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Starting to feel at home...
Being taken advantage of
I have a "problem" I am hoping I can nip in the bud quickly but I have my hours posted on my daycare sheets, I "remind" my parents several times a year what my rules are and I have a couple of families who are pushing the limits on my rules a lot lately. My pickup time is 4:45 or shortly after (I understand sometimes with traffic etc. you will be a bit late) My rule sheets state that if a family is off but brining their children, drop off is 8:30 am. and pick up is 4:00 pm. otherwise pick up at the 4:45 pm. agreed time. Well now families are showing up at 5 - 5:20 pm. I've "reminded" them so many times and they are basically just ignoring me. How do you ladies handle when parents are late for no reason. sometimes they are not even working. Why sign contracts and agree to rules if you are not going to follow them. I am finding that I am getting burned out by being open for 10 hours when technically all of these families only work 8 - 8.5 hours a day.
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Time to enforce a late fee! I charge $1/minute after closing time, and bill them at pick up. Perhaps along with this you can create a 3 strike rule for lateness resulting in termination. Demand their respect!
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The Following User Says Thank You to Lou For This Useful Post:
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Oh and no more "shortly there after". Be there at 4:45 or you will be charged.
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The Following User Says Thank You to Lou For This Useful Post:
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Starting to feel at home...
When I first opened I had similar thinking. That everyone would do their best to get here on time. I quickly learned that I had to enforce my late fees for anyone to respect my closing time.
I have in my contract a section on late fees. And I go over this in interviews. I am careful to point out that I don't want their late fees. I just want them to pick up on time. My contract states that if someone is late, I have the right to terminate the contract immediately with no refund of fees.
I've never had to do this, but if someone was late all the time I would.
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Expansive...
You need to enforce your policies. I have one dcd I have to get tough on. I've told them in our interview and in our contract that I do NOT open prior to 7:15am. He has been coming 7:10/7:08/7:05.....Mornings are crazy and every minute counts around here. Today I refuse to open my door until 7:15. He can wait outside until our contracted hours start. At 7:15am.
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The Following User Says Thank You to Other Mummy For This Useful Post:
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Yup late fee !!!!! Post a note on your door that effective immediately any one arriving after xxxx o'clock with have to pay a late fee of $xx /minute (whatever you decide is severe enough to stop them from doing it) in cash at time of pickup. Repeated lateness may result in immediate terrmination.
If someone is late and they don't have your cash you tell them you must have it in the morning or I won't accept your child into care. But you have to enforce it and stick to it .... Otherwise your wasting your time. I would also hand a copy of the letter to each parent saying this is a copy of rhe note posted to please read it and sign it and hand it back to you so they can't say they didn't see it.
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Euphoric !
I have to say that if you have allowed them the occasional "pick up shortly after" option, then this translates to the parents as, "my dcp doesn't mind, I pick up late all the time" You just turned into a pushover to the delight of all the parents. Lets be clear, this is not being taken advantage of at this point, it is abusing you and your services which is rude and disrespectful, but because you have not enforced your rules, you have given them permission o treat you this way. First thing you need to do is write a letter to each parent highlighting in bold their hours and explaining that these were agreed hours upon signing their contract. Address the problem head on by pointing out that on a regular basis parents are picking up late, in some cases more than 30 minutes late. As a result these behaviours have forced you to take action and from now on every child has to be picked up no later than 4:45 each day. As soon as they are picked up there is a flat rate of $10 within the first 10 minutes even if they are just 2 minutes late and after the first 10 minutes you charge $1 per minute ongoing. Make sure you enforce the rule, no free passes, no next times. If you have a rule and you don't uphold it then these people have no respect for you and really no need to follow your rules.
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Euphoric !
Also I should add that these late fees must be paid before further care is provided so if the parent doesn't have the money at pick up then they must bring the cash at drop off in the morning otherwise you have to grow a backbone and TURN THEM AWAY. The only way they will take you seriously and stop messing you around is if you make them, by enforcing consequences.
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The Following User Says Thank You to bright sparks For This Useful Post:
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Euphoric !
I agree with the other posters, make up a letter for each client restating your hours of operation and you late fee policy.
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Late Fee! I charge $5 for every 10 minutes they are late after 5pm. I also state in my contract that if there are too many late pickups that I reserve the right to terminate care.
People will take advantage of you every chance they can. Get tough and be consistent. Don't ever bend the rules for anyone EVER!
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