DCM called out other DCM??? What to do

[daycare]

UGH.... I did something dumb and decided to throw it out to the parents to stay open on memorial day but they had to sign up by a certain date or you cant attend.

Most of my families are working professionals that have it off and then I have a few in the service industry that don't.

Well only one family signs up. Just so happens that this family works with one of my other families, who said that their company is closed that day.

Well at pick up yesterday, dcm calls out the other dcm saying why did you sign up for your child to come to care on Monday? We have it off..........

Uh oh.............So now those two are in a heated discussion at my front door. I stay out of it, and try to just get them to leave.

Normally I will say I will stay open if I have 3 or more families sign up, but did not say that this time.

So now what??? Should I still tell dcf that signed up that I am not going to open even though I did not set a limit of families needed to stay open??

THis is a family that always gives me a hard time, so everything is a battle when it does not go their way.....ugh

would you open for that one family or say sorry, we are going to close....

[NeedaVaca]

I would just tell them sorry but you didn't get enough families to sign up. If she gives you a hard time I would just put it back on her. You have the day off, don't you want to spend it with your family?

Personally I look forward to my holidays so much I would never work on one. The stretch between the Christmas holidays to this one is soooo long, I need the break

[butterfly]

If you had not heard this arguement, would you have still been open for them?

If I offered to be open, I'd feel that I'd have to be open. Yes, I'd be resentful, but that would have been my own doing by offering to be open.

You could just flat out ask that family if they really need you since they were the only ones that signed up - I wouldn't bring up them not working though. Maybe they could make other arrangments.

[mom2many]

I would just tell them sorry but you didn't get enough families to sign up. If she gives you a hard time I would just put it back on her. You have the day off, don't you want to spend it with your family?

[sharlan]

I would close. It's a FEDERAL HOLIDAY and I close whether or not the parent is off.

[lolaland]

I would be very resentful if I had to stay open for just one kid and that kid's family has the day off in her job!!!! So my answer is close and have a very honest conversation with the mother explaining - that you usually stay open only for a minimum of 3 kids, and although you forgot to mention that this time, you don't feel it's fair to stay open only for her child specially after knowing the mother will be off work. If she gets mad so be it!!!!

If I had a mother not a bit uncomfortable about making me work a holiday to only take care of her child while mother is not working.... I would not feel a bit uncomfortable either to let her know “I will not stay opens for only your child”!!!!

[Blackcat31]

UGH.... I did something dumb and decided to throw it out to the parents to stay open on memorial day but they had to sign up by a certain date or you cant attend.

If this was the only requirement, then the family that signed on did as asked and I would personally just do as I had offered.

In the future though, I would make sure I stated that I would stay open ONLY if a minimum number of families signed on.

I think if you try and say you don't want to stay open now because there aren't enough families, I would (as a parent) be upset that you didn't say that from the beginning.

As for the argument the two DCM's had..... why is it any of the first DCM's business why the other DCM signed her kids up for a day there is no work?

Maybe the second DCM that signed up wants to take care of some other things not work related.

That was really rude of the DCM to confront the other one like she did. :confused:

[itlw8]

close and in the future if you need to do something silly like that they MUST be required to work ( BOTH PARENTS)

[daycare]

If you had not heard this arguement, would you have still been open for them?

If I offered to be open, I'd feel that I'd have to be open. Yes, I'd be resentful, but that would have been my own doing by offering to be open.

You could just flat out ask that family if they really need you since they were the only ones that signed up - I wouldn't bring up them not working though. Maybe they could make other arrangments.

If I offered to be open, I'd feel that I'd have to be open. Yes, I'd be resentful, but that would have been my own doing by offering to be open.

this is how I feel....ugggh

[littlemissmuffet]

UGH.... I did something dumb and decided to throw it out to the parents to stay open on memorial day but they had to sign up by a certain date or you cant attend.

Most of my families are working professionals that have it off and then I have a few in the service industry that don't.

Well only one family signs up. Just so happens that this family works with one of my other families, who said that their company is closed that day.

Well at pick up yesterday, dcm calls out the other dcm saying why did you sign up for your child to come to care on Monday? We have it off..........

Uh oh.............So now those two are in a heated discussion at my front door. I stay out of it, and try to just get them to leave.

Normally I will say I will stay open if I have 3 or more families sign up, but did not say that this time.

So now what??? Should I still tell dcf that signed up that I am not going to open even though I did not set a limit of families needed to stay open??

THis is a family that always gives me a hard time, so everything is a battle when it does not go their way.....ugh

would you open for that one family or say sorry, we are going to close....

I never ever stay open for statutory holidays - I am closed and paid for ALL OF THEM, even minor ones.

I do not close Christmas week - but I do close for Christmas eve, Christmas day, Boxing day and New Years day (all paid). Most of my families every year do take the entire week off - so I tell my families that I am only open on the "other" days of the Christmas week to parents who are actually going to work - I am not open to parents who need to prep for or clean up after the holidays, etc.

In the future, if you choose to stay open on a holiday or a day you normally wouldn't be open, I would specify and make very clear that the option is available STRICTLY for parents going to work.

In the current case, I would say to mom "Jane, I was giving the option to be open Monday for working parents only. I didn't specify this, but I assumed parents would understand that I wouldn't give one of my holidays up simply so a parent could spend their day without their own child. Because you are the only one who signed up and you're not going to work, I have decided to close and spend the day with my family instead. Thanks"

[Leigh]

I don't know enough about the situation to say what I would do. Did DCM that signed up LIE TO YOU about having to work? If that were the case, I would simply term her and not worry about Memorial Day. I make it clear to parents that I am not going to tolerate being lied to: not about sick kids, days off, nothing. I am happy to take your child during your contracted hours whether you are at work, at the museum, or on the golf course. It doesn't matter to me if you play hooky. If you lie to me and I find out, you're out the door. To me, this business is about trust, and if we can't trust one another, it's over.

Right now, it's up to YOU whether you want to take this family on the holiday or not. Be honest with mom either way-just tell her that you didn't get enough families to sign up to make it worth it to you, or tell her that you've decided to take her child even though she doesn't work. In my opinion, the mom that signed up is stealing YOUR holiday from you by asking you to work on a day that she doesn't.

[daycare]

If this was the only requirement, then the family that signed on did as asked and I would personally just do as I had offered.

In the future though, I would make sure I stated that I would stay open ONLY if a minimum number of families signed on.

I think if you try and say you don't want to stay open now because there aren't enough families, I would (as a parent) be upset that you didn't say that from the beginning.

As for the argument the two DCM's had..... why is it any of the first DCM's business why the other DCM signed her kids up for a day there is no work?

Maybe the second DCM that signed up wants to take care of some other things not work related.

That was really rude of the DCM to confront the other one like she did. :confused:

Im pretty sure the mom that called her out did it, because she is tired of her always trying to take advantage of me. DCM that signed up is very verbal and I am sure they talk at work.

From what I can tell, they are fake friends.......

NOrmally, when I offer to open on any given holiday, I always state that there is a minimum.... THis time I just plum scott forgot

[DaisyMamma]

I think the question is what would you have done if you didn't hear the discussion?

It sounds like you offered it without strings attached so you'll have to stick with it.
Hopefully DCM feels bad that she's making you work when she is off. But I doubt she will, since you offered.

Just curious why you offer holidays? Do you not have paid holidays?

[daycare]

I don't know enough about the situation to say what I would do. Did DCM that signed up LIE TO YOU about having to work? If that were the case, I would simply term her and not worry about Memorial Day. I make it clear to parents that I am not going to tolerate being lied to: not about sick kids, days off, nothing. I am happy to take your child during your contracted hours whether you are at work, at the museum, or on the golf course. It doesn't matter to me if you play hooky. If you lie to me and I find out, you're out the door. To me, this business is about trust, and if we can't trust one another, it's over.

Right now, it's up to YOU whether you want to take this family on the holiday or not. Be honest with mom either way-just tell her that you didn't get enough families to sign up to make it worth it to you, or tell her that you've decided to take her child even though she doesn't work. In my opinion, the mom that signed up is stealing YOUR holiday from you by asking you to work on a day that she doesn't.

the mom that signed up did not say anything about what she is doing. She simply signed up her kids.

The funny part is that the ones that it was intended for that work in the service indy did not sign up and instead said please take the day off, I will send to grannies house...

I guess I should let this family know right now that we are not open.

As BC said, I don't care why they needed to sign up, she may need to run errands or have plans to go into work....

UGH I hate myself when I do stuff like this...

Why do I have to always worry so much.....

[daycare]

I think the question is what would you have done if you didn't hear the discussion?

It sounds like you offered it without strings attached so you'll have to stick with it.
Hopefully DCM feels bad that she's making you work when she is off. But I doubt she will, since you offered.

Just curious why you offer holidays? Do you not have paid holidays?

ok so why did I offer it....simple Im dumb...

I offered it because I will be closed the following Monday and I felt guilty about having to close so many days. I always work, so it seems and it was no big deal to me. I also did it trying to help those that work in the service indy to still be able to work. I know, it's not my problem, but it is what it is....... I need to stop caring so much about my families that are single moms or don't have holidays off...I guess because I have been there my heart hurts for them and I am a ****er


I do have paid holidays off.