What Would You Do?

[Momboss]

wwyd?
Tuition is due today, monday, and parent texts saying child is sick and wont be there. What is your response?
not say anything and let them pay tomorrow? Remind them tuition is still due?
Ok so you decide your fine with waiting until tomorrow, afterall they ARE waiting for a covid result, and dont say anything other than “thanks for letting me know “…but tomorrow comes and they text saying child is still sick and wont be there again. However covid test is negative.
what do you say now?
is it insensitive that while their child is sick, you still want your money on time?

[mamadaycare]

I would let them know tuition is still due! They will figure out how to pay. They could leave it in the mailbox or pay electronically. I still make my parents pay on time regardless of the situation. I had to charge a late fee while they were on vacation once. They remember to pay all their other bills and we shouldn’t be any different!

[Momboss]

I worry i started a habit i wont be able to break this isnt the first time this parent was late on payment. I was giving the benefit of doubt because mom just had a baby and seems like shes going through some post partum or just super tired all the time. But i need to pay my bills too.

[GirlMomma]

I personally don’t expect payment until they return, BUT ONLY IF it’s my cash/check families. Where I live, I am out of the way for a lot of people and I wouldn’t expect them to drag a sick child out to pay me. My Venmo/PayPal families are still expected to pay and do, since it’s electronic.

[ItsAllSonShineAndRainbows]

My contract states that payment is due the last Thursday of the month, no exceptions. It doesn't even change when that Thursday is Thanksgiving. They usually pay the day before or pay online that day. There's so many ways to pay online, there's no excuse. My family that refuses to pay online ends up paying by check ahead of time or gets late fees. I schedule my direct debit bills around payment dates, so if they don't pay on time I end up getting late or nsf fees.

[e.j.]

I usually just wait until the child returns to care rather than ask parents to make a special trip to pay me. I can understand why many providers require payment to be made on time, though. If I expected on time payment, I might say something like, "I hesitate to bring this up under the circumstances but payment was due yesterday." You could add that if she makes payment today, you'll waive the late payment fee or, if you plan to charge her a late fee, you could tell her that by paying today, she'll avoid additional late payment fees??

[Cat Herder]

I would still require payment on time to retain the slot. My bills are due on a schedule and require payment on a schedule. Payment is online and can be paid from their banking account or credit card, so there is no excuse for late payment other than they are looking for a way out of payment.

[Momboss]

This is also a 2 parent houshold, so one parent can stay with the sick child and the other could drop the check off. Im seriously considering online payment only. Paypal is easy, most people have a paypal account.

[Blackcat31]

I don't have PayPal but I allow several different types of electronic payments. Account to account transfer if they bank at the same bank(s) I do, Zelle and/or Venmo. All my parents pay via electronic payment except one. This parent brings me several checks with the dates for each due date on them. I leave them in the child's file (locked cabinet) and then deposit the corresponding check each payday. It works great! I wouldn't do this for more than one family as that would be too time consuming but for this one family it works fine.

As for late payments, I used to send a text the day after due date saying "AUTOMATED TEXT MESSAGE: Payment for child care services for the weeks of 9/6-/910 2021 was due 9/3/2021. Please make payment immediately in order to avoid late fees. Fees for late payment are as follows $20 per calendar day for first late payment $40 per calendar day for second late payment etc. Thank you!"

I tell my DCF that I use an accounting program that will automatically send the text if payments are late AND will automatically add the appropriate late fee and that I am unable to waive or reduce the late fees since it's an automated program.

This seems to take the uncomfortable awkwardness out of the situation and has a business feel so that parents "see" and treat services as a business.