Who Loses Parents for Provider Taking Off?

[Thriftylady]

I agree we need to give plenty of notice. But also agree that some parents think we should never take a day off. Heck licensing here believes that.

[tntsmom]

I've learned, as you may have, too, that the more you give, the more they expect. It always comes to a head when you run out of things to give them.

You said it correct! They need you when you are available and love you, then when you say no, you are the worst on the planet!!

[tntsmom]

Mom doesn't see anything you've done for her (the family) as anything but normal.

YOU choose to do those things. You can't expect her to show appreciation for going above and beyond when you didn't have to go above and beyond without being compensated for it.

Had you attached a fee to ANYTHING above and beyond you did for this family, they would have recognized it as "extra".

As for closing and "not being reliable" (mom's words) Meh....most of us are in this business so we can be our own bosses and set our own hours/days etc. If this particular family doesn't appreciate everything you do, thats on them.

If they can find someone more reliable (whatever that means to them)...good on them.

Blackcat, yes more reliable to them means available from 6:15 a.m. to 5 - 5:15 p.m. for $100/week while mom has Friday afternoons off. Lets see, 2 kids at $100/wk = $200 which means I am working for $3.63 an hour, or $1.82/hr per child = I am not in this to get rich or take advantage, but to be taken advantage of. I say Mom did not like losing her Friday afternoon play time!

[tntsmom]

I agree we need to give plenty of notice. But also agree that some parents think we should never take a day off. Heck licensing here believes that.

Yep, and we should be happy to have kids and get paid $1.82 per hour, your right why take a day off to recoup or dare we have an appt.

[tntsmom]

Amen! And let's be honest, there are the times we make the changes *knowing* it will drive a family out! ::

LOL...LOL true to the T!

[tntsmom]

Truth!

I try to give as much notice as possibe (min. 1 month) and limit the amount of time I'm taking off. If dcps have an issue with it, then they are clients I do not want.

Yep, I give notice, and funny thing is, 9/10 times when it is in the monthly newsletter and they don't remember me "reminding" them. Oh, I forgot I also provide mental memory care for the parents to help them remember the days off I have requested and put it in writing form, obviously they cannot read.
This family, only dcm does not even like to care for her own children so, reason she is upset is because she is now forced to.

[tntsmom]

Thursday-Friday garage sales are common here.

I was wondering how much notice you gave for the days off, OP.

A month!

[tntsmom]

I've learned, as you may have, too, that the more you give, the more they expect. It always comes to a head when you run out of things to give them.

Absolutely right!

[tntsmom]

I see this type of story posted on here all the time, its sad but the way the business works I have a child whose been with me for 4 years, he goes to kindergarten in August, his mom keeps talking about how sad it will be and how much they will miss me...I have had to develop such an emotional detachment through the years, I am sort of the like "meh" I enjoy the family, they are actually good family friends, but "meh" is where I am at as far a daycare families coming and going. New people to meet, more children to get to know.

Hope you can shake it off, without letting it hurt your feelings. :hug:

Thank you, thank you, it is sad, I even went so far as last July I had a hysterectomy on Friday and was back working on the following Tuesday to accomodate my parents. Appreciated for sure...not.

[tntsmom]

Obviously like anything else, different areas do it differently. A lot of times here people will do Friday and Saturday so that after they are done they can load up what's left and take it to the dump and then actually have one weekend day to relax.

That said, anytime you make changes to your schedule you run the risk of losing families. I have a family now who has been with me for years and who I've accommodated many times in the past. This year I decided I was going to continue taking Fridays off in July and August (which I started a couple of years ago because they were on a M-Th schedule which I graciously allowed...) They were not thrilled with my decision and as much as I love the little guy, I know they could pull because of it. It just the business.

Yes, it is the business and I have been doing this since my oldest was in kdg and he is now a sophomore in college and I still have a 15 year old at home and decided why should I stay open on Friday afternoons when my parents are off on them as well. And they use every excuse in the book why there late, things happen for a reason, reality is, I guess it is better so I do not feel obligated to watch her little ones while she has the afternoon off and gets to have "girls lunch". My turn!

[JackandJill]

I hope you don't let this mom take the joy out of your new afternoons off! I hope you enjoy them, you deserve them!

[Play Care]

Yes, it is the business and I have been doing this since my oldest was in kdg and he is now a sophomore in college and I still have a 15 year old at home and decided why should I stay open on Friday afternoons when my parents are off on them as well. And they use every excuse in the book why there late, things happen for a reason, reality is, I guess it is better so I do not feel obligated to watch her little ones while she has the afternoon off and gets to have "girls lunch". My turn!

The last two years I've LOVED having the "extra" day to be with my kids and do family things. My kids love being able to have a friend over, or go places, etc.
I don't know if I'll ever go back to being one 5 days a week in the summer because this time with MY kids/family has meant more to me than any dck has (and I've had really good dck's)

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Yes, it is the business and I have been doing this since my oldest was in kdg and he is now a sophomore in college and I still have a 15 year old at home and decided why should I stay open on Friday afternoons when my parents are off on them as well. And they use every excuse in the book why there late, things happen for a reason, reality is, I guess it is better so I do not feel obligated to watch her little ones while she has the afternoon off and gets to have "girls lunch". My turn!

Enjoy your turn!

Perhaps in the future you could attach a fee (even if it is something extremely low) to additional services you provide so you don't feel taken advantage of should a situation like this occur again.

[DaveA]

It is one of the most annoying parts of this business for sure. When I ended up in the hospital one DCM's only question to my wife when letting her know I was in the hospital was how I handled refunds for days I was closed. Thanks for concern lady

NEVER feel bad about doing something for you and your family.

BTW- around here Thursday evening- all day Friday (including Friday evening) garage sales are common. Leaves the weekend free.

[MotherNature]

oh yeah, btdt. I had a family pull their kid when I was about to take my vacation. They were in TX for 2 weeks. I give one week free for vacation, as long as there's a month notice. They gave me the month notice, and I told them when I was taking my vacation. With the paid holidays, and my paid vacation week, it was almost 2 weeks I was paid to be off. They were not thrilled & thought I was unreliable, even though they'd signed the contract and known about my vacation/holiday policy. I was irritated that they pulled to avoid paying my holiday and vacation pay, but had just gotten their free vacation week. (They initially didn't want to pay/use their vacation week since dcg wasn't here. I explained about holding a space. ) And the killer was that they gave proper notice, which meant that the deposit (2 weeks pay) was used as their final 2 weeks payment, so I didn't actually get paid by them for 3 weeks, and they complained that I was unreliable.Yet, I was fine for 9 months?!