not all, I have really great parents right now!) of them will take total advantage of you and leave them in your care for as long as they can. Even with contracted hours (as you could see if you read the beginning of this thread ) some will still push the limits sometimes.

By the way, as an update, I did send a copy of the contract home with the parents last week, and a note requesting the overtime pay of $5 to be paid with the next scheduled payment, and yesterday their check was weekly pay + the overtime pay And....except for one other time when dad tried to come at 7:50 (which I had locked the door and he went back to the car and came back at 8), he was on time the rest of the week.

Reply