My hours are 7 - 4:45pm and I don't allow anyone to be later than 4:45. At the first interview I explained that I'm not flexible on my closing time. I've got children, homework, dinner...basic family stuff. My day is nearly 10 hours long and that's plenty. I did have one family who I interviewed say that 4 days out of the month they would need to pick up at 5:15pm and I said "sorry I can't do it".

That's one of the things I just won't budge on. I made the mistake once a while ago, when a family asked if they could bring their child a little earlier in the morning and they would pick up earlier. So we agreed to a 6:45 start and they said they would pick up 4:15. Well they did the 6:45 start but didn't come till 4:45. So I stopped that and since then have refused to negotiate my times.

With that said, if there's a winter storm and parents are a few minutes late...I'm okay with that. But if there is a winter storm, they should know to leave a lot earlier to get here on time.