Parents trying to pay less than they owe

[ilovetolive]

I do have her pay her monthly rate in advance. If she had not given me back a cheque with the right amount, I would have told her that I can't pick her kids up from the bus until she pays.

I did not have her sign a contract this year (I had her kids last school year) because we both agreed that she needs to find a day home that can pick her kids up at their school (the bus rates are rising and she has to pay the full fee even though her kids only ride the bus once or twice a week. The rest of the time their parents drive their kids to and from school)

She is supposed to be looking for another day home, but I agreed to take her kids until she finds a place. I know she is unhappy about paying my flat rate after school when her kids are picked up early for hockey, but they are taking up two spots after school whether they stay one hour or two hours.

I will be asking her this week how her search for a new day home is coming...

[Inspired by Reggio]

Ah she has what some providers coin short timers syndrome - aka she's leaving shortly so no need to worry about pissing you off and is trying to get her way hoping you will think oh she's almost done just let her have this

Time to fill those two spots and give her a gentle nudge on her search with a deadline of care ending

[apples and bananas]

I charge one flat fee for before and after school care. It doesn't matter if they are here just in the am or just in the pm or both, they pay the same rate. I do this because I can't fill half a spot. I can't fill one kid in the am and another in the pm. So they pay the full rate.

[kidlove]

I just had a family leave with a case of "short timers syndrome", what a shame...provided care for three and a half years and the last week they were with me they broke like three rules in two days, picked up late, no late fee in hand, paid late, no late fee in hand, and smarted off about another of my rules right to my face. HA! What a thank you for putting up with their "sometimes" very rude! Child. Some people seem to have ALOT of nerve. I kinda regret not charging those late fee's ....the way I looked at it was, I didn't want to send them off, with "bad blood" between us. (I guess they could be a future refferal) although...I do regret NOT charging even one of the two...not cool to let people step all over you!

[mimi]

Wow kidlove, 31/2 years of care and they treat you like that? I had a family with me for 5 years. I got the two weeks notice and poof gone and have never heard from them since. When this happens it just encourages my resolve to not become friends with my clients and to look at this job from more of a business perspective. I have to harden my heart.

[ilovetolive]

That is what my sister does as well (flat rate for before and after school) with her day home and she is always full...I mostly do after school because it is hard enough for me to get my daughters ready for their 7:30am bus without adding more kids to the mix.

The mom who is giving me trouble about my fees doesn't seem to realize that paying her $24 week (per child) provides her with a reliable safe spot for her kids to go. I never close, even when I am sick. My mom was dying for two months in the hospital and the only day I closed was for the funeral. Instead this mom focuses on the days that she picks them up 45 minutes early for hockey. She actually calculated how much time over the school year that she paid for , but didn't use. She also seems to think that from 3:05pm (when the bus arrives) until she picks her kids up at 4:15pm is only 1/2hr , because we don't get back to my house until 3:30 or 3:45pm.

[Inspired by Reggio]

... She actually calculated how much time over the school year that she paid for , but didn't use. She also seems to think that from 3:05pm (when the bus arrives) until she picks her kids up at 4:15pm is only 1/2hr , because we don't get back to my house until 3:30 or 3:45pm.

And it is because of people like this that there is a SHORTAGE of safe reliable school aged care cause honestly why would I want to serve an unappreciative client like this who expects a full time space to be kept aside for her but only wants to pay for what she 'uses' cause the REALITY is that providing a service to people like this COSTS US MONEY in the first place cause they do not want to pay a full day fee despite taking up a 'full day space' in the program so the reason providers who do choose to do it do so because while it is not financially advantageous it meets some other need in their business ~ playmate for our child or as you've mentioned ability to get your own child to the bus stop but to earn 'some income' after school hours or what not ..... the fact remains that you could terminate her and either find someone willing to pay for the spot and appreciate it cause typically there is a high demand for this age group in most communities OR instead choose not to offer this service at all and to focus on younger full day children who arrive after your daughters bus but spend the whole day which would allow you to make more $$$!