Mat. leave, when to fill or save the spot ?

Happy Friday people !!

I've got a question for you, I could use your feedback. I have a family that is expecting baby # 2 this summer. They have told me that they expect keeping the child full time for 1 month or 2 then sending the child part-time... I figured probably around Sept. My own 4 year old will be starting school part time as well this year. I do have one more space available so I was already thinking about possibly finding another child as of Sept. Now I really am because my paycheck will go down for sure.

Before I do, I wanted to offer my current family a chance to save the spot as of September for their second child. I don't know what their intentions are yet. I do have a holding fee of $75/month plus 2 weeks deposit. It's not big but it's something. Maybe I can find a temporary family to fill in as well. Anyway it should not get me in a big financial bind if I am careful.

What do you guys think ? Is it fare for the family ? I like them and hope I keep them.

Do you think I should just fill it with a new family ? What has been your experiences ?

Anything advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks all and have a great weekend !!

Well personally, I never hold a spot for that long! I would possibly hold a spot for a month max for the right family with a holding fee...but not a year!!! First of all, you are losing our on a year's worth of income...that is a lot of money to lose! Second of all, what if after all that they decide not to send the baby to you? Maybe mom decides to stay home longer or something changes and they find a different daycare, move out of town, lose a job, etc. Then you have lost all that income for NOTHING! I personally just tell them that if a spot happens to be available I will be more than happy to have their second child, but I cannot guarantee anything at this point.

Personally, I got royally screwed over holding a spot for a year. Her one child came 2 days a week and I left a spot open for her other child to come when mat leave was over. I really liked this family and thought they were honest respectable people. Needless to say, after a month of both kids being here she decided it would be cheaper to have family watch the children! She was decent enough to give a months pay in lieu of notice, but still I was out the salary of a child for a full year and then down 2 open spots! I honestly wouldn't hold a spot even with a holding fee anymore. Its so much lost income and not worth it. Too many things could change in that years time...things change daily in this business and we have to look out for ourselves! I think that sounds bitter lol but you know what I mean :)

Yeah I was afraid of that happening ... We never know right ? I think it's better to risk loosing a good family then losing even more money and creating more stress.

I don't think is sounds bitter but after all it's business and we DO need to look out after ourselves... as these families did. I was not thinking very business wise.

Now dreading the upcoming interviews however ... I hate it. Not the actual interview but it just means extra work at the end of the day or weekend and I already feel like I have to much LOL.

I have a parent expecting in late August. I just assumed I would lose her child, which is fine since I have a long waiting list. The mom just told me she wants to bring her older child (who will be 19 months when the baby arrives) a few days a week so she doesn't miss out on the activities and her friends, and she wants to make sure I'll have a space for her baby and her older child in September of 2014 when she goes back to work. I don't see how I can possibly promise her two spaces for September of 2014! I did tell her I couldn't give her any guarantees, but she is stressed out worrying that I might not be able to accomodate both her children. There is no way she would be able to pay a holding fee for 18 months, but I also can't leave 1.5 spots empty that long. I never imagined this would be the biggest problem doing daycare... I really hate turning people away, but I also didn't realize I'd have so many requests from pregnant women for a spot over a year away! She's about the 4th to ask about my availability in 2014! What do the rest of you do?

I would base a lot on the group I have and when I know some are leaving and especially if you are looking at September. I almost always have at least one leaving to start JK so if I knew that then I could tell the parent ok you may have child xxx space when they leave and pencil them in accordingly.

But if I didn't have anyone leaving for sure then I would just tell the family I can't guarantee a space and no I would not hold an open space for a year because that is too much lost income and still no for sure they will take the space in a year because a lot can happen in their family too.

[QUOTE=treeholm;43140 I never imagined this would be the biggest problem doing daycare... I really hate turning people away, but I also didn't realize I'd have so many requests from pregnant women for a spot over a year away! She's about the 4th to ask about my availability in 2014! What do the rest of you do?[/QUOTE]

In my area people are looking for daycare WELL in advance as well. So I decided to compromise and save a space but no more than 6 months in advance. Most my families had saved a space for that long.

Anyway I've decided to advertise my space and hope it works out for the best. I have such good families I hope I find a family that works well with the rest of us. I am definitely going to interview and not just take on anyone. I've termed once and I really do not want to ever do that again. I get way to attached to these little monkeys hihi.

I'm dealing with the exact same situation myself. What I am doing (and please don't lynch me ladies) is I have chosen to fill the space with a family, and I am planning to let them go when my other family wants to start their second child in my program. I really wrestled with the decision, but ultimately it came down to I just couldn't keep a space empty for a full year (and write off 10,000 plus dollars) and I really wanted the stability of another three/four years of full time care - they're an awesome family, never late with their payments - I just don't want to lose them because I can't care for both of their girls. Sorry if this sounds harsh or mercenary, but it is a business. I wouldn't walk away from a year's guaranteed income just because a family "promised" they'd be coming back to me - I don't trust anyone that much. =)

Unless you will have a space for both children when the mat leave is over it is best to just cut ties and say goodbye. By a space I mean you have another child leaving to start school, start mat leave, etc and you know it will be open by the time the mom needs it without having to save it for more than 3-4 months.

Otherwise I would be filling the space you have now and let the chips fall where they may a year from now. The older child staying with you is for the mom's convenience not about holding her daycare space so once she gets a routine down at home - ie 6 weeks she will start to reduce days so remember that it will be about holding two spaces not one. I would only consider holding a space that long if the parent paid full time for the older child's space whether he came or not and paid a holding fee for the other space. Once you sit down and put the amount you will earn per month down on paper if you replace at your current full time rates and do the same with what you will earn for a part time child plus a holding fee you will be out at least the total of one full time child's income for the entire year - way too much money to lose.

And even then things change - family decides they need a bigger house and move out of area, mom decides not to go back to work or is given a different position that means hours that no longer work with your hours so too much of a risk.