Noddy24 wrote:
Parents thought nothing of routinely arriving at 6:30, 6:45--traffic, you know.
She fantasied about changing them $5 a minute--every time.
Well they do now. And if you arrive too late they drop the kids off at the police station. I can understand why they are so strict about charging $10 for every minute late you are because some people will definately take advantage of it. Fortunately for me no one said anything and I didn't pay a cent extra.
Linkat--
There are Mommies and there are Habitual Offenders.
You are a Mommie.
Thank you - the thing is - why would you want to be late? Forget even about the cost - I hate the thought of my child being the last one there. If you arrive late it almost seems as if you don't care enough about your child to pick them up on time. If there is an issue with traffic and it happens all the time then you need to adjust your schedule for the added time it takes due to traffic.
During the non-summer time when traffic is heavier, if I am assigned pick up I leave 15 minutes early from work to compensate. I can easily make up that 15 minutes by arriving early or taking a shorter lunch or even bringing work home.
Linkat--
The world is full of people--some of them parents--who feel that external conditions absolve them of full responsibility.
Traffic? Not my fault, it was traffic.
Why should I leave early to avoid traffic to pick up my kid? Traffic isn't my fault.
Linkat wrote:
Thank you - the thing is - why would you want to be late? Forget even about the cost - I hate the thought of my child being the last one there. If you arrive late it almost seems as if you don't care enough about your child to pick them up on time. If there is an issue with traffic and it happens all the time then you need to adjust your schedule for the added time it takes due to traffic.
During the non-summer time when traffic is heavier, if I am assigned pick up I leave 15 minutes early from work to compensate. I can easily make up that 15 minutes by arriving early or taking a shorter lunch or even bringing work home.
you resonate my thoughts. I hate for my son to be the last one to be picked up. To me a minute late translates to losing 1 minute of our playtime. Now that's a loss. Some parents constantly complain how difficult it is to be there by 6:00 and how they would have wanted some relaxed timings. I feel they might as well give up their child to the caregiver for the entire week and see their kids only on the weekends. And oh! traffic is always their saviour.
I also prefer to be a bit earlier than the closing time so that I can chat with the caregiver and find out about her day.
I have cared for several kids either full-time or part-time. Right now I pick up my niece from camp and one of her camp friends comes home with us. I never once specified what time I wanted her to be picked up. The parents told e she'd be picked up at 5:45. They have never once made it at that time, not even the time the dad called three times to tell me he was coming early. I don't care, I'm there anyway, it's not a mass-pick-up daycare setting type thing. It's just a play date. But, yeah, daycares do charge by the minute over-time.
LoveMyFamily wrote:
I also prefer to be a bit earlier than the closing time so that I can chat with the caregiver and find out about her day.
Excellent point - I always try to chat even small talk with the camp counselors/day care provider/teacher and their friends. It is great for your child to see you like and respect these individuals and for you to get to know their friends. Not only can you learn something, but it shows your child how important these people are and how important your child's relationships with others are.
littlek wrote:I have cared for several kids either full-time or part-time. Right now I pick up my niece from camp and one of her camp friends comes home with us. I never once specified what time I wanted her to be picked up. The parents told e she'd be picked up at 5:45. They have never once made it at that time, not even the time the dad called three times to tell me he was coming early. I don't care, I'm there anyway, it's not a mass-pick-up daycare setting type thing. It's just a play date. But, yeah, daycares do charge by the minute over-time.
I also would think it is common courtesy to call if you can't make the specified time - most people do have cell phones and if you have a child it is a must. My daughter on a few occassions has stayed for the day at a friend's house - if I am 5 minutes later than I said - I call - not difficult, just being thoughtful and appreciative.
