What To Do With Day Care Mom!!! Early morning Vent!! Sheesh!!!

[Brooke91]

So I had a chat with mom yesterday..
I told her that starting next week I'd like her payments weekly.
All of my other parents do it, no problem, didn't even bat an eyelash
When I had asked, just said" okie sounds good"

This mom looks at me and says, but we only get paid every other week, in kind of a tone like its not gonna happen..

I told her all my other parents do it, and its easier for me receipt wise and to have everyone paying on the same day..

So well see what she says.. Just want advice on what I do if age says she can't do it..

When my son was in daycare we paid weekly, and we were living paycheck to paycheck every two weeks!! And we paid our provider every Monday too!!

Sheesh what is with this mom!! Seriously!!

I feel like she thinks she's my employer or something!!

And it's starting to get to me!!

I'm just a complete pushover :(

But not in this, I like weekly pay and it's going to happen!!

[playfelt]

If she is that concerned I would be worried that on the in between weeks there won't be any money for me so I would probably accept the two weeks pay at a time but make it in advance. Right now I have some that pay for two weeks but they pay for this week and next week so I cash the whole check now so on the nonpay weeks for the parents I already have my money. Only bookkeeping thing I need to do is mark paid for the following week when I enter the money.

[JennJubie]

Is this covered in your contract? Mine states that payment is due every Friday by 5:00 p.m. If they don't pay weekly here they don't come. We decide when they pay, not the other way around.

[Brooke91]

In between weeks??

I already had her try not to pay for a couple days her boys weren't here, but I said that she was paying for the spot that I can't fill even if her child isn't here.. AND she already paying lower then all my other parents and she has a reduced before and after school rate( if I hada known what I was doing before all this it define you would have been higher) its hard to get to the bus everyday with four young ones.. Especially in the all the snow we had!!

[Brooke91]

I did send out a contract.. It hasn't been read or sighned yet and it went out three weeks ago!! Although in the contract it says monthly!! BUT!! Here's the thing I was going to have my patents all pay monthly ( my other 2 families didn't mind about that either) but then I realized I'd be getting cut short for the months that had a couple extra days in the summer.. And I decided not to do monthly because I knew this particular mom wouldn't like having to pay that much all at once.. If you think about weekly payments are smaller.

I don't its what I'd like and I will not be budging!! I think this mom used to have a babysitter for her kids and that's all she thinks I am!! Guess what I've been a babysitter and what I'm doing for your kids is not babysitting!! That is for sure!!!

[mimi]

"We'll see?" This is the main issue. You have stated a change to your payment policy and she is telling you basically it is up to her wether she complies. Take control here and insist. She will just have to make a budgeting adjustment to her finances. Does she say "we'll see" to her bank for her mortgage payment or gas bill? Stay firm. This is a tell not ask situation.

[Judy Trickett]

Your business, your rules. Always do what works for you and PROTECTS you. But, I have to ask....you are having her pay you in advance, right? Never work without being paid FIRST.

[playfelt]

In between weeks? That means she is saying she is paid every two weeks from work. So when her paycheck comes in she has money to start paying her bills. I would be making sure I am right up there with the other bills and paid when the money first comes in for an amount that covers me till her next paycheck comes in. Those living paycheck to paycheck are often very poor at budgeting so at the end of the payweek any money left gets spent instead of set aside for bills that come due in the weeks they don't get a paycheck. I learned to take both weeks of payment when the money came in so parents didn't think at the end of the week they had left over money that really was to be set aside for me. Taking two weekly payments was in my best interest and looking out for myself even if weekly would have been easier budgeting - not getting paid means no money for the budget so get it while you can and as much as you can.

[Brooke91]

No I'm not being paid in advance.. I was thinking about telling parents that payments need to be made every Monday, but so far everyone's been pretty good about paying me on the Friday.

And guess who dropped her kids off 10 minutes early again this morning!!! It's been like this all week.. So technically I've worked 1 extra hour.. And she didn't bring the beach towels that I had asked her too.. We were supposed to do water stuff today and I don't have towels enough for everyone, all my other families have brought the towels and I told another dad yesterday to bring swim stuff for his kid!! And I'm pretty sure he will!!

So what do I do now, I don't want to make the boys sit out?? But should I send them home wet to get my point across!! It takes this woman forever to get shit done!!



OMG!!! So not how I wasted to star my morning!!! And it's only 7:30

I think I will be sending out a reminder letter to all the patents about stuff,

But it's mostly just for this mom... Argh!!!! Sheesh!!

[Crayola kiddies]

If it were me I would prefer every two weeks and here are the reasons .....as someone already stated she is concerned about I between weeks therefore I would be concerned too because she is telling you if the money is there it will be spent and she doesn't have the ability to put the money aside also if you didn't take a deposit to be used for the last two weeks of care she could walk and then you have nothing.
I keep a log of every payment ... When it was made, the amount, how it was paid (cash or EMT) , and the weeks that the payment covers and then at the end of the year I write one receipt per family.

[Sassygirl]

I had a dcm that sounds just like this one. I ended up terming. She began paying late, asking to change payment dates, then showing up early, showing up late (this kid was my first of the day by 1/2 hour) so showing up late and not even messaging me.
Watch out for this one!

[Brooke91]

I guess because there is such a high demand for daycares, I haven't really been too worried about
this particular family just walking away, only because I would be able to fill there spot so quickly..

and I did at the beginning tell her that I needed to be paid before hand and she basically said well im not working so I don't get paid..so that's kind of what happened.. I had just strated out and really wanted a family so I settled for this one!!! BIG OPPSY on my part :(

[Judy Trickett]

No I'm not being paid in advance.. I was thinking about telling parents that payments need to be made every Monday, but so far everyone's been pretty good about paying me on the Friday.



This only works until you get screwed for payment once. And, mark my words, you WILL get screwed for payment at some point. You need to start getting paid in advance starting NOW, today! If you don't start getting paid in advance and you get burned for payment it will be your own fault now that you know better.

[Brooke91]

thanks ladies for the advice!! I have just written up a reminder notice for the parents that I will give out once the day is over.. stating my hours of operation and that payments will be starting weekly every Monday starting this Monday.. ill gove you lovely ladies and update come Monday :)

[Crayola kiddies]

No pay ? No stay !!!!

[Sassygirl]

I would also send out a separate message to this mom saying that if she didn't have said amount owed by Monday morning that you will not be accepting her child into care.

[playfelt]

thanks ladies for the advice!! I have just written up a reminder notice for the parents that I will give out once the day is over.. stating my hours of operation and that payments will be starting weekly every Monday starting this Monday.. ill gove you lovely ladies and update come Monday :)

Make sure you also make it clear what the process will be if payment is not made. They can stop at the ATM on the way over if necessary no excuse to wait till pick up or if you allow Monday for banking then make sure they know that if payment is not in hand in cash by Tuesday morning child does not stay in care and no don't keep the child while they go to the ATM make them put child back into the car and come back with both or parent will go to work and leave you hanging.

Also make sure the letter states that after a week of no payments ie child has been away since Tues and money is still not paid for the week that you will begin interviewing on the weekend to replace the family as you will take that as their desire to terminate care and then remind them of the penalties for insufficient notice even though you will never see any of it. Then replace them. For the new family start with new rules for payments.

[Skysue]

I have parents that pay every 2 weeks but the 2nd week is always prepaid. It could work but needs to be set up that way!

[torontokids]

I understand that you are new but my recommendation to you is that you figure this all out first before sending a note to parents. You may be coming off a bit wishy washy to parents as first it was monthly now weekly payments. Then it was end of week and now beginning of week. Figure out what works for you and stick to it! Also, you need to stand your ground. If a parent said to me "we'll see" I would say, no, this is my policy, payments are now made weekly on Mondays and children can't be dropped off without payment on Monday. Then you don't accept into care until paid. You are in charge.

[zoomama]

I speak from brutal experience when I say this. If this mom has the mindset that you are her babysitter and that YOU work for HER, this is highly unlikely to change. Maybe she will give on this, but she will always be trying to run the show. Trust me, I spent three years accomodating a mom like this only to end up very burned in the end. That is the problem...accomodati ng unappreciative, bossy people. I don't mind accomodating a legitimate request, if it's appreciated, but to accomodate a person like this is pointless and can come back to bite you. I hope this doesn't sound bitter. I say terminate now before you get more exhausted and frustrated. People like this will suck you dry of your energy.

[zoomama]

I understand that you are new but my recommendation to you is that you figure this all out first before sending a note to parents. You may be coming off a bit wishy washy to parents as first it was monthly now weekly payments. Then it was end of week and now beginning of week. Figure out what works for you and stick to it! Also, you need to stand your ground. If a parent said to me "we'll see" I would say, no, this is my policy, payments are now made weekly on Mondays and children can't be dropped off without payment on Monday. Then you don't accept into care until paid. You are in charge.

I've been at this for four years and am still figuring out what works for me and what doesn't. I think it's okay to change your mind. Just be honest with parents that you're learning and things may change with more experience and knowledge. :)

[Momof4]

I don't understand why this would be an issue. You really have to learn to pick your battles in this business. I love my clients that pay at the first of the month for 4 weeks or the families that pay every 2 weeks because that's when they get paid and my family that pays weekly is the one that annoys be because I have to make so many more receipts and do so much more addition. :laugh: I hate math.

[littlebugsdaycare]

all but one of my parents pay me weekly, they pay the Friday for the next week in care, you don't pay don't bother coming on Monday for daycare because you have not paid for the care.

This mom sounds horribly disrespectful, not only the paying issue but showing up constantly before you open is showing she has no respect for your time. I won't open my door before I open, I am still taking care of things for the day, eating my breakfast and taking care of my own child before she has to share me with 5 other children.