DCM Is On My Last Nerve

[MNmamaOf4]

I found out last week I'm losing my only full-time family starting next week. I just started my daycare in February and we live in a VERY small town, so getting daycare kids is few and far between. So I've been fairly flexible with my part-time families just so I can get some income, but I have a mom who is truly pushing it to the limit. And I'm really starting to think she never read my handbook. She works retail and her schedule is constantly changing, so I agreed to be flexible on her schedule from the get-go since I only had 2 full time families and we needed the money. Well one of my full-timers started school this year, so I only have her after school and then I'll be down to my school-ager and my part-timer. And that's it.

So last week I told her starting December 1 I need a set schedule from her so that can plan my days accordingly, since I'll no longer have my full-time kid, I can help my husband out with his business as needed. Today at pick-up she tells me that she can give me a set schedule if I give her a month notice of when I need a Friday off. I said I can try and do my best, but my handbook says I'll try and give a minimum of 2 weeks notice if I need time off. I gave 2-1/2 weeks notice last week when I needed next Friday off. Three weeks ago my aunt was killed in a car accident so I needed Thursday/Friday off of that week and I only had DCB Tuesday/Friday that week, so obviously I couldn't watch him Friday, she carried on about how she was going to be docked her attendance at work because I couldn't watch her son. Like there was anything I could do about having to go to my aunts funeral. She's on my last nerve. I'm ready to look for a work from home job so I don't have to do daycare any longer. I have four kids myself so it's not feasible for us to pay for daycare ourselves, which is the reason I quit my full-time job and started doing daycare myself to help supplement my husbands income.

She is so wishy washy all the time and trying to constantly negotiate my fees, etc. I told my DH about this a little bit ago when he brought me lunch and he told me it's time to find a job. Thanks for letting me vent.

[nannyde]

She just wants to pay for the day care she uses and have you available any time she wants. That's what she's after.

By telling YOU to tell HER when you need days off she put it back onto you.

Tell her that she needs to give you a schedule every second Friday and it needs to be paid for in advance. She can add to the days but she can't swap them or make them up.

She needs to pay for at least three set days a week. If she needs an additional day then she pays more even if she missed one of the three set days.

She's living every part time parents dream with you. It's whatever works for her whenever she wants it. You can do it but you are going to resent it unless you are making really good money when she does come.

[MNmamaOf4]

She just wants to pay for the day care she uses and have you available any time she wants. That's what she's after.

By telling YOU to tell HER when you need days off she put it back onto you.

Tell her that she needs to give you a schedule every second Friday and it needs to be paid for in advance. She can add to the days but she can't swap them or make them up.

She needs to pay for at least three set days a week. If she needs an additional day then she pays more even if she missed one of the three set days.

She's living every part time parents dream with you. It's whatever works for her whenever she wants it. You can do it but you are going to resent it unless you are making really good money when she does come.

You hit the nail on the head there Nanny. That's exactly what she's doing and it frustrates her when I say "It's in my handbook" because then she can't get away with whatever she thinks she should get away with. And she does think she should only have to pay for days she's actually here. Last week he was suppose to be here Monday, Tues, Thurs, Friday. Monday she called me and said he's sick and that he wouldn't be coming. I do have them pay in advance but the week before when she paid me for last week, she shorted me for one day. I pointed it out and she said "Oh, I'll bring that next week" and then he was "sick" on Monday, Tuesday she comes for pick up and asks if she has to pay for Monday and I said yes and she tried to argue that, took me until Thursday to get payment for it. Drives me nuts. I love my full-time family and I'm super bummed they are leaving, I was hoping this part-time family would leave. But the grandma is going to start carrying for the toddler I have full-time right now.