Daycare Late a LOT

less expensive daycare = poor quality sometimes.

Clearly opening on time is not a priority for them. You may have to "supplement" morning care by having someone else drop him off at 7:30 or find another day care.

You need to review your parent handbook. Then write her a letter or email and say, "Your handbook states that you are open from 7AM to 6PM. I chose your center in part because of my work hours and must be able to drop my child by 7:10. On x and y days you were x minutes late opening. This is a consistent problem and sometimes the wait is even longer. I otherwise like your center and my child is happy there, but if this continues, I will have to move my child because I cannot afford to lose my job."

See what she says. It's her job to be there on time or make sure a staff member is there on time. I hear this about doctors all the time. I fired a vet b/c the first appointment was at 8AM and he didn't stroll in (I did not know he wasn't in the building) til 45 minutes later. I had work to get to! I was once kept waiting while other kids got their flu shot and my baby was there for a well visit. If the pediatrician had not apologized and made sure a 3 hour wait didn't happen again, we would have left that practice.

There's a difference between saying "I have a problem with this" and going in yelling. You are her customer. This is your child. You need to tell her that this has to stop or you need to look for different care. If there are other parents who feel the same way, encourage them to speak to her as well.

Couple of things come to mind:
#1. Even though they know that everyone is waiting when they open up, have you talked to them personally? And let them know that it needs to be timely, because you are at risk of discipline @ your job? (feel free to make it out a bit worse than it is)

#2. Do you have a job where you can adjust your start time? (maybe not, but if so...) See if you can push your start/end time back 1/2 hour, & then let the daycare know that you will now be picking up your daughter @ XX time, because you are having to drop her off later due to their change in hours.

#3. Yes, sometimes we are restricted by what we can afford, & the options that are in our pricepoint are not ideal. Start looking now for other daycare options, so that if you -must- make a move, you aren't caught without options. Perhaps even talk to the owners & see if there is something you can do to get a price break.

You might also want to talk to HR @ your job, some companies have employee assistance that can help you find something that is affordable & responsible.

Another idea is perhaps network with other parents @ the daycare - drop your daughter off @ their place, & then you are the one to pick up both children @ the end of the day.

Best of luck, I hope something works out for you! How frustrating...
T.

You must talk to the director of the school. My kids' daycare would charge us a dollar a minute after 6:00 in order that parents took the 6:00 closing times seriously. Tell the directly that this has been X number of days in the last couple of weeks, that you're getting in trouble at work and what can we do to fix the problem? Maybe record which days (in case they rotate who opens the the center). I am surprised you haven't already said something - this is completely unacceptable except once in a few years due to the death or serious illness of a worker or close family member.

Good luck mama!

Be direct in a calm voice and tell her that you're late for work, etc. Telling someone how what they're doing affects you is not being rude or hurtful. It's important to be honest with people with whom we have business dealings as well as personal friends. We have the right to expect certain behaviors. Use I statements. "I am late for work when you open late. I appreciate your service and want to continue with you.) etc

What makes such a conversation rude or hurtful is to talk when we're angry and unable to monitor what we say. When we say rude, angry, hurtful words. For example: "You make me late for work."

Perhaps if you let them know that you are in danger of losing your job because of their tardiness and if it continues, you'll have to find daycare elsewhere. If the ones who are waiting would all tell them that and they thought they were in danger of losing several clients, they would probably get their act together. They can't get paid if there are no clients!

Have more respect for yourself and stand up for yourself. Do not teach your kids to be doormats. Teach them that there is a respectful way to confront someone who is taking advantage of you. Let the director know that your boss is not going to allow you to be late without consequences.

Talk to the director. It may be that he or she doesn't know that the early staff is consistently late.

ETA: Just talk to her. Tell her your concerns, and perhaps see if you can grab a few of the other moms you notice consistently in the same line when she's late to join you. While your voice of dissent alone might not seem like much, a group with the same complaint will likely make an impact.

I would absolutely say something about it. It's unfair to you and you need to stand up for yourself. Opening late is never okay. You getting to work on time depends on them opening on time. It is unprofessional of them to not open on time. Why is no one saying anything? I don't get it.

Speak with the director and put your concerns in writing. There's a good chance that the director is not aware that the "opening staff" is arriving late so many days per week. It is that person's responsibility to address the situation. If it continues, then you will need to find a different child care option.

This would absolutely not fly with me at all. You simply must explain to her that you are a single mom that depends on her job to take care of her child...and that includes paying daycare. Explain that her opening late has caused you to be late for work many times. Tell her that YOUR job and therefore HERS in on the line if you are unable to make it to work on time.

If it is still a problem, then you MUST find alternate care arrangements for your child. You cannot allow yourself to lose your only source of income because this woman cannot open on time...

My sister is the director of a daycare, but she is not the one who opens the center each day. That responsibility goes to one of her assistant directors. It could very well be that the director of the center is unaware that whoever is supposed to be opening is coming in late. I am sure that this is a problem for more than just your family, so it would be in the center's best interest to correct the problem before they start losing students.

Call the director today and tell her/him what has been going on. My guess is that they have no clue. Give them a chance to correct the situation before you start looking elsewhere. Good luck!

ETA: Considering that it is the director who is coming in late, I'd flat out ask her what her plan is to make sure that the center opens on time every day, as your job is in jeopardy. If she can't be there, on time, herself, then she needs to find someone who is qualified to open it for her.

Find another day care (not sure if this is easier said than done).

Anyone who takes care of kids know you can't just open the doors and be ready to receive alot of kids. There are things to set up, put away, plans to make for the day, copies to make, messages to read through, regulations to ensure. If they are that lax about opening the doors when the daycare opens, what else during the day are they lax about while your child is there?

I have been in this situation. I would first talk to her without bringing up handbook or anything else. Just lay it on line for her. Tell her that your job is getting very frustrated because you are late every day and you would like to work with her to find a solution.

I had to do this and ever since it has not been an issue. If that does not work though you will need to get a little harsher and bring up the handbook etc.

i think you don't have a choice except to talk to her about it. there's no reason you can't be polite about it, but this is a genuine problem. explain that when you enrolled your child, you did so understanding that they opened at 7, and since they don't, you've been late to work several times. give her an opportunity to change - or let her know you will have to look for someplace else, unfortunately. completely reasonable to expect her to be there on time. you're being a lot nicer than i would, in fact....

Is your little one school-age? Wondering as there may be an option for you if she is!