Holding a spot for a new sibling

[Unregistered]

Mom won't need care until april 2015. How would you handle holding the spot. It's almost a year away. I was going to fill my last 2 spots this fall with 2 infants and have my assistant full time, but then I would need to let one go in the spring to make room for this new baby OR leave one spit open for the new baby. If I don't make room for new baby I risk losing my biggest paycheck.

What would you do?

[Shell]

I was just recently in this situation, was holding the spot and losing income, just for dcm to take a new job and pull both kids. My advice is enroll the kids you have lined up to fill your open spots now. A lot can change in that much time!

[TickleMonster]

I am in that situation now. Our longest standing client is finally pregnant with her second child. She loves us and says she cannot wait to bring the new baby here as well but that wont be happening until Decemeber or so. I told her that we have filled all our spots for now and when the time comes we will work something out. DO NOT hold that spot for a year! I did that once before and got burned because mom decided after baby was born that she would rather have gma watch him. Unless she is willing to pay a substanicial fee to hold the spot for that long, fill the spots now. alot can happen in that amount of time and its not worth the loss of income now.

[Shell]

Double post

[Blackcat31]

I don't hold spaces. If they are open and available then they need to pay for it or I will fill it with someone else. ESPECIALLY infants since infant care is SUPER hard to find here.

I totally understand wanting to work with a current client and I would try to find a compromise but NOT one that saves the family money by taking money from my budget....kwim?

[Soccermom]

I have done this in the past and always regretted it. I end up getting tons of calls for older kids who are much easier to handle and have to decline taking them because I have already promised a spot for a baby to a current DCF.

I am not a fan of taking in babies really, especially when older siblings are in care. They tend to cling to the baby, try to take charge and drive me crazy LOL

[butterfly]

I don't hold spaces. If they are open and available then they need to pay for it or I will fill it with someone else. ESPECIALLY infants since infant care is SUPER hard to find here.

I totally understand wanting to work with a current client and I would try to find a compromise but NOT one that saves the family money by taking money from my budget....kwim?

I suggest offering this spot to the family that wants it, but requiring them to pay for it starting now to hold it for them. Unless you feel like you can fill it with a temp. child or drop in care. I do well with drop in care in my area, so I personally would hold the spot (without fee) and fill in with drop in care until the baby starts.