Am I being too rigid? Parent wants me to negotiate my contract.

Morning all.

I am new to the boards and to the home care provider scene. I currently care for one toddler, and am advertising for one more. After researching my city's norms both on this site and on others, I drew up a parental agreement that I thought was fair. I state in the contract that I am paid for sick days on the family's part, but not on my own, and that I receive paid stat holidays IF the holiday falls on a regularly scheduled care day.

I received a series of emails from an interested parent, and she was all set to set up an interview. She read my contract and procedures, schedules etc, and gushed about how she loved everything (activities, philosophies, even my prices) except my stat holidays and sick day policy. She told me that my stipulations are "unheard of", and that unless they took taxes off my weekly pay, they couldn't understand how I felt justified in asking for these days as paid. She said that if her child was sick, she would take a double hit, as she'd have to take the day off work AND pay me.

Anyhow, I sent her an email back, and told her that I was sorry but my contract is not negotiable. I feel that I worded it well, and I followed it up by telling her that I was not completely rigid, and I would allow for some flex in care, and that I would still love to meet her and her child, etc etc. She hasn't emailed back. So I just lost a client. I am having very few follow-throughs or new leads, so I am pretty disappointed.

Would there ever be a time when you would negotiate your contract? Like I said, I am new to the wonderful world of home child care, and would like a little insight.

Thanks in advance!

The contract is NOT, NOT, NOT negotiable. In all my years I have NEVER negotiated any of the contract or fees. Just not gonna happen.

I find it rude to even ask.

If they don't like it then they should seek out daycare with a contract they DO agree with - just like any other business.

All parents who work salary positions, and most who work hourly, have sick days they can use. Therefore, if their child is sick and cannot come to daycare, the parent is still paid for their day even if they have to stay home. Also, parents are paid for stat days that they get off work, why should I not be?

No, my contract is NOT negotiable. I get paid for all sick days, both my own and the child's. I get paid for stat days. These are COMMON components of a home daycare contract and she is in dreamland if she thinks that it's "unheard of". I did daycare in the GTA for a bit before moving more East, but that was my policy there too...and was also the policy of all my home daycare providing peers. Infact, I have only ever met (in person/real life) one provider who didn't charge for stat days or sick days (either the childs, the providers, or both). This potential client will soon realize that when looking for care, and might be calling you back! :)

Adding: if someone is going to nickle & dime you looking for a discount, then do you really want them in your care anyway? If they are so set on 'getting a good discount' or deal then they are likely the same ones who will always be asking for favours and whatnot once in care.

Welcome to the board and to the life of a childhood engineer and professional nose wiper - lol

I would never negotiate anything in my contract - especially not the sick days and stat holidays.

Getting paid stats is very very NORMAL and almost every provider I have ever met asks for payment for any day where they are open but a child does not attend i.e the daycare child is sick but you were planning on that income for that week.

I used to use home daycare for my children before I was a daycare provider and every home daycare provider always asked me to pay stats and sick days. At one point I was SELF EMPLOYED and did NOT get paid stats or sick days myself and yet my daycare provider still did not back down. I knew that my daycare provider was within her rights and reasonable expectations so I had to pay it - even if it hurt. lol
I certainly wasn't going to displease or argue the point as long as my children had good care.

It really is in the parents' best interest to keep a daycare provider happy. This is the person who looks after your child and a good provider is worth every penny :yes::D

Like someone else said...she will soon see that everyone asks for sick days and stats and might even contact you again if she is not too embarassed.

I do not charge if I am sick or have an emergency or have my kids sick but if I am planning on little Johnny or Susie to come to daycare and expecting and budgeting on the $$ for that day and the parent has to cancel then it wouldn't be fair to ask me to be short on my weekly income. If it is no fault of mine and I am open and waiting for their child then it is really not fair that I wouldn't be paid

Thanks, everyone. I am feeling better, and even managed a smile when reading your replies. I was pretty upset about this - Worried I was not making the right choice as well as feeling guilt for not giving her what she wanted.

After reading these messages, I have decided that my contract shall remain rock solid as well. And you're right - if they're asking for special treatment from the get-go, are these really parents that I want to have to deal with on a daily basis?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Emilys4Guppies

Adding: if someone is going to nickle & dime you looking for a discount, then do you really want them in your care anyway? If they are so set on 'getting a good discount' or deal then they are likely the same ones who will always be asking for favours and whatnot once in care.

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Yes, Bang on! These are what I call Red Flag parents and honestly, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by alphaghetti

if they're asking for special treatment from the get-go, are these really parents that i want to have to deal with on a daily basis?

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No SPECIAL!

I agree with what everyone has already said. I get paid for stat holidays and the child's sick days as well as 5 of my own and 2 week of my holidays paid, so what you are asking for is actually not much at all and they'd be lucky to find a better deal than that! I had one parent who came for an interview and was like that...didn't want to pay for his child's sick days etc. I'm glad he went elsewhere because he did not value me as a professional..more the type who thinks "she's just a babysitter, so why should she get all this?" Let those type walk and you'll get someone better.

Yup, I agree...NO adjustments, NO special, No deals...EVER! She is on crack if she thinks this is not the norm.

Uhhh, yeah, what everyone else said! LoL :)
Glad you walked away from this one. I have no idea how she can say it's "unheard" of!! It's completely the norm in my area. My rates are very reasonable, and as such I am entitled to time off without going broke. I get stats (paid), 10 days of holidays (paid) and can take up to 4 personal days in the year (paid). If they choose not to bring the child on certain days, I still get paid.
It would be nice if a parent actually did the math on how much we end up getting paid, after food and all other expenses. I know it may seem alot to them, but when you break it down; I'm not in this to get rich!! I do it so that I can stay home with my kids and still earn some kind of income.

I just opened my daycare, so I am new to running my own business, but I definitely believe that the whole point of having a contract is to avoid having clients walk all over you. I would agree that contracts are not negotiable. I know writing up my contract took a lot of work and thought b/c I wanted to be fair both to myself and to parents. If you were to change your contract every time someone didn't see eye-to-eye with you on a policy you would end up with one that reflected the needs of everyone EXCEPT you!
I also think this mother is being unfair. In my contract I stipulate that all stat holidays are paid holidays and if they fall on a weekend I take the Friday or Monday. And while it is true that when a child is sick the mother may have to take a 'financial' hit, you are running a business so why should you have that financial burden instead? Finally, yes you lost a client, but do you really want to work with someone who possibly believes that their time is more valuable than yours?

I learned this the hard way, was nickel and dimed by a family right from the get go and always had to argue about payment when her children were sick eventhough it was clearly stated in my contract. Got to the point that she kept sending her kids sick to me b/c I was going to charge her, when I put my foot down and said you cannot leave your child here today, she is too sick, of course on pay day she tried to tell me that she was not going to pay me as I was the one to send her child home.... yeah, that did nt happen.... if there is anything I have learned in my short time as a daycare provider is that good parents who appreciate you makes all the difference in the world!

My question to her would be "Do you get paid for Stat holidays?" , if the answer was yes then I would say "why shouldn't I then. I also charge for the child's sick days but not if I am sick. If the child happens to be ill for an extended period of time then it is full fees for the first five consecutive days then half fees for consecutive days after that. The parents pay half fees for their vacation time but only in one week blocks, meaning if they decide to keep little Johnny home on a Friday only then it is still full fees. I do not charge for my vacation though.

The only other thing I can suggest is set up an interview FIRST. Your just starting, you need to fill spaces and get as many contracts signed...I'd be leaving the contract signing to the last step. When a parent calls me, we discuss if I can meet the initial needs like days, age, hours etc. Then meet in the dayhome, then if they choose to sign up they bring me a registration fee and registration forms and then they get access to my website with all my policies and then lastly we sit down and sign and go over contract. Let them fall in love with the wonderful idea of you caring for your children, then talk logistics and policies! Good luck :)

My standard repy to parents who ask not to pay for a sick day or a "day off"...I cannot manufacture a kid to take your spot for the day...so you pay! This is why I have a "flat rate" policy..they pay for the whole week whether their child is with me or not!