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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>I'll Owe You $...???
WBee 09:12 AM 03-19-2016
Opinions please! Dcm picks up dcb and says,"Oh, here's payment but I owe you $5." She picked up a treat for her kids and used MY payment money. Stunned I say okay.....figuring she would come back yesterday with the money. Nope. My contract states if fees are not paid by Friday there is a $10 late fee per day regardless of the child's schedule. If I hold her to this she will owe the $5 plus $20 by the time she comes back. She is a money complainer. First offense. Ideas?
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spedmommy4 09:18 AM 03-19-2016
Enforce your contract. If you don't, that tells the parent the behavior was completely okay to you.
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e.j. 09:26 AM 03-19-2016
Originally Posted by spedmommy4:
Enforce your contract. If you don't, that tells the parent the behavior was completely okay to you.
I agree.
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racemom 09:47 AM 03-19-2016
I would text her and tell her she will owe you 25 on monday, so it's not unexpected. Remind her of your late payment policy, and payment is due Monday at drop off.
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Unregistered 10:28 AM 03-19-2016
Idk about that because you said okay. I can see the parent thinking you said 'okay' that means it's okay to owe the $5. It's annoying she did that to you, I agree. But I can imagine she will be surprised and pissed when you say actually it's not okay, you owe me more now. If you had said it differently at the time, she could have gone to get the $5 and come back and give it to you to save the $20 late fee. But it sounds ded like you said it was okay to just owe the $5. I get your point of view, of course, but I can pretty easily predict she will be surprised at your expectation of the late fee.
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Josiegirl 10:46 AM 03-19-2016
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Idk about that because you said okay. I can see the parent thinking you said 'okay' that means it's okay to owe the $5. It's annoying she did that to you, I agree. But I can imagine she will be surprised and pissed when you say actually it's not okay, you owe me more now. If you had said it differently at the time, she could have gone to get the $5 and come back and give it to you to save the $20 late fee. But it sounds ded like you said it was okay to just owe the $5. I get your point of view, of course, but I can pretty easily predict she will be surprised at your expectation of the late fee.
I agree with this. I'm sure she caught you off guard. But I would definitely tell her there will not be a next time. Restate your rules and be honest with her, tell her she caught you off guard and THIS time you'll accept the 5 bucks but if you had charged your late fee $ ____this is what it would've been.
Pretty expensive snacks for the kids eh dcm?? Why are we the after thought?? Why isn't it important to pay us?
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ChelseaB 11:09 AM 03-19-2016
Originally Posted by Josiegirl:
I agree with this. I'm sure she caught you off guard. But I would definitely tell her there will not be a next time. Restate your rules and be honest with her, tell her she caught you off guard and THIS time you'll accept the 5 bucks but if you had charged your late fee $ ____this is what it would've been.
Pretty expensive snacks for the kids eh dcm?? Why are we the after thought?? Why isn't it important to pay us?
I also have to agree with all of this 100%. Of course reinforcing that this will NOT happen again.
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Thriftylady 11:24 AM 03-19-2016
I agree with the others who say let her know there will not be a next time. I am the same way when I get caught off guard. But I try to be on my toes again next time if the same thing happens again.
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MunchkinWrangler 01:24 PM 03-19-2016
Just make sure she pays the $5 and let her know it is not okay to short you and let her know the fees involved. People don't think but letting her know this will let her know it's not okay in the future.
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Unregistered 01:44 PM 03-19-2016
Originally Posted by Josiegirl:
I agree with this. I'm sure she caught you off guard. But I would definitely tell her there will not be a next time. Restate your rules and be honest with her, tell her she caught you off guard and THIS time you'll accept the 5 bucks but if you had charged your late fee $ ____this is what it would've been.
Pretty expensive snacks for the kids eh dcm?? Why are we the after thought?? Why isn't it important to pay us?
Because we all have money trees in our back yards?

That is all I can figure when they pass new regs for daycare and say "it won't cause the cost of choldcare to raise." Of course it will, extra classes and certifications cost $$ and so does more paperwork. Same goes when parents don't think they should have to pay on time, or for holidays etc.

But that's okay, I will just grab some $$$$$ from the money tree! Want some?
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Josiegirl 02:03 PM 03-19-2016
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Because we all have money trees in our back yards?

That is all I can figure when they pass new regs for daycare and say "it won't cause the cost of choldcare to raise." Of course it will, extra classes and certifications cost $$ and so does more paperwork. Same goes when parents don't think they should have to pay on time, or for holidays etc.

But that's okay, I will just grab some $$$$$ from the money tree! Want some?
Haha I killed my money tree a long time ago.
New regs. here are going to make everybody put up fencing and have dc liability insurance, 2 very costly things for those that don't already have it. Luckily I have both but I'm sure there will be other added expenses I know nothing about yet.
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racemom 04:04 PM 03-19-2016
Oh, I didn't realize you needed the money, thought you did daycare because you are bored with nothing to do! J/K!!! (Ducking from all the objects being thrown at me!!) Lol. Isn't that how some parents seem to view providers?
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Unregistered 09:08 PM 03-19-2016
Originally Posted by racemom:
Oh, I didn't realize you needed the money, thought you did daycare because you are bored with nothing to do! J/K!!! (Ducking from all the objects being thrown at me!!) Lol. Isn't that how some parents seem to view providers?
Yes. And we love non-related children sooooo much that we do this just for the fun of it.
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Former Teacher 07:14 AM 10-20-2019
I KNOW this is an old thread lol

This reminded me of a time at my former center. There was this single mom, state paid, completely felt entitled etc. Her payment for 12 hours of care was $5 a MONTH.

She walked in to pick up her son. The director said "hey your co pay is due today". The mother casually said "oh I don't have it with me. So I will just pay in the morning". I was

I could see the Director was She told her that it was due today and that if she didn't pay, it would be a $20 late fee and couldn't drop the baby off until it's paid in full CASH.

That scared her. She found $5 in change in her car.
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Ariana 06:10 AM 10-23-2019
Originally Posted by Former Teacher:
I KNOW this is an old thread lol

This reminded me of a time at my former center. There was this single mom, state paid, completely felt entitled etc. Her payment for 12 hours of care was $5 a MONTH.

She walked in to pick up her son. The director said "hey your co pay is due today". The mother casually said "oh I don't have it with me. So I will just pay in the morning". I was

I could see the Director was She told her that it was due today and that if she didn't pay, it would be a $20 late fee and couldn't drop the baby off until it's paid in full CASH.

That scared her. She found $5 in change in her car.
Such disrespect! And good on your director for standing up and telling her like it is
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Tags:enforcing policies, late payment fee, money owed
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