AHHH!! Don't know what to do anymore...

[Littledragon]

So, I have a kid who does two half days. DAD IS AN IDIOT and is ALWAYS letting him kid nap before coming. The kids go down for naps an hour after this kid shows up. Naturally, he spends his ENTIRE nap time either crying or talking. I'VE HAD IT! I don't want to let the kid go because he's closest to my sons age, so I don't want to let him go until I find someone else his age. Other reasons as well..

What would do? Have you ever been in a situation like this where you have demanded he come full days instead? Would you make them pay for the full day or make them come for the full day but still charge them half days (because in reality, this change would benefit ME not them)

[playfelt]

Half days are no longer an option at my daycare because of the reasons you have said. I deal with kids that have to get up early and need meals and naps spaced accordingly. Kids must be in care by 9am at the latest.

[dodge__driver11]

Don't you hate that?

Have you given them warnings already?

If so, I know this sucks, but as we all know our sanity is key in this business, we must thrive to survive right? Terminate.

If no warnings have been given..say you MUST FOLLOW SCHEDULE X or face termination, personally children must be here according TO OUR daycare schedule or find alternate care, no two ways about that.

Good Luck

[Littledragon]

warning after warning after warning after warning after warning after warning...one of the BIGGEST reasons I keep him is bc him and my son LOVE each other, and at this point, i don't have anyone else who is around his age. Also, the family is leaving in October bc mom's pregnant, so I know they will have difficulty getting care for only 2 months. But I can't spend the next two months like this. At nap today, I am not joking, I was out of breath and sweating because I was so frustrated. I had to call my husband to calm me down because I was ready to just walk out of the house. (I unexpectedly overlapped two kids - one coming one going, so I have one too many kids for the next two weeks, and I am having a hard time with it. I'm finding myself very stressed, and this break is SO SO SO SO important!) I ended up putting him in the basement in his playpen. But the worst part is, that he is suffering bc his dad is fu**ing moron, excuse the language. I don't know how many time I have to tell him...

I don't want to terminate. I think what I'll do is give them an ultimatum - full days or leave. Then it's up to them. I'm pretty sure I know what they'll choose. Should I do it in a letter or verbally? I jus feel bad for my son.....

[sunnydays]

Honestly, your son will get over it and besides, the child is leaving anyway in October. I would either terminate or do what you suggested and say they have to come full days...but don't work for free! Charge them full days! It's their fault, not yours!

[Lou]

I understand you not wanting to terminate, but this is unacceptable and they are showing you complete disrespect. Send them home a letter this evening giving them the choice of attending full days, or leaving. Say this arrangement is no longer working, and you require a response by Thursday, as the new arrangement will commence Monday of next week. I'm sorry you are having to deal with this crap!

[Littledragon]

Can someone help me write this ultimatum letter? I always put too much emotion....

[dodge__driver11]

I would do letter, with your signature, put in dads hand and say, "read this after you get home, please call/email with any questions."

[treeholm]

I would not ask him to come full days but still let him pay a half day rate. If I were another parent, I would be very annoyed at having to pay the full day rate if someone else paid half...

[Judy Trickett]

Yep, I'm with Playfelt - I don't allow half days either. I need to control the child's ENTIRE day, start to finish, in order for it to work here. If I can't have a kid following routine here then it doesn't work for me.

[Littledragon]

I would not ask him to come full days but still let him pay a half day rate. If I were another parent, I would be very annoyed at having to pay the full day rate if someone else paid half...
This is what I'm thinking. I think I will still allow them to pay the half day rate but make them come full days. It's benefitting me and putting them out so I'm not going to demand they pay more.

Although, I am having a hard time with the letter....

[dodge__driver11]

Ok lets look at it this way. I have a parent who pays for half days, but she respects that naps MUST HAPPEN ON OUR DAYCARE SCHEDULE, the min. that stops happening she knows she will get a verbal nudge, then a written warning saying things have to change, then termination..

If someone didn't respect my schedule, but I wanted to keep them then its my rules, and the parent pays for not following my rules.

[treeholm]

Dodge, I'm not sure we are disagreeing... I would have a really hard time justifying letting someone come the full day but only pay for half a day. It doesn't seem right. They would either have to come for the full day and PAY for the full day, or be terminated. I would not let someone come for a full day and only pay for half a day.

[dodge__driver11]

ooooh I read that wrong my bad its been a long day Ive had a little girl crying most of today

[treeholm]

I worded it very badly... don't tell anyone that I'm a university communications professor LOL
What I meant to say was:
I would not let him come full days without paying a full day rate. Coming full days and paying for half a day is unfair. I would not feel guilty about asking him to come for a full day in order to ensure that my program doesn't suffer with a child who cries his way through nap time.
That's what I meant to say, can't you read my mind? :)

[Bookworm]

Why do you not write something along the lines of this:

Dear Parents,

After careful consideration, effective immediately, I am no longer offering half days as a care option. Children must be here by 9am in the morning so that they can benefit from the entire day's programming. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you,

Littledragon

[Momof4]

warning after warning after warning and you still haven't terminated?

[kidlove]

One of my rules is for ALL the children to take part in NAP TIME! If the child is over 4 yrs they do not have to nap but HAVE TO have respect for all the other napping children. If a child is under the age of 4 OR their behavior is showing needed rest, they MUST sleep during nap. In my contracts it states if a child does not follow nap requirements they may not be a right fit for this day care. In Other Words...make your kids nap time work with mine or GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. simple as that. Why cant this Dad work with you a little. can he push the nap time a little? or drop off just a touch earlier so you can keep the child engaged until proper nap until his little inside clock is reprogrammed.? if a parent isnt willing to work with you on something so basic, they dont respect you. sheeesh!

[Littledragon]

warning after warning after warning and you still haven't terminated?

No, for a long time I couldn't terminate because they were my only client. Now, I'm in a position where they're here only until October and him and my son get along so well! And on his full days, he's almost perfect. He eats well, sleeps well, and plays well. On his half days, he's moody, doesnt eat ANYTHING (I made sure he was here for lunch so that he could have some structure in his day and know that the day continues as it does on his half days, after lunch, but he doesn't even touch his food) and he doesn't nap. The worst part, I find too, is that the kids are so excited to see him so none of them want to nap because he just got there and they want to play.
I wrote out my letter and I was all ready to send it and then she wrote me a letter of reference for another family. One of the things she wrote in the letter is how great it's been that I've been so accomodating on their half days
Yesterday, I actually moved the little boy and his playpen down into the basement. He cried down there for a bit and then he slept. I'm going to try this for a bit on his half days and see what happens. I have an overlap of kids right now, so when the little girl leaves next week, he can sleep alone in my room. It's just getting a little irritating. And the thing I hate the most is that he's suffering because his dad cannot, or will not, follow simple instructions. I sent home a thing about naps last week, so we'll see what happens today. One more slip up and I'll have to send the letter. I love this kid, and his mom is great (now) but I just can't risk my sanity any longer.

I am still struggling with making them pay for the whole day when I am the one who says they have to come full time. But I do like the idea of that letter - saying I no longer offer half days. That way I'm not really placing blame but at the same time, they know I'm fed up. We'll see what happens...I know I'm not looking forward to the money conversation lol