I have a PT dcg (5 months) who comes 2-3 days per week from 7:30-4:30 at the latest. She comes on Saturdays and Sundays as well because I decided to be flexible as we REALLY need the money. We agreed that I would get the schedule a week in advance.

All has been well up until tonight. DCG was here from 10:00-6:00. I was already made aware she would be here later tonight and tomorrow night well in advance and approved it as I knew my husband would be here to help me with the later hours since we have an 11 month old. (Tomorrow she will be here 12:00-8:45) In my contract it states that I will allow different hours than those contracted if told in advance and I am available.

Well, I assumed that I won't have her Monday as it is already Saturday and I have yet to recieve any schedule. At about 10:30 this evening the email comes through with her schedule. Monday: 7:30am-6:30pm. 11 hours!!!!! Unless I am told in advance I assume that dcg will ONLY be here until 4:30 at the very latest. Now she is going to be here until 6:30 on a day that I already assumed I had off as I was not given a schedule until now?

That also means that she will leave at 8:45 tomorrow night and come at 7:30 the next morning!!!

I am just so upset and irritated at this and I don't know what to do as I can't lose this family. They pay a lot of money for this schedule and drive an hour or more out of their way everyday to bring her here. I am NOT a babysitter though- I will not be TOLD the hours and expected to adhere to them at such short notice. What if I had plans?

WWYD???? Please help! I know its the weekend but I pray I get some advice

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When you say you get your schedule a week in advance, does that mean that this Monday, you will get the schedule for the week of the 23rd? Or that on Sunday you will get the schedule for this week? Just wondering how you have been doing that.

I would tell them that you cannot keep the child those hours on Monday, especially with the late notice. You shouldn't have to tell them you have plans, although you could. But they do need to realize it doesn't matter if you have "plans". You always have plans - to spend time with your own family.

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Yep - I wouldn't allow it. Just tell them that the latest you can have her is 4:30pm, because they didn't give you any notice at all and you're unavailable after that time. They'll just have to deal! If they like you enough to pay extra and drive an hour out of their way, then they most likely won't leave.

Whatever you do, though, do NOT just let it go and say nothing, or it will happen again and again.

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Well there are really only 2 options; enforce your rules and risk losing them or put up with it.

I personally would tell them if I don't get 24 hour notice I cannot accommodate them. You need to get groceries to feed the child and without the notice you're not able to do this etc. Tell her you have already made appointments etc. I would make up an excuse to drive the point home that you have a life outside of your business and that your policies are there for a reason. If you can't afford to lose this family then you are in a tight spot. You can say something politely to them and mention that you will accommodate them this time but going forward you need 24 hr notice.

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There is no specific day that I recieve the schedule. It is whenever she gets it but we agreed upon a weeks notice for long hours. The last schedule I recieved was on Jan 4th. It ended up being 4 days notice for a normal pick up time (3:30) which was fine and then it was a 10 day notice for these TWO late pick ups (Sat and Sun). Thats the last schedule I had so i assumed I wouldn't have her on Monday since they hadn't told me but I definately never thought she'd be here 11 hours.

She is so exhausting and cries whenever I am not holding her or making eye contact. My DS didn't even get a nap yesterday because she screams a high pitched scream whenever I am doing something with him or LITERALLY not looking her in the eye. I tthink that's why it bothers me so much because I was ooking forward to spending MLK day with my DS and my hubby since I didn't think she'd be here.

DH says that I should tell her I will allow it this once but that she will pay a $40 OT fee since my contract says "late pick ups come with a fee of $5 for every 15 minutes or portion therof your child is picked up past their contracted time"

Sigh.... I just don't know if I am that bold to use that..

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Sometimes I don't think families realize how important getting schedules are. I was watching my sister in laws child and only charging them for the hours they used. And I never knew when he was coming or not. I would be prepared for him then they would call at 10 and tell me he wasn't coming. It wasn't the money for me it was the lack of consideration. Well I let it go on to long to the point of on Christmas of having a major blow out at them(there were other issues as well). I should have sat down with them when it started, but I didn't. When it was all done with I felt like crap and they felt like crap. But before I said anything I really don't think they had a clue that they were being inconsiderate. I'd sit down and talk to her. If you really don't want to watch the baby, don't. She might not have a clue to how this effects you. I have found this esspecially in parents that have never had there child in daycare before.

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I ended up emailing her and telling her that per our contract for hours outside of normal contracted time it is $5.00 per 15 minutes or portion thereof. So it will come out to an extra $40 for tomorrow if she wants to have her here past 4:30. Think that's fair?

She pays $240 every two weeks for 7:30-4:30 an average of 3 days a week. So it will be $280 due on her pay day....

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why do they need you for so many hours, do they have no one else to care for her. this seems weird that she spends all her waking hours with you. I would never allow it, you are going to head for early burn out. Need more families, start advertising, hard core.

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They have no family here I guess. They drive an hour out of their way to drop her off here. Mom works a rotating shift of three days on and three days off each 12 hours per day. Dad works as many hours as possible. Both retail shifts. I am the only dc they could find I guess that would do these hours but the hours we agreed to were the 7:30-430 2-3 days per week. Not these long hours where she is here until sily oclock. These long hours are supposed to be occasional as their schedule requires it.

I have a family vacation scheduled for the begining of next month which is why I am not advertising right now for any other spots but as soon as we get back I hope to fill back up.

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This is why I require schedules to be submitted for my approval by Friday. So far I haven't had any issues with my families but I'm not sure what I would do in your shoes, really, since mine prepay for the following week. I can totally understand why you would be bothered, though.

I think you did the right thing. I'd consider it an "inconvenience fee" and tell them so if they question the extra $.

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Did the mom respond to your e-mail?

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Nope no response and she was supposed to be here 15 minutes ago so I am kind of freaking out!

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Uh oh! I hope they show up with the extra $ in hand!

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maybe they realized that its going to cost them more money. Look at it this way, if dad is working "all the hours" and he gets paid, then why wouldn't you, you are working overtime too.

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She showed up late having stopped at the ATM with the extra money and said how sorry she was for not giving notice and thanking me for still taking her. She then rushed out the door because she was late for work! thank you all for the advice and the sounding board. It feels good to have stood up for myself!!

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That's GREAT!!!

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Awesome!!! I am so happy for you! It does feel good when it is acknowledged that you are doing more than you should be.

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