I've never had to do this before, in general my parents are pretty good at picking their kids up on time I sometimes have a few that are late now and then, about 10 to 15 minutes or so but lately it's gotten worse...another issue is that I have one in particular that is literally here an extra hour just to 'chat' while I'm still taking care of other kids! My hubby suggested added to my late pick up policy, here is currently:

Late Pick up fee:
• Pick up past 5:00 will incur a $1 per minute charge with a maximum of $30. If you cannot be here at 5:00 you WILL be charged the late fee.

I'm considering adding this, or something like it:

Despite working 'in my home' I have a family and dinner to make. I love taking care of children but I also love my own family and want to spend time with them on our own. Please understand that the longer your child stays with me the less time either of us have with our own families.

My husband wants to add:

You will be charged the late pickup fee regardless of if you are present with your child or not, when your child is still here in my home they are still considered as being under my care and therefore you are still considered as picking them up late. I'm very interested in how your day went, in which office lady said what to whom and who is getting divorced and who isn't and whose kid might have come down with what (even though I do not know them I love to live vicariously through your gossip) however, I must ask that you continue to inform me of these things on your own time via email.

I won't add his but I highly considered it!!!

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Why the maximim of $30? It tells them they can stay for an extra $30.

Try Nan's policy. It is the BEST.

Late pick-up : Don't do it!



Mine is $1 per minute WITH phone call 1 hour prior.

3x without hospitalization = termination

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Agree, no max. I would also take the personal out of it.

I also have in mine that being late may result in immediate termination with no refund of fees at provider's discretion. I also have that late fees are due in cash only no later than drop off the following morning. Care will not be provided until late fees are paid up.

My late fees are as follows:
$10 per part of first 15 mins
$30 per part of next 15 mins
After that I would probably term.

I am raising my fees by quite a bit:
$20 per part of first 15 mins
$50 per part of next 15 mins
Over 30 mins late, termed and no refund of fees.
(reason for big jump: I'll have late fees for my own kids that I need to pick up from care)

I would use some of your dh's words.... childcare ends at x pm. Late fees begin accumulating at this time.

(I am in the process of rewording mine so that when care is contracted to 5:30, dcks must be picked up and gone by 5:30. Fees start at 5:30. My phone is set to alarm at 5:30 and they best all be gone. And I am going to add Nan's "Don't do it." Love it.)

When my alarm goes, the late fee form goes in the bag. Each form has the consequence written on it. No forgetting when it's right there.

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That's great! My husband would say something similar. I have a talker too, but nowhere near an hour, yikes!
My husband sees her pull up in the morning and he darts out that front door and jumps in his truck so fast, there's not so much as a "see ya later honey".

I agree, don't cap your late fees. That's just an open invitation to be late because it's not enough of a penalty to deter people.

My policy is $1 per minute within my operating hours (contracted pick up times) and $2 per minute beyond closing time (5:15pm). I also add that "if you arrive after my closing time, you will be charged the overtime fee and your contract will be subject to immediate termination."
I respect your family time, please respect mine.

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Grace periods and maximum limits are just invitation to bad behaviors and are often interpreted as "Oh, so I can push things "this" far and still get away with it"

I also have the 3x = termination policy. NEVER had a parent reach that point... had one, maybe two parents get to #2 but that was the end of it.

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I agree, no maximum! You deserve to get aid for every minute they are late. I don't know if it is possible, but can you meet the chatty mom at the door with her baby and do a quick "Hi Mom, dck had a great day! See you tomorrow!" Shut door. If not, then tell mom that you were talking with licensing and they mentioned no adults are allowed to linger when other kids are in care, so she will have to get her kiddo and leave. There is no way I could handle someone hanging out for an hour. My house is not the coffee shop and when I am done, I am done! I want my comfy pants on and a glass of wine in my hand when my work day is over!

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I meet my lingering parents outside, hand them their child, give them a brief: "She had a great day! Bye. See you in the morning!" And walk back inside. I don't mind chit chat but these parents could keep going all evening

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9 out of 10 times it is because they do not want to parent their child at home.

Alone.

So they spend as much time as they can at your house on your watch so they don't have to.

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I would send out a note something like this::

Note to all families at XYZ Childcare

Commitments outside of childcare require me to enforce my closing time of 5pm. Be sure to pick up your child and exit the childcare before 5pm to save yourself late fees. Late fees begin promptly at 5pm. I appreciate your understanding.

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In this case, they just want to go on and on about new things their child is doing. Very doting first time parents. Play by play on her day. No thanks. Check her sheet.

Although I do have a set of dcps that is one of the 9.

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Great wording... making notes for my own changes.

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My tricks:
I text dcp we're going out to dinner by xx time, give address, p/u there, restaurants 20 min out of the way.
Text dcp I have meeting, give address again 20 miles away, p/u there.
Funny how dcp scrambles to get to my house in less than 3 mins.

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I was the worst as a dcp. But it was because I loved my provider, taught all day and was excited to chat with a grown up, and had a long commute and hating putting dd in the car for that long. It was a center and well before closing time, but I am sure there were days they wanted to kick my butt out of there

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I have one like this. She is my last p/u on Friday and is here a good 30-45 minutes by herself. Mom is such a chatty kathy that after I say goodbye and close the security door she will continue talking to me while she is standing on my porch and I am inside trying to close the big door.

For late fees, I had one mom who was late (after closing) 2-3 times a week. I termed her (tardiness was only one reason). She couldn't understand why she was termed and kept saying "but I always paid?" She was correct, she did always pay - but I didn't want the money, I wanted my time. After that experience I adopted BC's late pick up policy.

First occurrence is $1 per minute after X time.
Second occurrence is $2 per minute after X time.
Third time is termination.

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Great points everyone! I'll drop the "maximum" charge and just leave it at the $1 a minute after closing.

Closing time is at 6pm officially...BUT, this child is contracted to leave at 5pm....I'm thinking mom just sees it as "Well, you're technically still open so it's ok" when really she is just getting a free extra hour of care...she is sometimes here until the other parents arrive and THEN she leaves. It's gotten out of hand. I'm seriously considering my hubby's bit though, add it to the bottom of a notice to hand out to all parents and DCM will KNOW which one she is, LOL!

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