Am I being unfair?

[Skysue]

In my contact with my daycare families they all get 1 week of vacation unpaid, I take a week unpaid and if any of my families take an additional week they do so at 1/2 fees. Any weeks over and above 2 weeks are full fees.

I have a family that got divorced last year and there child is part time, they both travel for a living so I have been very flexible and accommodating on there child's days. To be fair and nice I told them last year that I will give them both one week unpaid plus my week.

I sent out my vacation days back in May to all my parents to give them advanced notice. I asked that they let me know there vacation as well so I can keep track of my numbers as I always have requests for care.

She sent me a notice that her ex is taking vacation the same week as me and she is taking 3 weeks. She figures that since he is taking my week than she should be discounted her 2 weeks. I told her it doesn’t work that way that they each get a week. Is it my problem now that our weeks overlap?

Ladies am I being unreasonable?

Please let me know!


Sue

[zoomama]

That doesn't sound unfair at all! They are divorced. They each have 1 week. Separately. She doesn't get to take his week. Some people expect everything for nothing. I think you're totally justified in standing your ground and giving her 1 week, as was agreed on in the first place!

In case you can't tell, stuff like this frustrates me. You would think we are overpaid for an easy job or something!

Good luck!!! :)

[PattyCake]

No I don't think you are being unreasonable and no it's not your problem. You have offered them each one week, and if dad decided to take his vacay the same time as you, then that's his decision. I'd remind mom that she has one week and dad has one week. Separately. Not combined.

[apples and bananas]

I have a similar policy. The don't pay for any time I take off and I have in my contract that I can take off up to 3 weeks plus 5 personal days. They get one week unpaid and everything above that is full pay.

I'm going 4 full weeks without pay from them. My vacation time is reasonable and they could match at least one of their weeks to mine.

I don't have any divorced parents, but I would think that it would be understood that the policies are based on the one child, not the child split into 2 families.

Stick to your policies. You've been nice enough already. Remind them that this is how you budget your year and how you are able to continue to offer care.

[Crayola kiddies]

I think your being very nice !!!! I do t give any free time at all. But once you do something nice people have a way of making you feel unreasonable when you won't go even further .... Tell her the rest of the families only get one week so they should consider them selves lucky you are willing to take another week unpaid because they couldn't make their marriage work!!! (Joking of course ) however I would tell her that they are already getting a deal and that's all you can afford.

[playfelt]

They are already getting a deal that other families are not and she needs to be reminded of this. It is not your responsibility to subsidize them further. If she wants to use the two weeks she needs to work it out with the ex, lol, as if that is likely to happen but she is using his week.

At the same time I understand why she thinks she can do it but group fairness is the best excuse to use as to why not.

At the same time if they had worked it out themselves she could have had the two weeks with them each saying one of the weeks was their's and the week you were off was neutral and then they would have exchanged the money accordingly. But since he booked your week first, she is miffed and thinks she is owed well too bad, no you do not owe her the extra week off.

[ladyjbug]

If they travel all year, perhaps the Dad is planning to take his "free" week on another week later in the year. There's still 6 months to go. Not cool of the mom to ask and she knows it.