I have been having issues with parents picking up their children late everyday. I have 6 children in my home day care, including my two yr old, and an 11 year old son. My hours are 7:30am-5:30pm. One family has dad picking up late when mom is on afternoon shift and happens about 3-4 times a month. He will show up at 5:30, and is out the door by 5:40. But I have one particular family who drops their son off at 7:30, and his dad usually doesn't pull into my driveway at the end of the day until 5:35-5:45, and is not exactly fast at getting his child out the door, who usually puts up a fight and runs away while his dad stands there and does nothing! I end up chasing the child around the house getting him back to the door. Most of the time he will run right by his dad and dad does nothing to stop him! This has been going on for the last 3 months. I have things to do after work. My son is in hockey and we usually have to be out the door by 6pm. That doesn't give me a lot of time to feed my own children and get them ready to go. This past week I have been sternly getting the child to the door and telling him it is time to leave.which usually makes him scream at the top of his lungs, beg for water or a cookie. Not exactly what I would like to listen to at the end of a long day! If I sent out a letter stating that I am CLOSED at 5:30 and children need to be out the door by then, is that rude? I have a contract stating that late fees will be charged if a child is picked up late. Should a $10 late fee start at 5:30 and increase every 30 min? One center I worked at, the late fee started at 5:25 bc daycare closed at 5:30. That prevented parents strolling in at 5:25 taking their sweet time! I don't want to cause any hard feelings bc I really like the parents a lot and they have helped out when I have needed to be away for a dr appoint here and there, but they don't seem to get I have a life and a family, and things to do! besides that, its a long day with him from start to past close!