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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How to Approach Adding Extra Time and An Extra Meal in The Morning to a Contracted SC
Indoorvoice 02:46 PM 02-20-2019
I'm confusing myself thinking this through:

Dcf is contracted 8-5. She told me (didn't ask) that they are going to try to get here in time for breakfast for 11mo dcb from now on in passing as she was leaving. Breakfast is at 7:45. I open at 7:30. This is the same dcp who was struggling to get here before 8:10 to be out of the way of the bus stop kids.

So, do I charge extra for this extra time or just leave it since it's within my hours? If I change their contract do I make it for more money? What do I do and say to them?
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Cat Herder 02:53 PM 02-20-2019
Originally Posted by Indoorvoice:
I'm confusing myself thinking this through:

Dcf is contracted 8-5. She told me (didn't ask) that they are going to try to get here in time for breakfast for 11mo dcb from now on in passing as she was leaving. Breakfast is at 7:45. I open at 7:30. This is the same dcp who was struggling to get here before 8:10 to be out of the way of the bus stop kids.

So, do I charge extra for this extra time or just leave it since it's within my hours? If I change their contract do I make it for more money? What do I do and say to them?
"Good Morning DCM, I have your updated contract ready for you to sign. When do you want to start your new hours, today or Monday?"

Add cost for extra time or adjust to earlier pickup time, your call.

That is the point of contracted hours, DCM.
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Indoorvoice 03:14 PM 02-20-2019
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
"Good Morning DCM, I have your updated contract ready for you to sign. When do you want to start your new hours, today or Monday?"

Add cost for extra time or adjust to earlier pickup time, your call.

That is the point of contracted hours, DCM.
Makes sense! But one of the problems I'm having is that when they first started they contracted at 7:30, and I changed it to 8 because they NEVER made it here by that time and I didn't want them showing up randomly at 7:30 whenever they wanted. Well I didn't reduce their price then! So now I'm just stuck, right? I'm really bad the business stuff.
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Cat Herder 03:37 PM 02-20-2019
Originally Posted by Indoorvoice:
Makes sense! But one of the problems I'm having is that when they first started they contracted at 7:30, and I changed it to 8 because they NEVER made it here by that time and I didn't want them showing up randomly at 7:30 whenever they wanted. Well I didn't reduce their price then! So now I'm just stuck, right? I'm really bad the business stuff.
Not really, you could just say no.

I get it. I hate policing hours and rates so I only have two choices; enrolled or not enrolled. If I am open, they will be here. I added in a 9 am dropoff cutoff because I like to settle in for circle time and I get resentful of interruptions when we are off to a great start. It always ruins it and feels like the whole day is off. Since then I really have little adult drama to deal with.

Sorry she is a boundary stomper.
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Indoorvoice 03:44 PM 02-20-2019
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
Not really, you could just say no.

I get it. I hate policing hours and rates so I only have two choices; enrolled or not enrolled. If I am open, they will be here. I added in a 9 am dropoff cutoff because I like to settle in for circle time and I get resentful of interruptions when we are off to a great start. It always ruins it and feels like the whole day is off. Since then I really have little adult drama to deal with.

Sorry she is a boundary stomper.
No that's ok it's my fault! I wish I could do what you do. I have my own kids here who are school age and it's really tough to have a smooth morning when I don't know who is coming when and I have a bunch of families right now who don't have normal schedules at all. It's just hard on my family sometimes. I'll figure it out someday maybe.
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Cat Herder 03:55 PM 02-20-2019
Originally Posted by Indoorvoice:
I wish I could do what you do. I have my own kids here who are school age and it's really tough to have a smooth morning when I don't know who is coming when and I have a bunch of families right now who don't have normal schedules at all. It's just hard on my family sometimes. I'll figure it out someday maybe.

When my kids were in school I did not open until after the bus ran in case I needed to take them to school. 8-6. Once they were grown I adjusted to 730-530 so I could go walking before the track and trails got too busy after dinner. Maybe you could start pushing back your new enrollments until you have everyone on better hours?
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Blackcat31 05:34 PM 02-20-2019
Originally Posted by Indoorvoice:
Makes sense! But one of the problems I'm having is that when they first started they contracted at 7:30, and I changed it to 8 because they NEVER made it here by that time and I didn't want them showing up randomly at 7:30 whenever they wanted. Well I didn't reduce their price then! So now I'm just stuck, right? I'm really bad the business stuff.
Maybe your rate changed since they signed on and changed hours....

Unless they’re a new family
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Indoorvoice 05:20 AM 02-21-2019
What I ended up doing was reminding her that her contract was for 8am and I would not be able to serve breakfast to a baby at my normal breakfast time anyway since I am busy getting kids off to school but would serve him a snack after his morning nap. I told her she could try breakfast before they came which she was not keen on , but she was fine with my compromise. Parents just don't really realize that asking to come earlier or stay later means extra work for us. I think this will work for me.
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Blackcat31 06:13 AM 02-21-2019
Originally Posted by Indoorvoice:
I told her she could try breakfast before they came which she was not keen on ,
What?! She can't feed her own kids breakfast

All parents have the same 24 hours in a day.

I can't believe she seriously balked at having to feed her own kids. Get up earlier.... sheesh!
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Indoorvoice 06:25 AM 02-21-2019
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
What?! She can't feed her own kids breakfast

All parents have the same 24 hours in a day.

I can't believe she seriously balked at having to feed her own kids. Get up earlier.... sheesh!
Her excuse was that they aren't morning people I told her that I wasn't either, but here I am forcing myself to be one so I can make my kids breakfast before school and be available for daycare.. I said it jokingly but I hope she heard my point.
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Blackcat31 06:45 AM 02-21-2019
Originally Posted by Indoorvoice:
Her excuse was that they aren't morning people I told her that I wasn't either, but here I am forcing myself to be one so I can make my kids breakfast before school and be available for daycare.. I said it jokingly but I hope she heard my point.
"not morning people" translates to "lazy"


I hope she heard you as well.

Lately my biggest pet peeve/issue is parents that think asking us to do X is no big deal .....'cuz you know, we don't have OTHER kids or OTHER families that we are also doing X,Y and Z for.....
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AmyKidsCo 01:33 PM 02-21-2019
I open at 7am and serve breakfast at 9am. I tell parents that they might want to give their child a snack before dropping off if they can't make it until 9. I changed breakfast time because so many children were eating at home anyway they weren't hungry earlier and wouldn't eat, then were starved mid-morning.
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Tags:contract - revisions, contracted hours
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