Anonymous wrote:Pay and get a small gift/gift card for the after care worker who took your child home. $100 is a small price to pay for your child having been well cared for (unexpectedly) for more than an hour.
Anonymous wrote:OP - we always had another family lined up to pickup our child in event of a delay or emergency (and vice versa). School and aftercare providers had the proper forms in hand to allow child to be released to these people.
Set up an arrangement like this for the future
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don't get the animosity to OP. I get that she should be immensely grateful to the aftercare teacher who covered her mistake and it sounds like she is. I don't get why the issue of 7:15 came up to the school rather than 6:20. If the teacher had to sign out the child what business is it of the school's if she arrived at 6:21 or 7:15? Are they paying the aftercare teacher for that time? It seems excessively punitive and unwarranted. If the aftercare teacher expected to be remunerated that's one thing and it should be between the teacher and parent, but the child was signed out at 6:20 and that's the end of story from the aftercare provider's perspective.
The aftercare provider builds fee schedules to both discourage late pickup and to compensate for staff being held late to cover. There was no cost to aftercare after 6:20. If a friend/acquaintance/whatever is willing to watch your child and expects $60/hr that should be discussed up front. It sounds like the OP was led to believe that it wasn't a big deal for her neighbor to watch her child (and frankly it likely wasn't). If I watched a neighbor's child due to unforeseen circumstances I wouldn't dream of asking for compensation. If I expected it I wouldn't even offer to take the child in without stating that up front.
the worst of it is the aftercare provider is going to pocket that late fee when at a minimum at least $55 should go directly to the aftercare teacher.
Anonymous wrote:I don't get the animosity to OP. I get that she should be immensely grateful to the aftercare teacher who covered her mistake and it sounds like she is. I don't get why the issue of 7:15 came up to the school rather than 6:20. If the teacher had to sign out the child what business is it of the school's if she arrived at 6:21 or 7:15? Are they paying the aftercare teacher for that time? It seems excessively punitive and unwarranted. If the aftercare teacher expected to be remunerated that's one thing and it should be between the teacher and parent, but the child was signed out at 6:20 and that's the end of story from the aftercare provider's perspective.
The aftercare provider builds fee schedules to both discourage late pickup and to compensate for staff being held late to cover. There was no cost to aftercare after 6:20. If a friend/acquaintance/whatever is willing to watch your child and expects $60/hr that should be discussed up front. It sounds like the OP was led to believe that it wasn't a big deal for her neighbor to watch her child (and frankly it likely wasn't). If I watched a neighbor's child due to unforeseen circumstances I wouldn't dream of asking for compensation. If I expected it I wouldn't even offer to take the child in without stating that up front.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Don't nickel and dime them, OP--not worth it. Just don't be late next time.
+1 They are in the right here, and I'm a little shocked you would even question it. And the person who took your kid home was incredibly nice about it, not sure I would be given that we are talking about more than a minor inconvenience.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the constructive and impartial answers. I appreciate them. I was just looking for perspective. I understand I was lucky. I understand she was being nice. I am grateful. I am not nickel and diming. I just would rather the money go to her and not Aftercare since he was in her care, which I authorized. Doesn't seem fair. You are right though. I will also get that token of appreciation for her. A personal thank you is still important. Thanks fellow moms![]()
Also keep in mind that the aftercare went out on a limb for you. If she's not an authorized pick up person, even with your OK, I don't think she could legally take your kid home. That said, I'm sure you won't be forgetting again.
Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the constructive and impartial answers. I appreciate them. I was just looking for perspective. I understand I was lucky. I understand she was being nice. I am grateful. I am not nickel and diming. I just would rather the money go to her and not Aftercare since he was in her care, which I authorized. Doesn't seem fair. You are right though. I will also get that token of appreciation for her. A personal thank you is still important. Thanks fellow moms![]()

Anonymous wrote:Of course you pay the full fee to the aftercare program. And the kind aftercare person took your son home so that she or some other aftercare staff person wouldn't have to stay at school waiting with him. Yes, it was kind but it was still aftercare. Plus, think about your child. It's much less traumatic for him to wait for mommy at the home of someone he likes than waiting at school where all the other children have gone. Much less stress Causing fo your boy. THAT is why you get her a gift in addition. Your childish declaration that if you have to pay aftercare $75 you won't get the aftercare "friend" a gift is so ridiculous and petty.
Anonymous wrote:It sucks. But you are lucky. They could have called CPS.
Our school charges more than than $1 a minute.
Anonymous wrote:Don't nickel and dime them, OP--not worth it. Just don't be late next time.