What Is The Standard For Home Daycare Closing?

[Unregistered]

My wonderful home daycare provider blindsided me this Thursday by telling me that she was quitting. She took a job at an energy company in their accounting department, she told me it was an offer she couldn't refuse. And she gave me two weeks notice.

I am devastated. Mostly because she took such great care of my 16 month old for the past year and secondly because this is not enough time to find another quality daycare provided. I am scrambling because the three good daycare centers in my town are full and I don't have enough connections to find another home care.

She did accounting work for many years prior to opening her home last year. She told me that child care was her true calling and I really believed that she loved my child.

I guess my point is, is two weeks the standard time to close a home daycare and give notice to parents? And did I make a mistake by becoming too attached? I am taking this so personally.

[Cradle2crayons]

My wonderful home daycare provider blindsided me this Thursday by telling me that she was quitting. She took a job at an energy company in their accounting department, she told me it was an offer she couldn't refuse. And she gave me two weeks notice.

I am devastated. Mostly because she took such great care of my 16 month old for the past year and secondly because this is not enough time to find another quality daycare provided. I am scrambling because the three good daycare centers in my town are full and I don't have enough connections to find another home care.

She did accounting work for many years prior to opening her home last year. She told me that child care was her true calling and I really believed that she loved my child.

I guess my point is, is two weeks the standard time to close a home daycare and give notice to parents? And did I make a mistake by becoming too attached? I am taking this so personally.

Don't take this personally. She may have really thought it was her calling but maybe things weren't going well for her financially and she had no option but to take a better paying job.

Two weeks notice is what I do to stop care and what I require from parents. It all depends on what your contract says.

I know it still ****s though... Keep asking around because you may find a home provider you didn't know about. Can you ask her for a referal maybe??

It's really hard for providers not to become attached, as well as the daycare kids and families also. We take care of your children up to 50 hours a week. Which is 90% of most kids waking hours!!!!!

Please don't take this personally. Ask around. Ask her for a referral. Call your local daycare licensing agency and ask THEM for a referral.

I hope you find an awesome provider ASAP

[CraftyMom]

Two weeks is the standard for ending care.

I require the parents to give two weeks notice if they decide to end care. I do the same in return if it isn't working out.

The fact that she is closing doesn't really matter, she only needs to give 2 weeks notice. Unless your contract states otherwise.

[Unregistered]

Her contract did state two weeks notice of her vacations and two week notice is required if parents decide to leave, it didn't state anything about her closing, but I guess that is implied.

It's just very hard coming to terms with this, she told me she couldn't wait for me to have another baby so she could take care of that one as well and that she would continue watching my 16 month old as long as I would let her. And now this. It's hard to reconcile. I will miss her so much.

Thank you to all of you caring day care providers. Your work is so important.

[akpayne]

It's lovely that you like her so much, but its not really your business why she is closing. 2 weeks is standard.

[midaycare]

I'm sorry you are left without daycare right now - I've been there myself. Something will turn up. Start asking everyone you know where the good home daycare's are, if that is what you would like.

[Unregistered]

I'm sorry this has left you hurt and in a rush to find care.

We experience this from the other side often, when we are in a rush to find new clients after a parent gives 2 weeks notice or less.

Everyone must make choices to meet the needs of their family. Sometimes the parents leave before we wish them to, and sometimes the provider is done before the parents are ready. Two weeks is the standard. Some do one month.

I wish you all the best in finding great care.

[cheerfuldom]

2 weeks is standard. I am sorry you are disappointed and I bet your provider is too. We all have to make hard decisions about our family's needs and our income need and the daycare profession is no different. I am glad you and your child became attached to her and I encourage you to be ready to embrace a new caregiver in the same way. Life happens. This will be the first of many challenges with caregivers for your children. Both my daughters lost their teachers mid year at preschool and kindergarten. One moved and one took a different job. It was hard for us but we all have to understand that teachers and daycare providers have their own lives to live. Our daycare children are very important to us but our own families always come first. Just like I bet you would take a promotion, or move if you had to or make whatever decision you have to make without basing it off of what your daycare provider would want. She made the decision she felt was best for her even though it was inconvenient for you....that doesn't make her a bad person or someone who didn't truly care about your child or your family.

[NightOwl]

It's lovely that you like her so much, but its not really your business why she is closing. 2 weeks is standard.

She didn't say it was her business or speculate on why the provider was closing. She only asked what the standard notice is.

[cheerfuldom]

She didn't say it was her business or speculate on why the provider was closing. She only asked what the standard notice is.

ummmm....are we reading the same post? LOL The OP said she does know why the provider is closing and yes, she did speculate past it by discussing where the provider had worked previously, how the provider said that child care was her calling and then the OP assumed that meant she would be doing child care permanently as well as other comments. By posting here and opening a discussion not only about the 2 week standard but also about her concerns over it and other comments about the situation, she is implying by her actions that the providers job change is the OP's business.

but that said, I do think OP has a right to some sort of explanation about why her provider is shutting down suddenly. I just didn't agree that the provider did anything wrong.

On the other hand, we don't need to tell our daycare families every dirty detail. A vague response of "I was offered a different opportunity and will be changing jobs" as well as professional behavior like a 2 weeks notice is more than adequate.

[saved4always]

Don't take this personally. She may have really thought it was her calling but maybe things weren't going well for her financially and she had no option but to take a better paying job.

Two weeks notice is what I do to stop care and what I require from parents. It all depends on what your contract says.

I know it still ****s though... Keep asking around because you may find a home provider you didn't know about. Can you ask her for a referal maybe??

It's really hard for providers not to become attached, as well as the daycare kids and families also. We take care of your children up to 50 hours a week. Which is 90% of most kids waking hours!!!!!

Please don't take this personally. Ask around. Ask her for a referral. Call your local daycare licensing agency and ask THEM for a referral.

I hope you find an awesome provider ASAP

This is what I was going to say.

[NightOwl]

I think 2 weeks is standard, but not enough. I would never close down with only two weeks notice unless it was an emergency of some sort. I think a month is more courteous considering how hard it is to find a good, quality childcare home or center.

[craftymissbeth]

There's a good possibility this new job needs her to start as soon as possible. I can't imagine them waiting around a month for a new hire to start unless someone retired or gave a months notice. We all know that in this profession that making ends meet can be tough. She needs to do what she needs to do to support herself and her own family and unfortunately that sometimes means that we have to make tough decisions. If leaving someone with only two weeks notice is a sacrifice she had to make in order to support herself then I completely understand that.

OP, I think two weeks is a standard minimum. From what you've written, it sounds like you also feel slighted by her letting you guys go and maybe that's keeping you from simply moving on.

[Annalee]

I think 2 weeks is standard, but not enough. I would never close down with only two weeks notice unless it was an emergency of some sort. I think a month is more courteous considering how hard it is to find a good, quality childcare home or center.

I agree 2 weeks is difficult to deal with, BUT we do not know the circumstances surrounding the provider in question...i.e. possible financial problems, family issues, personal issues.....maybe the job was just too good to pass up. I do love my job, but if an opportunity come up and I was already struggling in some way and the change would offer positive benefits for my family, it is possible I would consider the deal too good to pass up. If you look on the other hand, very few clients are going to put the provider first in their issues....from the view of the provider, I think we have all at some point lost kids that we NEVER thought would leave because of our good relationship with the family. Two weeks is all we get to fill these spots. It is just life and sometimes life just isn't fair.....from our point of view anyway.

[Play Care]

I agree 2 weeks is difficult to deal with, BUT we do not know the circumstances surrounding the provider in question...i.e. possible financial problems, family issues, personal issues.....maybe the job was just too good to pass up. I do love my job, but if an opportunity come up and I was already struggling in some way and the change would offer positive benefits for my family, it is possible I would consider the deal too good to pass up. If you look on the other hand, very few clients are going to put the provider first in their issues....from the view of the provider, I think we have all at some point lost kids that we NEVER thought would leave because of our good relationship with the family. Two weeks is all we get to fill these spots. It is just life and sometimes life just isn't fair.....from our point of view anyway.