Parent's Maternity Leave

[Unregistered]

I currently care for a 14 month old full time. His mom is due in Sept. She will be taking maternity leave when the new baby comes. With her 1st child she took 12 weeks.
My questions are what would you do in these situations:
A- She pulls 14 month old out when on maternity leave - would you still charge her full price or give a discount
B- 14 month old stays while on maternity leave would you still charge full price or give the new discounted rate that she will be getting when the 2nd baby starts
C- If you give a discount for siblings - how much is it usually?
D- Me and his mom have a pretty open and honest relationship . When do you usually ask moms to tell you their plan regarding any maternity leave and care changes and infant care? She hasn't actually told me that the baby would be attending my daycare I just assume it would.

Thanks
MNM

[WDW]

I would charge full time for the spot, even if 14 mo doesn't come. The new discounted rate is happening because of the 2nd child, correct? So then I would start that the day the 2nd child starts.

[Blackcat31]

I charge by the spot not by attendance.

If the mom wants her child's space saved, she needs to pay for it. Also the minute an infant space becomes available, it also needs to be paid for or it is given to the next interested family.

I can NOT afford to hold spaces or keep them open until a family decided to or needs to use them.

I have bills to pay and financial obligations that do not care who is on maternity leave or who wants to stay home for a few weeks.

[grandmom]

Learn this lesson from those of us who learned it the hard way. Before I charged full time for materntiy, I had THREE moms on leave at the same time, for three months.

Charge full-time for the 14 month old even if she/he doesn't come. It's not your fault or problem that they had a second child. Use it as a selling tool. Oh, and Jenny, your child will still want to come to school every day. It gives her a chance to stay in contact with me and with her friends. And it gives you a great opportunity to bond with your second child.

I do offer a discount for the oldest child, minimal, but the parents like to hear they are getting a discount.

[Meyou]

I charge by the spot not by attendance.

If the mom wants her child's space saved, she needs to pay for it. Also the minute an infant space becomes available, it also needs to be paid for or it is given to the next interested family.

I can NOT afford to hold spaces or keep them open until a family decided to or needs to use them.

I have bills to pay and financial obligations that do not care who is on maternity leave or who wants to stay home for a few weeks.

This. I will let the family go down to 3 days per week (my minimum) for the mat leave but they have to pay to keep their spot. I have a past client who didn't listen to my policy and chose to pull her child. Now she's been waiting for spots to come back for well over a year.

[wahmof3]

PLEASE PLEASE CHARGE SOMETHING TO HOLD THAT SPOT!!

I did not and lost well over $1000 bc a parent went on maternity leave only to come back and try to haggle rate for 2 kids when I am already giving a discount!

I am STILL WAITING for a signed contract!

and top it off.... schools were closed today due to weather so I am waiting for DCM to text and ask for a reduced rate (even though I don't reduce for holidays and inclement weather days). I know she is probably having a fit that she is paying full rate this week for 2 days of care.

DO NOT let yourself get caught up in situations like this! It absolutely makes my stomach hurt.