Dilemma (Sorry, Long)

[Shell]

I can relate to this. I have contracts with all my families, but I didn't write one up for a family friend just because they weren't new to daycare, and we were friends, so they wouldn't take advantage, right?!
After the dcm pushed boundaries with bringing in her dcg sick, and I told her no way, she tells me I really should write up a contract and she could give me a sample one from her old center :confused:

I just assumed she knew the "rules" because she had experience with her kids attending daycare previously- our state has specific rules about fever and when to exclude.

All this to say, I can understand how this happened to you, and your kindness and understanding of their needs was above and beyond. However, as is usual with parents, when you give an inch...

I agree to refund the money (it sounds like you are going to anyway) despite the fact that it's the norm for parents to pay thru the month. It's unfortunate, but I have to agree that without a contract, there's not much else you can do. :hug:

[Thriftylady]

I endured those things because every time I would bring up those issues, dcm would go on a rant about how she can't miss work and that she paid me, so I should watch him for the days she paid me to. I got tired of hearing it, and got tired of it being implied that she was going to just not pay me if her child was sick and she had to take the day off. They already informed me earlier LAST year that they would be looking for preschool-like care when he turned two (he turned two in April of this year), so I started job hunting because of that.

I highly suggest if you ever do childcare again, you do not fall for this whole song and dance. Almost every parent throws a fit when one of us makes a child go home due to illness. But they have choices, they can continue care with us or move on. We have to remember our business, our rules.

[pandamom]

Wow, ex. Is in for a rude awakening at the CDC. I work in one. She'll pay regardless of attendance, the week before care. And the CDC has pretty strict illness policies- she'll pay even if he's out sick for a week.

Sorry that happened. ITA with other ppl. If you do this again, have a contract and stand up for your policies. DCM needed you more thN you needed her yet had the upper hand

[sharlan]

I understand where the parent is coming from.

Had she terminated care, then she would have owed for the full month.

BUT, you are the one terminating care. You are the one quitting which means that she has to find a new provider. Why should she pay when you are quitting and no longer providing care?

Why did you accept the full amount when you knew that you were quitting? I think your actions were on the dishonest side. Why are you blaming her for over paying? It's not her fault that you spent the money.

[Sugaree]

Wow, ex. Is in for a rude awakening at the CDC. I work in one. She'll pay regardless of attendance, the week before care. And the CDC has pretty strict illness policies- she'll pay even if he's out sick for a week.

Sorry that happened. ITA with other ppl. If you do this again, have a contract and stand up for your policies. DCM needed you more thN you needed her yet had the upper hand

I was going to say the same thing. My kiddo is in a CDC. I do actually pay less than $600 a month, but not by much. Here, it's on a sliding scale based on parental income. If DH ever....er, I mean....Once DH finishes nursing school and we have to consider his income then it will be way more than $600 a month. We pay a monthly fee, on the first and the 15th.

The illness policy, along with everything else, is set in stone by the Army (AR-608-10, I think). And anything that isn't covered is set by local SOPs. We had a problem last summer with the kiddo being unnecessarily excluded. This mom is in for a big surprise.

[MyAngels]

I can actually see why the OP might have thought she wouldn't have to refund. She gave notice on June 24th, prior to the family paying for the month of July. If the parents knew they would be changing care, why would they pay for the full month, only to expect the provider to issue a refund? It makes more sense that they'd prorate it.

I probably would have brought it up before cashing the check though, since I wouldn't want to spend it unless I was sure of their intentions.

Guess I'm to odd one out as usual .

[Missqjulie]

I would refund them ASAP. It ****s but they probably need that money to find other child care until their child gets accepted into what have you… Tell them you used the money to pay bills and you will give them the money slowly as you get paid.

[Thriftylady]

I am not sure that I would have accepted that check. If I knew I wasn't going to provide care the whole time, there is no way I would have accepted that payment without a discussion. I am wondering if the OP stated something along the lines of "I may not be able to provide care" or did she state "I will not be able to provide care". If it was listed as a possibility, then perhaps they figured they would have care for the month? If it was the "I know it is going to happen", I would have asked for a different check in a prorated amount.

I mean when a parent comes to me and says "I am looking for a new job and may have to change my schedule". I tell them "Well when you know for sure you will have to change it we will talk". I guess perhaps I am to much of a stickler on honesty, but I want my parents to be honest with me, and I strive to be honest with them. I do not like shades of gray. When any person ever talks about me or my business, I want them to say I was fair and honest.

[Crazy8]

I understand where the parent is coming from.

Had she terminated care, then she would have owed for the full month.

BUT, you are the one terminating care. You are the one quitting which means that she has to find a new provider. Why should she pay when you are quitting and no longer providing care?

Why did you accept the full amount when you knew that you were quitting? I think your actions were on the dishonest side. Why are you blaming her for over paying? It's not her fault that you spent the money.

I agree. None of the other issues with this family has anything to do with this payment. Those were all issues you could have chosen to dealt with differently when they happened.
You may have given them a "heads up" on June 24th - but you said your training would start July 13th AND you didn't know if it meant you would still be providing care. That is not flat out giving them an end date because if you had they could have just paid you up until that date.
With no contract I think its pretty wrong to keep the full month's payment when you quit on them. I would refund the portion that they did not use.