Being taken advantage of?

[Supermom]

Hi Fellow Daycare providers!

After running a full time daycare for 8 years eventually my children grew up and the need for providing only before/ after school care was primarily what was needed. I also live in a neighbourhood that’s hugely in demand for before and after school care.
The going rate is $25 a day for Monday-Friday and I have a contract in place that parents are to pay for all days that school is in session and stat holidays. The allowable amount of children is 5.

A child that I have had in my care since the age of two and is now aged 5 attending SK well her mom works shift work. She talked me into not doing a contract for before/ after care and based on her shift work we verbally agreed her daughter would come 3-5 days a week. I trusted her being that we had a good daycare relationship for the past 3 years. She sent me a schedule of care needed through the Christmas break as the children are out of school and I was preparing to have her daughter and other daycare children through the holidays. This mother then announced that her mother was coming from out of town and care would not be needed for 4 weeks!

I totally understand this is absolutely my fault for not having a contract and giving her every opportunity to take advantage of the situation. I was preparing for her and now she canceled and it turned some plans upside down. So I am asking your advice what would you do? How would you handle this moving forward? I appreciate your advice and support. Keep in mind they live on my street and I will have to cross paths with them often. Thanks

[JARS]

I would just say that you weren't expecting the 4 week break adn that you will need payment for X # of days or the child will no longer have a spot. I would then write up a detailed contract and if they don't agree, well find someone else. You deserve it.

[Suzie_Homemaker]

People can only take advantage of you as much as you allow them to.

You have two choices. Either sit there fuming and feeling you have been taken advantage of or respond to her that this is not your agreement. That you were expecting the children/child for whatever days you were expecting them, that you have planned your availability accordingly.

Once you have done that - one of two things will happen. Either she will back down and keep the agreement in place or she will refuse to back down.

If she sticks to her guns you can then decide if you are going to keep her or give her notice.

I would strongly suggest as a minimum that you communicate the agreement as you believed it to be, and that in order that it doesn't happen again, you put a signed contract in place. If the Mom isn't willing to do that, then give her notice and she can go elsewhere. Don't give her an opportunity to repeat this.

You have said you are in a high demand area and that her plan is for the grandmother to watch her children so you are in the fortunate position of being able to have someone else in her place when school begins after Christmas.

[Suzie_Homemaker]

Just message her, thank her for letting you know that her mother will be in town for 4 weeks and taking the children and remind her that because she has already sent her schedule and your plans have been made around her needs, that payment will still be required. Finish up with an statement detailing the date you are expecting the children to return to your care or asking for a firm date of when they will return to your care and the payment schedule reminder for this time.

That then clearly lays out your expectation of payment for her change of situation and see how she reacts. Do it in writing. E-mail, text, FB message - but do it in writing.

[Supermom]

Thanks so much for the advice I’ll post a update and let you know how it goes.