How Strict Are You With Early Drop-Off And Late Pickup?

[trix23]

Mine haven't picked up late ever. Thankfully!

But maybe I'll start doing the porch light thing.

[CityGarden]

if your willing to diy: these two are easy builds. We have both in our back yard. Were under $50 to build.

http://www.ana-white.com/2017/06/DIY_furniture/large-porch-bench

http://www.ana-white.com/2011/11/front-porch-bench

Oh my thanks for sharing both are nice but that first one has this non-handy lady considering a visit to Home Depot!!! I may PM you with questions along the way though

[CityGarden]

Specifically for early drop-off, what are your polices? Charge if early?

For a 9am start time, client was 7 minutes early one day and 4 minutes early another.

If they don't pay the fee on time, how much is your late fee?

There is nothing to be strict about for early drop off just don't open the door. I can show up to Target 2 minutes early and the workers will just look at me and continue setting up and preparing for their day until opening.

If a parent rang my bell early I would open at the schedule time and if they said something I would respond something along the lines of:
"Sorry I did not hear the bell I was in a zone preparing for our day with the children, was there some sort of emergency prior to our opening time?"

[trix23]

I open at 7am but dropoff times range from 8am-9am for current families. Today it happened with a family and i waited 3 minutes to open it til their time. Dad didn't say anything but i think he knew why i didn't get there sooner. Lol

[Snowmom]

So should i just not let them in til their time? :/

It all depends on what's important to you.
If it bothers you, then yes, definitely keep the door locked. If they say something, then just state very matter-of-factly: "your contracted times are X-X. I am not available beyond those hours without prior consent."

[morningrl]

I try to be strict as in $1 per min for early drop off and late pickup. I let it slide on a min or 2 if it only happens occasionally. I send out a reminder of my fee's if it starts happening more often with once or more parent. Then I charge the fee's. Most parents just say, oh sorry didn't notice and pay the fee and get back on track. Unfortunately I just lost a kid last week who's parent just wasn't ok with my strict time policy and pulled. Eeeks, didn't think that would ever happen but apparently it did. I even offered to give them 5 more min on their contract time without charge. But nope. They didn't like being told they had to drop off no earlier than their contract time.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I mean what I say.

NO early drop off. I wont answer.

Late pick ups means $1/minute.

[Pestle]

I open at 7am and nobody has thus far tried to drop off earlier than that.

$1/minute for late pick-ups. I tell parents, "Stay safe. If you get stuck in traffic or for some other reason don't realize you'll be late until you're already driving, don't contact me about it! Just focus on getting here safely." And I make it clear that I won't accept kids here when there are outstanding charges. If they come to the door the next day with the late payment, fine; otherwise, they have to take the kids with them to the bank.

[Meeko]

Very strict. I don't work even one minute for free.
I have never had an early drop off problem....but late pick up became a problem even with a dollar a minute fee. Some parents obviously thought it was worth the fee.

I close at 6PM. Now, there is a $5 charge first off and then a dollar a minute thereafter. Late pick up stopped once they realized they were getting charged $5 for being a minute late!

[trix23]

I charge $5 for every increment of 5 minutes late. $5 for 1 Minute late