Do You Let DCK's Pay You?

[Indoorvoice]

Every week a dcm has her 2 yo dd bring in a wad of cash to pay me. The money is all a mess and she's dropping it everywhere but dcm finds it so cute. I find it kind of degrading. I'm sure dcm isn't doing that to make me feel bad, but it's just something that annoys me. But hey, she pays me on time so I guess I should just take my sticky wad of cash and smile. Is this something that would annoy you or am I being sensitive?

[Blackcat31]

Every week a dcm has her 2 yo dd bring in a wad of cash to pay me. The money is all a mess and she's dropping it everywhere but dcm finds it so cute. I find it kind of degrading. I'm sure dcm isn't doing that to make me feel bad, but it's just something that annoys me. But hey, she pays me on time so I guess I should just take my sticky wad of cash and smile. Is this something that would annoy you or am I being sensitive?

Get a big envelope (even if it's just for her) and set it out at drop off....

When 2 yr old tries to hand you the cash, say to DCM "Thank you! Can you just go ahead and straighten it up and drop it into this envelope for me? Thanks!"

and HAND her or point to the envelope.

You are right, it's not a big deal but YES! it would annoy me.

[Mad_Pistachio]

I know our daughter thoroughly enjoys handing a payment to our daycare director. I don't usually drop off, but as far as I understand, my husband lets her (she's almost 4). as long as she doesn't start losing cash all over the parking lot and breakfast area, no one seems to have an issue with that...
that said, I don't know how comfortable I'd be with a 2-year-old handling chunks of cash...

[Leigh]

I'm WAY more concerned with whether I get paid at all. If they want to have their pet dog bring it to me, I'm OK with it. Kids do enjoy it. I wonder if you're more annoyed with the family than with the child handing you cash...I know I am a LOT more critical when I'm having problems with the family, am critical of their parenting style, or just plain don't like them!

[permanentvacation]

I actually have it stated in my contract, "Please make sure that you, the adult, hands your payment to either my alternate or me."

I added that in years ago when people would try to have their kids hand it to me, and like you said, it would be dropped everywhere, or they'd have their child give the money to my child and tell my child to give it to me. If their child dropped it, the other daycare kids would run up to help pick it up. It was a bit of a mess and got to the point that I was just standing around waiting to see what kid might approach me with money!

I felt that the parent wasn't respecting me enough by properly handling a business financial transaction between the adults. So I finally added the statement above in my contract. Since then, every parent properly hands their payment either to me or my alternate (substitute).

[childcaremom]

All of my parents currently pay via email transfer. When I had parents that used cash or cheque, it was in their daily folder.

I wouldn't like a child to hand me the money, either.

[Mandy]

Is she dropping her kid off and then the kid hands you the money? If this is the case, I would insist that the mom supervises her while she hands you the money. I also think maybe she needs to get the two year old a pencil case that has the money in it so the bills won't drop everywhere. The kid can give you the money from her "wallet" while the mom supervises just in case. This should only take a few seconds .

Still, you do not have to do this I was just writing an idea . Personally, I think I remembered my mom saying she had a kid do that too, but the kid was six or seven. I still think money handiling is an activity best saved for adults, and older kids .

[Mike]

As long as the child is old enough to do it properly, like not dropping it, or getting it all sticky, it's no problem, but in a case like yours, I'd go with Blackcat31's suggestion.

[Second Home]

I have 2 dck who hand me an envelope with payment in it when they come in the morning, I don't really mind as long as I get paid . What does bother me is when those 2 dck miss the bus and keep the payment in their bookbag all day and unless I ask and look through the bookbag I would not get paid . I don't like having to tell the parents the kids did not have the $$.

[daycarediva]

I'm WAY more concerned with whether I get paid at all. If they want to have their pet dog bring it to me, I'm OK with it. Kids do enjoy it. I wonder if you're more annoyed with the family than with the child handing you cash...I know I am a LOT more critical when I'm having problems with the family, am critical of their parenting style, or just plain don't like them!

:: yup. I have parents say it all the time "put this in the "payment box" (a little card box I put by the front entry on Fridays and the kids stuff the envelopes in there.

Maybe you can request payment be in envelopes? I did (and cited the mixing up in the box as my reason), and this is probably why it's no big deal. I have parents on different rates, paying for different amounts at a time- and I had ONE parent question it when she was snooping and now everyone needs an envelope.

[laundrymom]

I require cash to be IN an envelope labeled w date. Childs name. Dates covered and amount enclosed.
When they pay me they count it to me in front of me. Seal it. And hand it to me.

[NightOwl]

I have one 2.5 yo dcg who handles ALL transactions. Lol. Whether or not they're hers. All of my families know that it thrills her to do this, so when they arrive with a check, they give it to dcg and she gives it to me.

[Indoorvoice]

I'm WAY more concerned with whether I get paid at all. If they want to have their pet dog bring it to me, I'm OK with it. Kids do enjoy it. I wonder if you're more annoyed with the family than with the child handing you cash...I know I am a LOT more critical when I'm having problems with the family, am critical of their parenting style, or just plain don't like them!

Oh gosh I think you're right. I have been such a grump lately! I need a day off in the worst way. This is probably the problem and this dcg will be gone soon anyway, but was just wondering if people actually addressed this before with dcp. I think I will switch to a payment box in the fall so it's not even an issue.

[thrivingchildcarecom]

Yeah that annoys me too. But it also would annoy me when people would be trying to hand me checks or cash when I'm in the middle of making breakfast too.

So I actually made a payment box for tuition checks and cash. I just found a really cute little box at the Goodwill and I labeled it "Place Tuition Payments Here" and put it right next to the sign-in sheet. That way parents know where to place the checks every week and the cash payments obviously need to be enclosed in an envelope. It's working pretty well so far (fingers crossed).

[happymom]

As a parent I would have loved if my daycare had a payment box or a specific place to put payments. I don't know why, but for me handing a check to my provider and even talking about payments was kind of weird. I also never wanted my child to know that I was paying for him to be watched, not that a young toddler could comprehend that.

Maybe using the toddler makes it less awkward for the parent? I also wouldn't question it as long as I was getting paid....if it was in coins, then yes, but bills, no.