Parents 2 hours and 15 minutes late at pick up

[ladyjbug]

Umm, wow. My jaw dropped reading this.

There is no way I could ever accept people who would be fine leaving their kid 2 hours and 15 minutes late. They would be gone. If I couldn't reach them within 15 minutes, then emergency contacts would be called. If I couldn't reach the contacts, then children's services would be called. What if it was an emergency? They need to pick up your calls! Wow. Wow. Wow.

If you want to keep them, I would be charging a late fee of AT LEAST a dollar a minute, PLUS an inconvenience fee of whatever your fun evening would have cost (the cost of a movie/treats, your dinner and what you were paying your babysitter). If they balk at all, BUH-BYE. My time is precious to me. It is worth more than any late fee. If they are okay racking up the late fees, then it is not high enough. If they are late even 30 seconds after this, BUH BYE. Wow, just wow. That poor kid.

[Bugaboo]

I heard of something similar happening to a provider in my area so I added to my contract that if a parent is more than one hour late and I have tried all their contact methods I will consider it an emergency and contact Child Services and/or the police.

I think you will have to seriously consider terming this family. I agree with PP your late fees need to be collected immediately.

Good luck with everything...what a disrespectful thing to do- not just to you but to their child.

[DeeDee]

Oh my yes! Get your money and just terminate! No more chances!!

[monkeymama]

As others have mentioned, I am just speechless! This borders on neglect for me, tbh...they didnt even notice he wasnt there and then took their sweet time to get him?!?! How sad....I had a dcm be 30 mins late once and her daughter was devestated, poor thing thought mommy wasnt coming to get her ( she was 4 and could tell time so knew every day when mom was suppose to pick up) I cant imagine how this boy felt....I would have made it very clear how unacceptable that was, how disrespectful, I would have collected my late fees and said dont let the door hit you on the way out!!!!!! I really hope you made it clear how ridiculous this is and that they are on very thin ice.

[dodge__driver11]

Umm no...Dear... that's just horrible in my parent handbook it states that if you are more than 1 hour late for your child it is considered abandonment, and I call social services to intervene.

[gravy_train]

I can't believe this! My pick-up time is not negotiable. I am very clear on this during the interview process. I have obligations with my family outside of my work day and that is not something I am willing to compromise. My contract states that I charge a late fee of $20 per 5 minutes and that late pick-up is grounds for termination.
I understand that once in a while there may be an incident that is truly out of the parents hands (ie. a snow storm or traffic), but personally I know that I would feel very resentful if I had parents disrespect me and my family (not to mention their child) like this. I wouldn't be able to get over it and would terminate care with them.

[Fearlessbaby]

I'm changing my policy right now and being VERY specific as to paying Late Fees and the consequences of not paying,,,, I think it's great to know before the problems happen how to handle them- and parents then have firm consequences for being late like that- that is so disrespectful and they need to learn that they can't behave like that- I also feel sorry for the kid, poor thing waiting for his tardy parents!

[kidlove]

oh, I had a family like this once....it didn't end well! my advice to you. start looking to replace. Given this isn;t the first time...it wont be the last! Do your self a favor and move on. I had the very same thing happen a few years back, this family was so screwed up, I was the ONLY stable thing in this little guys life, so I put up with so much more than I would have with anyone else and held on to him a lot longer than I should have. One night same as you, my hubby and I were going out to the movies, and had arranged for the kids to go to my parents for the night.....we waited until just before the movie for the mother to show up, no answers on her cell ,no answers at their home, so we drove our kids to gramma and grampas, by that time we had missed the movie but figured we still have the night together, drove around town with her kid in the backseat, looking for her...found her at a subway....SUBWAY? 8pm at night, she was supposed to pick up before 6....I was MAD...bring him into the subway to her...she is standing in line on her cell phone....looks at him, looks at me, says "thanks" doesn't get off her phone, doesn't say sorry, doesn't even give her kid a hug.......aaaahhhh! I turned and walked away.......about two weeks later, I reached my boiling point, while exercising in my basement 45 minutes after closeing, with her son on the couch down there watching cartoons...she comes to the door....."sorry I'm late" .....I say. "me too" and I'm sorry you are a negligent Mother AND I am sorry but I have to let you go! she yelled, I yelled, she yelled, I yelled! she left, thank God! moral of the story? Don't let this be you, end it before it gets ugly!

[sunnydays]

The only excuse I can think of remotely accepting for this kind of lateness would be if the parents had been in a terrible accident and were practically dying! This is totally unacceptable and short of teh dying on the side of the road scenario...any lame excuses would be met with a termination letter from me! Terrible as I would feel for the child, I could not have someone's negligence affecting me and my family in that way.