Update on No Call No Show (long)

[Nickel]

Soooo, dcm went on vacation the week of Thanksgiving and didn't tell me until I texted her 30 min after her drop off time.

No call no show this Mon. Mom texts me Tuesday saying she will call me tomorrow and she sent an email. Never received email and asked her to verify my email address. Wednesday I heard nothing so I sent her a termination letter via email saying I could no longer watch her daughter as of THIS Friday

So today I get a phone call during daycare hours. I didn't answer because a dcm was dropping off. She leaves me a message saying dcg won't be in today (it's 2 hrs past her drop off time) or tomorrow but she would like her to come back on Mon and wants to talk to me about tuition.

Now in my contract it says that dcf get 2 weeks vacation a year with a 2 week notice and it must be taken consecutively (which is actually a typo, it's suppose to be 1 week consecutively) So MAYBE she misread the contract and didn't actually disappear this week. BUT she still didn't give me notice. She said they were taking a few days off during Thanksgiving but it wouldn't be the whole week. They weren't sure, blah blah blah. No concrete dates nothing. The also did not dispute their invoice for this month.

This whole thing is just unreal. Honestly I don't want dcg back. She isn't a bad kid, it's just that her and my dd do not get along. Without her here it has been sooo much easier and way less stressful. To the point that the day flies by and I am almost stunned when it's time for pick up. Like wow, Is it that time already. This dcg is my first one to be dropped off and the last to leave.

I also have it set up that next semester (January) I will only be working a half day on Fridays. This will give me time to make medical appointments for myself and my children (I've had to reschedule the same doctors appointment over the last 2 months).

Since she has been gone I am way more relaxed and have even come to realize that an infant I thought was high maintenance, is actually a breeze now that I don't have to correct her and dd anymore. dcm is not a student, so I also would have no time off over Christmas other than Mon and Tues. Where my other families except one are gone. And the one dcb I will have grandma has no issues with me running errands or getting out of the house with him. Honestly I just don't want this girl back,

BUT a part of me thinks that maybe mom just misread or didn't understand or something. And that I should give her the benefit of the doubt. I was going to wait until after the holidays to terminate, but right now I am thinking it would be easier this way.

Sorry this got so long, but I could realy use some advice, and encouragement here. I HATE confronting people and at 8:30pm I still have not called dcm back from this morning. I don't know what to do...

[MyAngels]

Personally I would not take her back for any reason. The disrespect she showed by not communicating with you about taking time off and the fact that she has not paid for the time she did take off, on top of all the other issues, would seal the deal for me.

One thing I have learned after all these years in business is that you have to do what's right for you, for your family, and for your own sanity or it's just not worth it.

Make the decision that feels right for you and you will never regret it.

[cheerfuldom]

You don't HAVE to call back. you already sent a termination notice and can just stick by that.

"Dear DCM, I received your message from this morning. The termination notice is not negotiable at this point and I am no longer available to care for X in the future."

I find it very strange that there was little to no communication this whole time and even after you sent a termination notice, it doesnt seem like she acknowledged it....just went along her way assuming you weren't serious. You were already going to terminate at the new year for various reasons, if you back down now, you will be committing to keeping this girl long term. It wouldnt be right to take her back and go thru the whole ordeal in another few weeks. You already did the hard part of sending the notice and you know that this girl wont be back tomorrow. Just stick with the email, dont answer calls and thats that.

Do you still have any of this girls belongings at your house?

Did you address the fact that daycare mom actually owes for the last two weeks according to your contract?

[Nickel]

I do still have her belongings and that was my next question. I have a nice twin size blanket, several changes of clothes, a pillow, a few diapers, creams and lotions and a doll she left here.

What do I do with her things? Do I keep them as "payment" or am I required to give them back even though she does owe me money. My contract CLEARLY states that parents are given 2 weeks per year for vacation and that if a 2 week notice is not given tuition is STILL due.

I am wondering if she ever got my email? She is acting like she never got it. Should I just text her what you stated above cheerfuldom???

[Nickel]

Maybe I should also MAIL her the termination notice along with her invoice and a highlighted copy of the contract? It would maybe get there before Monday if I mail it tomorrow morning!

[wdmmom]

Non payment and no communication is grounds for termination. They are paying for a spot in the daycare. No fees collected = no spot remaining.

Send the term notice along with an invoice specifying the amount due in full immediately. At the time payment is received, they may pick up any belongings remaining.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Oh what a mess. I feel for you. I agree with Cheerful. Be strong, be direct, professional. I would call her back though, just as a courtesy, and follow up with a written/mailed version too. I'm sorry you are going through this, hope it goes smoothly. You'll be soooooo much happier when its over.

[Angelwings36]

I do still have her belongings and that was my next question. I have a nice twin size blanket, several changes of clothes, a pillow, a few diapers, creams and lotions and a doll she left here.

What do I do with her things? Do I keep them as "payment" or am I required to give them back even though she does owe me money. My contract CLEARLY states that parents are given 2 weeks per year for vacation and that if a 2 week notice is not given tuition is STILL due.

I am wondering if she ever got my email? She is acting like she never got it. Should I just text her what you stated above cheerfuldom???

I'm sorry you are going through all of this! I would stick to terminating this family as of now as well. Just a heads up though and maybe it's different in the States but here in Canada it is illegal to with hold someone's personal property even if they owe you money. If the law is the same there you could get in a lot of trouble not returning her stuff even if she hasn't paid you yet. Honestly I get why you would want to do it but I wouldn't want you to get in trouble either. Hope to hear how everything turns out. Good luck.

[daycarediva]

I would email her first, with a copy of her contract attached, as well as an invoice with tuition fees due. THEN I would call her (if you can have something written in front of you to highlight your points, that helps me) and be clear. No notice, no payment and her services are terminated BUT she still owes you a balance of ***. You would be available at X time to accept payment in full and return dcg's belongings.

[countrymom]

be prepared for her to tell you that she didn't recieve and termination letter or any emails. But if it shows on your end that it was delivered then you have proof. Stand strong, no communication on moms part was wrong. I wonder if they found someone else.

[SunshineMama]

When a dck leaves and it feels like a vacation, and there is peace in the world, it's time to permanently say goodbye

[Blackcat31]

I am pretty sure you can't keep her belongings as hostage for payment of in place of payment.

I would send her an e-mail though stating that she (and only she or dad) can pick up child's belongings and that you will not release them to anyone else.

That way, she HAS to face you and thus more apt to pay up. Usually when someone owes money, they will try and send someone else ot pick up the child's things so they don't have to see you face to face and explain the non-payment.

I do think you should stand by your term notice as it sounds like this little one was not a good fit for your program but I also think it kind of sounds like the DCM was maybe not understanding or mis-reading. Which I guess is still her responsibility to ask if she wasn't sure about policies.

I also have a hard time with people who don't communicate or notify me of plans to be absent. That is super rude and very disresepctful IMO.

[DaisyMamma]

Maybe I should also MAIL her the termination notice along with her invoice and a highlighted copy of the contract? It would maybe get there before Monday if I mail it tomorrow morning!

Yes, mail it certified.

[MarinaVanessa]

Some people don't check or use their email regularly so it may be possible that your DCM still hasn't read the termination letter you sent her but this doesn't mean that it makes it invalid. Here's what I recommend.

Send her another notice but to BOTH her email and home address.

Say that you received her voice message on [date] which stated that her child would be dropped off for child care the week of [dates]. Then that on [date] you sent her a termination notice to her email address and type in her email address. Attach a copy of that notice at the bottom of your email to her and print out a copy and send it along with yout notice.

Mention the dates that you were notified that the child would not be attending DC [quote the amount she said] and the number of days that the child has missed with no further communication. Mention any other emails, ohone calls or texts in your part that you've made in an attemp to contact her.

Quote your policies
-* policy about any days that they take off are paid.
-* policy about how many days they can take off and how much time in advance they have to give notice they have to give in order to not pay for thses days.
[note* if your contract says one thing and your handbook says another I'd fix this right away. Because it contradicts itself you would probably need to enforce the 2 week vacation time instead of 1 week].
-* policy about non-communication or non-attendance if you have one.
-* payment due date
-* late payment fee policy
-* any other policies that are relative

In this case I'd reiterate the reasons why you termed (because the child did not attend daycare for a period longer than which you were notified and DCM didn't bother to communicate with you). Mention that as per her contract payment for these days are still required. Give DCM her child care balance as of today [amount] plus late fees of [amount] bringing her total to [amount]. And give her a deadline of like a week or two to pay the daycare fees and waive the late fees. You may want to offer her the option that id she pays the full amount by [date] no later than [time] the late payment fees will be waived. Mention what will happen if you don't receive payment by that date (aditional late fees incurred, take her to small claims, report to vredit agency etc.).

I would also address te belongings that you have and give her a deadline to pick those up ... usually 2 weeks. If picked up after that they will be considered a donation and that you'll be free to use or dispose of them at your discretion.

It's a good rule to send any notices to clients that you are not personally delivering through certified mail as well if you're emailing them.