Parents asking for rebates when they dont bring their child in

Hello there!

One of my DCM asked me this morning if i was open for the holidays and I answered that I was closing at noon on the 24, 25,26 are closed and I am open again on the 27th! She said that it was great!

Now i just received an Email from her saying that her daughter will not be coming on the 24 and on the 27 and she is asking me not to charge her. When she gave me her schedule for the month, she said that she was coming and in my contract they have to pay for '' booked day'' right? Well she was arguing with me that it should be different since it's a holiday.

What should I do about this, i feel like parents are always trying to ''trick me'' into not paying what they owe me... As much as I love taking care of children, seeing them play and learn... this is the part of the buisness that I HATE! :no: I think I'm to NICE for this kind a career

its not your fault its a holiday, so why should you have to go without pay. Reminder her of the contract and that its legally binding. She booked the days she needs to pay for them. The cable company and hydro don't give out discounts because of the holidays, in fact they would probably laugh at you if you asked.

She needs to pay for the two days. By asking you when you were closed she was hoping that you were going to be closed the whole week so she didn't have to pay. I assume though for Dec 24 that even though you are open for half the day that you have given the parents the option of taking that day off. It isn't fair to the parents either to be open only half a day if they can't take half a day off and either work or take a full day. So this mom would also be allowed Dec 24 as in you are in effect taking time off that day but opening only for a few hours for those that really need it. But she should pay for Dec 27 just like the others will be. If she isn't paying for Dec 25, or 26 because they weren't her scheduled days then she pays for both of her days in lieu of the privilege of having Dec 24 as an optional day since other families are paying for a minimum of 4 days that including the stats.

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Originally Posted by mlle.coccinelle

...I think I'm to NICE for this kind a career

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Need to learn how to wear your 'business hat' when needed on ~ you can be nice while still being FIRM about your policies and contracts!

To be honest I hate conflict around $$$ as well and with all the venting I hear other providers do about 'flex care' clients my approach when I opened my business was to just AVOID having to deal with people like that from the onset ... I do not offer flex care you basically come full time and pay for the space or you come part time in a consistent 2 or 3 days a week spot and you pay for the space .... if you need FLEX CARE than your only option in my program would be to pay for the full time space because that is what they are occupying and I am not willing to forgo the income of a full time spot AND deal with people who still try to nickle and dime me on top of it!

Make her pay for what was committed to ~ if you have it in 'writing' that she committed to those days than she pays for those days!

She has her days. If she chooses not to bring her daughter that is up to her. She is responsible to pay for her booked days. Period.

When she gave you her schedule she knew that it was a holiday ....It wasn't just decided last week .. "oh let's throw a Christmas holiday in next week" she knew it was there ... She was counting on you being closed and her not having to pay. if she didn't want to bring her child on those days then she shouldn't have booked them in ... Stay firm .... I am closed on the 25th and 26th and I only have one child for the 28th but everyone pays for the week regardless of attendance .....

My parents are all paying for every day over the holidays that I am open. I am taking New Year's Eve off as well as Christmas Eve. I am not charging them for those days. They are paying for stats though - Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. If they choose to keep them home any other day, they still owe fees.

I think not only should you charge her for the 27th but also for the half day on the 24th.
That being said, with reference to the following...

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One of my DCM asked me this morning if i was open for the holidays and I answered that I was closing at noon on the 24, 25,26 are closed and I am open again on the 27th!

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Did you not give notice before hand of your time off, because with only 3 working days notice for taking a half day on Xmas Eve, IMO its a bit much to expect someone to accomodate that at such short notice.

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When she gave me her schedule for the month, she said that she was coming and in...

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At this point I would have told her what my working schedule would be so she had at least the month of December to clear it with her employer and make her Xmas plans.

However if she is contracted to pay for all booked days regardless of change in plans, then yes she should pay for the half day. It's Xmas Eve and a lot of people finish early on this day and even more so this year as school age kids are off school. I think most people would have the ability to finish early, and honestly, you weren't giving her a choice. She has to find alternative care and that's not your problem and you are open for half a day so she should pay.

Regardless of whether or not she could get the half day finish or not, she said she was coming then said she wasn't which I agree is like trying to pull one over on you. She sould pay for sure. Seems to me like a case of poor communication.

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Originally Posted by bright sparks

....Did you not give notice before hand of your time off....

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My standard holidays and closures are on my website, the specifics go out again in the newsletter in October and in November for my planners in my group and they are on the December calendar as 'closed signs' ... and I STILL had a new client ask me yesterday 'when are you closed again' ... love her to pieces cause they are awesome clients in every other way but sometimes she is a little of the 'hand holding' type with regards to remembering things ... wonder if Mlle.coccinelle has the same type of client here ~ just does not pay attention to little details and needs the info hand fed to her?

I think it's interesting how the parent has recognized that she does owe you for those days but is asking for a reduction in price because it's christmas. LOL Ridiculous.

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just does not pay attention to little details and needs the info hand fed to her?

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I would agree but as apples and bananas said she recognized that she owes for those days and still asked for a rebate. I have a parent who aparently has a hard time remembering anything I notify them of regardless of how many times I tell them verbally, by email and in written form placed in their hand.

Sounds more like she is trying to just get out of making payment now in any way she can. So sad when people are like this.

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Originally Posted by bright sparks

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Did you not give notice before hand of your time off...

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Oh! Dear, It was in my october, november and december news letter. I also reminded them face to face, to each parent at the beginning of the month... I think they just don't listen when I talk :laugh: What more should I have done... AHAH Maybe I should give them a sheet with all my holidays and make them sign it so I have a ''proof'' that I told them!

My paid days off are stated clearly in my contract and parents pay full fees for every week all year long except for my unpaid closed vacation weeks. Make it clear. Make it simple. No questions! You shouldn't have to go through this kind of thing if you discuss all of it at your interview phase and I really believe that the simpler your contract the easier the rules are to remember. Stand strong mlle.c.

My parents signed the renewed contracts in august and new in advance that I am closed from Dec. 24th to Jan 2nd inclus. (I offered the 24th after and they were all off for Holidays so... I did good) but they pay for the day of and the next day of the Holidays. No one argued, (cant argue if it was all agreed on months before) and I got all my post-dated checks.. done !! Most of the parents are off between the Holidays and so I said, I'll do that as well, no need to have child care if they don't work... plus they dont pay full weeks so, its a win win for both of us. Its also good for the parents to have to take some time off to be with their child ... hey I dont get paid much either, but I need the time off lol ;)

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Originally Posted by mlle.coccinelle

Oh! Dear, It was in my october, november and december news letter. I also reminded them face to face, to each parent at the beginning of the month... I think they just don't listen when I talk :laugh: What more should I have done... AHAH Maybe I should give them a sheet with all my holidays and make them sign it so I have a ''proof'' that I told them!

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I wasn't being funny with you mlle.coccinelle, you just didn't mention in your initial post about whether or not you you had given them advanced notice. Thats why I asked. It sounds to me that even if you had them sign an acknowledgement it still probably wouldn't go in and penetrate their brain.

I suppose now it's a question of whether you want to continue with this clear disregard for your professionalism in providing this info in advance and their lack of respect for you and your business, or if you want to find someone more willing to play by your rules and pay attention.

When things like this happen you should just look at her and ONLY say, "Yes, you have to pay for those days". Do not say anything else. Do not explain yourself. Simply tell her the way it is and allow for the awkward silence to permeate the air. It works every time.

The days she gave you are not technically a Holiday though, and if you are open and she was already scheduled to come, unless you have something in your contracts that states they are allowed so many days no pay with out any time frame to let you know....she owes you for the days she had her child on your schedule. It is nice of you to offer yourself during the Holidays most providers close through Christmas and Newyears, I am sure you would prefer to be off with your family, given you are offering yourself and she was on the schedule up until now?...she owes! period! happy holidays to her! :) you too! :)

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Originally Posted by bright sparks

I wasn't being funny with you mlle.coccinelle,

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oh! no worries Bright sparks! I'm just trying to laugh about it... Makes me less upset :laugh:

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Originally Posted by Judy Trickett

When things like this happen you should just look at her and ONLY say, "Yes, you have to pay for those days". Do not say anything else. Do not explain yourself. Simply tell her the way it is and allow for the awkward silence to permeate the air. It works every time.

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Love it!!! :laugh:

Mlle.c. what is listed in your contract as paid days off/stats? If you have them listed clearly then those days are to be paid. I agree with you that once my calendar is marked for part-time families those days are payable too.

But I'm still confused if you are open or closed on the 24th as I think some of the other ladies are wondering too or if it's listed as a stat paid holiday?

I have the 24th, 25th, 26th in my contract as paid days off/stats so then I'm officially open next Thursday & Friday and Dec. 31st but my clients have all decided that they have a parent at home and they are keeping their children home. This way I get unexpected vacation for a week and a half but they will be paying because they are all closed paid days or days that I'm open and it's all payable so a nice bonus.

But we have to be fair with our clients and they have to be fair with us. It's about mutual respect.