Does it Matter What Parents Do While You Care for Their Children?
Do any of these situations bother you?
* One day a parent tells you she gets off work at noon that day, but doesn’t pick up her child until 6pm.
* A parent enrolls her child in your program from 7am-6pm. Later you find out that the parent often has time during the day to play golf, go to the gym and run errands.
* A parent tells you she probably won’t need care on Friday on a regular basis, but would like to be able to bring her child anytime she wants that day.
In all of these situations the parent could care for their child, but they prefer that you do.
Most providers recognize that parents may occasionally want some time alone or want to do an activity without their children. It’s when this becomes a regular habit that annoy some providers.
One provider told me her philosophy was that she won’t provide child care if either parent is able to care for their child. She asks parents when they get off work and sets their pick-up time based on how long it takes them to get from work to her home.
I’ve talked with other providers who have told me they don’t care what the parents are doing while their child is in their care. As long as the parent is paying for their services, they feel that it’s none of their business what the parent does with their time.
There is no right answer to these situations. It’s up to you to decide what you want to do.
You can allow the parent to do what they want and not worry about what they are doing while you are being paid to care for their child.
You could establish specific drop off and pick up time for each child based on the parent’s work/school schedule.
You could set your weekly rate based on a specific number of hours (say 50) and charge more when parents exceed this time.
You could insist that parents only bring children when they are not able to care for their child and terminate your contract if they violate this rule.
As with any other aspect of caring for children, if something bothers you, do something about it! Don’t let the stress of a situation prevent you from taking action.
You can change your policies and set new limits to parents at any time. If it involves changing your contract (increasing or decreasing hours or changing your fees), then you’ll need to put the change in writing and have the parent sign your new agreement.
It may be difficult to know exactly when parents need child care. Their situations may change or they may not feel comfortable telling you the truth, if their rates could go up depending on how they answer your questions.
In the end, you need to do what you feel is best for you, your business and your family. Setting stricter rules may make your program less attractive to some parents. But, this should not cause you to change your position if you feel strongly about it.
How do you handle these situations?
Tom Copeland - tomcopelandblog.com
Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/northcentralcollege/5729862495
For more information about contract issues, see my book Family Child Care Contracts & Policies.
