Late For Late Pickup?

[BaileeB]

So my policy is $1/min late if I am notified or $5/min late if I am not notified. I tell all of my DCP to have two resources for backup care.
DCM told me today at 10:30am that she would be 30-45 minutes late to pick up (she said 4:30-4:45 instead of 4). I told her that’s fine, it would be $1/min. She said “got it, thanks”. She showed up at 5pm and was off my property by 5:03pm. She apologized and I get that things happen but she just added an entire hour to my day.
So would you just charge $1/min for the whole time ($63) OR $1/min for the first 45 minutes ($45) then $5/min ($60ish) after that?
I don’t want to seem like I’m just trying to milk money out of people BUT if you are going to be late at least be up front about how long, right?
It seems a little excessive but DH said it’s in my policy book so I need to follow it.

[Blackcat31]

My advice is to follow your own policies. If you don't you can't expect parents to...kwim?

[BaileeB]

I guess my question is, does that count as not being notified? Like reasonably, it doesn’t, right? She notified me that she would be late by 45 mins MAX. She actually said 30-45 and then she was over an hour late. It’s not like she couldn’t choose to send someone else to come get her. OR send me another text letting me know she was running more behind than she thought.
She’s a teacher and she said that the principal scheduled a meeting so she had to go. She apologized at pick up and was like “well when your principal says you have to go to a meeting, what can you do?” Like I get having to go to something when your boss says but I don’t get making it someone else’s problem and I guess that’s why I’m so annoyed. I didn’t think I would have to charge someone for BOTH late policies in the same instance 🙄

[GirlMomma]

I would definitely follow your policies. $1/min until 4:45 and then $5/mins for the 18 mins after what she initially told you.

[Alwaysgreener]

First how back and white is your policy? Does your wording state just as you posted it ($1/min late if I am notified or $5/min late if I am not notified) if so then charge the $63 and reword the policy to include that they must give you an ETA and every minute past the ETA reverts back to $5 a minute.

Because the way I see it is she did notify you and you did quote her a $1 a minute but according to the information you posted, your policy doesn't require an ETA so that was just a bonus for you.

Of course my opinion is based off the current information.

[BaileeB]

I guess I need to update my policy. My Policy does state $1/min if notified and $5/min if not notified. I thought saying "If I am notified" would be sufficient but you are correct, that does not mean they need to give an ETA. Thank you, I will make sure to add that in.

[GirlMomma]

Good catch!!

[Rockgirl]

If this is the same dcm who has been giving you problems, I would definitely charge the higher fee for the last 18 minutes. Maybe she will decide to leave.

[Cat Herder]

I would not have said that's fine. The $1 per minute is not an option. It is a penalty, a warning, before being termed. 3 lates and they are out. I don't care if there is two years in between them.

[Cat Herder]

To add: If she told me she was going to be 30 minutes late picking up I would have told her *then* that she needed to take them to family, instead, for the day. If she insisted on leaving them I would tell her that if they were not picked up on time, today would be their last day.

[BaileeB]

I only said it was fine because technically that’s still during my hours and I thought it would be 30 extra minutes. That is on me. If someone tries that again I will respond very differently. Instead I would respond “no, it’s not fine, please make arrangements to have DCK picked up by the agreed upon time in the daycare contract. If they are not picked up on time it will be $1/min and care will be terminated if it happens again”. I’m tired of giving people an inch and they take a mile. I get that stuff comes up but that is exactly why I tell families to have backups and I even EXPLAIN things like this exact situation. 🤦♀️

[Pestle]

Whether or not it's within your hours, I think the lesson here is that, if people think they can schedule being late with you in advance, they will think being late is not a problem. No matter how sensible and reasonable an adjustment to the schedule appears on your end, what the clients do with that flexibility is going to be ugly.