There is a receipt book from Walmart that I really like the way it is set up. I reciept each payment so there is proof that it was made. It is more for me than them in a way but parents like to have the proof too. I still give an yearly tax statement to them that is a chart and records how much they paid each month and then the total.

The idea behind getting paid in advance is for a family that doesn't give notice as in shows up on Friday without money, and then never returns on Monday. So you not only have a space to fill you have done care for no money. Getting paid in advance is crucial if you do not charge a deposit towards the last weeks of care for this reason. Mostly I look at it as booking a service. If you want care for the week then you order it and pay for it. I have some that pay every two weeks - fine as long as it is in advance, one that pays with post dated cheques, one that does interac transfers so I accept options just in advance and then I issue a receipt on Friday. Usually I write them up on Friday/weekend and pin them to the door and parents take the receipt and leave their new cheque clipped to the door. Works well.