Too Late to Fix *Special*??

[littlemissmuffet]

Alright, I dug myself into this one. I had a 9 week old infant start in May of '12. It was only a few weeks before Memorial day, and they came only 2 days a week. I felt bad taking the $50 for Memorial day. I told her that I normally charge for the Holiday's but since they just started and were only 2 days a week, I'd let it slide. Now, they feel entitled to not pay for Holiday's even though they've increased to 3 days a week and signed a contract that states there is NO REDUCTION for Holidays. I just received the check minus the $50 for day after Thanksgiving which it clearly states is a Holiday. I sent an e-mail last week reminding them that I would be off Friday and there would be no reduction in rate. They obviously blew off that e-mail, or felt even though I sent it to them didn't apply to them? Can I fix this and not damage the relationship? Do I send a simple e-mail and if they don't pay up, then go route of sending them a copy of their signed contract? Am I asking too much? Help!

I don't communcate important information via email or written notice - verbal ONLY. I would simply let them know the next morning they drop off that they owe you $50 for Thanksgiving, that they are not exempt from paying for Holidays (remind that Memorial Day was a one time favor - AND DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN)!!! Let them know that daycare will not provided until the payment is made.
If they want to fight it, fine - but don't keep them.

[Heidi]

I would absolutely tell them that if a Holiday falls on a day that the child is scheduled to attend, then they must pay for that day.
I would just send them another email gently reminding them that they *forgot* to include the 50$ for the paid Holiday. Just state the facts and keep it simple.
Something like -

I just noticed that your cheque for this week's care does not include the 50$ for the Paid Holiday on Friday. Just a reminder that, as per your contract, I require pay for the Holidays which fall on a day that ****** is scheduled to attend. I will return your cheque this afternoon and you can send in a new one by tomorrow. Thanks.

PS - You give gifts to your daycare families?

THis is how I would handle it....not so formal...just a "friendly" reminder

[daycare]

have you ever thought about invoicing your parents??

I send out an invoice on the 15th of each month. I require all parents to pay monthly, however, I do have one that is still locked in to my old policy and pays weekly. I still give this family and invoice and they break up the daycare fees into 4 even payments.

This way there is no question about what is needed to be paid.

If they short me, I would send the letter BC wrote or I would talk to them face to face.

Just know this. It is NEVER to late to dig yourself out.....

[allsmiles]

no advice, just i feel your pain.. im just starting out and always feeling like "specials" are necessary but im slowly understanding why all of you guys advise against it...give an inch and they take a mile.. i hope your situation works out

[Blackcat31]

Just know this. It is NEVER to late to dig yourself out.....

Speaking of digging yourself out....I thought about this funny story and HAD to post it here:

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyways so it just wasn't worth it to try and save the animal.

He invited all his neighbors over to help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried out horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel fulls later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was a stonished at what he saw. With each shovel full of dirt that fell onto the donkey's back, he would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's nbeighbors continued to shovel dirt down the well, the donkey would continue to shake it off and step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!!

MORAL: Life is going to shovel dirt on you, ALL kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping and never giving up.

Shake it off and take a step up!!

[daycare]

Speaking of digging yourself out....I thought about this funny story and HAD to post it here:

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyways so it just wasn't worth it to try and save the animal.

He invited all his neighbors over to help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried out horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel fulls later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was a stonished at what he saw. With each shovel full of dirt that fell onto the donkey's back, he would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's nbeighbors continued to shovel dirt down the well, the donkey would continue to shake it off and step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!!

MORAL: Life is going to shovel dirt on you, ALL kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping and never giving up.

Shake it off and take a step up!!

that is an awesome analogy...I will need to share this with my husband who has been having a really hard time at his job!!!

thanks for posting this

[KDC]

The DD/slide show sounds really cool. That's a great idea!

If you sent the email, then they're ignoring it plain and simple. I wouldn't send another email, I would explain it in person that way it's resolved immediately. So just for my own curiousity, what constitutes a personal day versus a vacation day? I see that alot with providers where they say they get paid holidays, but then it's not just the holiday it's 1 or 2 days attached to it. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally not critisizing you at all, I'm just curious. For instance with me, I get paid holidays. So, during the week of Christmas when I take a couple of days off after Christmas, I don't get paid for those extra days. Maybe I'm doing something wrong.

I usually only take paid holidays, and they're clearly written in the contract and posted on my website so there's no ambiguity. Most of my DCP's are teachers, so it's not usually a big deal. I have recently been adding 1 paid educational day to my contract so I'm able to renew my CPR license during the week, since the weekend classes fill up, and who wants to spend an entire Saturday doing that. I usually only charge the full-time/yearly clients this 1 day, and give them a month's heads up. No personal or sick time is what I mean... that is all UNPAID for me, if I'm sick. If they're sick on a regularly schedule day, they it's PAID.

Update** My E-mail worked. She brought a check at pick up tonight for not only the $50, but for next week as well so we're all caught up until after the Holiday =) And, she's adding the extra day which is an extra $200/month WIN WIN!

[lovemykidstoo]

I usually only take paid holidays, and they're clearly written in the contract and posted on my website so there's no ambiguity. Most of my DCP's are teachers, so it's not usually a big deal. I have recently been adding 1 paid educational day to my contract so I'm able to renew my CPR license during the week, since the weekend classes fill up, and who wants to spend an entire Saturday doing that. I usually only charge the full-time/yearly clients this 1 day, and give them a month's heads up. No personal or sick time is what I mean... that is all UNPAID for me, if I'm sick. If they're sick on a regularly schedule day, they it's PAID.

Update** My E-mail worked. She brought a check at pick up tonight for not only the $50, but for next week as well so we're all caught up until after the Holiday =) And, she's adding the extra day which is an extra $200/month WIN WIN!

That's great that it worked out. I hope that she didn't give you a hard time.

That's a good idea to do the 1 eduational day. I should do that. I hate taking the CPR/First Aid classes in the evening or weekend.