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My wife runs and in-home daycare. Most of the parents are good about picking up their kids on time and paying on time, but a couple of weeks ago one of them did something that stunned both of us.
The mother of this one child usually pays us every Monday. Usually the last thing she does when picking the boy up is give us a check.
So a couple of Mondays ago she came by and didn't leave a check. My wife assumed she'd simply forgotten (plausible, she's usually always on time) and we'd get it tomorrow. Tuesday comes, no money.
So on Wednesday when she drops off her child, my wife asked her why she was late on the check. Her response, verbatim, is the title of this thread.
My Wife (MW):
<stunned silence> Excuse me?
Sucky mom (SM) : I'm sorry but finances are extremely tight for us right now and we simply can't afford to pay you this week so we're not going to.
MW: I would have appreciated you telling me that BEFORE this past Monday so I would have known not to expect a check.
SM: Sorry. <leaves with kid>
My wife and I were beside ourselves but crunched some numbers and figured we'd be ok with her not paying that week, we'd just need to defer some bills to the next week.
The next Monday rolls around and SM picks up her son and gives my wife a check for $100, only HALF of what she owes.
MW: Excuse me, you owe me $200.
SM: *scoffs* I WHAT?
MW: You owe me $200 for last week and the week before.
SM: I don't owe you anything, I already said I wasn't paying for last week.
MW: What?
SM: Are you deaf? I told you last week we were not paying you, this week I am giving you the same $100 I always give you.
MW: But you owe me $200.
SM: *scoffs again* You have some nerve trying to get another $100 out of me.
MW: This is a daycare, not a charity. It costs me money to run this place. I expect to be paid for my services.
SM: I DID pay you.
MW: But NOT for both weeks!
<At this point her kid starts crying>
SM: Grrr, now look what you've done. I'm only going to say this one more time. I'm paying you $100 this week and next week and the week after that. There will be no extra $100. Not now, not ever and if you value me as a customer, you'll accept that with a smile on your face. <leaves with the kid>
Later that night, my wife called SM and told her not to bother bringing junior back the next day or any day after that as he was no longer welcome at the daycare. She whined and begged and pleaded for him to be allowed to come tomorrow as if she had to find new accommodations it would "terribly inconvenience" her, but my wife said no.
I told her (my wife) later on that she should have said Junior could come back, but only at double the previous rate. However knowing SM, she might have tried to stiff us on that too, so my wife probably did the right thing.
The mother of this one child usually pays us every Monday. Usually the last thing she does when picking the boy up is give us a check.
So a couple of Mondays ago she came by and didn't leave a check. My wife assumed she'd simply forgotten (plausible, she's usually always on time) and we'd get it tomorrow. Tuesday comes, no money.
So on Wednesday when she drops off her child, my wife asked her why she was late on the check. Her response, verbatim, is the title of this thread.
My Wife (MW):
<stunned silence> Excuse me?Sucky mom (SM) : I'm sorry but finances are extremely tight for us right now and we simply can't afford to pay you this week so we're not going to.
MW: I would have appreciated you telling me that BEFORE this past Monday so I would have known not to expect a check.
SM: Sorry. <leaves with kid>
My wife and I were beside ourselves but crunched some numbers and figured we'd be ok with her not paying that week, we'd just need to defer some bills to the next week.
The next Monday rolls around and SM picks up her son and gives my wife a check for $100, only HALF of what she owes.
MW: Excuse me, you owe me $200.
SM: *scoffs* I WHAT?
MW: You owe me $200 for last week and the week before.
SM: I don't owe you anything, I already said I wasn't paying for last week.
MW: What?
SM: Are you deaf? I told you last week we were not paying you, this week I am giving you the same $100 I always give you.
MW: But you owe me $200.
SM: *scoffs again* You have some nerve trying to get another $100 out of me.
MW: This is a daycare, not a charity. It costs me money to run this place. I expect to be paid for my services.
SM: I DID pay you.
MW: But NOT for both weeks!
<At this point her kid starts crying>
SM: Grrr, now look what you've done. I'm only going to say this one more time. I'm paying you $100 this week and next week and the week after that. There will be no extra $100. Not now, not ever and if you value me as a customer, you'll accept that with a smile on your face. <leaves with the kid>
Later that night, my wife called SM and told her not to bother bringing junior back the next day or any day after that as he was no longer welcome at the daycare. She whined and begged and pleaded for him to be allowed to come tomorrow as if she had to find new accommodations it would "terribly inconvenience" her, but my wife said no.
I told her (my wife) later on that she should have said Junior could come back, but only at double the previous rate. However knowing SM, she might have tried to stiff us on that too, so my wife probably did the right thing.
. Also SM said money was tight for her family, she should've worked something out with your wife and not assumed that you guys would eat a week's worth of expenses. You are probably better off without her as if you kept her as a client she might try this mess again.
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