Sort Of Unique Situation...Suggestions?

[treehugger82]

My sister is due to have her baby around July 4th. I am her birth coach and promised to be there for her when she found out she was preg. I have not taken in any daycare kids yet except family, but plan to do so, officially opening May 9th. I have to open at that time for financial reasons, but I don't know what to do about when she goes into labor and I have to be there. I can't afford to hire an assistant, as I will only be able to have 4 dck b/c I will have her two children here and they are under 7 yrs (state law) and frankly, I will not make enough to be able to afford an assistant. But...I can't have an "on call" assistant unless I get them certified through the state, which is a ton of money.

Any suggestions? I thought about telling families who I interview about the situation and just telling them when she goes into labor, that they will have to come get their kids, but I am worried that will keep them from wanting to bring their kids here, b/c of the inconvenience, or that they will just NOT come get them when I need them to that day.

Sorry for the long story, but I really need advice!

[DCMomOf3]

Do you have someone you can call as your back-up when you have to be there for your sister? If you don't, you should have one, not only for this case but for future needs. In my state my emergency backup doesn't need to be certified if i use them for less than a certain number of hours.

Good luck!

[SilverSabre25]

Tell your sister to have good long conversations with her baby about what day of the week/time of day she needs to go into labor to make the whole question moot.

Sorry, that's not terribly helpful, I know...

I thought about telling families who I interview about the situation and just telling them when she goes into labor, that they will have to come get their kids, but I am worried that will keep them from wanting to bring their kids here, b/c of the inconvenience, or that they will just NOT come get them when I need them to that day.

I don't think that having a heads up like that about one event, one day, would keep many/any people from using you if everything else is great, kwim? I haven't had problems getting new clients since I got pg even though I warned them during the interview that I'll be taking a week off after the baby's born and that whenever I go into labor pick-up would have to be ASAP.

I'm actually having conversations with my little cervix-kicker (that's what he's doing as I type this and it HURTS) about not having me go into labor during daycare hours. My labor has a good chance of going very fast (second baby, family history of fast labor, first birth was induction that went faster than anyone expected). I'm due May 31.

[daycare]

I would just let them know up front. I had a vacation planned for quite sometime before I started my daycare and It was not going to take place until shortly after I opened. So I told the DCP that were applying for the spots that i had this trip planned for quite some time and gave the details of how long I would be gone. It was only for 2 days. I also told them that I did plan on taking another vacation at the end of the year. Once they found out that I did not expect them to pay me for the time that I took off they were all ok with it.

Maybe you could let them know this in advance and give them a number of days you plan to take off. I would not be gone too long, especially if you are just starting out....

good luck

[JenNJ]

Maybe ask your sister to pay for an assistant that day since her kids will be in care as well?

[treehugger82]

Do you have someone you can call as your back-up when you have to be there for your sister? If you don't, you should have one, not only for this case but for future needs. In my state my emergency backup doesn't need to be certified if i use them for less than a certain number of hours.

Good luck!

Yes, I do have to have one. And it's my sister, ! I need to see if I can find someone else, but everyone else I know is at work during the day.

[Unregistered]

Do you have any daycare subs in your area? Some will come on very little notice and in our area are already licensed (just like we are) so you don't have to jump through hoops to make it legit. Might cost you a little bit but if you can secure clients you'll be better off int the future.