Sticking With Your Loyal Customers

[e.j.]

In my contract, it states that full time care has priority over part time care.

I have the same policy outlined in my handbook but it refers to times when I'm trying to fill an open slot as in: all things being equal, I will choose the family looking for full time care vs. the family looking for part time care. It doesn't mean I will boot one family for another because one family wants the days/hours the other family has contracted for. I think it's pretty presumptuous of the dc mom to expect you to drop the other child for hers.

[daycare]

I have the same policy outlined in my handbook but it refers to times when I'm trying to fill an open slot as in: all things being equal, I will choose the family looking for full time care vs. the family looking for part time care. It doesn't mean I will boot one family for another because one family wants the days/hours the other family has contracted for. I think it's pretty presumptuous of the dc mom to expect you to drop the other child for hers.

I was actually a little shocked that the mom asked me to pull the other child. The mom has been so sweet and just awesome. She read my PHB and contract and she said that is what she understood from it. She felt bad for even asking and is super embarrassed.

[Christian Mother]

Wow sticky situation!! Why do they want to pull the sib and place them in your daycare? Why not keep it the way it is? What did you say to the parents about your policies. I have mine like yours so maybe I need to go back and explain that even if I have a pt family in care that does not mean I will give that spot to them to occupy. It is what is open at the time that dictates what comes first.

[saved4always]

The FT family has already left you once, in a short period of time. I wouldn't trust them to stay. The PT family has been loyal for 3 1/2 years. I wouldn't bail on them.

If you can't accomodate both families, let the FT go.

I agree with sharlan! The full time family has already proven that they may not be there tomorrow while the part time one has proven that they will. And anything can change when there is a divorce going on. I would dump the FT family for sure.

[daycare]

Wow sticky situation!! Why do they want to pull the sib and place them in your daycare? Why not keep it the way it is? What did you say to the parents about your policies. I have mine like yours so maybe I need to go back and explain that even if I have a pt family in care that does not mean I will give that spot to them to occupy. It is what is open at the time that dictates what comes first.

so the parents are getting divorced and have two kids. When they first started back in NOV, they only signed up one of the kids. The other one was being watched by the Fathers mother. (grandma)

The father is the one who left and his whole family is turning on the mother and the grandmother is now refusing to watch the little guy, leaving the mom with no daycare for her little guy. She is really stuck between a rock and a hard place and I know that desperate times call for desperate measures. I feel bad for the mom and the kids. I really do wish that I could help. BUT as the other poster pointed out in a response, I can't let this families problem become mine....

[Christian Mother]

Owww...yea...sticky situation...

Do you know of any other daycares that might be able to take them?
I agree. you got to do what you got to do..it just ****s all around. BOO!

[daycare]

Owww...yea...sticky situation...

Do you know of any other daycares that might be able to take them?
I agree. you got to do what you got to do..it just ****s all around. BOO!

I do know of another provider who might be able to take the other child, but I know that she charges a lot and $$ is an issue right now... I am going to refer the mom to talk to someone about subsidized programs, which I dont take.

[Christian Mother]

If the other daycare takes subsidized payments I would def. recommend mom to get on it at least to get some extra help. I don't take subsidized payments either. But I do like to give any families I can't care for over to a friend who also does daycare next to me. She isn't full and losing one to school so I try to help out and she is a help to me and the parents looking and don't know where to turn.

[saved4always]

I have the same policy outlined in my handbook but it refers to times when I'm trying to fill an open slot as in: all things being equal, I will choose the family looking for full time care vs. the family looking for part time care. It doesn't mean I will boot one family for another because one family wants the days/hours the other family has contracted for. I think it's pretty presumptuous of the dc mom to expect you to drop the other child for hers.

Yeah....that is very presumptuous of the mother, especially having pulled the contracted child from care once already. Actually, it would not make sense for the policy to be for non-contracted children to bump contracted part-timers. That would mean no part timer would have a "safe" spot and could be bumped at any time. I would just tell her that the policy is for the possibility of 2 NON-contracted families vying for the same spot. In THAT case, a FT child would trump a PT child vying for the same OPEN spot, not one that is already filled by someone.