Teacher/School Employees

[Unregistered]

How late do you allow their children to stay in care? Yes maybe I shouldn't care what the parents do with their time after school as long as they are paying for care. It just bothers me that it's always the last kid here with no one to play with. School gets out at 3:45 except mondays which is 2:05 and the kid is here until 6:00 everyday.

Do expect school employees and teachers to pick up promptly after school?

[Michael]

Many providers offer After Hours Care and also charge a late fee for pickups. Here are some threads on Late Fee Policy that you may want to enact at your facility.

https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=late+fee+policy

[Cat Herder]

Both of my school teacher clients (junior high) are my usual last pickups. They have mandatory bus duty, conferences, IEP/504 meetings and are often caught in the parking lot by parents/students that want to talk.

During the summer and school breaks they tend to pick up earlier.

Some also work in the afterschool homework center.

[Blackcat31]

Do expect school employees and teachers to pick up promptly after school?

School employees aren't special. I treat them like every other parent client.

My families contract with me the exact time they are picking up. The later they are scheduled to stay the more their weekly rate.

So if they are off work at 3:00 but schedule (and pay) for a 5:00 pick up that is on them and is none of my concern.

Stressing about parents that are off work or not working but not picking up their kids will drive you batty if you let it. It's best to simply require a written schedule of pick up time (charge accordingly) and leave it be.

You'll like your job much more that way. I promise.

[Snowmom]

If you charge open-close, then you will have families who bring their kids the moment you open to the moment you close.

Like Blackcat said, if you charge based on contracted hours, you will be much happier with your job and the people you work with.

[daycarediva]

School employees aren't special. I treat them like every other parent client.

My families contract with me the exact time they are picking up. The later they are scheduled to stay the more their weekly rate.

So if they are off work at 3:00 but schedule (and pay) for a 5:00 pick up that is on them and is none of my concern.

Stressing about parents that are off work or not working but not picking up their kids will drive you batty if you let it. It's best to simply require a written schedule of pick up time (charge accordingly) and leave it be.

You'll like your job much more that way. I promise.

^ this right here. I have half of my 16 kids as teacher clients. About half of those 8 have 3:30 contracted pick ups, the other half are 5pm and they WILL go shopping/errands, one even admits to reading a book in her car before driving here to pick up.

Whatever, idc.

[Ariana]

How late do you allow their children to stay in care? Yes maybe I shouldn't care what the parents do with their time after school as long as they are paying for care. It just bothers me that it's always the last kid here with no one to play with. School gets out at 3:45 except mondays which is 2:05 and the kid is here until 6:00 everyday.

Do expect school employees and teachers to pick up promptly after school?

Its something every provider has to get used to. The idea that parents don’t want to spend that much time with their kids.

[Ariana]

School employees aren't special. I treat them like every other parent client.

My families contract with me the exact time they are picking up. The later they are scheduled to stay the more their weekly rate.

So if they are off work at 3:00 but schedule (and pay) for a 5:00 pick up that is on them and is none of my concern.

Stressing about parents that are off work or not working but not picking up their kids will drive you batty if you let it. It's best to simply require a written schedule of pick up time (charge accordingly) and leave it be.

You'll like your job much more that way. I promise.

I like this and know I have read about it before!! Do you have a link to the thread where you break it down? I tried searching for it a few days ago when I posted my income thread but can’t find that specific explanation.

Thank you!!

[Blackcat31]

I like this and know I have read about it before!! Do you have a link to the thread where you break it down? I tried searching for it a few days ago when I posted my income thread but can’t find that specific explanation.

Thank you!!

I just PM'ed you my rates outlining the structure.
It was easier than searching for a thread at the moment.. ::

[Unregistered]

Teacher here! Schools out at 3:15. After the kids leave, the work doesn’t. I have grading, emails, planning, and parents to contact. A 45 minute conference isn’t enough time to complete it all. I do try my hardest to pick her at 4:30 daily. Most days I’m successful. I hate to think I’m being judged because ‘schools out.’

[Cat Herder]

Teacher here! Schools out at 3:15. After the kids leave, the work doesn’t. I have grading, emails, planning, and parents to contact. A 45 minute conference isn’t enough time to complete it all. I do try my hardest to pick her at 4:30 daily. Most days I’m successful. I hate to think I’m being judged because ‘schools out.’

You would not be on anyone's radar picking up at 430. Most are frustrated by the 5:59 (6:00 closing) pick-ups since those are also the kids dropped off the earliest. Kids have a hard time pulling 10-12 hour days without some private, quiet space and time. Just like adults. 12 hours with non-stop kid noise and touching can drive anyone crazy. That is why they become the kids with the most disciplinary issues ("long hours" kids) Thanks for all you do!! :hug:

[Snowmom]

Teacher here! Schools out at 3:15. After the kids leave, the work doesn’t. I have grading, emails, planning, and parents to contact. A 45 minute conference isn’t enough time to complete it all. I do try my hardest to pick her at 4:30 daily. Most days I’m successful. I hate to think I’m being judged because ‘schools out.’

There ARE parents who are great at picking up their children at the earliest possible time they can. There are also parents who drop off the moment a provider opens and picks up the moment they close (and sometimes later) every-single-day. Unfortunately the latter is most common. Of course, you're never going to see us commenting on the parents who don't take advantage of us because there is no need to seek out advice on those instances.

Just as you're pointing out how there is more to your business than meets the eye, there is more to ours too.

I'd hate to think we're being judged because we seek advice on how to deter it.

[CountryRoads]

Teacher here! Schools out at 3:15. After the kids leave, the work doesn’t. I have grading, emails, planning, and parents to contact. A 45 minute conference isn’t enough time to complete it all. I do try my hardest to pick her at 4:30 daily. Most days I’m successful. I hate to think I’m being judged because ‘schools out.’

A little off topic, but the bolded part really stuck out to me!

I fee like it's the same way in the daycare business. Our day is not done when the last kid goes home. After I finish daycare business, I have my own family to take care of.

But to the poster, I don't think 4:30 is a bad pick up time! I think most providers are aware that there is still some things to do once school is out. The original poster was talking about a 6:00 pick-up. I think most would agree that a pick-up that late isn't necessary for a teacher's schedule.

[Indoorvoice]

I used to gladly stay open late for a teacher who said she after school business to take care of. Then she started picking up in her work out clothes...

[daycarediva]

You would not be on anyone's radar picking up at 430. Most are frustrated by the 5:59 (6:00 closing) pick-ups since those are also the kids dropped off the earliest. Kids have a hard time pulling 10-12 hour days without some private, quiet space and time. Just like adults. 12 hours with non-stop kid noise and touching can drive anyone crazy. That is why they become the kids with the most disciplinary issues ("long hours" kids) Thanks for all you do!! :hug:

amen here!

I have one teacher kid with super short hours (9-3) but Dad goes in to work late/drops off late. Mom is at the HS and gets out early to pick up. On the rare occasion mom has to stay at work, she lets me know way ahead and we adjust that day accordingly.

As I run a full preschool program, I completely understand the need for before/after school work. I easily put an hour in before the kids arrive and an hour late after they get picked up.