Unhappy Parents, Are My Policies Unfair? How Would You Respond?

[grandmom]

Parents pay the same amount every single month. I take all Federal Holidays, 2 weeks vacation. If they are gone for vacation, or maternity leave, or whatever, they still pay.

But, it really depends on what is the standard in your area.

You need days off to regroup and recharge. Call other places in your area and ask them. Then do a chart to see where you fit. If it fits your plan, show the chart to your parents. If it doesn't fit your plan, rethink it. It really depends on how willing you are to loose customers. Your new customers will assume that's the way it's always been.

You could phase in the plan. My old customers' contract doesn't have as many perks for me as the new ones. Each family has a different contract.

[renodeb]

To be honest, I would balk at the 3 paid sick days. I wouldn't expect my clients to pay for your sick days. I don't think the 10 days of vacation is unreasonable, most people get a week or two weeks a year. My clients have to pay if there child is sick. It's still there spot and all. They pay me 1/2 for there vacation and they don't pay me for mine. I take all the holidays off and school holidays.
that being said, parents usually don't like change period so of course there gonna complain.

[bgmeyers]

I take 10 days paid vacation and 5 paid sick/emergency days. All holidays paid. I do take more than that for vacation, but once the 10 days have been used per family, it is unpaid.
Parents only get 5 days of unpaid vacation if they have been with me for a year and are full time clients.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I take off 16 paid days per year. Sick days are unpaid but i have yet to close...
They get 5 unpaid vacation days to use per year. Only 1/4 of my clients use this.

[Lucy]

I take 8 holidays, and 8 vacation days. In 20 years, I've been sick TWO days... and they were many, many years apart - didn't affect the same families.

The parents pay me the exact same amount every week (or month) no matter what. Holiday this week... same pay. My vacation day this week... same pay. I'm sick... same pay. Their vacation day/sick day/grandma wants the kids day... same pay. It's a tuition, so to speak. A fee for the privilege of having a permanent spot at my place of business.

As far as what you can say to answer them, I'd just say "It's just a business decision", with a little bit of a shrug. They'll have to understand that you're a business owner, and this is the new business plan - take it or leave it. Or if you want a longer explanation (totally not needed, but if you do), you could say, "After X years of doing DC, I've decided to give myself this little perk!", with kind of a smile and chuckle/giggle.

Sounds like a fine plan to me! You made a good decision!

[Play Care]

I am very surprised at the number who do not and would not charge when *they* are sick, but have parents pay for vacation.

I get 5 paid sick/personal days per year. Why? When I didn't charge for my sick time, parents would send in their sick kids so they could get work in. When I had to close because I inevitably came down with whatever plague their child had wrought, they would take the day off of work *with* pay to be home with their *healthy* child *and* not have to pay me...win, win for them, not so much for me.

I also am not comfortable having parents pay (directly) for my vacations. They are not my "boss" and I fear having paid vacations gives them the wrong ideas. I do pad my weekly tuition by $3-$5 (more for newer families), and that money is banked for vacation. I wind up making more this way that if I did charge for the three weeks of vacation I take each year. Parents think they are getting a deal and I just :::::: all the way to the bank.

I've just found that in my area that no one bats an eye for a paid sick day or personal day here and there (and I also get paid holidays). But weeks of vacation wouldn't fly. It is important to know your area and what's common.

[Patches]

I get 8 paid holidays. I do not charge for sick days or vacation. My parents do not get any "free" days. If I'm open, they pay whether they are here or not.

[rosieteddy]

In my town most providers take paid vacation.I have been a provider for 30 yrs I now have 3 weeks paid vacation ,I always tell parents by Jan for the upcoming year.I have all Holidays with pay and5 personal days.I have in my contract that there may be additional sick days (not usual,have never used them) up to 5 . All parents at interview are told this.Only one questioned .I asked how many years he worked at his company --15 how many paid weeks did he have -3 ,well I said I have 30 years and have earned my time off.They still chose to enroll. Parents pay for 52 weeks and no time is given without pay. You are being kind OP.

[Texasjeepgirl]

When you THINK you're giving a perk, they want more.

I charge full rate EVERY week. It doesn't matter if I am sick or on vacation or if the child is. They payment is the same every time. It's SO much easier, and it eliminates parents trying to negotiate my rates and policies.

Last year, I started a new family, and on day THREE, I came down with a knock-down infection. I couldn't get out of bed for 3 days, let alone care for my own child or someone else's. I credited the new family for these days, because I felt that I hadn't yet "paid my dues" with them, and because I was afraid they would pull the kids when I called out the first week (a RARE occurrence, but horrible timing). No parent will complain if you bend the rules in their favor-but charging full price every week allows me control over such situations.

If you're giving 6 kids 10 days free every year, and you charge just $25/day, that's $1500/year that you're losing. IF I were to ever do such a thing, I would build those free days into my base rate ($5+ per week more)-no way would the be truly "free".

What she said.
My PARENT HANDBOOK states
TUITION for your child is due 52 weeks per year.
Including 2 weeks vacation
and 9 holidays.
I actually do not specify for personal/vacation days...
I am ALMOST NEVER sick ... if I am.. they owe... and honestly.. no one ever questions it.

The last of her statement is my point.
If you give YOURSELF a paid vacation...but then allow all of your clients to have FREE days also.. it kind of Z's out that paid vacation doesn't it?
That policy always confused me...