oh dear...bit of a snappy text

[JCrakers]

You can never tell from a text can you but I texted a parent on Friday to say I hadn't received any payment. It was just a short friendly text and I blamed it on the voucher company even though I knew she had probably forgotten. I had no reply so I sent her another quick text this morning. ( I didn't ring because she's at work and I haven't seen her since end of Sept to talk to)
I got a short text back saying she had been away and would pay today but it sounded quite snappy. Now I do have a vague recollection of her mentioning a work trip to London but I cant remember everything what parents are doing. I just about manage to remember what I'm doing day to day

Payment was due 1st and I have 9 sets of parents so cant be chasing everyone. Ideally she should have paid it when I gave her the invoice on 23rd Sept and she's had the weekend just gone.

I'll see what she says later but its so hard to keep a business head on isn't it when these people are friends. Her children have been here for about 18m so we've built up a good work friendship but she never pays on time which is frustrating

[hectors house]

I would just reply "Ok that's great, I sent a text last week but wasn't sure if you received it as my phone has been playing up lately, and it's not like you to not reply or to pay THIS late so I was just checking that everything was ok"

[Daftbat]

Don't worry about it. Just say thank you for her reply and leave it at that. At the end of the day the parent should be paying you on time.

[Mouse]

I agree with Daftbat.

Why feel guilty for chasing a payment that should already have made? I've seen so many childminders apologise for chasing a payment, or apologise for asking parents to collect on time, or apologise for asking parents to send a coat with their child!

If you come across as feeling guilty, the parents are more likely to think you're doing something wrong rather than them! Rather than give an explanation, or suggest there many be a legitimate reason, ask outright & give a simple 'thank you' when you get a reply

[singingcactus]

I wouldn't worry too much (easy to say lol) everything will be fine no doubt. Texts are weird aren't they. I have sent some really snappy ones in the past, but they end up reading all sweetness and light ( ), and I have sent some regular nice texts and people have thought I was being a cow lol. Haha, has happened on here in the past too, and will again no doubt.
She'll be fine when you see her next. Just say thanks for the reply and move on. She will have already moved on.

[wendywu]

Its her job to make sure you get paid on time, even if she is on a trip to the moon. There is just no excuse for paying late ( well maybe, but they sure do have to be extreme)

[CLL]

It doesn't really matter if she has been away with work her priority should be to pay you on time. She wouldn't be able to work without you looking after her child. I would start charging late payments.

[Lottie]

Yup I still don't understand why some parents don't pay on time. I see us as a life line in many ways, without us they wouldn't necessarily be able to go to work!

[Emra81]

She knew she was going away so should have organised herself to make sure you got paid on time. If she does a bank transfer then I know I can set a transfer up to go out on a specific date in the future so I'm sure others do if she's not with the same bank. You've got nothing to feel guilty about and if her reply was meant to be snappy then take comfort in the fact you did nothing wrong and she's being unreasonable. Now excuse me whilst I clamber down from atop this rather high horse! ;-) x

[shortstuff]

I think its time to include late fees. If you have some in your contracts I would just send out a newsletter and make one of the things mentioned in it that as per the contract you will now be enforcing the late fees as you also have bills to pay and cant do so in a timely manner if you dont receive your money on time. This might actually prompt the parent into sorting herself out!