Sorry this is so long- its a big problem lol. I have been doing daycare for 8 years now. I initially started when my son was a baby to be able to be there for my children, especially since my husband was a soldier and deployed. As time has progressed my son's needs have changed, my entire family's needs have changed. Over the last few years I have taken on more part-timers, more school agers. I work longer hours, (from 6:15 til as late as 6 many days) Unfortunately, the result is that my son feels like my daycare families are more important than he is. For the last year, whenever I try to sign up my son for swim lessons, karate, wrestling... I can't get him there most of the time because I have 2 families that pick up late habitually. My contract says I close at 5:30, however each persons contract specifies work hours/days and appropriate travel time. I had a talk with one of the moms, and she totally understood. She works 20 mn away at a clinic in another town. The father ( they're separated) used to pick up on time when she was going to be late. He has gradually become less cooperative, so he ducks her phone calls etc. They have been late, and I have charged them late fees, several times a week for the last few months. She is having a friend pick up for her now a couple days a week starting today, and will try to get the dad to cooperate better. The BIG problem is my other mom. She works for my county's social services, and habitually abuses my policies. She has brought one child while the other sibling is sick, she goes home for a mental health day and leaves both kids at daycare, then complains she can't miss work if I ask for a sick day. She has LIED to me on days I know she has off and said she had to work extra to dump her kids off here. She exagerates her financial hardship to get out of paying late fees (poor single mom syndrome- she brings home 1200 every 2 weeks) This is the mom who buys cigarettes but no snow boots/pants, locked herself out of her car at a gas station buying smokes and said she had no money for a locksmith, if I didnt help her she "didn't know when/if she could pick up the kids" then took 3 months to pay back the $60 locksmith fee. She has court days for work on Tuesdays, but I know they dont stay until 6- yet she often is very late and says court ran really late. Of course she doesn't exactly hurry the 10 BLOCKS to my house. Her ex and ex's sister watch her kids a LOT when she wants a break, but she tells me she doesn't trust them and won't call them to help when she's going to be late or her kids are sick. THE BIG PROBLEM is her job..... she doesn't exactly threaten me, however she reminds me often about her job in the same department as my licensor, etc.. the BAD DAYCARES she has gotten shut down, so I'm concerned that if I get too tough too quickly or make her angry she'll retaliate. I really wish I could just replace her altogether. She's without a doubt the worst mother I've worked with in 8 years, including my teen and DHS moms. Any hints how to re-establish boundaries, enforce my contract without shooting myself in the foot?

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