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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>New Here and Need Opinions...
junebug31 05:18 PM 09-23-2010
Hello, I have read these boards for awhile now but this is my first time posting. So, I have a situation that I'm not sure how to deal with, it has gotten somewhat ugly. Currently I am providing care for only one family. They have 2 girls, ages 3 and 4. I started caring for the girls a little over a year ago and have continued to have problems with this family despite the numerous talks we have had regarding certain issues. Those issues being I am never paid on time, they drop off late and pick up late, and their children are very unruly. Last week when I was supposed to be paid the mom was late paying me...again. She gave me some excuse and said her husband would drop off my check at pick up. So when he picked the girls up I asked him if he had my check. He acted completely surprised and didn't have it, apparently mom never told him. So I said, "fine, just make sure you bring it in the morning b/c I have to have it." Well, next morning, no check. So again, I told her I had to have it that evening...I have bills too. So, later that evening she finally had my check but she shorted me a day's pay. I pointed it out to her and she proceeded to argue with me about it claiming she didn't short me. We have an odd pay schedule b/c I agreed to be paid on the 1st and the 15th for THEIR convenience. Well, for whatever reason she quit arguing with me and agreed to pay me for the day she shorted me (I assume she realized she was wrong w/o wanting to admit it) but then went on to tell me how she was sorry she was late paying but her purse broke and it was a "very expensive purse" and she had to take it back to the Coach store and that's why her checks weren't in her purse. I stopped her right there and told her I felt she was out of line and those details were unnecessary b/c we were having a conversation about late payment and insufficient payment and here she is telling me about her several hundred dollar purse, I just felt it was ignorant. Well, she flipped and told me right in front of the kids, mine and her own, that "I was really starting to p*ss her off, I was being VERY rude!" I was shocked, how can she expect her children to respect me if she doesn't? And it's not like this is the first time we have had this talk, it's been countless times and she claims I've never said anything about it!!! So, I let them go over the weekend but agreed to finish the month out b/c I had already been paid. Now today, their first day back...my son was very ill Tues and Wed. and I don't have them on Mon., they are late for pick up! I was furious. At that point I told the dad if it happened again (being late) we could just end it now. I don't know what to do. Should I reimburse them? I don't have the money right now though so I don't want to get taken to court but I feel like I just cannot allow them to take advantage of me any longer. Advice is appreciated. Thanks.
Former Teacher 06:40 PM 09-23-2010
First and foremost...we welcome you!
I have only comment: my mother always says....take advantage of me once, shame on you! Take advantage of me twice, shame on me!
I have only comment: my mother always says....take advantage of me once, shame on you! Take advantage of me twice, shame on me!
kendallina 06:52 PM 09-23-2010
Welcome!
Sounds like you did the right thing by stopping services for this family. In my opinion, if you can't afford to terminate care now and reimburse them for the month, then you're going to have to deal with their bad behavior. I wouldn't offer to terminate them now if you can't pay them their money back. Do you have anything in your policies about late pick-up fees? If you do, make sure that you enforce it. Good luck, I bet you can't wait until their services are over with.
Also, make sure that this doesn't happen again. Be very very clear in your policies about late payments, late pick-ups, etc. And enforce it! It will make things soooo much easier in the future.
Sounds like you did the right thing by stopping services for this family. In my opinion, if you can't afford to terminate care now and reimburse them for the month, then you're going to have to deal with their bad behavior. I wouldn't offer to terminate them now if you can't pay them their money back. Do you have anything in your policies about late pick-up fees? If you do, make sure that you enforce it. Good luck, I bet you can't wait until their services are over with.
Also, make sure that this doesn't happen again. Be very very clear in your policies about late payments, late pick-ups, etc. And enforce it! It will make things soooo much easier in the future.
Lilbutterflie 07:09 PM 09-23-2010
Welcome!!
I was treated this way by my own sister-in-law... (well, we never argued, but she was late on EVERY payment... sometimes 3 weeks late, and they were always late for drop off and pick up as well). I felt I could not enforce my late fees b/c I knew she was in financial hardship and she was family. I will never do business with family again, and I will never let someone walk all over me the way she did. Lesson learned!
My opinion would be if you don't have late payment fees or late pickup fees now, it might be a good idea to revise your contract now. Call a meeting with the parents, and discuss what the penalties will be from now on for late payments and pickups. Make the fee steep enough that it will discourage that behavior from happening again. Have them sign the new revised contract during the meeting. Everyone around here refers to this type of situation as "getting your backbone" and that's exactly what it takes! It's not easy, I do not enjoy imposing fees at all. But it must be done, so your clients don't walk all over you! Good luck!
I was treated this way by my own sister-in-law... (well, we never argued, but she was late on EVERY payment... sometimes 3 weeks late, and they were always late for drop off and pick up as well). I felt I could not enforce my late fees b/c I knew she was in financial hardship and she was family. I will never do business with family again, and I will never let someone walk all over me the way she did. Lesson learned!
My opinion would be if you don't have late payment fees or late pickup fees now, it might be a good idea to revise your contract now. Call a meeting with the parents, and discuss what the penalties will be from now on for late payments and pickups. Make the fee steep enough that it will discourage that behavior from happening again. Have them sign the new revised contract during the meeting. Everyone around here refers to this type of situation as "getting your backbone" and that's exactly what it takes! It's not easy, I do not enjoy imposing fees at all. But it must be done, so your clients don't walk all over you! Good luck!
Michael 12:08 AM 09-24-2010
Welcome to the Daycare.com Forum. I've upgraded your status to unmoderated.
boysx5 02:54 AM 09-24-2010
I have a new motto no pay no childcare without us they can't go to work so my rule is pay on Monday for the week if I don't get paid on Monday the child cannot stay now sometimes parents do forget but this makes them remember. Make sure you have a contract with them so you have something to fall back on if anyone should try to take you to court or make up stories about you. Good luck and welcome I love this site
melskids 03:36 AM 09-24-2010
well if you promised to finish out the month, then technically you only have today, and 4 days next week. if you dont want to have to reimburse them anything, you might just have to suck it up for the next 5 days. i'm sure they are going to be jerks about it all the way until the end and push all limits. deal with it the best you can, and in 5 days be done with it. lesson learned. revise your handbook, policies, and contracts...pronto. dont EVER let anyone treat you like that again. many of the ladies here can help you with ideas for policies and contracts, if you need help writing up new ones. sorry you had to go through this.....
BTW, WELCOME to the boards!!!!
BTW, WELCOME to the boards!!!!
junebug31 03:57 AM 09-24-2010
Thanks everyone! I think I just needed to hear what I already knew from others. I'm going to finish out the month since I am obligated. But just an FYI, this morning they were 20 minutes late. Some people are unbelievable. And I will absolutely be changing some policies for the next family, which I already have lined up, thank goodness!
kendallina 09:38 AM 09-24-2010
Originally Posted by junebug31:
Thanks everyone! I think I just needed to hear what I already knew from others. I'm going to finish out the month since I am obligated. But just an FYI, this morning they were 20 minutes late. Some people are unbelievable. And I will absolutely be changing some policies for the next family, which I already have lined up, thank goodness!
That's great that you already have another family lined up. And, I just noticed you're in Cincinnati! I'm in Oxford. Thanks everyone! I think I just needed to hear what I already knew from others. I'm going to finish out the month since I am obligated. But just an FYI, this morning they were 20 minutes late. Some people are unbelievable. And I will absolutely be changing some policies for the next family, which I already have lined up, thank goodness!
Katy
MarinaVanessa 12:23 PM 09-24-2010
Just a little tid-bit ... HAVE FAMILIES PAY IN ADVANCE!! If you don't already do so, do it now. You wouldn't believe how many problems this solves. And if they "forget" to pay change your policies to say that you won't take them and they still pay for the day "No pay, no stay". Charge for enrollement and not attendance, meaning contract their hours and days they will go to you and if they miss a day you still get paid.
missnikki 03:32 PM 09-24-2010
So glad that you have already lined up another family. Seems like you saw this coming for a while? You'll love getting the good fams that treat you well and don't take advantage. They ARE out there.