Snow Closing Tomorrow, Parent Challenging Me...Advice Please?

[crazydaycarelady]

She was worried about a male sub when her child is a 12week old boy?

[Annalee]

Two parents have texted me asking if we are open tomorrow. I sent out a text to all of them stating that If my assistant is not able to make it in tomorrow, we will have to close at 11:30 in order to stay within ratios. I also said that if County Schools close, we will close for the day.

Everyone said "okay" except one parent. The same parent that kept their child home last week b/c she didn't approve of the sub I hired to help my assistant while I was at an appointment.

She is challenging me closing b/c of coverage, rather than b/c of weather. I told her my assistant can't come in b/c of the weather. All local centers are closed for this same reason, and we also need to make sure an ambulance can get here if need be. I am pretty angry about this. Last week I hired a sub, and she was pissed, now I don't have a sub come in, and she is pissed. I can't win with her.

I want to remind her that as discussed in our interview, home daycares sometimes have to close for reasons a center doesn't (me being sick, coverage etc). This is a risk you take when enrolling in a small home daycare, yes? It's also one of the reasons home daycare is 1/3 of the price of a center, yes?

What should I say to her? Other than "Here is your notice?", which isn't out off the table...

Sounds like dcm is having an "authority" problem... your dc, your rules, be non-negotiable with them...if she bucks the system and wins this time, she will continue to do so.

[TheGoodLife]

It sounds to me like she was hoping you'd agree to watch her baby while closing early for everyone else (you'd still be in ratio with just 1). Hope things work out and she realizes that her spot is not a guarantee if she keeps acting like that!

[MCC]

She was worried about a male sub when her child is a 12week old boy?

I'm not the one that had the male sub. It was a old clients nanny, who is now our cleaning lady, and is listed with licensing as my sub.

[MCC]

In the future I would not discuss your reasoning with her. Either make it your policy to close when schools are closed, or make it your policy to close at your discretion, but don't get into a debate about it.

Here in MI work doesn't shut down for anything, so I would be a little confused about why your assistant couldn't make it, too, but I know other states are not so prepared for the snow

I'm in DC, we are not very prepared for snow. They did salt the roads last night, and they're doing a pretty good job on main roads, but schools close pretty quickly for snow.


I would have preferred to not discuss my reasoning with her, but she asked, I engaged. I guess I should have just ignored the text.

[MCC]

It sounds to me like she was hoping you'd agree to watch her baby while closing early for everyone else (you'd still be in ratio with just 1). Hope things work out and she realizes that her spot is not a guarantee if she keeps acting like that!

This is exactly what she was hoping. She even asked "Is the whole DC closed, or just for my son" ::

[Maria2013]

Tell her the same sub she didn't approve of last week will be in to sub for your assistant tomorrow

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[SSWonders]

Tell her the same sub she didn't approve of last week will be in to sub for your assistant tomorrow

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[Cradle2crayons]

If it snows here they close the entire state down just to watch the snow

Ice.....well that's a different thing.

If the weather here says the "I" word or the "S" word, every supermarket would be stampeded and the governor declares a state of emergency pmsl!!!

Schools here close for everything. Tornadoes, hurricanes, ice, snow, the threat or remote possibility of any of the above. With most everyone here living so rural, there's nothing salt or a snow blower can do to get us out of the woods if the weather is bad. Not to mention our state simply doesn't keep equipment on standbye to clear roads anyway.

My driveway is 300 yards long. Right before you get to my house is a greater than 45 degree grade. All I have to say is if they can GET to my house, they are welcome to it . And this time of the year is a bad icing time of the year. It can ice and snow all it wants.... As long as on January 25th it's decent because my then barely 11 year old daughter is running her first marathon the day after her birthday and I'm dreading the cold mixed with her asthma. Here is the program she's in... I hope it's okay to put is here... If not a mod can delete it.... http://m.minimermaidrunningclub.org/#!Home|home_page

And this is the actual race she's going to run..... http://www.msracetiming.com/Hot_Chocolate.php

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I guess I am perplexed at the you are closing at 11:30. Does another family arrive then that puts you over ratio? Why wouldn't you simply tell that family they cannot come that day instead of closing?
I have 3 families that share spots (long complicated explanation, they all have 2 kids. One family needs tues and wed this year. One family dad does shift work so generally 3-4 days per week. Last family originally was around tue/ wed family and grandma takes them but with shift family now they generally get 4 days just rotates day off between the tues and wed) Now, in my brain I have a hierarchy of who gets which spots. I have the one family that I will tell sorry I can't have them on _________ this week. Do you have a plan if the assistant is sick? Do you cancel totally or take part of them? Do you refund if you close?
I guess that is what puzzles me. How would closing at 11:30 work for any of your parents? And did they all realize that was the senerio when they signed on. "If my assistant can't make it here, then I will cancel care mid day"
Not trying to "stir the pot" just a little befuddled on how that works.

[snbauser]

Some parents question everything. I would just make sure going forward that it is very clear as to when you are closed. I decided a long time ago that I wasn't dealing with parents questioning whether the roads were "good enough" or not. So I took the decision out of my hands and now tell them I follow our local school system. If they delay, I am delayed. If they close, I'm closed. If they decide it isn't safe enough to be out on the roads, I don't want parents bringing their kids out on those roads. Too many of them would do it just so they could have the day to themselves.

[cheerfuldom]

I would just make it clear that I am not explaining or justifying any rules and that every time she questions me, it damages our relationship and makes me feel that she does not trust my judgement to make business decisions. Either she can accept the rules, no negotiations or explanations needed, or she can look elsewhere for daycare, period.

[heyhun77]

2 hour later start for when it is so deep you need a snow blower??? Here they cancel school if there is 2 inches of snow The roads have to be passable for snow routes by 6 am

Not safe for buses but work does not close. unless there is 2 inches of ice or 12 inches of snow. We are very hilly here and lots of school buses.

We are hearty here in the Midwest. We almost never have late starts here for snow and by the end of winter we will have piles so tall you can't see around the corners. The kids are already loving the snow hill the plows make when they clear the school parking lot.

[Heidi]

I would just make it clear that I am not explaining or justifying any rules and that every time she questions me, it damages our relationship and makes me feel that she does not trust my judgement to make business decisions. Either she can accept the rules, no negotiations or explanations needed, or she can look elsewhere for daycare, period.

Yep..

Although, I'm one that doesn't understand a home daycare closing for snow days. If they can get here, that's their concern, not mine. I'm here anyway.

Now, in a center where you have employees that have to travel to work, it'd be different. I guess that's OP's case, because although she's a FCC, she has an assistant for ratios.

[daycarediva]

Yep..

Although, I'm one that doesn't understand a home daycare closing for snow days. If they can get here, that's their concern, not mine. I'm here anyway.

Now, in a center where you have employees that have to travel to work, it'd be different. I guess that's OP's case, because although she's a FCC, she has an assistant for ratios.

I close in a state of emergency. Simply because if there IS an emergency, it will take a LONG time to get emergency services (police/fire/ambulance) or parent pick ups in case of power outage.

op- if it's in your contract that you close when schools close, I would close (not early, just close) and leave it at that. It always goes back to contract.