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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Drop Off's Always Different, Sometime Doesn't Show At All W/Out Letting Me Know
Unregistered 02:39 PM 07-25-2011
I have a dck that is always showing up at different times. I'm a family child care provider and I feel it's very difficult to plan or just to simply be ready for the day for this family. Their agreement says one thing and their times are totally different. During the school year it's not such a big issue because I have earlier kids that arrive way before. This summer it has been somewhat of an issue. I asked the childs parents in the beginning of the summer if they have a better idea of what time you will drop off dck, mother told me around 745, maybe has been dropped off a hand full of times around that time. It's usually between 9-10, and that's on the days the child is dropped off. My other dck doesn't get here until around 1120 and those are the child's contracted hours, so I have no problem with that, and they let me know at least the day before if it will be earlier. I only do full time, so therefore each child that is enrolled pay for full time. I have run into a couple if instances where I needed to bring in an alternate and therefor needed to know what time the child would be coming if if dck would be coming at all. I was told dck will be coming a this time, so i bring in an alternate and they don't show at all that day without even a call/text saying so. Luckily my other dck got here at their normal time, but still the alternate is here waiting. My hours are from 6-6 and the family can choose what 10 hours to fill in on their agreement. I'm not picky on late pick ups as long as it doesn't get abused and I haven't enforced the hours on the agreement because it has never been an issue in the past. As long as they weren't left here from 6 in the morning to 6 in the evening. This particular family hasn't really followed their times at all. I have small children of my own. So I feel it somewhat necessary to know when my first dck will be arriving for the day, so everything/everyone is ready. I have mentioned to the parents a couple times..." so and so will be my first kiddo to tomorrow so do you know what time you will drop off?" they usually tell me a time but it's usually not the time they mention.
Am I overreacting? I don't really how to explain to the parents why it's important that I
know what's going on or should I even need to know? Maybe more of a courtesy thing.I really care for this family and want it to come across the RIGHT way. Any advice is
appreciated.
Am I overreacting? I don't really how to explain to the parents why it's important that I
know what's going on or should I even need to know? Maybe more of a courtesy thing.I really care for this family and want it to come across the RIGHT way. Any advice is
appreciated.
momofboys 04:07 PM 07-25-2011
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I have a dck that is always showing up at different times. I'm a family child care provider and I feel it's very difficult to plan or just to simply be ready for the day for this family. Their agreement says one thing and their times are totally different. During the school year it's not such a big issue because I have earlier kids that arrive way before. This summer it has been somewhat of an issue. I asked the childs parents in the beginning of the summer if they have a better idea of what time you will drop off dck, mother told me around 745, maybe has been dropped off a hand full of times around that time. It's usually between 9-10, and that's on the days the child is dropped off. My other dck doesn't get here until around 1120 and those are the child's contracted hours, so I have no problem with that, and they let me know at least the day before if it will be earlier. I only do full time, so therefore each child that is enrolled pay for full time. I have run into a couple if instances where I needed to bring in an alternate and therefor needed to know what time the child would be coming if if dck would be coming at all. I was told dck will be coming a this time, so i bring in an alternate and they don't show at all that day without even a call/text saying so. Luckily my other dck got here at their normal time, but still the alternate is here waiting. My hours are from 6-6 and the family can choose what 10 hours to fill in on their agreement. I'm not picky on late pick ups as long as it doesn't get abused and I haven't enforced the hours on the agreement because it has never been an issue in the past. As long as they weren't left here from 6 in the morning to 6 in the evening. This particular family hasn't really followed their times at all. I have small children of my own. So I feel it somewhat necessary to know when my first dck will be arriving for the day, so everything/everyone is ready. I have mentioned to the parents a couple times..." so and so will be my first kiddo to tomorrow so do you know what time you will drop off?" they usually tell me a time but it's usually not the time they mention.
Am I overreacting? I don't really how to explain to the parents why it's important that I
know what's going on or should I even need to know? Maybe more of a courtesy thing.I really care for this family and want it to come across the RIGHT way. Any advice is
appreciated.
Simply say I need to know so I know what time to get up in the morning. Nothing worse than getting up at 6 am for a 6:15/6:30 drop-off & then not have the kid show up until 7:30 or so. I know as it's happened to me!I have a dck that is always showing up at different times. I'm a family child care provider and I feel it's very difficult to plan or just to simply be ready for the day for this family. Their agreement says one thing and their times are totally different. During the school year it's not such a big issue because I have earlier kids that arrive way before. This summer it has been somewhat of an issue. I asked the childs parents in the beginning of the summer if they have a better idea of what time you will drop off dck, mother told me around 745, maybe has been dropped off a hand full of times around that time. It's usually between 9-10, and that's on the days the child is dropped off. My other dck doesn't get here until around 1120 and those are the child's contracted hours, so I have no problem with that, and they let me know at least the day before if it will be earlier. I only do full time, so therefore each child that is enrolled pay for full time. I have run into a couple if instances where I needed to bring in an alternate and therefor needed to know what time the child would be coming if if dck would be coming at all. I was told dck will be coming a this time, so i bring in an alternate and they don't show at all that day without even a call/text saying so. Luckily my other dck got here at their normal time, but still the alternate is here waiting. My hours are from 6-6 and the family can choose what 10 hours to fill in on their agreement. I'm not picky on late pick ups as long as it doesn't get abused and I haven't enforced the hours on the agreement because it has never been an issue in the past. As long as they weren't left here from 6 in the morning to 6 in the evening. This particular family hasn't really followed their times at all. I have small children of my own. So I feel it somewhat necessary to know when my first dck will be arriving for the day, so everything/everyone is ready. I have mentioned to the parents a couple times..." so and so will be my first kiddo to tomorrow so do you know what time you will drop off?" they usually tell me a time but it's usually not the time they mention.
Am I overreacting? I don't really how to explain to the parents why it's important that I
know what's going on or should I even need to know? Maybe more of a courtesy thing.I really care for this family and want it to come across the RIGHT way. Any advice is
appreciated.
Then attach money to it if they do not arrive within 1/2 hr of their drop-off time. You can call it an inconvenience charge
cheerfuldom 05:36 PM 07-25-2011
Stop trying to be nice or trying to get them to understand your side of things. They don't need to understand a rule to follow it. Its going to be really hard to get this back on track because you have allowed it for so long. If you really stay strict on the policy right now, prepare to lose them because they may just leave
Crazy8 07:21 PM 07-25-2011
honestly, I think you need to start being more "picky" about it. I would not just let the family choose whatever 10 hours they want from your day. Set contracted hours for each family. YOUR schedule may allow 6am-6pm but have each family in care choose their set hours. If this family needs 9am-6pm then that is their schedule and if they are coming later than 9am they should let you know the day before. Some daycare providers even have a rule that all children need to be there by a certain time - I don't enforce that but I will let parents know if they are keeping us from going to the park or something that it needs to stop.
PeanutsGalore 12:06 AM 07-26-2011
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I have a dck that is always showing up at different times. I'm a family child care provider and I feel it's very difficult to plan or just to simply be ready for the day for this family. Their agreement says one thing and their times are totally different. During the school year it's not such a big issue because I have earlier kids that arrive way before. This summer it has been somewhat of an issue. I asked the childs parents in the beginning of the summer if they have a better idea of what time you will drop off dck, mother told me around 745, maybe has been dropped off a hand full of times around that time. It's usually between 9-10, and that's on the days the child is dropped off. My other dck doesn't get here until around 1120 and those are the child's contracted hours, so I have no problem with that, and they let me know at least the day before if it will be earlier. I only do full time, so therefore each child that is enrolled pay for full time. I have run into a couple if instances where I needed to bring in an alternate and therefor needed to know what time the child would be coming if if dck would be coming at all. I was told dck will be coming a this time, so i bring in an alternate and they don't show at all that day without even a call/text saying so. Luckily my other dck got here at their normal time, but still the alternate is here waiting. My hours are from 6-6 and the family can choose what 10 hours to fill in on their agreement. I'm not picky on late pick ups as long as it doesn't get abused and I haven't enforced the hours on the agreement because it has never been an issue in the past. As long as they weren't left here from 6 in the morning to 6 in the evening. This particular family hasn't really followed their times at all. I have small children of my own. So I feel it somewhat necessary to know when my first dck will be arriving for the day, so everything/everyone is ready. I have mentioned to the parents a couple times..." so and so will be my first kiddo to tomorrow so do you know what time you will drop off?" they usually tell me a time but it's usually not the time they mention.
Am I overreacting? I don't really how to explain to the parents why it's important that I
know what's going on or should I even need to know? Maybe more of a courtesy thing.I really care for this family and want it to come across the RIGHT way. Any advice is
appreciated.
No, you're not overreacting. If this is a good family overall, then they're probably doing this because you're allowing them to. Simply tell them the truth. You have to plan the day. You have your own family's schedule, and your other daycare kids to schedule, and you have to know what time people are actually going to show up in order to plan things, such as meal times, naps, outings, and simply what time to get up in the morning! They may think that because you offer a fixed schedule between 6am and 6pm, you are up and ready to go at 6am so when they arrive doesn't matter.I have a dck that is always showing up at different times. I'm a family child care provider and I feel it's very difficult to plan or just to simply be ready for the day for this family. Their agreement says one thing and their times are totally different. During the school year it's not such a big issue because I have earlier kids that arrive way before. This summer it has been somewhat of an issue. I asked the childs parents in the beginning of the summer if they have a better idea of what time you will drop off dck, mother told me around 745, maybe has been dropped off a hand full of times around that time. It's usually between 9-10, and that's on the days the child is dropped off. My other dck doesn't get here until around 1120 and those are the child's contracted hours, so I have no problem with that, and they let me know at least the day before if it will be earlier. I only do full time, so therefore each child that is enrolled pay for full time. I have run into a couple if instances where I needed to bring in an alternate and therefor needed to know what time the child would be coming if if dck would be coming at all. I was told dck will be coming a this time, so i bring in an alternate and they don't show at all that day without even a call/text saying so. Luckily my other dck got here at their normal time, but still the alternate is here waiting. My hours are from 6-6 and the family can choose what 10 hours to fill in on their agreement. I'm not picky on late pick ups as long as it doesn't get abused and I haven't enforced the hours on the agreement because it has never been an issue in the past. As long as they weren't left here from 6 in the morning to 6 in the evening. This particular family hasn't really followed their times at all. I have small children of my own. So I feel it somewhat necessary to know when my first dck will be arriving for the day, so everything/everyone is ready. I have mentioned to the parents a couple times..." so and so will be my first kiddo to tomorrow so do you know what time you will drop off?" they usually tell me a time but it's usually not the time they mention.
Am I overreacting? I don't really how to explain to the parents why it's important that I
know what's going on or should I even need to know? Maybe more of a courtesy thing.I really care for this family and want it to come across the RIGHT way. Any advice is
appreciated.
I'm not usually a stickler for drop off times. Pick up times, yes, but not really drop offs. I figure if they're super late w/o notice and I have something scheduled that I have to leave the house for, then they'll learn to be on time when they show up and I'm not there. Otherwise, I just bring their kiddo in and pick up wherever we are in the day.
Saying you'll be there and not showing is a bit much, though. Rude. If talking doesn't fix the issue, then add a heavy fee to it, and let her when you talk to her that she'll have to pick a time, stick to it, follow through or pay a huge inconvenience fee.