What do you charge

[martymonty]

she did respond that she did not know that she was to pay me if I was booked and the kids ended up at their grandparents place, which I know she knew as this has always been my policy. She said she thought she just had to pay me their after school fee so I told her it this way.....you are getting paid, but their grandparents offered to take them.....equals me not getting paid.....don't think so. I am in my own business to make a paycheque not to lose money because someone else has offered to take your kids. well more or less like that, softened it a bit so it didn't sound harsh. As a whole this family pays me each and every time what they owed me, think this is why it bothered me so much this time. Like they were hoping I would not say anything.

[Secondtimearound]

See my problem is I would be pi$$ed !! And being Italian I have a hard time hiding it !! I try !!! I really do , but it makes me feel like they do not appreciate my care and I unravel !! From there !!
I really love working with children but have zero talent for dealing with people who try to change the rules !!!!

[playfelt]

It's hard not to want to treat the parents just like we do with the kids. We don't tolerate them pretending they didn't know the rules and trying to get away with something and we certainly shouldn't have to tolerate it from the parents.

Parents read the contract but stuff doesn't stick out to them till the situation comes up and they realize how it will effect them. For things like Christmas or summer I like to put in writing ahead of time what the rules are in the sense that middle of Nov I sent out a page for parents to list the days their child would be in care and those they would be off and what the pay requirements were. I also put in there a deadline for booking days/making changes of Dec 10 so that I could make my own Christmas plans. I put a chart up at the door and filled in names - then the changes start as some parents are home but were bringing the kid anyways but change their mind if it turns out they will be the only one in care that day, etc.

[Secondtimearound]

That's a good idea !!!! I wish I would of done that !!