What should I do? Income vs. sanity

[Starshine]

Just wondering if you have addressed the situation with the parents. If not, that would be the first course of action. Tell them the behaviours that they are showing that need to improve. If there's no improvement by such and such date, then you wouldn't be able to continue to provide care for them. That would put them on notice and give them a chance to improve. And who knows? They just might, and you could be able to keep your income. If not, I definitely vote for sanity over income. You only get one life and you only live once. Don't settle for putting up with this for the money. It would be tight for a while, but you know what they say... money can't buy happiness, right?

Yes, I address the issue every day with the parent. Unfortunately she thinks her kids' sh*t don't stink, if you know what I mean. But yes, I think if I were okay with terminating, I should definitely give her and them that chance to improve and give them a date.

[Inspired by Reggio]

Yes, I address the issue every day with the parent. Unfortunately she thinks her kids' sh*t don't stink, if you know what I mean.....

I am willing to work with just about any behaviour of a child as long as the parent shares my values and goals for their child so that there is an 'end' in sight of the behaviour because we are all working to resolve it ~ so in this case it sounds like the mother is NOT on board with correcting the childrens behaviours and working WITH you in which case the behaviour is either going to take FOREVER to change due to the inconsistency or it might NEVER change because at the age they are now they know 'mama wont back this person up and mama's opinion is the only one that counts at this time in their life'.

I would give them ONE last chance by explaining the above through a written behaviour and guidance warning contract that they have to sign ~ basically say XYZ are a deal breaker behaviour for me and if we are not working together to help the child learn it needs to STOP by doing ABC when the behaviour is presented in program than care will be ending on X date and give them a notice period for with to do such ~ however based on the 'my kids shit don't stink' observation be prepared for them to BOLT on you so if you do not work with a 'security deposit' that requires them to give proper notice or forfeit it make sure you give them letter and have the discussion after you've been PAID for any service rendered already!

I will also share that A) this is why I do not like working with this age group because they tend to be VERY challenging between the behaviours they see at school being role played in daycare or parents like this who are actually raising little asshats who have no accountability or respect for rules and B) accepting a school age child into my program who did not 'grow up' in my program or my own children's school in which case you'd KNOW them to some extent it would be a read flag to me to investigate for the first place cause unless they are new to the neighborhood and school I would want to know what 'happened with the last care arrangement that is requiring them to look for new arrangement' kwim?

Cause given what you are experiencing chances are if these children are ill mannered they have been terminated from care before OR the mother pulled them from a program because she felt her kids were being made to have 'unrealistic expectations'