Which One Would You Term??

[Crazy8]

If you had decided to term a child to take on a new client which would it be:

Child #1 - full time 2 year old who is your earliest arrival, latest pick up (by a half hour on each end). Parents are often a few min. late picking up with nothing more than a text stating "running 10 min. late" which usually means they didn't leave work on time, not traffic, etc. Parents often "forget" to bring payment on due date - will usually bring it by later that evening though. Otherwise a decent family, not too overprotective, doesn't question your ability, even asks you for advice on situations but you never get an "I'm Sorry" or a "Thank You" either.

OR

Child #2 - 3 day a week 2 year old who is arriving/departing at your desired times, sometimes few min. late but this is earlier departure time so you don't mind the few min. as much, BUT parent is overprotective, hangs out at pick up way too long despite multiple hints to take their child and walk out the door, wants every detail of the child's day. Has a million questions every day, always giving the impression that you are not doing your job correctly. Parent just doesn't give you a "friendly" feeling - kind of rubs you the wrong way.

Both children are fairly well behaved, child #1 a little more wild, parents thing bad behavior can be "cute" but he's not horrible either and its obvious child #2 much more disciplined at home.

Child #2 pays less per week but if money were not an issue which would you term if you were looking to term one of them.

[cheerfuldom]

It depends on what your goal for the terming is....are you trying to work less hours? make more money? get rid of rowdy kids? get rid of annoying parents?

In my case, I would rather have a kid here longer if I am getting paid more and parents were easy to please. I cant handle over protective parents.....they drive me nuts. Nothing you will ever do will please them and that is just a stressful work environment. I'd much rather have an energetic kid if the parents were easier to please.

[Nickel]

hmmm. that is a tough one!
With child #2 do you think parents would term because they are unhappy? How long has dck been with you?

If that wasn't an issue, I would term child #1, because I don't want to work the long hours every day! Which makes no sense because I have a dck that comes at 8am and my last family leaves at 7:30pm, but it's only 3 days/week. Working long hrs 5 days a week does not appeal to me. And I HATE asking for payment. hate it hate it hate it. i shouldn't have to ask.

[Lyss]

If you had decided to term a child to take on a new client which would it be:

Child #1 - full time 2 year old who is your earliest arrival, latest pick up (by a half hour on each end). Parents are often a few min. late picking up with nothing more than a text stating "running 10 min. late" which usually means they didn't leave work on time, not traffic, etc. Parents often "forget" to bring payment on due date - will usually bring it by later that evening though. Otherwise a decent family, not too overprotective, doesn't question your ability, even asks you for advice on situations but you never get an "I'm Sorry" or a "Thank You" either.

OR

Child #2 - 3 day a week 2 year old who is arriving/departing at your desired times, sometimes few min. late but this is earlier departure time so you don't mind the few min. as much, BUT parent is overprotective, hangs out at pick up way too long despite multiple hints to take their child and walk out the door, wants every detail of the child's day. Has a million questions every day, always giving the impression that you are not doing your job correctly. Parent just doesn't give you a "friendly" feeling - kind of rubs you the wrong way.

Both children are fairly well behaved, child #1 a little more wild, parents thing bad behavior can be "cute" but he's not horrible either and its obvious child #2 much more disciplined at home.

Child #2 pays less per week but if money were not an issue which would you term if you were looking to term one of them.

I think it really depends on how you want to structure your days and what child would fit in best. Are you adding a new part time or full time child? Do you have other DCKs that are full time or all part time? Would you'd rather have the part child with shorter hours or longer days and bigger paycheck?

Personally I'd probably stick with #1 and say goodbye to #2. I can deal with a wild 2 year old but overbearing parents that rub me the wrong way, make me feel incompetent, and want to hang out for a while at pickup... No thanks!! Plus for my group full time would work better, I have another full time 2 year old and I find our days are much better if my full time DCK has others to play with (rather than just the 2 full time infants).

BUT I would have a serious talk with DCPs and start implementing late fees. If pmt not received at drop off on due date then its late and subject to late fees, even if it comes in later that day. I had a DCF that pulled this but after 2 late pmt fees they were never late again. Same with late pick up. I feel like some parents are kinda like the DCKs, testing the boundaries of their provider to see what they can get away with! !

[daycarediva]

I think it really depends on how you want to structure your days and what child would fit in best. Are you adding a new part time or full time child? Do you have other DCKs that are full time or all part time? Would you'd rather have the part child with shorter hours or longer days and bigger paycheck?

Personally I'd probably stick with #1 and say goodbye to #2. I can deal with a wild 2 year old but overbearing parents that rub me the wrong way, make me feel incompetent, and want to hang out for a while at pickup... No thanks!! Plus for my group full time would work better, I have another full time 2 year old and I find our days are much better if my full time DCK has others to play with (rather than just the 2 full time infants).

BUT I would have a serious talk with DCPs and start implementing late fees. If pmt not received at drop off on due date then its late and subject to late fees, even if it comes in later that day. I had a DCF that pulled this but after 2 late pmt fees they were never late again. Same with late pick up. I feel like some parents are kinda like the DCKs, testing the boundaries of their provider to see what they can get away with! !

^ THIS! I can't do overbearing overprotective parents, especially ones who don't click well.

[DaisyMamma]

I would probably choose #2 as well, but it would be a tough choice, as that extra hour that #1 is there is hard too. But still....#2. Overprotective I dont like.

In regards to late pickups - do you charge a late fee? That worked wonders for me. As soon as I started doing that parents started showing up on time. It was amazing!

[Crazy8]

I would probably choose #2 as well, but it would be a tough choice, as that extra hour that #1 is there is hard too. But still....#2. Overprotective I dont like.

In regards to late pickups - do you charge a late fee? That worked wonders for me. As soon as I started doing that parents started showing up on time. It was amazing!

Thats my problem - hate that extra half hour in the afternoon (the half hour in the morning doesn't bother me nearly as much) but I don't see the relationship with parents #2 working out very long term.

I do have late fees but haven't really enforced them lately - they are usually here right at 5pm on the dot, but sometimes its 5:02, 5:03 - so not super late but then talk for 5 min. and next thing you know they aren't out of my driveway until 5:15. I soooo like being done at 4:30!! And even if those clients are a few min. late - 4:40 doesn't bother me nearly as much as 5:10 does, you know??

[lolaland]

Goodbye to child # 2 - Can't stand the feeling "you're not good enough "!!!!

[Blackcat31]

Child #2.

I cannot work with parents who won't/don't/can't work WITH me.

[wdmmom]

I was in a similar situation a few months ago. Longest running client was coming in 10+ hours per day but only 4 days a week. When all other kids were leaving by 430-445 and here he was until 530pm. It got to be too much. They were also arriving at 7am - 715am when no one else was showing up til 730-745am. When dcm got pregnant and said she was cutting back to part time, I knew that was my "in". I provided notice that I was cutting my closing time to 5pm rather than 530pm. I knew once the baby was born, she would just keep dcb at home so it worked out.

Personally, I would start advertising for 2 spots and term them both. If you keep family #1, you could start resenting the fact that you have the boy all day and the more they are late and don't accommodate their scheduled pick up and drop off time, the more anger will build.

Family #2 just seems a little flaky. I don't allow parents to congregate at the door. Especially with me. I don't go to their job and stand around, please don't do it at mine. Is this their first child? Are you their first daycare provider?

[Crazy8]

I was in a similar situation a few months ago. Longest running client was coming in 10+ hours per day but only 4 days a week. When all other kids were leaving by 430-445 and here he was until 530pm. It got to be too much. They were also arriving at 7am - 715am when no one else was showing up til 730-745am. When dcm got pregnant and said she was cutting back to part time, I knew that was my "in". I provided notice that I was cutting my closing time to 5pm rather than 530pm. I knew once the baby was born, she would just keep dcb at home so it worked out.

Personally, I would start advertising for 2 spots and term them both. If you keep family #1, you could start resenting the fact that you have the boy all day and the more they are late and don't accommodate their scheduled pick up and drop off time, the more anger will build.

Family #2 just seems a little flaky. I don't allow parents to congregate at the door. Especially with me. I don't go to their job and stand around, please don't do it at mine. Is this their first child? Are you their first daycare provider?

Yes and Yes. How did you guess??

If the opportunity to term both comes up I probably would do it but I don't get that many calls either. I may add a baby after the holidays - in which case I would be full if I keep the current ones but I don't mind not being full so that is why I'm thinking of terming one at that point.

[wdmmom]

How long has both families been with you?

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I would ditch the 2nd.

I have one just like that, but this isn't the child's first daycare. It drives me crazy.

[itlw8]

I would not term someone to take a new one. The only reason I would is if they were very p/t and I needed to fill with a f/t I would give them the chance to go f/t first though.

If someone needs to be terminated I think it should be because they did something reallly wrong not because you like someone else.

I just think it gives a message to everyone they could go at anytime if you like someone better. Kinda ruins that trust we want.

[ABCDaycareMN]

I would not term someone to take a new one. The only reason I would is if they were very p/t and I needed to fill with a f/t I would give them the chance to go f/t first though.

If someone needs to be terminated I think it should be because they did something reallly wrong not because you like someone else.

I just think it gives a message to everyone they could go at anytime if you like someone better. Kinda ruins that trust we want.

I agree completely. Neither have don't anything horribly wrong. Yes some things to work on but I think you should at least give them a chance to make it right before terming. New mom doesn't know better, lots of questions are better than none... And maybe change the day the payment is due for that other family.