Daycare parent always late with payment??

I am new to the daycare business. I have a parent that asked me if they could pay for their child every 2 weeks, on the last day of care that week. (child is part-time) I said yes. Parent gets paid every 2 weeks and I understand. This is the second time in a row that the 2 week mark past and they didn't pay. Last time it was 3 weeks before they paid. How would you go about this? I will admit, I can be a push over..I feel like miss bitchy if I say something, but in the same since it is MY money owed for a service I provided. The child is subsidized so it ends up being pocket change that the parent owes... How do you deal with late payments? I should also note, I am licensed through a daycare agency so I often feel like I don't make any rules?? :blink:

I for sure would mention something at pick up on the last day of care for that week. If they did not have the money that day I would politely inform them that care is not available until they have paid. If it happened again after this I would tell them that payment is now due in advance, not on the last day of care for the week.

If you are with an agency shouldn't the parent be paying the agency?

I get paid in advance so that doesn't happen to me but I would not take the child if they don't pay and I would charge them a late fee

NO pay, NO stay are my rules. They have to pay at drop-off on the Monday for the week to receive their services. Otherwise, Term time!

Oh payment is never late here or I would be super mad. I do have families who pay for 2 weeks at a time and one month at a time to conincide with their paydays. But the payment is due at the end of the first week of care, so by this Friday they will be paying for this week & next week. I would NOT wait until the second week of care. Preferably they should be paying closer to the beginning of the two weeks. I have one family who is paying tomorrow for this week and next week. Put your foot down, change your contract if necessary, but you've learned a lesson that this is something that is not negotiable if a family wants to keep their space in your daycare.

I allowed a parent to pay me late a day or 2 as well once. I didn't say anything and it became habit. When I did get to a point where I did say something it was complete foreign to them and I did sound like miss bitch cause I never enforced the rules to begin with. So, send out a nice email or send home a nice letter if you have trouble with the face to face. Just let her know that you understand things come up, but this is your income and this is your payday and it makes it hard to purchase crafts, food, things for daycare when payment is late. You appreciate her understanding blah blah blah.

The next time she's late I would send a memo advising her of a late fee and the possibility of termination, because at that point she's just being rude.

I made the mistake in the beginning of also allowing certain parents to pay later and so on. BIG MISTAKE! especially when they are farily new, think about it, you provide two weeks care and for whatever reason, they might decide they dont want to go with your care anymore, they leave and you have a situation on your hands. If you require payment at least the first of every week, (if not week or two in advance) you will NEVER have this issue because you also set a rule into place that states: You will not care for the child until payment is made. NO EXCEPTIONS!! I too can be a push over and it doesnt get any easier to stand your ground the longer you do it.....my advice to you is: set your rules and stick to them, no matter what!!!! :)