Day Care Parents...Frustrating

[LittleCrawfishCC]

Okay, so here is the deal, I have 2 before and after schoolers that have been with me for about a month. When they enrolled,I was informed that the parents would be taking a week vacation. Which was okay, because I give a free week vacation a year. But then, when the father comes to pick them up tonight, he informs me that they will not be here next week or the week after (Their vacation). So I properly informed him, that I can not hold their spot without the full week pay. Kids seem to be hard to come by around here. But, the way I look at it, he gave me a 2 day notice, with them knowing that I have already prepared for a big field trip for next friday, and have already bought alot of things for it, thinking that they would be here. What would you ladys do if ya'll were in this situation?

Thanks!

[cheerfuldom]

stick by your policy.

[wdmmom]

If your policy states 1 week of unpaid, they pay for the other. You also might want to consider revamping your vacation policy and request a 2 week notice of when vacations will be also.

[nannyde]

I don't allow any unpaid days. Same pay 52 weeks a year. I never have to discuss money with them because the attendance of the child does not matter in the fee. It's the same whether the child is here or not.

[cheerfuldom]

oh yeah and I do things the way nanny does. I used to do unpaid days for this and that and it just leads to constant discussions with parents. Now I get paid no matter what.

[Zoe]

Two week notice for vacations or they have to pay. I'm not going to rearrange my schedule or my budget for last minute vacations. Not to sound heartless but we're hanging on by a thread and I can't deal with it!

[LittleCrawfishCC]

Thats exactly how I feel...I have been doing everything by "verbal" But this weekend, I will be getting a contract together, because I can't seem to be nice anymore, because they are continuing to try to run over me. :-(
So contracts will be done by next week, and they will have to be signed, or they will have to find someone else.

Zoe- exactly I shouldn't have to, I have bills like everyone, and most of my bills have doubled doing daycare.

I really hate talking money with people :-(

[dave4him]

Stick to your policy

[Cat Herder]

I really hate talking money with people :-(

That is why a clear contract, consistently enforced, is such a lifesaver.

I can't remember my last money discussion. (I give two weeks, unpaid, per family, per year...with 30 day notice.)

I also use Minute Menu online pay. It emails reminders and is set up for recurring payments upon enrollment.

Word of caution...Don't put anything into your contract that you have no intention of enforcing.

They have no motivation to respect your policies if you don't.

Good luck!!!