My Weekly Poll! Are You Off/Closed Tomorrow For President's Day?

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

9 here today and it's going great! happyface I've even managed to keep my 2 "rowdy kids" from being too rowdy.

Feel better sick ladies! Drink some hot tea, sit in a chair, and observe children playing. ::

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

How do you tell them that? It's just in your contract? Drives me nuts with my 2 teachers. I don't mind sometimes because I know that everyone likes a "mommy day", but every single time. This happens to be my last family that I actually give free days to, so she can't even say well I'm paying for it might as well use it speal. She said that she had some paperwork to do at work, but I don't buy it. Her school is 45 minutes away one way, so I doubt that she's going in for just a little bit. Not to mention he was here at regular time this morning and he'll be picked up at regular time too. Last week she said she needed a "mommy day". UGH!

Let her know that you'll drop off your child to her this Saturday for your "mommy day."

[mema]

I'm open....down to 2 and hoping their mom keeps up the tract she was on last week of picking up 45 minutes early!

[lovemykidstoo]

Let her know that you'll drop off your child to her this Saturday for your "mommy day."

Bwahaha! Love it!!! I would love to tell her that!! This particular family is something else. Not to mention I have her 2 kids (1 a SA'er) 2 days a week in the summer so she can have "mommy time". Poor little teacher UGH!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Bwahaha! Love it!!! I would love to tell her that!! This particular family is something else. Not to mention I have her 2 kids (1 a SA'er) 2 days a week in the summer so she can have "mommy time". Poor little teacher UGH!

I'd ask her how much she charges for baby-sitting so you can have a mommy day on the weekend. I would ask with a smile on my face as serious as I could. ::
Or, I would tell her you can start bartering "mommy days" with her on her days off of work. She uses you for a day for relaxation and you get to do the same. Bet she wouldn't do that anymore.

[lovemykidstoo]

I'd ask her how much she charges for baby-sitting so you can have a mommy day on the weekend. I would ask with a smile on my face as serious as I could. ::
Or, I would tell her you can start bartering "mommy days" with her on her days off of work. She uses you for a day for relaxation and you get to do the same. Bet she wouldn't do that anymore.

I should do that Cracks me up! I don't know why it bothers me so much because I'm getting paid, but it just does. Maybe because it just feels like so many of these parents are so quick to get rid of their kids all the time. Between here and grandparents, I don't think they go a whole day without someone wiping their rears. This particular family picks up at 4:30 and he's in bed by 7:30, grandma brings him in the morning etc.

[Blackcat31]

How do you tell them that? It's just in your contract? Drives me nuts with my 2 teachers. I don't mind sometimes because I know that everyone likes a "mommy day", but every single time. This happens to be my last family that I actually give free days to, so she can't even say well I'm paying for it might as well use it speal. She said that she had some paperwork to do at work, but I don't buy it. Her school is 45 minutes away one way, so I doubt that she's going in for just a little bit. Not to mention he was here at regular time this morning and he'll be picked up at regular time too. Last week she said she needed a "mommy day". UGH!

Yeah it is in my contract and something I discuss with them during the interveiw.

I just tell them that working with teacher's schedules is rough sometimes and during any scheduled school holidays, I will not be available to provide care for them.

Like any other working mom/dad, they can take a day off and bring their child if they want to but not when school is scheduled to be closed.

Just curious, what is your policy for summers when it comes to teachers?

[DCMom]

I am open and I have a houseful! I'm surprised to read how many of you have a light day; all my parents have to work.

Schools are closed ~ I have a group of kindergarteners who split up at the end of the summer; some had siblings and stayed here, others were the youngest and aged out. They have all been here since they were babies and this is the first time they have all been back together since August.

They are having a blast seeing each other again ~ all in all a good day! But I'm glad it's only one...

[lovemykidstoo]

Yeah it is in my contract and something I discuss with them during the interveiw.

I just tell them that working with teacher's schedules is rough sometimes and during any scheduled school holidays, I will not be available to provide care for them.

Like any other working mom/dad, they can take a day off and bring their child if they want to but not when school is scheduled to be closed.

Just curious, what is your policy for summers when it comes to teachers?

So do they still pay for those days if they dont' come on scheduled days off of school?

Normally I have let them choose for summer because I had SA's that needed the space so it worked out for me. My one family with twins normally come 3 days and in the past summers they would only come 1. The other family that has 1 here 4 days a week normally has both of their kids come 2 days a week in the summer, so really the same income. This year though I don't have any of my past kids coming back for summer only so I'm telling them that they need to either pay or come 1/2 the time. Really my other teacher that brings the twins sometimes doesn't bother me as much as this particular family because this particular family just doesn't seem to do much with their kids and that makes me feel bad for them. I guess after thinking about it, it's not that I mind having them, just that I wish they had more time with mom and dad.

[MNMum]

I added it to my holiday list this year so I'm off.happyface

We usually go on vacation about this time of year and our anniversary is on the 19th, so it's a busy time of year for me. We were in San Diego last week, got home at 4am on Sunday, and I still haven't adjusted to our unexpected late night flying. So glad I am off today!

[Blackcat31]

So do they still pay for those days if they dont' come on scheduled days off of school?

Normally I have let them choose for summer because I had SA's that needed the space so it worked out for me. My one family with twins normally come 3 days and in the past summers they would only come 1. The other family that has 1 here 4 days a week normally has both of their kids come 2 days a week in the summer, so really the same income. This year though I don't have any of my past kids coming back for summer only so I'm telling them that they need to either pay or come 1/2 the time. Really my other teacher that brings the twins sometimes doesn't bother me as much as this particular family because this particular family just doesn't seem to do much with their kids and that makes me feel bad for them. I guess after thinking about it, it's not that I mind having them, just that I wish they had more time with mom and dad.

The rates I charge each family are really individualized but everyone pays 52 weeks a year. Their rates are dependent on what hours and days they need.

Teacher families pay their same rate through summer (even if they stay home all summer). I don't take SA'ers anymore so I don't have them available to fill the empty summer spaces.

It might not always seem fair but if I KNOW someone's off because of their work/school schedule (college student, bank employee, teacher) I really push them to not attend on those days.

I guess I don't have black and white rules as every family is different even if they work at the same place.

I just really stress to parents that I am a child care provider who provides care when parents work. If they want to take a day off and still bring their kids, I really don't care but for some reason when I know they don't have to work, that bothers me so I just highly discourage it.

I think if teachers (or college students or bank employees etc) want to have a day without their kids, it should be a day they take off of work not just a day they got off of work....kwim?

That doesn't even make a lot of sense but so far in 5 years, it has worked out pretty good for me so....

HTH

[lovemykidstoo]

The rates I charge each family are really individualized but everyone pays 52 weeks a year. Their rates are dependent on what hours and days they need.

Teacher families pay their same rate through summer (even if they stay home all summer). I don't take SA'ers anymore so I don't have them available to fill the empty summer spaces.

It might not always seem fair but if I KNOW someone's off because of their work/school schedule (college student, bank employee, teacher) I really push them to not attend on those days.

I guess I don't have black and white rules as every family is different even if they work at the same place.

I just really stress to parents that I am a child care provider who provides care when parents work. If they want to take a day off and still bring their kids, I really don't care but for some reason when I know they don't have to work, that bothers me so I just highly discourage it.

I think if teachers (or college students or bank employees etc) want to have a day without their kids, it should be a day they take off of work not just a day they got off of work....kwim?

That doesn't even make a lot of sense but so far in 5 years, it has worked out pretty good for me so....

HTH

It definately makes sense. I'm right there with ya. I think if I get a teacher again, I definately have to rework it. I don't think it's fair that I get shorted money in the summer because of their job. This will likely be the last summer with my one teacher family though because the twins are almost 4 now and will be going to school in the fall of 2014. The remaining teacher I will have the same income per week because I will have her SA son along with the 2 yr old, so like I said before instead of having the 2 yr old 4 days a week, I will have them both 2 days, so same pay. So, that is not bad.

So you say you charge them the same 52 weeks a year. Is it full price or do you figure out how much they would pay for school year and divide it out for 52 weeks? Do they still come in the summer then?

[Blackcat31]

So you say you charge them the same 52 weeks a year. Is it full price or do you figure out how much they would pay for school year and divide it out for 52 weeks? Do they still come in the summer then?

I charge them the same weekly rate in the summer as I do during the school year. Some come and some don't. I think it depends on the family.

I had one last year that goes out of town for the summer months and she asked if I would be willing to discount her summer care and what I did was take what it would cost her all summer ...something like $1700 and said if she paid me $1100 all at once before leaving or $450 on or before the 1st of each month I would be fine with that. I didn't mind being out a bit of money as it was worth not having that extra kid here every day. (especially because they had just turned 2)

I have also given a teacher mom who had a baby (under age 12 months) a break in the summer too and only charged her 50% rates all summer if she agreed to keep him home all summer. NOT having a baby in the summer makes the days so much easier for me that it is totally worth the loss in income.

So I guess for me, each summer is different and I am always quick to let my families who work seasonally know that what worked for me one summer may not always work for me the next so if they just plan to pay like normal, things will be fine.

If I am in the position to do anything "special" for them, they will be the first to know.

[lovemykidstoo]

I charge them the same weekly rate in the summer as I do during the school year. Some come and some don't. I think it depends on the family.

I had one last year that goes out of town for the summer months and she asked if I would be willing to discount her summer care and what I did was take what it would cost her all summer ...something like $1700 and said if she paid me $1100 all at once before leaving or $450 on or before the 1st of each month I would be fine with that. I didn't mind being out a bit of money as it was worth not having that extra kid here every day. (especially because they had just turned 2)

I have also given a teacher mom who had a baby (under age 12 months) a break in the summer too and only charged her 50% rates all summer if she agreed to keep him home all summer. NOT having a baby in the summer makes the days so much easier for me that it is totally worth the loss in income.

So I guess for me, each summer is different and I am always quick to let my families who work seasonally know that what worked for me one summer may not always work for me the next so if they just plan to pay like normal, things will be fine.

If I am in the position to do anything "special" for them, they will be the first to know.

This basically sounds like how I've been doing it. As long as I can fill the spot with a SA'r sibling then I wasn't worried about it. I wasn't going to charge my teachers full rate and basically get double income by filling their spot in the summer. That's not how I roll either. But, now I can't fill the spots, so really only the one family will be shorting me $110 a week, but if it gives me a little bit of a break then oh well. It's really not that long because the teacher I have works 1/2 of June and goes back the 2nd week in August and I have 2 weeks off in between. Oh yea, plus I have a baby starting in July (sibling of current dcb).