One Week On, One Week Off

[Baby Beluga]

How do you handle this?

I keep getting inquiries for divorced parent with funky schedules.

One week on, one week off.

My most recent one was 2 days one week, 3 days the next week.

Aside from charging full time for the spot, I am just not sure how to handle this. Ideally, it's not something I want to deal with at all as it seems too messy. But it seems to be a common thing so I need a plan.

[Annalee]

How do you handle this?

I keep getting inquiries for divorced parent with funky schedules.

One week on, one week off.

My most recent one was 2 days one week, 3 days the next week.

Aside from charging full time for the spot, I am just not sure how to handle this. Ideally, it's not something I want to deal with at all as it seems too messy. But it seems to be a common thing so I need a plan.

I have did the one week on/one week off before but the dcm that was one week on paid for the absent week as well to keep her spot. The dcd paid someone else on his week. This went on for a year but it worked.

[DaveA]

To me it’s a full time enrollment. I explain to DCPs that it would be next to impossible to find another enrollment to mirror their schedule. I’m not willing to lose that kind of money regardless of why they only need 1/2 time care.

[Cat Herder]

50/50 custody plans are becoming the preferred outcome since children have a legal right to both parents. To do this they tend to live in the same school district so should be able to use the same provider for the kids best interest. I know they will have to for public school, so don't see a valid issue.

I still have to charge full tuition, though, since I have only 6 slots to pay my bills and keep food on the table.

My guess is that larger centers will be better able to accommodate this schedule. I guess it will come down to what parents can afford and how high conflict they are.

[Baby Beluga]

To me it’s a full time enrollment. I explain to DCPs that it would be next to impossible to find another enrollment to mirror their schedule. I’m not willing to lose that kind of money regardless of why they only need 1/2 time care.

This is my thought. I only have 4 slots, so one is a big portion of my income.

50/50 custody plans are becoming the preferred outcome since children have a legal right to both parents. To do this they tend to live in the same school district so should be able to use the same provider for the kids best interest. I know they will have to for public school, so don't see a valid issue.

I still have to charge full tuition, though, since I have only 6 slots to pay my bills and keep food on the table.

My guess is that larger centers will be better able to accommodate this schedule. I guess it will come down to what parents can afford and how high conflict they are.

I like the 50/50 custody....but not wanting different providers :dislike:

Tuition aside, I think it would be hard for a child to adjust. And I don't want to be liable for what another provider may/may not do.

[sharlan]

I did every other week for one summer a few years ago. It was hard, the child never settled. I was glad when it ended. The dcm paid her week and I lost income on the other. I only did it for some extra summer money.

I had a girl for 6 years that parents had a 2, 2, 3 day rotation. I had the child full time and dcd paid all. It fell apart when dcd demanded dcm pay half.

Personally, I wouldn't do it again.

[Homebody]

I used to have siblings (brother and sister) who were preschool age that split the week between their parents. It was when I first started out and needed the income. They came on Thursdays and Fridays, and they could be a real pain - especially the boy. Every week I had to go back over the rules with them. From what their stepmom told me there was no consistency in how they were disciplined when they were with their mom, and they had the same battles I had. Sometimes the 50/50 custody split can be harder on the kids if the parents aren't on the same page. Whether I would do it again with another family would depend on the child, and I would charge a lot more. In your case I would charge full time rate every week, whether there or not.

[Blackcat31]

Rates are based on enrollment NOT attendance or time used.

If child enrolls full time, the tuition due is weekly tuition whether he/she attends both weeks or not.

[littlefriends]

I tried ever other week for a divorced family and only made it two months before I told them it just wasn’t going to work. It would have maybe if they’d stuck to the biweekly schedule they initially asked for at interview but within a couple weeks they were changing it up, needing to switch this week and that week all over the place and I just got fed up. They ended up leaving over it. I just told them I couldn’t accommodate the request anymore.

[Snowmom]

Like others have mentioned, the adjustment period would be f-o-r-e-v-e-r (if ever!).
If it were me, I'd pass on them.
But there's always a chance that this child could be the 1/100 that adjusts well... so if it's all you're getting in terms of inquiries, I suppose you could always do a trial period. Just let them know a timeframe you'd give them to adjust and if it's not working, you'd need to part ways in the best interest of the child.

[Meeko]

I make it clear to parents that a spot is a spot. It needs to be paid for.

I see no reason whatsoever that I should be the one taking a financial loss in order to make life easier for a client. They made their situation, not me. I feel the same way about sibling discounts etc.

I expect a certain amount of money for each available place in my daycare. No exceptions unless I decide to. For example, one of our families lost everything in a house fire. They didn't ask for any favors. My husband and I decided to charge them half price for six months while they got back on their feet. But it was my choice.

It really rubs me the wrong way when people demand I take a pay cut in order to help them.

[MarinaVanessa]

I think I would do this if it were a high demand and I had a hard time filling a spot that I needed filled but I'd handle it like this:

I'd ask the parent for FULL payment of the first week as well as the 2-week security fee and ALL paperwork turned in and filled out including a non-negotiable start-date. They would pay for the FULL week. Finding a PT child to fill the extra days for a spot that is used every week is one thing, finding a client to fill only 2 or 3 empty days every other week is a completely other story. They'd pay for the FULL week if the want every other week.

The client would have to agree that I'd look for a second client to fill the opposite weeks and that it could potentially take a long time (days/weeks or even months).

During the time that the other spot was not filled by another client this client would agree to pay for the regular full-time spot. As in, they'd pay every week not every other week.

Once I was able to fill the other spot then both clients would pay only for the weeks that they were here.

Both clients would agree that if one client terminates they have to either pay for empty spot to keep their spot until I could fill it with another client that needs it or they can put in their 2 week notice (or I give them a 2 week notice).

If there is a high enough demand as you say anyway. Here where I am there is not enough demand so it wouldn't work for me as I'd have a hard time filling the other week and I would not take a hit in the loss of income.

[hwichlaz]

They pay for the spot, period. But I won't do it for a preschool aged child because I can't get them ready for kindy every other week.