Very recently, some of my dcparents have decided it'd be a good idea to change around their drop-off and pick-up schedules without notifying me. I've let it go the first couple times, but now it's almost every day from almost all of my parents and I've just been a little shocked. I normally have amazing parents who used to notify me even if they were running 5 minutes late. It's been between 30 minutes to almost 2 hours time difference.

When I woke up and got ready at 6:30am for my first drop-off who didn't arrive until 8am two mornings in a row, I figured it was time to make the switch

For those with contracted hours, what kind of grace period do you have? If a parent is scheduled to drop off at 7am and is to be picked up by 5pm, how much leeway is appropriate? 10 minutes? 15?

Thanks in advance!

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I appreciate parents letting me know they are late to drop off and let them know that each and every time they drop off late without calling. If I have somewhere to go and they are late without calling - not my problem. It's in my policies, but nicely written
As for early drop off. I don't allow it. I turned a family away one day when they tried to show up early. - also in my contract.
As for late pickup. I don't allow it. Not 1 minute. Each minute costs $1 per child and honestly I don't want the $. I want them to come on time. Also in my contract.

I hope this helps.

Last spring I was having parents do the things you are speaking of, among other things, despite my policies. I rewrote any policy changes I felt needed it and required a signature from all parents on policies (which I hadn't before). I included a nice letter letting everyone know the types of things that were going on and that these things were no longer allowed and parents will be charged from then on. Another member on here gave me the letter and I changed it to fit my needs. It worked wonderfully. I can also share this letter with you, just PM me your email address.

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About a 5 minute grace period but even then, if that happens more than once every few weeks, I will say something. you need to get this under control OP. whats the point of having contracted hours when people are using up to 2 hours more per day?

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Sadly, not that much.

Once, without a phone call, would have been too much for me.

With a phone call and an actual emergency there is no limit to my flexibility.

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I don't have a grace period. Parents are required to let me know if their child will be more late. 30 minutes no contact results in a $10 convenience fee.

If the parents want to do drop off and pick ups across the clock, they can hire a center. If you are in the business to have them contract hours, they drop off and pick up when they say they will or enforce a consequence.

I had a family in the past that showed up anywhere between 10am and 12pm. They were surprised when they tried dropping off and we weren't there! LOL After I told the DCD repeatedly that a phone call was necessary if they were going to be late, I decided to take the kids to the park for a few hours. Low and behold, I got a phone call asking me where I was and that he was standing on my porch. Then he had the nerve to tell me he was going to drop off DCB at the park. I told him we would be back by 11am and he could drop off then. I don't allow parents to drop off anywhere other than my home.

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Communication is key here. I will be much more flexible if I know whatis going on and why. This summer I let a paernt drop off 1 hour early all summer with

out charging extra because they explained that now that the children are in differnt places for the summer (the speical needs child got into a center that

specilizes in his needs) They ned to dropp of early so that they have time to drop the other child before getting to work on time and my location was close to home and the other center was on the way to work.

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familyschool is correct, communication is what decides whether I will forgive and forget or if I will be charging a massive late fee. The larger the late fee, the bigger the disrespect and the ruder the actions.

I usually have about a 5 minute grace period. But if the parent is rude, disrespectful or simply has a bad attitude about it, there is no grace period and they won't be receiving one again.

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I am floored by these responses. My parents pay me a full time rate for me to be available during the hours of 7:30 am - 5:30 pm. I don't care when they show up with their child. I don't greet the parents if we are doing something else. I just have all the children acknowledge the child's entrance and we move on with our day. If we are at the playground, the parents just get the children's outside shoes and hat on from the cubby and bring them out back. The playground is outside my back gate and I can hear them coming from hin the house.

I don't have the parents call me if they are going to be later than usual dropping off or picking up, except if it after the time I close which doesn't happen. I am firm about parents being on time.

I can't believe providers dictate parents time in this way.

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Oh I get it now. It is for contracted hours. I'll be fine.

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My parents rate is based on total number of hours per day. A child here for 7 hours has a cheaper rate than a child here for 10 hours. The later the pick up time, the more expensive it gets. None of my clients pay the same rate because their needs vary. It's not fair to charge a family only needing 30 hours of care a week the same rate as a family needing 50 hours of care per week. One family gets penalized. KWIM?!

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....ONLY because parents waste the providers time and because parents are so disrespectful about time.

I don't live in my daycare house so I need to know when I need to be at work and when I can leave.

Just because I am willing to work between 7:00 and 5:30 doesn't mean I want to sit here with no kids when I could be doing something else.

I also HATE making an appt at say 5:00 and having my parents all pick up on time only to have the one kid who usually leaves at 3:00 end being left until 5:30 because mom just assumes I am open until 5:30. ...and trust me that happens alot.

Lol! I started replying to your first post only to see you already replied again understanding.....

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I have to have regular pick up and drop off times. My play space is in the basement and there is no way to get down there but thru the house. I will not leave my door unlocked all day. I also dont want to leave the kids unattended while I go up and down stairs constantly with people leaving and coming. Plus I am 32 weeks preggo and stairs all day do not agree with me. I also dont want parents walkin thru the yard if we are out back playing.

So due to my set up, I need to know when parents are coming and going.

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I posted above that I didn't understand at first. I don't tailor my hours to suit families needs. I offer full time care only, and leave it at that. I wouldn't want to have to keep track of all of that and have to get on my parents for not showing up for the correct hours. To me that seems like such a hassle. Parents know they pay for full time hours and how they choose to use it is up to them. Same rate for every family around here. I advertise as full time only as well. Maybe because I advertise it that way, only full time people come to me.

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That must be difficult. I had an electronic door lock installed on my door as I work in the basement. Every parent has a code to use and the door automatically locks when the door is closed after three seconds. I got tired of being concerned the door wasn't locked when they left. Their codes only work during day home hours, so no one can come early or pick up late or they won't get in. It's pretty hard for someone to say they were on time to pick up if they are late, cause I have to let them in. I had that installed also because I was tired of parents coming to my house on stat holidays to drop off saying they forgot the holiday.

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How much do those things cost??

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I love the concept but there are flaws in it.

That system works great if your goal is for the kids to be picked up earlier for any reason. A friend of mine does it so kids have more awake time with their families. It makes her happy to see that and she is an angel on this earth.

Unfortunately, if your goal is to pay your bills on the few available slots you have, it works against you. You have to put faith in the fact that most will be willing to pay the higher rate to compensate for the ones who won't.

7 hours a day or 10 hours a day, both take up a space I can't charge someone else for. I simply can't risk it.

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I just find the families that work with what I can provide. Its not the perfect set up for everyone but my families for the most part are like clock work, I know exactly when people are coming and going so there is rarely ever a surprise. I have the kids ready when they need to be ready. I dont allow drop offs after 9am so its not like I can do a free for all of coming and going each day. I know some providers are able to work with that type of schedule, no problem, but it doesnt work for me so I just find the families that work within my drop off and pick up time frames. Its definitely not perfect but nothing ever is.

I do like the idea of an entry code and will definitely consider that but I am assuming you can set it up so that the codes dont work all the time, yes? what if a parent let other people know their code to your house and that other person shows up during daycare hours? I know that is a trust issue with the parents but I seriously dont trust anyone so I would be paranoid about that. What if a parent comes to pick up and instead of heading downstairs, wanders thru the house?

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my set up is like cat's but I also attract the full time families, which work for me best. I'd rather make more money at this point because one family leaving early each day doesnt make a difference to me, I still have several more that need care till 5 or 530. I would rather just take the kid for the full day and make more money. (sorry if that money talk makes me sound bad....) so for me, full time schedules work best and that is the type of family I attract. I know some people LOVE contracted hours and it usually makes their afternoons easier. I can see advantages to both ways but for my current families, if I went to contracted hours, I see it as only a disadvantage to me. I get paid full time because I am available for 50 hours a week...it is up to the parents whether they utilize all the time or not.

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It was about 400 bucks installed by the locksmith.

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I have had my electronic lock for four years now. I have never once had a parent give their door code to another person. What would be the purpose for them doing something like that? That is kind of paranoid. I can hear the door give the beeping that the door is opening and closing. I can hear their footsteps upstairs. I have never had a parent invade my privacy and wander around my house. I chose my parents well I believe. Even though some of them may be lacking in parenting skills, or can be selfish when bringing their children sick at times, they do have integrity and respect for my privacy.

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Ditto to a tee.

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I'm also one of the few who don't do contracted hours. I'm open 7am (no earlier, ever!) and I close at 5pm (strictly enforced by a $1/minute late fee with no grace period and no allowance for traffic or weather).

Most of my parents stick to their usual schedules all the time -- I don't have too many that are here open to close "just because". But I do like offering the option to parents of stopping at the store on the way home if they need to grab something without feeling like they have to be at my house at a specific time, and i think they appreciate it too.

If we're going out during the day, I leave a note if someone hasn't dropped off yet. If we're at the bus stop, they drop off there. Not a biggie to me.

I've never been able to schedule my own life to the exact minute (and I tend to be pretty schedule-oriented), and I don't expect my parents to be able to. Life happens, and I'm okay with that.

BUT, after 5pm, "life" costs you!

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