Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>I Need Polite Wording Help...
DancingQueen 10:48 AM 04-27-2011
I should preface by saying that I have very casual relationships with my families. If I were to hand them a notice it would really throw them off guard. I would rather have a conversation or shoot them a text.
The exception being major things.
Example: if I ask all families to bring a bottle of sunblock I just do it verbally.
If I'm letting everyone know my vacation schedule for the summer I give a hand out
So this is my situation.
My hours are 8-4:30 (heavenly isn't it? I know I'm the luckiest daycare provider around!!!)
These times work for all of my families. If they didn't I'd try to make some exceptions.
So I have one dcg who's dad works and lives 15 minutes away (he lives where he works). He gets out of work at 4:30. When they signed up with me I made an exception for them (at no additional charge) and agreed to watch her until dad got there. 5pm was written on the contract but it was verbally discussed that he would get to her ASAP.
He averaged 4:50. Which seems fine to me. 5 minutes to get to his car etc.. and 15 minutes to get her.
well - he has taken to stopping at his apartment to change out of his work clothes before coming to get her lately.
arriving either right at 5 or a minute before or after.
Now this seems petty, I know. It is only 10 minutes. But I leave the second he gets here to pick up my own children at activities etc. I usually meet him in the driveway and my younger two are all buckled in the car waiting to go. So when he takes the extra 10 minutes it matters to me.
I feel like he is taking advantage of the exception that I've made for them.
He did this quite a bit last summer. He changed into shorts to be more comfortable.
Now that warmer weather is coming he has started up again.
They resigned a new contract 1/1/11 so I went through the trouble of being quite specific in their contract...
The exception being major things.
Example: if I ask all families to bring a bottle of sunblock I just do it verbally.
If I'm letting everyone know my vacation schedule for the summer I give a hand out
So this is my situation.
My hours are 8-4:30 (heavenly isn't it? I know I'm the luckiest daycare provider around!!!)
These times work for all of my families. If they didn't I'd try to make some exceptions.
So I have one dcg who's dad works and lives 15 minutes away (he lives where he works). He gets out of work at 4:30. When they signed up with me I made an exception for them (at no additional charge) and agreed to watch her until dad got there. 5pm was written on the contract but it was verbally discussed that he would get to her ASAP.
He averaged 4:50. Which seems fine to me. 5 minutes to get to his car etc.. and 15 minutes to get her.
well - he has taken to stopping at his apartment to change out of his work clothes before coming to get her lately.
arriving either right at 5 or a minute before or after.
Now this seems petty, I know. It is only 10 minutes. But I leave the second he gets here to pick up my own children at activities etc. I usually meet him in the driveway and my younger two are all buckled in the car waiting to go. So when he takes the extra 10 minutes it matters to me.
I feel like he is taking advantage of the exception that I've made for them.
He did this quite a bit last summer. He changed into shorts to be more comfortable.
Now that warmer weather is coming he has started up again.
They resigned a new contract 1/1/11 so I went through the trouble of being quite specific in their contract...
Originally Posted by :
Hours of Care: The child listed above will be here Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
From 8:00am until 5:00pm. Please understand that this is an exception to my normal hours which are 8-4:30 and I have made the exception because I understand that you do not leave work until 4:30PM; however I do ask that you come directly to my home and arrive as promptly as possible. Late fees will begin at 5:01pm at the rate of $0.50 per minute.
How can I verbally ask him not to go home and change first? He clearly sees no harm in this as he proudly smiled at me yesterday and said "It's so beautiful out I had to stop home and change into some comfy shorts before coming to get her"Hours of Care: The child listed above will be here Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
From 8:00am until 5:00pm. Please understand that this is an exception to my normal hours which are 8-4:30 and I have made the exception because I understand that you do not leave work until 4:30PM; however I do ask that you come directly to my home and arrive as promptly as possible. Late fees will begin at 5:01pm at the rate of $0.50 per minute.
daycare 11:00 AM 04-27-2011
dont ask him not to change his clothes...just give him the letter as is.... He will have to figure out if he has time to cahnge his clothing or not..
btw I think that .50 is not enough..... You have to make it a step price to detour them from doing it.... DOnt make it affordable... I charge $1.00 per min.
btw I think that .50 is not enough..... You have to make it a step price to detour them from doing it.... DOnt make it affordable... I charge $1.00 per min.
Kaddidle Care 11:07 AM 04-27-2011
Your contract says 8:00-5:00. He's not doing anything wrong. If he's only paying you until 4:30 then you are getting taken advantage of. If he is paying you until 5:00 then you have nothing to quibble about. You should have made the contract like everyone else's ending at 4:30. Since you have both signed a contract I think you're stuck until the next contract period.
jen 11:09 AM 04-27-2011
If you have a casual relationship I would probably just say something like...
I know! I totally hear you. Unfortunately, those few minutes to run home and change are really throwing me off. I know you remember that I am staying open a few extra minutes for you, and I'm so happy to do it, but we've been pushing the time lately and it makes it really tough for me to get out the door to get my kids picked up. I'd really appreciate it if you came directly from work.
I know! I totally hear you. Unfortunately, those few minutes to run home and change are really throwing me off. I know you remember that I am staying open a few extra minutes for you, and I'm so happy to do it, but we've been pushing the time lately and it makes it really tough for me to get out the door to get my kids picked up. I'd really appreciate it if you came directly from work.
PitterPatter 11:11 AM 04-27-2011
Originally Posted by daycare:
dont ask him not to change his clothes...just give him the letter as is.... He will have to figure out if he has time to cahnge his clothing or not..
btw I think that .50 is not enough..... You have to make it a step price to detour them from doing it.... DOnt make it affordable... I charge $1.00 per min.
Question. I know a few people that charge the $1 per minute around the US but here in my state it doesn't fly. I usually have state paid which u can't charge that much anyway, but even when I had a private pay she refused to pay it saying it was ridiculous. I tried it for 2 weeks and got no where. She was 16 minutes late so I said $16 please. She argued my clock was wrong and only owed $6 that she would pay it that time but no more. My backbone broke and I stopped charging the $1 for fear of losing the client. Her snobby attitude only got worse in every aspect. We finally butt heads enough that she pulled her kid. (he was so sweet too miss him) So what do your clients say about the $1 per minute rate?dont ask him not to change his clothes...just give him the letter as is.... He will have to figure out if he has time to cahnge his clothing or not..
btw I think that .50 is not enough..... You have to make it a step price to detour them from doing it.... DOnt make it affordable... I charge $1.00 per min.
jen 11:12 AM 04-27-2011
Originally Posted by Kaddidle Care:
Your contract says 8:00-5:00. He's not doing anything wrong. If he's only paying you until 4:30 then you are getting taken advantage of. If he is paying you until 5:00 then you have nothing to quibble about. You should have made the contract like everyone else's ending at 4:30. Since you have both signed a contract I think you're stuck until the next contract period.
We don't all run our business like that. I close at 5pm, but I have a parent who picks up at 5:15 in the summer so her dh can go golfing. I don't have a seperate contract, I'm doing them a favor, much like the OP. It's a casual relationship, so she didn't write 4:45 or 4:50 on the contract, she rounded up. DCD, I'm sure, doesn't mean to take advantage of the FREE FAVOR, he just doesn't realize its causing her a problem.Your contract says 8:00-5:00. He's not doing anything wrong. If he's only paying you until 4:30 then you are getting taken advantage of. If he is paying you until 5:00 then you have nothing to quibble about. You should have made the contract like everyone else's ending at 4:30. Since you have both signed a contract I think you're stuck until the next contract period.
Personally, I don't have a contract period, I change my contract at will with 2 weeks notice. She's not stuck in the least.
Cat Herder 11:12 AM 04-27-2011
He stopped reading after "5:00PM" in your contract......
He does not care that you made an exception because it is only an exception to you. To him those are his contracted hours.
You are either going to have to deal with 5:00PM or give him a NO.
Sorry... I wish there was an easy button to make folks be considerate, but I have not found one yet.
He does not care that you made an exception because it is only an exception to you. To him those are his contracted hours.
You are either going to have to deal with 5:00PM or give him a NO.
Sorry... I wish there was an easy button to make folks be considerate, but I have not found one yet.
DancingQueen 11:36 AM 04-27-2011
The thing is .. I know if I politely asked him not to go home first.. he would not go home first. If I gave him a 'reminder' he'd never do it again.
but he wouldn't like that I asked.
this is the same dad (not sure if you remember) who brought this dcg to her old provider instead of me when the mom was on vacation.
I guess I'll just ask nicely and if it doesn't work - I'll suck it up until my contract renewel.
but he wouldn't like that I asked.
this is the same dad (not sure if you remember) who brought this dcg to her old provider instead of me when the mom was on vacation.
I guess I'll just ask nicely and if it doesn't work - I'll suck it up until my contract renewel.
daycare 11:41 AM 04-27-2011
Originally Posted by PitterPatter:
Question. I know a few people that charge the $1 per minute around the US but here in my state it doesn't fly. I usually have state paid which u can't charge that much anyway, but even when I had a private pay she refused to pay it saying it was ridiculous. I tried it for 2 weeks and got no where. She was 16 minutes late so I said $16 please. She argued my clock was wrong and only owed $6 that she would pay it that time but no more. My backbone broke and I stopped charging the $1 for fear of losing the client. Her snobby attitude only got worse in every aspect. We finally butt heads enough that she pulled her kid. (he was so sweet too miss him) So what do your clients say about the $1 per minute rate?
first of all, I have an atomic clock in my DC. In my contract it states that this is the clock that will be used as "DC TIME" I ask paretns to set their watches/clocks to this time.Question. I know a few people that charge the $1 per minute around the US but here in my state it doesn't fly. I usually have state paid which u can't charge that much anyway, but even when I had a private pay she refused to pay it saying it was ridiculous. I tried it for 2 weeks and got no where. She was 16 minutes late so I said $16 please. She argued my clock was wrong and only owed $6 that she would pay it that time but no more. My backbone broke and I stopped charging the $1 for fear of losing the client. Her snobby attitude only got worse in every aspect. We finally butt heads enough that she pulled her kid. (he was so sweet too miss him) So what do your clients say about the $1 per minute rate?
It is stated in my Handbook about the $1.00 per min charge......and the parents sign it before they even start. If they had an issue with it, they would have never started here in the first place.
I also only charge the fee on a case by case basis.
EX. if it happens often and becomes a habit your gettin charged
EX. it happens once in a blue moon, I don't charge...
Cat Herder 11:42 AM 04-27-2011
Originally Posted by DancingQueen:
this is the same dad (not sure if you remember) who brought this dcg to her old provider instead of me when the mom was on vacation.
Does this provider offer longer hours or wear shorter skirts? this is the same dad (not sure if you remember) who brought this dcg to her old provider instead of me when the mom was on vacation.
Sorry, only half joking, that just sounds incredibly OFF to me....
Yuck, I see why you are a bit nervous, especially if you have a great relationship with Mother and Child.
Cat Herder 11:45 AM 04-27-2011
Originally Posted by PitterPatter:
So what do your clients say about the $1 per minute rate?
"I am so sorry, here is the cash, it will never happen again. I should have called." So what do your clients say about the $1 per minute rate?
(I don't charge at all if they call and let me know they are running late AND it does not become a habit)
Lucy 02:28 PM 04-27-2011
If it were me, I would have changed the wording in the new contract to say 4:50. However, since you have such a casual relationship, next time he comes at 5:00, I would just say "Hi John. You know what... this just isn't working for me. I really need to leave by about 4:50 so I can pick up my kids on time. I hope you understand."
DancingQueen 07:18 PM 04-27-2011
Originally Posted by :
Does this provider offer longer hours or wear shorter skirts?
Later hours. Charges more 35$ more per week than I do but he doesn't care because he doesn't pay for daycare .. mom does.Does this provider offer longer hours or wear shorter skirts?
He goes on vacation with dcg tomorrow so I have a week off to think about it.. LOL