How would you react to this

[gramma]

If you had a parent email you to say that they had a few things to discuss with you regarding a past event and future but said that they will do it 2 days from now because that is when you will see them next how would you react? I'm livid. I have no intentions of waiting 2 days so I can be unprepared and get ambushed at the end of the day. just curious what others think. I have no idea what the past even it either LOL.

[BlueRose]

I would be livid too.
I would email asking to know what the event was, so I would have time to recall all the details about it. That way we can have a fair and helpful talk.

If they email you with the event. I would sit down and make notes of everything I could remember about it.

[Dreamalittledream]

"....a parent email you to say that they had a few things to discuss with you regarding a past event and future but said that they will do it 2 days from now..."
Who does that? Weird?! I guess I could understand an email saying "can we set up a time to meet/phone call?". I probably would respond with "it's tough to talk during daycare hours, I'm free this evening (or during nap time) for a phone conversation if that would work for you?"

[kidlove]

i would give a call immediately and ask to talk now rather than anticipate for later....and if they want a face to face, have them come over at a convenient time for you and your business. I find it a little rude to leave you hanging like that, if they really need to talk to you regarding something but would rather do it face to face....they should keep quiet until they see you face to face. :)

[gramma]

I sent an email back saying that I was left feeling uncomfortable and would apreciate know what the issues are beforehand so that I am prepared to discuss it. My feeling is that she wants me tobe off guard. If Idont hear back from her today, I will ask dad flat out tonight. I have a feeling i know what part of it is because i challenged her on something and she like to be or at least think she's controlling me. its the past even that has me curious.

[Skysue]

i would give a call immediately and ask to talk now rather than anticipate for later....and if they want a face to face, have them come over at a convenient time for you and your business. I find it a little rude to leave you hanging like that, if they really need to talk to you regarding something but would rather do it face to face....they should keep quiet until they see you face to face. :)

Dido I would call right away, how rude of them to put this added anxiety on you. I would say when you call that you would like to discuss the matter right now as in a few days you may not be able to recall the incident as accurately.

Make sure that the matter get discussed right away.

Good luck.

[gramma]

Mom doesnt work in the type of job that she can chat on the phone. I dont mind waiting until tonight to talk to dad, he is more reasonable anyway. Truth of the matter is that I have been contemplating terminating this family because of constant schedule changes. she wants me available 5 days a week so she can change her schedule as she needs it but doesnt want to pay for 5 days to guarantee my availability which is what I challenged her on. now this.

[kidlove]

Oh Gramma! have had so many families like that, I currently have one just like that. Have had them for about 3 years and now have a second sibbling to care for as well, they are constantly changing the schedule even though they are supposed to have a set 3 days a week. and to top it off when I told her what she would owe now having two in care she almost cried....I feel for people who are struggling to pay for eveything, however!!!!! HELLO, so am I. Then to top it all off she also wants me available dif days than her set plan and expects to pay the three day charge, very tempting to explain to her, IF she continues to use dif days like she has been so far, I will have to charge her for full time for both children. She won;t like to hear that, but it seems some people just dont understand. I can't fill the extra spots I have if she keeps moving her kids into them..........welcom e back! ;)

[gramma]

Dont mistake my kindness for weakness, my ability to overlook things as ignorance, but make no mistake when I've had enough, I'm done.

thats how i feel about this woman right now. She knows exactly what she did with that email this morning, and could have responded to my reply but she is going to leave me hanging. I have been doing this for far too long to be treated like an employee. i am extrememly flexible but changes in schedule are not for her to decide and dictate to me, they are to be discussed and like it or not, the final decision is mine.

[playfelt]

That is when you hand the dad termination papers at the end of the day explaining about the email which he may know nothing about and say it sounds like your wife is unhappy with my care and therefore here are her termination papers to save her the trouble of having to take two days to figure out how to approach me.

My guess is you will get a phone call tonight and the conversation over with and then you can decide if you leave the termination in effect or give them another chance. At least you have taken control and not let her bully you.

[Inspired by Reggio]

Wow ya not cool to drop something like that and than expect to leave it for 2 days!

If you are at your wits end with this family and the women's ways than I agree with Playfelt ~ type up a termination letter and just be done with them ... my contract is not 'negotiable' with clients and a client trying to renegotiate the terms of it to suit them would not fly here either and if you have already 'dealt' with it and she is still TRYING to renegotiate it time to just cut the losses and say 'sorry but I cannot offer you what you are looking for ~ I need a client who can commit to paying for the full time space if that is what they are occupying' and just let her go!

Honestly this is why many of us will just not DO flex care ... you need a full time space you PAY for a full time space because they do not see it as 'special' or that you are loosing income serving them they just see that they are being expected to pay for something they do not 'need' ... but the reality is they DO need the full time space so should therefore be expected to pay for it!

[gramma]

I heard from dad. i wish i could post details but since this isnt a secure forum i have to be careful.. thanks for all the support and suffice to say they will be receiving a termination notice. Not just yet thought, i want a few more weeks of pay to fulfill a financial obligation. I have already filled the spot with the younger sibling of one of the kids already in my care. woohoo.

[Inspired by Reggio]

Glad you have some closure Gramma and can move forward in a more positive direction ~ one of the benefits of being self employed is that we only have to work with people who bring us JOY ... if a client is a PITA in anyway we have the freedom to replace them with someone who is a better match .... this was a promise I made to myself when I chose to work from home ... my goal was to create a healthier work life balance and that means NO STRESS ... I made one 'error' in judgement my first year and enrolled a high maintenance client ~ nothing termination worthy cause they paid on time and respected all the rules of the contract we just did not share the same 'values' and that made their children a tad more work than my other clients .... but moving forward I am very choosy in enrollment and try to weed out anyone who is not a perfect fit from the start to avoid those kinds of things!

[Momof4]

I heard from dad. i wish i could post details but since this isnt a secure forum i have to be careful.. thanks for all the support and suffice to say they will be receiving a termination notice. Not just yet thought, i want a few more weeks of pay to fulfill a financial obligation. I have already filled the spot with the younger sibling of one of the kids already in my care. woohoo.
Well, I'm glad you asked the difficult questions but at least now you know what to do and how to proceed. You do NOT have to give us all the details. but I'm happy that you are at peace with your decision and have filled the space. You should never let anybody treat you badly and deserve to be happy in your daycare business.

[BrightEyes]

gramma, I am glad you are terminating them! It sounds like signing on the sibling of a child already in your care will be a nice solution :)