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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Random: Enforcing Policies
Preschool/daycare teacher 06:27 PM 10-22-2010
I'm just wondering what your experience has been with enforcing simple policies, like late/early drop off, paying late, picking up late, paying whether or not they attend, "forgetting" extra diapers, etc. I'm sure it's the same in any area, but it is really tough for providers in my area to keep enrollment where they financially need it, due to parents losing jobs and all. So we really can't afford to lose any families over minor things. But when those minor things is also your income, or costs you more because you have to keep a supply of diapers just in case family forgets theirs (You certainly can't leave a baby in a poopy diaper all day just because of the parent's irresponsibility). So anyway, when you enforce simple policies, it's at the risk of making the parent mad, and they could easily go somewhere else for child care (they have a tough time making it financially, too, you know, and some daycares are a little cheaper than others, even if it's just $5/week). Have you ever had a parent leave because you enforce simple policies? Or just what has your experience been?
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legomom922 07:00 PM 10-22-2010
I dont like confrontations either, and I am not good at them. When I was faced with the fact that I had to charge a family a late payment fee, I just put m foor down when they said they would be by tomorrow to drop off the ck. I simply responded, ok but you are aware there is a $10 late fee, so mak e it 80. And they did. However, they were never late again.

Now I dont want to sound petty, but I close at 530, and the same parents usually are 1 -2 min late every day. Am I really going to charge them a late fee for that? No..It's just exactly how long it really takes them to get from work to my house. Now one night they had car trouble, and were 25 min late. Now I am adding the late fee! Again, I simply just said, I will add the late fee on to nexts week invoice. They siad oh its ok, I will just give it to you now.

All of these types of conversations however were taking place by texting, not face to face communication. If that had been the case, I probably would have caved...As long as I can say it in a email or text, I'm ok, but otherwise, I m a chicken!
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DaycareMama 06:22 PM 10-23-2010
Things are similar here where I can't afford to say to much to parents. There are so many daycares and we are all struggling. If they are not happy with something I feel I need to enforce they'll just leave. Usually owing me money. A lot of times this is where I pickup my "extra diapers" even clothes. If they leave and fail to pay late fees or whatever it may be that they owe I keep there stuff. Or even when a child upgrades to a new size diaper and have small ones left I will ask mom if she doesn't need them if she'll donate them to the daycare. Its not much but it does help of set my costs. I have had a lot of carless parents but have a pretty steady supply to fall back on.

I look forward to the day we can all stick to our guns and not have to worry about enforcing our policies and loosing much needed income.
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momofboys 08:23 PM 10-23-2010
Originally Posted by Preschool/daycare teacher:
I'm just wondering what your experience has been with enforcing simple policies, like late/early drop off, paying late, picking up late, paying whether or not they attend, "forgetting" extra diapers, etc. I'm sure it's the same in any area, but it is really tough for providers in my area to keep enrollment where they financially need it, due to parents losing jobs and all. So we really can't afford to lose any families over minor things. But when those minor things is also your income, or costs you more because you have to keep a supply of diapers just in case family forgets theirs (You certainly can't leave a baby in a poopy diaper all day just because of the parent's irresponsibility). So anyway, when you enforce simple policies, it's at the risk of making the parent mad, and they could easily go somewhere else for child care (they have a tough time making it financially, too, you know, and some daycares are a little cheaper than others, even if it's just $5/week). Have you ever had a parent leave because you enforce simple policies? Or just what has your experience been?

Regarding the diapers I'm sure you let the parents know ahead of time the child was almost out. If they forgot & you had to supply them I would simply add a fee to their bill for the days you provided them. They certainly aren't free! I would ask the parents if they want to pay for them from now on & you can bill them for the cost? My guess is they will decide it is more cost-effective to purchase them on their own!
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QualiTcare 11:27 PM 10-23-2010
i don't see how a parent can get upset over not having diapers. there were a few times i got a phone call at work over diapers (between my 2 kids in daycare) when they ran out, and i asked a couple of times if they would just use a friend's diaper bc i knew some of the parents - and when i brought some at pick-up they could replace them. i bought quality diapers so that was always fine. there was one time they called and i really felt like they should've just borrowed a couple (knowing i'd replace them) but i think they were just hoping if i had to leave work, i'd go ahead and take my child home which is why they didn't. so, i left work - took diapers - and went back to work.

from a provider's standpoint - which this is probably different from other provider's because i was a daycare parent - i would never call a parent over diapers unless i had NO diapers to fit their child. i would take one from another child and when the parent brought a new pack, i'd replace the ones i borrowed. there are some things just not worth sweating. i did work for a daycare once where i was told to "borrow" diapers if a child didn't have any, but nobody actually kept up with it, and the ones that were borrowed never got replaced. that bothered me.

as far as late pick up and late fees - you just need to confront them. if it's one or two minutes every BLUE moon - maybe let it slide, but if it's on a regular basis, i'd just stick a note on their child's cubby that says, "as per our contract agreement, i have imposed a late fee of $1 per minute (or whatever) and your current total due is $185. If you have any questions, please feel free to see me or call at 555-5555."

i normally ALWAYS paid my childcare bill early or on the day it was due, but there were a couple of times i just totally forgot - and there was a $5 per day late fee. when i dropped off in the morning, there'd be a note similar to what i just typed. i would just add it to my check and there was never a discussion or confrontation - unless i gave the check in person, i'd say, "i'm sorry. i had the check and i was in a hurry and forgot," or whatever. i think most parents would just pay the fee and do the same. that $5 did make me try harder not to forget in the craziness of monday mornings though.
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momofboys 08:48 AM 10-24-2010
Originally Posted by QualiTcare:
i don't see how a parent can get upset over not having diapers. there were a few times i got a phone call at work over diapers (between my 2 kids in daycare) when they ran out, and i asked a couple of times if they would just use a friend's diaper bc i knew some of the parents - and when i brought some at pick-up they could replace them. i bought quality diapers so that was always fine. there was one time they called and i really felt like they should've just borrowed a couple (knowing i'd replace them) but i think they were just hoping if i had to leave work, i'd go ahead and take my child home which is why they didn't. so, i left work - took diapers - and went back to work.

from a provider's standpoint - which this is probably different from other provider's because i was a daycare parent - i would never call a parent over diapers unless i had NO diapers to fit their child. i would take one from another child and when the parent brought a new pack, i'd replace the ones i borrowed. there are some things just not worth sweating. i did work for a daycare once where i was told to "borrow" diapers if a child didn't have any, but nobody actually kept up with it, and the ones that were borrowed never got replaced. that bothered me.

as far as late pick up and late fees - you just need to confront them. if it's one or two minutes every BLUE moon - maybe let it slide, but if it's on a regular basis, i'd just stick a note on their child's cubby that says, "as per our contract agreement, i have imposed a late fee of $1 per minute (or whatever) and your current total due is $185. If you have any questions, please feel free to see me or call at 555-5555."

i normally ALWAYS paid my childcare bill early or on the day it was due, but there were a couple of times i just totally forgot - and there was a $5 per day late fee. when i dropped off in the morning, there'd be a note similar to what i just typed. i would just add it to my check and there was never a discussion or confrontation - unless i gave the check in person, i'd say, "i'm sorry. i had the check and i was in a hurry and forgot," or whatever. i think most parents would just pay the fee and do the same. that $5 did make me try harder not to forget in the craziness of monday mornings though.
Regarding the diapers if you run a very small in-home daycare like I do you'd be in a tight spot if you told a parent you needed more & they forgot to replace their supply. I would literally have to leave with all kids in-tow (usually only 3 kids) to go buy them. I wouldn't want to buy them in advance with my own $$ "just in case Tommy's mom forgot". I don't think I would ever call a parent at work about it; however, at pick-up I would mention that b/c they forgot to replace their supply I had to go buy them on my own. Then I would give them my receipt, make them reimburse me for them & also bring more from home. Borrowing from another child is not always an option.
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Live and Learn 11:10 AM 10-24-2010
I have parents supply two extra days worth of diapers when I start back up in September. it seems like each parent about once a year forgets their diaper bag or forgets to restock it. I keep all of these diapers together in a tub.
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