Getting a bit much now

[BlondeMoment]

Hi everyone,
I'm after a bit of advice from those of you with a bit of experience in this.
I've been minding 3 and a half years now, and have never charged late collection fees. I've always understood that people's jobs can hold them up and so can traffic, so if parents have ever been late by 5 or 10 minutes I've always let it go.
But over the past few months a few parents have really been taking the mickey. I've been keeping a log and one parent has been late constantly blaming work. I said to her last week that maybe we should change her collection time and she was saying no no she really didn't want to be any later than the set time bla bla bla. She was 25 minutes late yesterday and 15 today.
A few other parents are becoming late very often too often by 15 minutes or more. Then their kids lose something they have to hunt for, or throw tantrums etc making it all get even later. Some parents even expect me to start sorting out their invoices for them at short notice when they've turned up late. Agh!
Think I've been far too soft recently. I've got friendly relationships with all my parents and don't want to suddenly come across as having a strop about this. but at the same time enough is enough.
I want to bring in some sort of charge but I don't want people being late all the time and simply paying the charge. I want people to stop doing it because I want to know what time I'm finishing work so I can get on with my evening.
I work 11 hours some days and get so tired.
Any advise anyone?
Lisa

[sing-low]

This hasn't happened to me (yet) but I would suggest that you send a letter to all parents reminding them of fees for late collection and saying that you will be enforcing this from now on. And then you have to do it! I would expect that once parents have to pay for late collection, that it will mostly stop.

[cathtee]

I had this and put up with it for nearly a year then it was time for the yearly calculation so I said that they were coming early every morning
by 15 mins and late by 5 mins every night so mom agreed to change contract for the start time by the 15 mins and told dad that he had to be on
time for collection and so far since begin of september it has worked I hope that you can sort out yours as easily but like you I am friendly
with all my parents and it can be difficult.

[lizduncan72]

Make your late fee sufficiently high that they won't want to just be late and pay it! I totally understand your frustration with parents collecting late, it annoys me so much a late fee of £5 (at least!!)per 15 minutes late might hopefully be enough to shock them into collecting on time

[funemnx]

I'm a bit the same and tend not to charge for late collections even though it's in my policy. As you say, you would rather they turned up on time rather than charge late fees. If you do a newsletter, you could put something in it saying that you work 11 hours a day (they might not realise this) and would appreciate prompt collection. If it still doesn't work then time to get tough and in the next newsletter put that from such a date you will be charging £5 for every 5 mins late (or add up all late minutes over the month and charge at 3 x rate) which should get their attention! Good luck, I'm sure if they are nice people as you say they will understand without you having to get tough

[Tina O]

Do you use some sort of newsletter to communicate to all the parents? I write a newsletter every couple of months and I would start by writing a general newsletter, dates to remember, what you are planning activity wise over the next few weeks, any vacancies you have, (my last one had a general reminder about being suitably dressed for walking to school in winter) and then you can put on a general reminder about keeping to the contract times and if anyone has a problem please make an appointment time to speak to you. If things don't improve over the following weeks, I would then back it up with a letter and start late pick up fee's.

As for the parent who doesn't want to change times, you may have to say her choice is to change the contract or start getting there on time. Do you have the children ready to go at pick up time? Maybe a couple of days of having them waiting, shoes, coats, bags ready, may help get the message across.

[Tealady]

I would write to all parents explaining that you have seen an increase in late collections. Whilst you understand that occasionally work and traffic means they maybe delayed the knock on affects are having an impact on your family life. Therefore it is with regret that with immediate affect you will be applying late charges in line with your contract. If any parent feels they need an extension to their hours then you are happy to discuss this with them but cannot guarentee you can accomodate their needs.

When it comes to contract review time I would look at putting stiffer penalties in.

[Maza]

Yes, you have a friendly relationship with parents but it must work both ways - of course they are going to be friendly with you, they need to keep you sweet so that you don't sting them the way a nursery would. (I'm sure they adore you for all sorts of other reasons, I'm just trying to get you to look at it from another perspective to make it easier to be tough with them). It must be based on mutual respect and they are not really respecting you - 25 minutes late is unacceptable.

I would also approach it through a general newsletter but maybe put it in bold writing. You should mention that you work an eleven hour day and then need your evenings to clean high chairs, put away travel cots etc and do paperwork for their child. Poor you, it's horrible when other people force you into being tough. Good luck and let us know how you get on. x

[Jenna]

I had one mum who got later and later each week first was she was held up in work then she'd finished work early to go on the sun bed only there was a que that was the final straw the next week when she strolled in 20 mins late she had a late fee charge. Since then she's been on time and today she was 5 mins early which has never happened.

[BlondeMoment]

Hi everyone,
I've drafted a general letter to everyone discussing the issue:

Hi parents

I know many other childminders do it but I've never been one to charge fees when parents are late at collection time. I understand how all sorts of things can make us occasionally late. But over the past few months I've been finding it's happening a lot. I don't think any of you would be doing it on purpose but thought I'd just explain that when it happens, even if other children are still here, it has a knock on effect and slows everything down. As you can understand when caring for so many children I need to be organised and because collections can often be disruptive, I need to know when they are happening so I can work around them. The end of the day is very demanding. The children have often 'had enough' by that point and need attention. It's unfair that I can't move on them with their routines because we're waiting on a collection.

I work between 10 and 11 hours with the children and as much as I love it, it is exhausting and I need to sit down and have an evening.
There is a lot I need to do at the end of each day before I can stop. For example I need to adjust the car seats ready for tomorrow's children, make sure their meals are ready, and clean up the kitchen so I can reclaim it to make my own dinner.

So please can I ask you to all look at your collection times and make sure they are realistic. It may simply be a case of adding half an hour onto your child's day to cover yourself, and this would be much better than me having to start charging late fees.
I am happy to work as late as 7pm so long as I know. It's becoming difficult to make arrangements for my time when I'm finishing late so often.

If you know you are going to be later than your usual time, it would be really helpful if you could try to let me know as soon as you know, so I can make any possible adjustments.

Please do feel able to discuss any problems with me. I will always help where I can with any difficulties anyone is having as long as I am aware.

Lisa x

Any thoughts before I hit send lol?

[funemnx]

Great letter friendly without being whiney

[ja-lula-belli]

That's a great letter. To the point but still friendly. Xx

Ja-Lula-Bell*****minding

[BlondeMoment]

I edited the beginning as it sounded a bit abrupt. Sent it. Got my mother's thumbs up and she is very diplomatic lol

[Vickster]

Really good letter! You are right, you and the children have often had enough by pick up time. I hope it changes.

[lizduncan72]

Love this letter!! Might have to think about doing something similar for my parents

[Maza]

It's very polite and 'educational' for them BUT are you saying that you don't mind them being late as long as they let you know? That you won't charge a late fee because they have let you know?

Or are you asking them to add on a half hour to their contract, meaning that their fees will go up?

I think you need to spell it out to that one cheeky parent who thinks it is okay to turn up half an hour late. x

[BlondeMoment]

Maza, if there is any more of it I will be spelling it out especially to that cheeky parent who thinks half an hour is ok.
But for now I just wanted to sound more like I didn't want it all to come to that.

Thanks so much for support everyone

LizDuncan72 feel free to pinch it lol.

I've had an email back from one parent already saying 'Yes Miss' lol. It's OK I've known her years and only just started minding her baby lol

[Maza]

Then I think it's great. Some times parents just need their eyes opening to the fact that we aren't robots. Good luck. Let us know how the 'cheeky' parent responds! x

[munch149]

Have never charged late fees as such but still
Charge them for the time they have done. So if they arrive after 5 the will pay for the time but it would be no more Than there usual hourly rate (charge by the 15 minutes rounding up). I usually let anything up to 15 minutes go if its a rare but anything after is Definately charged. If it happens to often I stick it on once and they tend to get the message. Most of my parents have changed collection times tho when necessary and normal fees are charged by the Half hour so most give themself some leeway. E.g parents want to pick up at quarter past but I charge by the half hour so their time has to become half pad

[It's a small world]

I had this with one parent and was fed up as interfered with my time with children . Parent was at home with other siblings so no excuse for being late. I charged £2 for being 15 mins late. 2 days later same again . Parent had finished work early gone home changed clothes etc. so again charged late collection fees. ( parents contract states late collection fees - and had reminders) now parent not been late since ( although this did happen during the summer holidays so will see what happens next week. Pre warm parents and say when it will come into effect. Mention things like other children contracted with you and how it eats into your own time, be strong . Bet they dont do it for much longer when you start charging !!