Go With Your Gut...

[PolkaTots]

I knew I should have went with my gut on this one...

I accepted a 2 year old 3 months ago into my in home child care, but her 4 year old brother enrolled at a local center. I had a feeling she was on the waiting list there, but accepted her anyway because she seemed like a great fit. I wish they would have been upfront with me and I wouldn't have turned away other families from that spot.

So now the question is this...They gave me a 30 days notice...do I take someone from my waiting list now, and term her early, or just let it go? Her last week is the week before Thanksgiving...I guess they wanted to get out of paying my 3 vacation days that week :confused:

[Meyou]

If you can let them go earlier according to your contract then I would replace them.

[wahmof3]

yep...

if you have it that way in your contract.

One thing I am learning in this business, YOU GOTTA LOOK OUT FOR YOU!!!

If dcm had been honest in the beginning I would probably have worked with her.

These dcp are doing whats in their best interest, so why can't we? If you have someone to take the childs spot- I would.

[cheerfuldom]

replace asap if possible. sorry this happened to you but now you know. you can also set up a part of your contract so that parents cannot term before a paid holiday. Some require termination notice at the beginning of the month only, only Fridays or not within a certain time of your paid vacation or holiday. you can change your contract so that you don't get screwed on this next time.

[PolkaTots]

Love this! I wish I would have added this before! Surprisingly in 4 years, this is my first to term right before a paid Holiday/Vacation period

replace asap if possible. sorry this happened to you but now you know. you can also set up a part of your contract so that parents cannot term before a paid holiday. Some require termination notice at the beginning of the month only, only Fridays or not within a certain time of your paid vacation or holiday. you can change your contract so that you don't get screwed on this next time.

[MamaBear]

I had a mom that gave me notice right before summer break because she said she got them into a center closer to her new home...they moved 30 minutes away but she worked close to my house. So they left. Then the center situation wasn't working for her so she asked if they could come back for 6 months until another center had a space for them. I reluctantly said ok - but I KNEW I should have said no. Meanwhile I passed up several other opportunities that called for spaces. THEN after 2 months she says that the center she wanted has spaces after all so she was giving me 2 week notice again (4 months earlier than planned). I was so pissed. I KNEW I should have said no. So now weeks later I'm still trying to fill the gap that she left me unexpectedly and the parents that had called me during that period already found something else.

Sometimes we try to be helpful to these parents - but in the long run it screws us over. Lesson learned for me. I would not take them if they are going to pull her out soon. You gotta cover yourself.

[MamaBear]

p.s. She seemed to plan her exits very conveniently around her school break schedule too. The first exit allowed her to take her summer break with her kids (she was a school teacher) and the second exit was perfect timing around Fall break. Now I look back at it and feel like such a ****er! It was probably her master plan!

[wdmmom]

I tell families that it doesn't matter when they cancel services. My paid days are accrued.

For example: I take 9 holidays per year, I take 5 vacation days and I take 5 personal days. I get 19 paid days per year.

If someone started January 15th and left May 15th and I didn't take a single day off, they would still owe me money.

19 days off per year divided by 12 months equals 1.58 days per month.

1.58 days per month times 4 months equals 6.32 days they owe me for

So if their weekly rate is $150, they owe me not only the 4 week notice I require (at which time payment is due in full for that time) so they owe me$600 at the time they provide notice but they owe me for my accrued time off of $189.60 within 24 hours of providing me notice.

[sharlan]

I would term as soon as I found a replacement.

[Sprouts]

:confused:

I tell families that it doesn't matter when they cancel services. My paid days are accrued.

For example: I take 9 holidays per year, I take 5 vacation days and I take 5 personal days. I get 19 paid days per year.

If someone started January 15th and left May 15th and I didn't take a single day off, they would still owe me money.

19 days off per year divided by 12 months equals 1.58 days per month.

1.58 days per month times 4 months equals 6.32 days they owe me for

So if their weekly rate is $150, they owe me not only the 4 week notice I require (at which time payment is due in full for that time) so they owe me$600 at the time they provide notice but they owe me for my accrued time off of $189.60 within 24 hours of providing me notice.

:confused: i need to write this down