Really Need Advice!!

[Provider_Manda]

Ok I have family through county that is 3 children. Of course when they stay full time it makes for a nice pay check. Well around the second week of June their car broke down, it took over 3 weeks for them to get it fixed and last week the day they was suppose to return they didn't show up said they was sick, schedule them for Friday no phone call, I get an email after 11 saying that she is sick. I am really at my wits ends

I have used absent days, to try and get some sort of payment. I have people interested in spots, but I don't have a "backbone" to tell her not to come back. I feel bad b/c I know her family very well, and I don't want to kick them out when they are down on their luck..But she has lied to me a numerous times before so I don't really know what the truth is anymore. Any advice would be great!! Please

[Blackcat31]

Why not just be honest? Let them know you would love to continue helping them out and being supportive by "holding" their space without pay, but financially you are simply no longer able to continue doing so. Let them know they need to begin attending (or paying out of pocket) as of July xx, 2013 or their space will be forfeited and filled.

That way the ball is in their court and they can choose whether to pay you, attend or leave.

You won't be the bad guy in the situation and the ultimate decision as far as what they are going to do will be on them.

Bless your heart for trying to be patient and understanding but you can't allow yourself to take the financial loss because of someone else....kwim?

[Provider_Manda]

Yes I kwym..the only thing is we are not allowed to charge county assistance. So I guess I could just tell her that once her absent days are up then care will be termed?? I just hate this!!

[Blackcat31]

Ugh, the fact that you can't charge county assisted families for their extended absences is tough.

Makes it so a family has guaranteed child care despite the provider NOT getting a consistent income if the family is not a regular attendee....

I would definitely tell them that once their allotted absent days are up, the care will be terminated as you cannot continue to **** up the loss financially.

It is NOT fair at all to you.

[My3cents]

Yes I kwym..the only thing is we are not allowed to charge county assistance. So I guess I could just tell her that once her absent days are up then care will be termed?? I just hate this!!

I make it known up front that if they are on any type of assistance and that program won't pay they are responsible to pay. I am not in this business to help others out I am in this to make money to help my family out.

Kick side of it is if they are on assistance, they can't pay childcare anyway so it is in my best interest to stay clear of these clients.

I would just tell them that you need to have a reliable weekly income and unless they want to keep the spot paid for every week then your going to have to find someone else for that spot. Be honest and be professional from a business point.

Best-

[DaisyMamma]

Why not just be honest? Let them know you would love to continue helping them out and being supportive by "holding" their space without pay, but financially you are simply no longer able to continue doing so. Let them know they need to begin attending (or paying out of pocket) as of July xx, 2013 or their space will be forfeited and filled.

That way the ball is in their court and they can choose whether to pay you, attend or leave.

You won't be the bad guy in the situation and the ultimate decision as far as what they are going to do will be on them.

Bless your heart for trying to be patient and understanding but you can't allow yourself to take the financial loss because of someone else....kwim?

Blackcat is right. If county doesn't cover it then they have to. That's the way I would do it too.

[Patches]

Ugh, the fact that you can't charge county assisted families for their extended absences is tough.

Makes it so a family has guaranteed child care despite the provider NOT getting a consistent income if the family is not a regular attendee....

I would definitely tell them that once their allotted absent days are up, the care will be terminated as you cannot continue to **** up the loss financially.

It is NOT fair at all to you.

this is what I would do.
Not to hijack, but this is exactly why I do not take state subsidy. As I understand it, it's not worth it at all. They pay a lot less then I charge. I cannot charge them the difference. They don't pay when the child does not attend (or is here for less than 4 hours and 1 minute). I cannot charge for those days. I'm pretty sure the only time you can charge is when they forget to swipe in or out and don't backswipe within 10 days. But once again that's only IF they were there that day

[itlw8]

the car broke down the 2nd week or June so they did not need childcare???? meaning they did not go to work...... no way they still have that job.

fill the spot.

[daycare]

yeah that was my thought......so if your car breaks down does that mean that they stopped going to work too? I don't want to assume, but if they went to work, that would mean they need childcare and since she is home with the kids, that means she is not working....Jobs don't hold spots right....

Let them go and fill the spots...that is a lot of spots to hold for a long time......

As BC said on here, you need to let them know there is no way that you can continue to help them out. YOu can't help others if you can't help yourself first...

[momofboys]

Ugh, the fact that you can't charge county assisted families for their extended absences is tough.

Makes it so a family has guaranteed child care despite the provider NOT getting a consistent income if the family is not a regular attendee....

I would definitely tell them that once their allotted absent days are up, the care will be terminated as you cannot continue to **** up the loss financially.

It is NOT fair at all to you.

[blandino]

this is what I would do.
Not to hijack, but this is exactly why I do not take state subsidy. As I understand it, it's not worth it at all. They pay a lot less then I charge. I cannot charge them the difference. They don't pay when the child does not attend (or is here for less than 4 hours and 1 minute). I cannot charge for those days. I'm pretty sure the only time you can charge is when they forget to swipe in or out and don't backswipe within 10 days. But once again that's only IF they were there that day

That is exactly it. And exactly why we don't take subsidy either. The reimbursement rate is 44% of what you and I charge, and that is only IF you get reimbursed.

Other states will allow the family to pick up the remaining balance after subsidy payments, which makes sense to me, but not in OK.

[Cradle2crayons]

That is exactly it. And exactly why we don't take subsidy either. The reimbursement rate is 44% of what you and I charge, and that is only IF you get reimbursed.

Other states will allow the family to pick up the remaining balance after subsidy payments, which makes sense to me, but not in OK.

The only reason I do take subsidy is because I can get the remainder from the parents. Because here, they only pay like $40 a week per child and I can't even FEED them with that amount. S the parents end up paying more than e state although its still less than if they weren't on subsidy.

[HappyPennie]

Ugh, the fact that you can't charge county assisted families for their extended absences is tough.

Makes it so a family has guaranteed child care despite the provider NOT getting a consistent income if the family is not a regular attendee....

I would definitely tell them that once their allotted absent days are up, the care will be terminated as you cannot continue to **** up the loss financially.

It is NOT fair at all to you.

I agree with Black cat. I was recently in a similar situation where a family I had was making ends meat. When she signed I gave her a break and made an arrangement for payment with her because I want to help people out. Then she backed out of the agreement and I came up with a new one to make it easier for her...well a day later all of a sudden that wasn't going to work either so I told her half due on the first pay date and the other half is due with next payment. She agreed and then 2 days later told me there was no way she could get me half on the due date and wanted me to wait until her next pay date to get paid...that would have been a whole month! I was so angry...I had made arrangement after arrangement and she just kept giving me the run around. I was fed up. I told her after giving it some thought I need to stick with our arrangement of half now and half later. I apologized to her that I couldn't work with her anymore on payment but this is my sole source of income. My paycheck isn't any more negotiable than hers would be and I told her that. I said if I didn't receive payment I could no longer take her child. That was very hard for me to do...I normally bend over backwards to avoid confrontation but my family depends on my income and so does my daycare. It's hard to do but you have to stand up for yourself and your business. Sorry for the long story by the way. Good luck!

[Meeko]

I would not take subsidy if I couldn't charge the parents the difference. Luckily, I am able to do so in Utah.

[Provider_Manda]

Update: She was working, she has a friend that lives with her and she is able to walk to work. So she did work the whole month.

I contacted her through email and explained to her that she had an X amount of days left in absence and after those were used she would be terminated. She showed up the next day, and they have been here on time ever since Tuesday. Not sure how it will pan out after this week but at least I will get paid for this week.

I only charge private pay $25 a day so I am not that more than assistance pays. I like taking assistance b/c with absent days I am at least insured part time payment, weekly. So for me that helps a lot.