So what is your policy on school bus cancellations?

I have a mom that is really pisses because she now has to leave work to pick up her child from school, drop him off to me, then go back to work. Two years ago, when she signed my contract there is a part that states" In the case of school bus cancellations, it is the parents responsibility to get child to and from school, or child is welcome to attend for a full day ( at daily rate)" Said parent signed both the contract and initialled this area.
Grrrrrrrr........ What makes you think that i want to have to walk to the school in freezing rain, with icy roads for an hour????????? :mad:
What is your policy?

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Originally Posted by 33 Daiseys

I have a mom that is really pisses because she now has to leave work to pick up her child from school, drop him off to me, then go back to work. Two years ago, when she signed my contract there is a part that states" In the case of school bus cancellations, it is the parents responsibility to get child to and from school, or child is welcome to attend for a full day ( at daily rate)" Said parent signed both the contract and initialled this area.
Grrrrrrrr........ What makes you think that i want to have to walk to the school in freezing rain, with icy roads for an hour????????? :mad:
What is your policy?

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I don't take school aged kids because I didn't want to deal with this stuff. However, when I did, my policy was the same. If busses are cancelled parent is responsible to getting their child to and from school or sending them for the day at my full time rate. I would just reiterate that in your conversation. Its one day, she easily could have sent the child to you to avoid to inconvience and awful road conditions.

So, let me get this straight.
She expected you to get dressed, get all the other kids you care for dressed, and risk everyones safety's in bad weather conditions to retrieve her child and all WALK back?

Nice mom.:no:

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Originally Posted by Fireyesblue

I don't take school aged kids because I didn't want to deal with this stuff. However, when I did, my policy was the same. If busses are cancelled parent is responsible to getting their child to and from school or sending them for the day at my full time rate. I would just reiterate that in your conversation. Its one day, she easily could have sent the child to you to avoid to inconvience and awful road conditions.

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Yup, it seems so g@@d##m stupid to risk your child's safety, especially since the younger brother is in care full time, so parent had to drop them off. They called half hour ago to make sure that i was picking the child up. My response to them was " It was your choice to send child to school today knowing the buses weren't running, so either you can pick them up, call a taxi, or have the child sit at the office until you can make it. No, I am not willing to take daycare children out in this weather regardless as to what you deem as safe, please let me know what you choose." Yes it was bitchy, and short but the sheer sense of entitlement is beyond me

yup. notice papers will be going home i think

She had the option to keep him at your house there is no reason for her to be upset...she CHOSE for him to go to school, she CHOSE to pick him up after school.

You can't own her feelings for this.

It's SNOW DAY kids are supposed to be home (at your place) having a blast at missing a day of school. Makes no sense to go out of her way to bring him when half the class will be away and teachers are not allowed to teach anything new on a snow day.

I know...... it just makes no sense. I have decided that i am going to term immediately tonight. This kid is a huge handful, tempers, parents running late, just drama central. This is just the snowflake that collapsed the snowman. I have two families that are on my waitlist, so that will mean i dont have to deal with this drama again. shame since they have been here for over 5 years

Your policy sounds fair. I can't imagine why a parent would question it. But I tend to be the type to give people the benefit of the doubt. So my initial thought was: is this the first time busses have been cancelled since this parent's child has started school? Is there any chance that she simply forgot about the policy since it's been two years since she signed it? Maybe she's just frustrated in general by the situation and it's not directed at you? As a parent, I might be a bit rattled by the situation too. But that being said, we don't have "snow days" where I live and it would have to be minus 50 before busses were cancelled, so this scenario would likely never come up where I live.

I think it's a little extreme to terminate IMO. If buses are cancelled it should be the parents responsibility to take child to/from school daycare.

She probably just didn't want to pay ur full time fee so she brought him to school. I don't take school kids. I don't want to do bus runs with babies. When I first opened I did for a yr then stopped. When it was a snow day the parents had to drive but always the child just came here.

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Originally Posted by mickyc

I think it's a little extreme to terminate IMO. If buses are cancelled it should be the parents responsibility to take child to/from school daycare.

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Well according to the original post it stated the if the buses weren't running the parents could keep the child at daycare from for the full day fee or be responsible to take the child to and from school .... The parent knew this and signed off on it .... Subsequent posts from the original poster indicates that this its to the only issue .... Not following the contract is a reason for termination (at least according to my contract) she has a wait list .... I say .... NEXT

UP DATE:
So I go a call from the school saying child had not been picked up. Parents conveniently were not answering their phone when the school called. I was tempted to tell them to call cps for child abandonment, but this is a kid that i have basically raised since they were 8 months. So I went an picked child up. Needless to say all of the kids wee soaked by the time we got home. Their termination notice is in the bag with the stuff. Unfrocking believable.......

Wow. I would have done the same as you. I can't believe they would not answer their phone when the school calls.

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Originally Posted by superfun

Wow. I would have done the same as you. I can't believe they would not answer their phone when the school calls.

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I am so mad I actually feel sick. All i kept thinking is what am I going to do if a kid get hurt slipping on the ice, what if we get hit by a car. If I had been 100 positive that i wouldn't get in trouble, I might have left him there ( who am i kidding). Mom has texted me twice to find out if i picked him up. Maybe being left to wonder if he was picked up will smarten her up, especially since the school is closed.

Your nicer than me. I would have told the school sorry but I can't pick up the child, but I will let the parents know she is still their once they come to get their other child.

I don't do before and after school care any more. I do walk 5 min to and from the school each day with my kids, But on days like to day when the weather is bad I just keep them home. I want the right to decide if I am doing school runs without any hassle from parents.

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Originally Posted by 33 Daiseys

I am so mad I actually feel sick. All i kept thinking is what am I going to do if a kid get hurt slipping on the ice, what if we get hit by a car. If I had been 100 positive that i wouldn't get in trouble, I might have left him there ( who am i kidding). Mom has texted me twice to find out if i picked him up. Maybe being left to wonder if he was picked up will smarten her up, especially since the school is closed.

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I can't wait to hear mom's excuse....

I would have done the same as blue rose. U would have not gotten in trouble he is not ur son not ur responsibility when u had the right to not pick him up because the buses were canceled. I would have said I can't get him I have babies here I'll contuine to try to contact the parents. The parents would have gotten in trouble not u. Good choice on getting rid of them. Unbelievable!

I also would have told the school that you cannot pick up.

I am maybe a little confused by this whole situation. What is your normal routine? The kids come before school and you take them to the bus? You walk to the bus? Did they just skip your house this morning and dropped off child at school or were busses cancelled in the afternoon? I guess I am just confused by why mom thought you would walk to the school to pick up.

There seems to be some sort of mixup or lack of communication on both sides as I just don't see a parent not picking up their child if they knew you weren't going to.

What was said when they picked up the children today? Did you tell them they are terminated?

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Originally Posted by mickyc

I also would have told the school that you cannot pick up.

I am maybe a little confused by this whole situation. What is your normal routine? The kids come before school and you take them to the bus? You walk to the bus? Did they just skip your house this morning and dropped off child at school or were busses cancelled in the afternoon? I guess I am just confused by why mom thought you would walk to the school to pick up.

There seems to be some sort of mixup or lack of communication on both sides as I just don't see a parent not picking up their child if they knew you weren't going to.

What was said when they picked up the children today? Did you tell them they are terminated?

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If she is anywhere near us then the city was coated in ice after frozen rain. The buses were all cancelled due to unsafe road conditions.

As much as you should have left the child to teach the parents a lesson...the poor child. I can't imagine being abandoned. At least the child knows the caregiver cares enough to trek there on the ice with a bunch of little kids.

As for the parents. Lesson learned they attempted to call the shots, knowing full well it was their duty to do the pick up. Knowing that you told them in the afternoon when they asked that you would not be doing pick up. They were unbelievably in the wrong to CHOSE to not pick their child up then CHOSE to not answer the phone when the school called. Horrible. I feel for those kids.

The immediate termination is definitely called for. If their was any doubt what so ever about terminating prior to their stunt with not answering their phone there is no doubt what so ever now.

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Originally Posted by mickyc

I also would have told the school that you cannot pick up.

I am maybe a little confused by this whole situation. What is your normal routine? The kids come before school and you take them to the bus? You walk to the bus? Did they just skip your house this morning and dropped off child at school or were busses cancelled in the afternoon? I guess I am just confused by why mom thought you would walk to the school to pick up.

There seems to be some sort of mixup or lack of communication on both sides as I just don't see a parent not picking up their child if they knew you weren't going to.

What was said when they picked up the children today? Did you tell them they are terminated?

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My normal routine is to drop off and pick up kids from the bus. Both parents were reminded of my in-climate weather policy in January, where not only did it go out in our monthly news letter (After reading the news letter all parents must sign and return the bottom similar to the schools so that i can insure that they have been read), but I sent out a text to all the families last night at 6 pm advising them of the up coming storm, and that the buses more then likely would not be running, and to please make other arrangements.
The excuse that i got was they were in meeting ( I know this to be bs based on their schedual, and what was said yesterday), and that it was an honest mistake.
Mom and Dad showed up at pick up, and were taken for a 180 ( I can put up with a lot and have ie late pick ups, frustrating circumstances, lack of communication ), and both wanted to sit down and talk about it.
I told them I'm sorry I'm closed, I have plans, the notice explaining everything is in their bag, if you have any questions or wish to discuss the circumstances, they may call during nap time tomorrow ( they know that is when I handle phone calls).
At that point I was to angry to speak to them. They were my last pick up, and I basically had time to close my door, run to the bathroom before being sick.

Oh my. I cannot even believe the entitlement of some people. I would be BEYOND furious.

The fact that you had a conversation and she was well aware that she needed to pick up the child but still chose not too...assuming that you will pick up the slack and not caring about putting you and all those other kids at risk. There aren't even words.

How did it go when they picked the child up? Please tell me that the termination was immediate.

Looks like we posted at the same time.

BOTH of them just happened to be in a meeting at the same time? When they had ample and multiple notice that they would have to pick their child up from school? I call BS.

Good for you for standing your ground.

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Originally Posted by Lee-Bee

If she is anywhere near us then the city was coated in ice after frozen rain. The buses were all cancelled due to unsafe road conditions.

As much as you should have left the child to teach the parents a lesson...the poor child. I can't imagine being abandoned. At least the child knows the caregiver cares enough to trek there on the ice with a bunch of little kids.

As for the parents. Lesson learned they attempted to call the shots, knowing full well it was their duty to do the pick up. Knowing that you told them in the afternoon when they asked that you would not be doing pick up. They were unbelievably in the wrong to CHOSE to not pick their child up then CHOSE to not answer the phone when the school called. Horrible. I feel for those kids.

The immediate termination is definitely called for. If their was any doubt what so ever about terminating prior to their stunt with not answering their phone there is no doubt what so ever now.

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Yes, the roads were horrible, and by 3:00 they still had not salted the roads or side walks. I feel for the kids, always have. They are the type of parents who had kids just to say they are parents. They pawn he kids off all the time weekends, three nights a week ect.
I really am starting to despise these gym junkie parents. Kids sick - who cares i have a class, kids reticle - no way yogas more important, kid falls at the park and spilt their lip - screw them have to get to my spinning class.
Like what was the point in having kids??????????
I have cried more then once over this, and i think that's why i have stuck it out so long. And in regards to the school age boy, I think his behaviours stem from bouncing around and never actually having quality time with parents.
Darn i'm crying again just thinking about it.

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Originally Posted by flowerchild

Oh my. I cannot even believe the entitlement of some people. I would be BEYOND furious.

The fact that you had a conversation and she was well aware that she needed to pick up the child but still chose not too...assuming that you will pick up the slack and not caring about putting you and all those other kids at risk. There aren't even words.

How did it go when they picked the child up? Please tell me that the termination was immediate.

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Yes, I had all their things bagged at the door notice in the sons back pack. What really pushed me over the edge to be honest is the fact that my husband got a huge raise in December (Enough that i now no longer HAVE to work), and I think knowing that I don't need the money allowed me to stand my ground. Don't get me wrong I have spent years building this business, creating a name for my self, and am proud to do this. I don't think that there is anything that I would want to do. Sorry for

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Originally Posted by Snowmom

So, let me get this straight.
She expected you to get dressed, get all the other kids you care for dressed, and risk everyones safety's in bad weather conditions to retrieve her child and all WALK back?

Nice mom.:no:

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Yes she did. This is the same mom that drove the kids to me in a snowstorm so she could go to the gym a few years back.

so they show up today ? or have they contacted you ? Im glad you booted them

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Originally Posted by Crayola kiddies

so they show up today ? or have they contacted you ? Im glad you booted them

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No they did not show up today, but i got a text las night from the mom saying that they were very very sorry, please would i give them another chance ect. I didn't respond because it was like 10 at night and I was out( I met a friend and we were at chapters) and I really try to not text or talk on the phone when upset as you can say in anger something you would later regret. I am going to take the morning, and call her on my break.
Honest suggestions welcome Please and Thank you

I say you need to stand by your decision. That is the only way people like her get their crap together. I really think by you picking up the child was a wrong move and I would have left it to the school to deal with them but that is just me. You did in fact pick up the child, terminated family immediately then stick to your decision.

What Mickyc said exactly! You made the decision to terminate. It's done, move on.

They spoke to you THAT VERY AFTERNOON and you said that per your contract you were not picking their child up from school. Despite this, they chose to leave their child at school thereby endangering you and the other children.

The disrespect of that situation is so incredibly disgusting. If they do not respect you, you need to respect yourself. Stand by your decision. Do not take them back.

Tell them that you cannot work with someone who obviously disrespects you and who you cannot trust. Tell them that it would have been within your rights to refuse to pick up the child as you had been abundantly clear with them that you were unable to and that in that case the school would have called Children's Aid.

DO NOT CALL

It just puts you in the position to be guilt tripped into taking the child back. There is no benefit from calling, all it does is put them back in the position of power.

They need to accept the consequences of their actions. They were full aware of what they were doing when you told them mere hours before you could not do pick up.

I've only ever terminated care once. They asked me to reconsider but I said no. They pushed me to edge and I terminated even unexpectedly to me! Lol. I would not have reconsidered because it shows that you are willing to negotiate the most serious decision you can make and they will test you on everything after that. Plus, IMO, it would just be awkward and the relationship would never be the same.

I was going to say what lee bee did. Don't call or text or communicate with them. They don't need any more words from u and u owe them nothing. They don't need to know why u ended care it was all in the letter. Move on and cut them lose. U don't owe her anything or more of an explanation. U don't have to explain ur reason u did when u wrote the letter.

The kindness and support from everyone is so greatly appreciated:)
I haven't heard from them yet, so I will assume they got that I am done. I called one of my families that on my wait list, and they are going to start on Monday. It is a family of 2 siblings 13 months girl and her sister who will be after school only and is in the same class with my other after school child (I had her a year ago before younger daughter was born).
So it is basically is a perfect swap.

That's great news. Good for you for going through with it.