Quote Originally Posted by Fun&care View Post
First of all, we don't know for sure if she is the one who bought the sneakers, correct? Even so, all too often I have found from personal experience that just because someone complains that they don't have money, I've often found this is not the case at all. I have a sister like that. I listened to her complain for months about how her and her fiancé so badly wanted to get a house but didn't have the down payment etc. I felt had for her and ALMOST offered to help out until....I FOUND OUT THEY MAKE MORE MONEY THAN WE DO?!?! Heck my mother is like that too. By many standards my parents are considered to be pretty well off yet my mother has the gull to complain that they have no money. I have so many more examples but I think you get my drift. It's often not that they don't have money...it's how they prioritize their finances.

Second, why are you even letting her pick up late? If you have set hours, then you have set hours. Call her back and tell her you actually made plans tonight you forgot about and she needs to be there before 4:30. With a pay cheque.

I'm not feeling like this woman is very respectful, she has a lot of guts picking up late after asking to pay late. Just no.
New sneakers do not in any way prove that there actually isn't a money issue. These could have easily been a birthday gift or bought by her ex or a grandparent etc. What is however the main issue now is that this woman is all over the place with your contract....You need to put your foot down now, not roll over and allow her to pick up late. You are allowing her to break your contract by letting her pick up late. If you don't hold her to the signed contract and policies, then really what was the point in having them in the first place. By allowing her this one time to call the shots and decide that she is picking up late without you correcting her, then you are for sure leaving yourself open to further issues. There is a difference between asking if they can do a late pick up and telling you they will be doing a late pick up. Who's running what here?? I would for sure call her and state that you have some concerns over how in the first few weeks of this arrangement she is already breaking contract on more than one occasion. Let her know that you have policies for a reason so therefore she has to stick to them. Advise her as per your contract that pick up must be by 4:30 otherwise late charges will apply and must be paid in full prior to further care being provided. She clearly doesn't hold you and your business in very high regard so you need to put her in her place. I would also just switch to weekly payment if you intend on keeping this child on to prevent future issues with her managing to pay on time. You need to confront these issues head on, face to face right away to stop this from where it looks to be going which isn't a good direction at all.