Does Anyone Else?

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

If it bothers you that the child is there from the minute you open until the minute you close create a new policy. Perhaps you can do the structured rates like BlackCat does where it is more expensive the longer you're there. Perhaps you only offer care until 5:00pm during the summertime. Get to thinking about what would make you happy and try to see if you can't make it work.

As for the photos, I would start creating a collage in the PicCollage app with a photo of their child and others and put your daycares name at the bottom. At least then if they're posting it you can consider it free advertising.

[childcaremom]

Yes, it is so frustrating. I think because it is my most challenging child and of course the one that is always here and always here the latest. I don't mind that dcm brings her on her day off because I get that she has one day every other week to run errands (get pedicures) whatever. What bothers me most is that all of my other kids are gone at 4:30 and mom will still come at 5:30. I would just appreciate that she took me into consideration and twice a month let me have an extra hour for myself and my family.

Yes, that was one of my issues. I had been looking forward to mat leave as a natural time to part ways. Then dcm put me on the spot and asked to keep bringing her. And I agreed. I didn't like that I was open an extra 75 minutes for 1 child whose mom was home and who was meltdown city for the last hour. No amount of money was worth it. I wanted the time for my own kids. So I changed it. I 'restructured'.

In your situation, I would implement a policy that summer care hours are only until x o'clock. "Effective June 2017, ABC Daycare will be operating on our reduced summer hours and will close at 4:30 pm. Regular business hours will resume September 2017." Just change it. She's not working so it won't affect her at all.

[Jazzii]

My mom is teacher and I have a 3 year old brother who attends the daycare I work at.

She is charged 52 weeks, and on school days he's there from 7-430. During the summer he's 9-330

[Alwaysgreener]

I say if it bothers you do something about it.
Some providers offer teachers a different contract then year round working parents. They charge a little more weekly in exchange they do not charge during school breaks and the children do not attend. Then the provider can enjoy a lighter week or take a drop in during the breaks.
For summer break you could fill the spot just for the summer or allow teacher kids to attend at the same rate but for shorter hours.

It is your business, if you are not happy change it.

Ex of rates: $25 per day - $30 per day for teachers - $40 for drop in per day

[JackandJill]

Personally, I couldn't do it. I opened my daycare because I hated being away from my oldest son when he was a baby. But I really try not to focus on what other parents are doing while their children are here, its really none of my business as long as they pay on time and follow the rules.

The way I see it, I'm getting paid to have their children, my boys LOVE "having their friends over" and I get to spend time with my own boys all day, so for me a full attendance is a win/win.

[Unregistered]

I say if it bothers you do something about it.
Some providers offer teachers a different contract then year round working parents. They charge a little more weekly in exchange they do not charge during school breaks and the children do not attend. Then the provider can enjoy a lighter week or take a drop in during the breaks.
For summer break you could fill the spot just for the summer or allow teacher kids to attend at the same rate but for shorter hours.

It is your business, if you are not happy change it.

Ex of rates: $25 per day - $30 per day for teachers - $40 for drop in per day

I did offer them a deifrerent deal. In March I started talking to them about coming less or not at all and that I would definitely decrease their rate or even hold the spot with no charge since I knew I could fill the spots with a kid that would come for less hours . But the mom was offended and said that they wanted to keep the same times and that I never told them that their kid would be expected to come less during the summer and that's one of the reasons they chose me.
So i apologized and dropped itt. But During the interview I did tell
Them that they would be offered reduced rates during summer and/or they could leave for the summer because I knew they would want to spend time with their kid. They were receptive and we moved on. What they never told me is that they had no intention of ever reducing hours. So they literally drop their kid off and have "me" time for over 50 hours every week.
The rational side of me says not to worry about it but the mom side of me says these parents are really missing out and their child is suffering because of it.
I'm baffled too. Every other teacher family stays home with their kids for the whole summer. I have one family that does a drop in once a week just to run errands but that's it. Why do people have kids that they don't want to raise?

[Blackcat31]

I did offer them a deifrerent deal. In March I started talking to them about coming less or not at all and that I would definitely decrease their rate or even hold the spot with no charge since I knew I could fill the spots with a kid that would come for less hours . But the mom was offended and said that they wanted to keep the same times and that I never told them that their kid would be expected to come less during the summer and that's one of the reasons they chose me.
So i apologized and dropped itt. But During the interview I did tell
Them that they would be offered reduced rates during summer and/or they could leave for the summer because I knew they would want to spend time with their kid. They were receptive and we moved on. What they never told me is that they had no intention of ever reducing hours. So they literally drop their kid off and have "me" time for over 50 hours every week.
The rational side of me says not to worry about it but the mom side of me says these parents are really missing out and their child is suffering because of it.
I'm baffled too. Every other teacher family stays home with their kids for the whole summer. I have one family that does a drop in once a week just to run errands but that's it. Why do people have kids that they don't want to raise?

Why do people open child care businesses and then complain about what clients/parents do with the services they buy?

A repeated solution is to tailor your business to only those parents that parent according to your ideas and beliefs.

[spedmommy4]

Why do people open child care businesses and then complain about what clients/parents do with the services they buy?

A repeated solution is to tailor your business to only those parents that parent according to your ideas and beliefs.

Just my two cents . . . In general, I think that the child care profession is full of people that care a lot. It makes it hard to to understand why parents wouldn't want to spend time with their children, especially when many of us leave jobs to be at home.

Unfortunately, like BC said, I think the only solution to the issue is implementing policies that align with your values. This could be: year round graduated rates, (rates based on pick up) becoming a work only childcare, reducing summer hours, or whatever works for you.

[Rockgirl]

I just do my job. If it was super important to me to only provide care for parents during working hours, I'd do that.

[Meeko]

I get paid for services rendered. What parents do during that time is none of my business. I just try and do my job and make sure the kids have a good time while here.

I've been at this for over 30 years now. Things have changed. 30 years ago, people had real families. They spent time together. They did things together. They brought their kids to daycare when they HAD to work and they actually liked being around them and were willing to take responsibility for them.

Nowadays, it's all about the IMAGE of family. I have so many parents who dump their kids with me every single possible moment they can. But they never fail to post a pic on FB of their cutie in their new pj's at bedtime for example and then bask in posts saying
"Oh, you're such a good mom!"
and
"I don't know how you do it all!"

I've just come to accept that this is the new parenting. Show them off like a cute accessory, but let somebody else take care of them as much as possible.

It is what it is. No point in stressing over it. Just pay me on time.

[Indoorvoice]

I have come to realize that a lot of parents really don't enjoy being a parent 24/7. I'm on a lot of different mommy boards and when moms start complaining that they're stressed about staying with their kids all day and getting the housework done, people reply with "get a job! It's like a break from your kids!" We find this hard to understand because we choose to do this as a living, but this is the demographic were serving! It's not their fault, they just aren't equipped to do it. I am slowly finding thanks to this board, that we don't have to be stuck. If you don't like staying open for that one family... Then don't! I just started taking all school breaks because one family is a teacher and one doesn't work. I didn't like working those breaks when I knew the parents were home, so now I don't. I'll also be opening late next summer and only working 4 days a week. You do you and don't worry about them.

[Play Care]

Why do people open child care businesses and then complain about what clients/parents do with the services they buy?

A repeated solution is to tailor your business to only those parents that parent according to your ideas and beliefs.

This.

Also, I repeatedly see this idea that it's somehow the clients responsibility to give you a break from their kids. When you worked outside the home did your job ever say to you "you look tired, take the day off!" I'm willing to bet not!

Unlike working outside the home, here YOU are the boss and you have control over this. There is NO way I'd work an extra hour a day for ONE kid. Not because I care what the parents are doing, but because it costs me money to work and I still have to follow strict regs regardless of if I have one kid here or seven. Others have already given you great ideas on how to go about this. My suggestion is to decide if you want to make the changes and then just do it. Don't ask persmission because it gives the client the false sense of being the boss.
Good Luck!

[mommyneedsadayoff]

Why do people open child care businesses and then complain about what clients/parents do with the services they buy?

A repeated solution is to tailor your business to only those parents that parent according to your ideas and beliefs.

The same reason I get upset when people walk into the restaurant I work in at 9:55 when we close at 10. It's annoying. Are they breaking any rules or technically doing anything wrong in business terms? No. Is it kind of rude or disrespectful? Imo, yes. An entire restaurant crew now must stay later while they eat, when they could have easily gone to a place open later.

My point is, the dcp is not technically doing anything wrong or against the rules, but it can still be annoying. I agree that the only way to "fix" it is to tailor your daycare to fit your needs or wants out of DC parents. The parents will not change unless they have no option. But I understand the OPs feelings. Just part of the job

[mommyneedsadayoff]

I have come to realize that a lot of parents really don't enjoy being a parent 24/7. I'm on a lot of different mommy boards and when moms start complaining that they're stressed about staying with their kids all day and getting the housework done, people reply with "get a job! It's like a break from your kids!" We find this hard to understand because we choose to do this as a living, but this is the demographic were serving! It's not their fault, they just aren't equipped to do it. I am slowly finding thanks to this board, that we don't have to be stuck. If you don't like staying open for that one family... Then don't! I just started taking all school breaks because one family is a teacher and one doesn't work. I didn't like working those breaks when I knew the parents were home, so now I don't. I'll also be opening late next summer and only working 4 days a week. You do you and don't worry about them.

I agree!

[Blackcat31]

The same reason I get upset when people walk into the restaurant I work in at 9:55 when we close at 10. It's annoying. Are they breaking any rules or technically doing anything wrong in business terms? No. Is it kind of rude or disrespectful? Imo, yes. An entire restaurant crew now must stay later while they eat, when they could have easily gone to a place open later.

My point is, the dcp is not technically doing anything wrong or against the rules, but it can still be annoying. I agree that the only way to "fix" it is to tailor your daycare to fit your needs or wants out of DC parents. The parents will not change unless they have no option. But I understand the OPs feelings. Just part of the job

It was a rhetorical question.