It's Not the Kids that'll Drive You Bonkers - It's the Parents !

So very frustrated ! I have been interviewing parents for the last space in my daycare, and I thought I had found a compatible match. So, last night when we're signing contracts I discover that she's marked down my weekly fee as being $180 (I charge $225) When I corrected this matter, she said that her son would only be coming Tuesday through Friday so she had just assumed that the rates would be reduced. Grrrr.....I specifically addressed this issue in our first e-mail when she mentioned that he would not be coming on Monday's and "Would I reduce my rates ?" (NO!) I also touched on this matter during our interview. Why do people try this kind of garbage on ? If my inability to offer "a la carte" services is a deal breaker for you, then just take me off the short list of caregivers that you are interviewing - no harm, no foul - and best of all, none of my time is wasted. Sorry to sound so steamed, but I am so fed up with having my time wasted with "stupid" stuff. I don't mind working with toddlers and babies, and sacrificing my personal time in the evenings to meet with prospective families, but Holy Hannah I do wish that the parents would put on their "listenning ears" when we are talking about things that are important. :no:

Do you have a manual/contract to help prevent this. Something that says, "you pay for the spot, not what days you come"?

ha ha!!! had to laugh, good for you! stick to your guns, that's one area where I can sometimes "fold" and there is my weakness! I have always noticed, if they are the "money calculating" kind that early?.....they will be the ones to give you a hard time later on.....I understand "money watching" nobody wants to "overspend" most can't afford it, chances are,,, the "listening ears" WERE ON, she was just trying to pull a quicky! good for catching it!

I hear ya!! It's the parents that drive you to drink!! Sometimes I wish parents were more like kids. Eager to please. And the worst part is when the parents are being stupid, it's the kids that suffer.

Sorry to hear you're getting so frustrated!! It really is so hard out there!! I wish this business was easier. Lately, I've been fantasicing about closing on a daily basis, but as always, I know it'll get better. :)

Good luck to you!

Thanks for the pep talk ladies - it definitely boosted my spirits. =) @PlayandLearn - I do not have a manual, but I do send a very detailed e-mail to all of my prospective clients. In it I outline exactly what my policies are regarding sick days, how much parents pay for a deposit, what that deposit covers, (and that it is non-refundable), paid versus unpaid time off, daily rates - like I said, it's a monstrous e-mail with all the information that a parent could need/want. I send it via e-mail because I have had clients try and convince me that "You never said...." This way, I have a paper trail. In this massive note I specify that "I do not offer part time care/reduced rates for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I want my daycare children to have the stability of knowing who's going to be at daycare each and every morning. Secondly, the profit margins in this industry are just not large enough to allow me to provide a la carte services" What this lady did was she took the contract that I had given her and just crossed out the section where I had written down my weekly fee - and inserted her own number ! Can you believe it ? In an earlier e-mail she had already grilled me about my vacation/sick days (they're unpaid - what more do you want ?) What really frosted the cupcake (so to speak) was when she explained her unwillingness to pay full time rates with the following: "My husband and I already pay for my son's food and the expenses of the trips that he goes on with his Grandma - we feel that your fee's on top of what we are already paying for him would be unfair" I mean seriously - I'm not taking your son to the museum - if you choose to pay for your Mum to take him there, that's great. Don't ask me to subsidize your Nana day. =(It never ceases to amaze me what people will try on - unbelievable !