Home Childcare moms would this bother you?

[midnightmommy]

I only watch one child. His dad condensed his schedule so he is only here three days a week now. On Wednesdays I get my son on the bus at noon. My little charge is scheduled to show up at 12:30. The last couple of weeks though his dad has been dropping him off earlier and earlier. Fifty was the max, but today he showed up twenty minutes early. When I greeted him at the door I asked him if he realized he was twenty minutes early. He said "Yeah I need to get myself some lunch before school." Honestly this guy is a hot head so I gritted my teeth, but I was thinking. How is this my problem? To me I feel like he feels that since I'm home I must be willing to work. Would it be within my right to not open the door until they are supposed to show up? He set this schedule. If he needs time to eat then he should have given himself more time. They have a set amount they pay a week, since this started out as an informal arrangement to help them out. I have considered charging a fee for early drop offs, but I think this guy would just freak. I have been looking to replace them, but so far no luck.

[Lovenest]

Are they paying a good flat rate?
If so, and you have not told him that he can not do this he may think it is fine.
Could just be mis-communication?

I would just possibly say when he picks him up that before the time he drops off his child you like to have time to run errands or clean up etc and to please not drop him off until that time. I would not like this happening with the little girl I watch either.

[kokonutmama]

Well, I'm not a home childcare provider but that would bother me a lot! hand him a bill! Hotheads should not be rewarded for their hotheadedness by having people cower and cave to their whim. Really, though, Offer to talk to him about adjusting the schedule to better fit his needs, and adjust the price accordingly if you are willing to take the lo at 11:30. If you're not, tell him that and tell him why. On the phone, so he can't intimidate you and so the kid's not around.

I hope you don't mind my responding even though I'm not in your situation. A person taking something (like time) that doesn't belong to them really gets my dander up.

[phathui5]

If a client with a set time shows up early, I charge them for the extra time. It would bother me if they were more than twenty minutes early without clearing it with me first. I would absolutely be charging this guy extra for coming before the agreed-upon time.

[inky leeuhhh]

i agree with the poster who suggested the phone call. i have had to deal with types like this at my work. or maybe you could be out running errands until exactly 12:30 when they are actually spossed to show up a few times and see if he catches the hint? i think the direct route is better though. good luck!

[lilyka]

are you willing to loose him as a client? if so i would face it head on. Tell him what the earliest drop off time is how much he will b charged if he drops him off early. my overtime rate was $20 an hour. builled in 15 minute incriments.

[midnightmommy]

I did talk to mom tonight. She was very understanding, and I actually think dad might have been complaining to her that I wasn't happy. She said she didn't realize how early he had been dropping him off. I told her I was feeling like he felt he could drop him off anytime he wants, because he knows I'm at home. It's like your boss showing at your house with an arm full of work in the morning. It's just not done unless you get paid a whole lot more than I do! As far as changing his schedule goes he planned out his drop off times just three weeks ago. I'm willing to change if he needs it. The thing is if we change he'll still drop him off early cause then he'll find something else he needs to do.

Last week I was out on Friday. I called him to let him know I was at the school and that if he was okay with it he could meet me there so Lucas could see what was going on(A block from my house). He told me he planned to drop him off in a few minutes anyways. I called him thirty minutes before drop off time. Um, it's a good thing I called cause I wasn't coming home until ten minutes before drop off.

Oh, and no it's not a high rate. I offered to take very little money from them. They couldn't afford regular daycare costs, and made too much for state aid. I think I'm about done with doing this. I've only had one other family in three years, and that one didn't turn out to be a good fit either. I'm thinking third shift job at this point.

[kokonutmama]

Originally Posted by midnightmommy

I'm thinking third shift job at this point.

At least that would make your username apropos.