What Do I Do????

[tenderhearts]

Ok maybe this is where I need to have a backbone and stick up for my contract "rules" but on the other hand I feel as though I'm ripping someone off.
Here's the situation:
I have a new client who is here wed, thur and every other friday. They pay for 3 days even on the days he's only here wed and thursday. In my contract I am closed thanksgiving and the day after and these are paid holidays if they fall on their regular scheduled days. Today she asked if it would be possible on that week to bring him monday, tuesday maybe wednesday since they are closed Thanksgiving and the day after so they are rescheduling her appointments to those other day. So here's the thing, technically she would be paying the regular pay for the closed days plus monday tuesday but she would be paying almost $60 more than normal, I know I know that's just the way it is but I feel bad and "wrong" doing that. Now she didn't say anything about not paying those days or anything so what would you do if you would make an "exception" this one time but they don't know this would you just say yes I can watch him those days this time and just see what they would pay, or would you say I can do it this time and I'll go ahead and just charge the you the same? or if they pay the full amount just accept it and not say anything? they don't seem to be the type that would take advantage of me but they are new so I dont' really know foresure.
I hate when these kinds of things come up, because I dont' like to be unfair which yes its in my contract but I just feel bad still

[DancingQueen]

I would tell her you'd be happy to take them and let her knwo what the additional rate would be in addition to your paid holidays so she knows what her check should be that week.

I wouldn't hesitate, be wishy-washy or try to over explain it.

"Sure I'd love to watch them - the additional day rate for those days will be ____ in addition to the two paid Holidays."

She is contracted for those days and she has to pay for THOSE days - any days outside of the norm would be an additional charge.

[GretasLittleFriends]

I agree 100% with what sbschildcare said.

A piece of advice I have learned the hard way is if you give them an inch (even if it's in an emergency) they may think they own you, and then from that point forward constantly ask you to do things you wouldn't normally do.

Don't let them "use" you!!!

[tymaboy]

I have mine stated that holidays are paid no matter what days they fall on. I too always have pt parents ask (at interveiw) if they have to pay if they are only here X days. I use my discretion at what I tell them. If I get the idea that a holiday could fall on one of there days then they will need to pay. If the kid comes so many hours a day then they pay what they normally pay for a day. I figure my FT parents pay for it when it falls on a Sat or Sun they can pay as well.

[Lucy]

I would love to be firm and charge her for that whole week, but I'm sure in that situation I would just shift her days to early in the week for that week. In other words, they come M/T/W for the same price as W/Th/F. I would feel better about myself, she would feel better about me, and I would be able to look her in the eye from then on without feeling like she thinks I'm just greedy.

I am on a kick of sticking to my contract more and more. And I'm getting good at it. But this is one area where I would feel perfectly comfortable just shifting the days for no extra cost. It will make for a more trusting working relationship, don't you think?

[momofsix]

In theory I agree with the above posters, but what I would actually DO would probably be different. I would probably charge for only one of the holidays, and then the other three days he actually comes.
That's probably why I haven't gotten rich yet though::

[mac60]

I had a manipulating family once. Their days were scheduled M-T-F, Whenever there was a Monday holiday, they would switch their days to T-TH-F, and I would still only get paid for 3 days, they were screwing me out of my 1 day of holiday pay for all Monday holidays. Well, I gave her a letter explaining that if she changed her days of attendance, then she would owe for 4 days......Monday (holiday pay), T-TH-F, she left 2 weeks later, which was fine, she constantly complained, manipulated, bitched because she didn't want to pay for the 2 weeks she was gone at Christmas break (I did drop one days pay from each week for her), it was always something with them. It is hard to be nice on occassion, because then they expect it.

[DCMomOf3]

I would love to be firm and charge her for that whole week, but I'm sure in that situation I would just shift her days to early in the week for that week. In other words, they come M/T/W for the same price as W/Th/F. I would feel better about myself, she would feel better about me, and I would be able to look her in the eye from then on without feeling like she thinks I'm just greedy.

I am on a kick of sticking to my contract more and more. And I'm getting good at it. But this is one area where I would feel perfectly comfortable just shifting the days for no extra cost. It will make for a more trusting working relationship, don't you think?

I get the impression that she needs to switch her hours at HER job to accomodate her own clients for that week. It doesn't sound like she is trying to milk holidays out of you, it's just that her schedule shifted. If that is right, i'd be nice and let her switch without charge.

[legomom922]

Let her switch. The only reason why I charge for holidays to begin with anyway is so that I still get paid when the holiday comes, as my bills are always the same. If I am charging them 3 days, I dont care what 3 days they are. tYou are not losing out on anything! You still get your holiday off and get paid for 3 days. Non issue as far as I'm concerned.

[tenderhearts]

Thanks everyone, I know I just would feel bad even though I know it's "contract rules", I dont' believe she's trying to milk me out of the days just happens that her job needs her days switched. I just hate when I've done this in the past and then they think they can do it every time. I told myself I was going to stick to it but then on this I just don't feel right even though it is right sheeesh. They are new to the "daycare industry" so I don't know what to make of that, they don't seem like flaky people or anything.
I've had a client for 3 years that tried switching her days to get out of paying, it really irritated me and I had no backbone so I'd say this one time, that's why I dont' want to start it up again. In the end I think I'd feel better if I just told her I'd do it this one time. thanks everyone

[tenderhearts]

Then I worry if I do it this time, what about the next holiday, she's probablly going to be closed so they'll switch her days again then she'll need to switch with me, I'm kind of with others, as long as I'm getting paid the same, I'm not out to make more than they are here for either ugh this is the part I hate about being self employed

[misol]

Just tell her that you will make a one-time exception for Thanksgiving alone and that this does not apply to any other holiday.

[katie]

When I started with my first client I handed her my policy book and unfortunately it didn't cover the Monday holidays as being paid. Before she would commit to me she asked me if I would prorate her for Memorial Day. I didn't have any other prospects so I said yes but it was for THIS time only. She didn't mention that she was also going to be gone Tuesday also until Friday afternoon. She paid me for only 3 days that week. Then, after that, any time she was out, which was always, she only felt she needed to pay me for the days she was here. From then on it became me getting mad at myself b/c I wasn't standing up for what was right. I had to go back and redo the policies and do the hard work of telling her she needed to begin paying for the Mondays off and any vacation beyond 2 weeks. It was always a fight. Your client is not losing pay but you will be working extra to avoid losing pay! I would be careful about hedging too much, but I know it's hard and you should do what you see is fair. Just know she will probably expect that from now on.

[DancingQueen]

When I have had a child for just a few days I've had another child for the days that child wasn't there. In those situations I wouldn't have been able to make the switch.
So if you really believe she isn't milking you - tell her you'll make a one time exception but can't promise this will be an option going forward?

[tenderhearts]

When they do my paperwork they put down days and hours they will be in care so I think that I'll just tell her normally I have the other spots filled and am unable to switch days but this time I do and this may not always be the case. At this point I dont' think she's trying to jew me out of anything. (yet :