It's Official

[Little Star75]

I decided to close during the summer while I take care of the citation. Today is dcb last day (last family) so I will be on break. I'm happy and sad at the same time but I don't want to accept new enrollees and have to explain my situation.
Thought I shared

[mom2many]

Enjoy your summer off! I cannot wait to have my vacation start next week and have 1 1/2 weeks off!

Hope your citation gets cleared up through the appeal process!

[Little Star75]

Enjoy your summer off! I cannot wait to have my vacation start next week and have 1 1/2 weeks off!

Hope your citation gets cleared up through the appeal process!

I hope so too . Thank you!

[Cradle2crayons]

I decided to close during the summer while I take care of the citation. Today is dcb last day (last family) so I will be on break. I'm happy and sad at the same time but I don't want to accept new enrollees and have to explain my situation.
Thought I shared

:hug: good luck and keep us updated. I'm so glad you decided to appeal. Good for you and I hope the process nets great success!!

[sharlan]

I'm sorry that a vindictive parent has caused you this problem.

It's a risk we all take.

[mama0609]

If you don't mind me asking what did you get cited for? No matter, I hope you enjoy your break this summer!!

[Lyss]

If you don't mind me asking what did you get cited for? No matter, I hope you enjoy your break this summer!!

I'm wondering this too if you feel comfortable. I know you had that upset parent making all kinds of trouble for you. So sorry! I hope it gets cleared up, good job fighting it and sticking up for yourself!

Enjoy your summer and look at the fall as a fresh start! happyface

[Unregistered]

Long story about how parents will say/do anything when unhappy

It's good you're taking a break. It'll give you some breathing room to work with this and also a fresh start.

Years ago, I had a vindictive parent. I had her kids for 2 years and constantly gave her special. There were many red flags I ignored and I got my butt handed to me because of it.

I should have seen the big red flag when the parent questioned all my paperwork especially regarding my abuse/neglect part of the contract. I explained why I needed it, why my policies were as they were, and told her if she didn't fill it out, she could not have her kids attend. She pitched a fuss but finally signed them.

A couple months in, she started questioning all my policies. Then started breaking them. She just didn't respect what I did.

A few months later, her boyfriend was abusive and so she couldn't pay me because he stole her money for the week yadayadayada. Foolishly, I felt bad and so let her pay after care provided.

Then one day somewhere in that last 6 months, she got a few hundred dollars behind and stupid me let her. I felt bad for her and her 'situation'. I also started to notice some odd behaviors with the kids.

I started to get suspicious that MORE things were going on, too with one of the children, and tried to talk to the parents about things but the bf didn't want to hear it and mom just shrugged it off as if no biggie. I drew up a termination notice because my concerns were definitely going to have me calling CPS and I had a bad feeling. I explained in the letter that #1 I was owed over $300 and that I could not even consider taking the kids back until that was paid, but #2 I felt I no longer could provide the care that would be needed. I said I'd accept the $300 that I was owed for care I had already done, and not require any payment for the notice even though the contract stated that if I had to term immediately for problems/payment issues, 2 week notice period and payment were still require, and that effective immediately, care would no longer be provided. I then proceeded to call CPS with the concerns I had and immediately let them know I had termed and was owed a balance. Thank GOD I did that!

Well, that did not go over well! The parents threatened me that if I didn't take their children the next day AND even LOWER my fees, that they would "Get my license revoked in any way they could" I told them they could do as they pleased, but I would not be taking their children again and that was too bad. Then I got an EMAIL saying the same things, but foolishly, they listed all the stuff they would "tell" on me for. I responded back in writing telling them once again they could do as they pleased, but I would NOT take their children back. The BOYFRIEND told me that he would not allow me to be paid and that I could go eff of and some other nasty things via e mail.

I ignored all that stuff. 2 days later, I'm getting a visit from CPS. They had 2 females come to my door and told me I was being investigated. The list of things that I was being accused for included: beating the daycare kids, refusing to feed them, bad business practices and even sexual abuse!!!! So I let the ladies in, and since only ONE family had been termed, I KNEW just who it was...They told me they had to interview the kids and separated the daycare kids and talked to them. I obviously didn't let them close any doors, but did let them take the school aged children out of immediate earshot.

Next thing I know, the 8yo yelps and says "What? NO, she's never touched us! She and my dad tell me that is BAD" Then the other kid who was 7yo says very loudly how I do feed them snacks and lunch every day and sometimes I burn it but that they eat it and lie and tell me how good it is. (WOW, talk about kids and their honesty).

Then they proceed to interview my own children and even checked my baby's diaper! I was like so embarassed and humiliated as nothing like this had ever happened in all the years I had done care!

After they interviewed the kids, they interviewed me. I printed all the stuff out that the former parents said in their email and it was concluded that this was retaliation.

ALL allegations were unfounded and the case closed. I ended up suing the parents for defamation, false accusations, etc. but got nothing since they had no money. But it was the PRINCIPAL of them being liars and what they had done. One of the things that helped me cinch my case were the e mails AND the proof that the parents obviously didn't really think that stuff they accused me of was going on, or else WHY threaten me BECAUSE I refused to take the children? The judge saw through their facade especially since I showed her (the judge) what date I had called CPS and given the case #. It was clearly retaliation for my terming and calling.

The NEXT part of what made this worse? that was there WAS abuse going on of the younger girl , and when THEY were investigated on based on my CPS report, it was found that the 3yo girl was being abused among many other things such as their house crawling with mice and other disgusting gross things that I didn't even know about! OBVIOUSLY CPS could see it wasn't me since it was ongoing abuse that they could see was in progress after I had termed them! About 3 months after the investigation and mom losing the kids for that time, they gave the girl back. (IDK what the requirements were, but I believe she had to be living on her own and NOT with the bf).

During this time, I got a call from a new daycare provider who was concerned about the child's well being. Apparently, the bf was back in their lives and the child was bleeding so bad from her bottom, that an ambulance was called. The DCP said she got my # off the enrollment sheet she had the mom fill out (I could NOT believe she actually listed my # after everything! I bet it was just second nature and she didn't think anyone would call me!) and wanted to know if I had any previous concerns. In some ways, due to confidentiality laws, I knew I couldn't tell her much but I let HER talk and was disheartened that the child was once again being abused by the bf among all the other things that I didn't know about until that day. She called CPS and we added that to the initial case # I had gotten from my complaint.

IDK what happened to the family after this, as the DCP stopped child care but about 6 months later, I saw mom with dck at the grocery store, so somehow she got the girl back AGAIN.

After all this happened, I noticed I wasn't getting calls. I started to look online and found this mom trashing me on the internet. She tried to ruin my reputation and my kids livelihood. I could not believe that this woman did these things to us, but worse yet, allowed her bf to abuse her OWN kid in the first place! I wish I had seen the signs/red flags before I ever took this family and maybe things would not have happened they way they did. But I was stupid and didn't know what kind of people these people really were.

CPS says that they see this ALL the time. Aside from the abuse in this one case, they said they see it all the time where a parent (usually due to payment issues) gets mad and makes false allegations against the provider. 97% of those cases are unfounded because of it. The other 3% she said are the cases that are either true or inconclusive.

Sad, right? This is why it's so important to fight when you know you're innocent and not let parents ruin you. My contracts changed A LOT after this and I even included a clause that if I found that a parent current or former filed any false accusation against me, that they would be subject to immediate termination and lawsuit. I hadn't had a problem since. But it does take time to re-build after a serious situation like this.

[Unregistered]

WOW! That is very scary!! I don't think I would be able to continue to do child care period after dealing with people like that, I would be so terrified. Those people were not smart at all! I feel very bad for that poor little girl.

[Lyss]

Sad, right? This is why it's so important to fight when you know you're innocent and not let parents ruin you. My contracts changed A LOT after this and I even included a clause that if I found that a parent current or former filed any false accusation against me, that they would be subject to immediate termination and lawsuit. I hadn't had a problem since. But it does take time to re-build after a serious situation like this.

Super sad and just shows how crazy people can be. I save copies of every email/text and log conversations even the good ones.

Hopefully OP can get hers dealt with and end up with better families when she opens back up!