Experience with Teacher parents.

Just wondering if anyone has dealt with this situation and advise on what to do?

I have a DCM who is a teacher so knowingly she doesn't need care march break, extended christmas, and the summer vacation. This mom also takes a lot of time off work during the school year and keeps her child home with her. often 1-3 Fridays a month. I have had them as a clint since their child was 11 months, the child is now 2. When i first signed them on, my contract stated that i did not charge for days not in care. All other parents had the same contract and limited their time off out of respect for the business, no problems there. After the first year I revamped my contract to allow for 15 "free days" within the year of their contract to use at their own discretion. This was mainly because of this specific DCM taking so much time off and only allowing so many "free days". well within 2 months of care back in September she used up almost all of her 15 days. This left her with no more for extra christmas (I take my vacation from Christmas -New years) or the upcoming march break. She understands she must now pay for march break and any other days her child is not here. (a weekly conversation is had accusing me of being unfair and that it makes no sense to charge when he is not in care) I have tried to be reasonable with time off days etc and no other DKP's even use up all their allotted days off within their contract term. I tried to explain to her that they purchase a "spot" that is for them at a weekly cost. I can not fill his spot when he is not here on a "tell me that morning he won't be here" scenario. I tried again to explain it is like a gym membership (maybe i'm wrong in this explanation, but anyway) you pay a monthly fee non dependant on if you use it or not. thats the contract. I feel like i've been fair in my 15 days unpaid, to use how ever they want.

so the kicker.....I told her when she returned this past September that i could not hold their spot over the summer (2015) for free, but that i was willing to reduce their fee to half the daily rate over the summer to hold his spot for next September. She was obviously not impressed by this and said that they were not willing to do that and they would just wait and see if the spot is still available in September. So I went ahead and posted his spot to find another client. Well, I found one! I let her know (out of respect) that i had some interest in the spot and that they might want to start looking for new care for September. They back tracked and now say they are willing to pay the half rate to hold his spot. should I say no to this new client or give priority to the existing one even tho i will loose money taking only the holding fee? i'm frustrated!

Wow! I guess kudos for her for keeping her child home with her on all her days off. I'd also like to know where she teaches to be able to get so many days off!!!

I think you totally got to go with your gut on this. If you are ready for a new family that is hopefully more respectful of their child's spot then go for it. My main concern of not accepting the new family and letting this family 'hold the spot' for half fees is that they will bail on you come summer. leaving you with no child and an empty spot. Which the teacher family may then try to snag again in September or may just bail all together. I would seriously consider having them pay the holding fee now in order to turn the other family away. You are a great risk of losing both families if you just go on the teachers word that they'd like to keep the spot when they so strongly noted they wouldn't pay for it not that long ago.

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Originally Posted by Beanie

They back tracked and now say they are willing to pay the half rate to hold his spot. should I say no to this new client or give priority to the existing one even tho i will loose money taking only the holding fee? i'm frustrated!

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I wouldn't. Why would you decline a client who will pay 100% of the fees, to switch that with someone who is under duress going to pay 50%? She was given the opportunity to be fair before you advertised and decline. You have now invested time in interviews, as have those potential clients, and only now, your original client is prepared to do the right thing. No, too late.

She had her chance and declined and said she'd take the gamble. The gamble didn't pay off but she doesn't get to roll the dice again. That would make you look unprofessional and you are still 50% out of pocket for two months. Plus then, when September returns, you've got all her drama with extended days off to repeat again.

It seems this is the only client you have issues with. Maybe it's time to let her go. Take on the new client who understands the terms and who is going to pay full rate.

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Originally Posted by Lee-Bee

Wow! I guess kudos for her for keeping her child home with her on all her days off. I'd also like to know where she teaches to be able to get so many days off!!!

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Kudos? Why? She's keeping the child home sure but she's also not been paying for the place. It's not like she's got the day off, has to pay for day care regardless and has chosen to spend the day with her child.



I have a love/hate relationship with school board employees - and I was one for many years.

It's the expectation that the service isn't paid for when not used and this is the only service in the World where that expectation is given. You have a seat on a shuttle service, you pay for the seat even if your butt won't be in it. You pay rent even if you are on vacation and no in the home for a set amount of time.

I totally agree with Rachael. I think she has been really disrepectful, and I would let her go. Let her find someone else that she can use as a drop in. I am finding this more and more common with parents, they want the stability of a daycare, but the convenience of a babysitter, but think the going rate for either one too expensive.

Personally I think she is pushing her luck more and more because you have let her. If the child has been there more than a year and Mom has been taking lots of "free" days off from the start why would she start paying now??? You're contract is useless in this regard as you have let her do whatever she wants. If you don't follow your own rules why would she?

Cut her loose and start with a new family. Make your rules clear right from the start, no exceptions.

If this teacher family is leaving for the summer, then why not maybe wait and see if you can find someone who can start in June instead of September that way you don't lose money over the summer? Def find another family though. 15 fee days per year is VERY generous of you, she shouldn't be arguing about it and the fact she is shows she just has no respect for you and your business.

I agree with the others, I think it's time this family finds another daycare. You have been more than generous with her (15 free days a year is A LOT! Especially if you have a year where all families use them all!!)

I don't think it's fair to the new family if you now say "sorry the spot is not available anymore" nor do I think you should give the old family their spot back anyways. It will just show her that she's boss and you will do anything to take them back.

I assume the new family is starting in July? I've had a family sign on a couple months before the spot opened and I just got them to fill out all the paperwork and pay a deposit (which is a week's worth) and they signed knowing it was non-refundable if they chose to go elsewhere in the meantime but once they started with me, it then would be applied to their last week in my care. It all worked out fine.

I wouldn't be surprised if this mom pulls her child out before the end of the school year though. Don't let it bother you!! Let her go...she doesn't sound like a respectful client.

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Originally Posted by Beanie

She was obviously not impressed by this and said that they were not willing to do that and they would just wait and see if the spot is still available in September.

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This was her giving you notice to terminate care.

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So I went ahead and posted his spot to find another client. Well, I found one! I let her know (out of respect) that i had some interest in the spot and that they might want to start looking for new care for September. They back tracked and now say they are willing to pay the half rate to hold his spot.

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Too bad, so sad.

I know that sounds harsh, but this woman has taken huge advantage of you. I fully believe that if you say no to this new family and agree to let her pay half the fee to hold the spot that come June she'll be denying that the conversation ever happened and you will be left high and dry.

Take the new family. What's the worst that can happen? She pulls her kid out of your daycare prior to June? She's not going to do that because at this point she isn't going to find anyone who is as generous as you have been who is willing to only take her kid for five months.

I have had MANY teachers over the years...I get paid (from everyone) for every day I am here for them...I give NO days for nonpayment....the only time a parent does NOT pay me...is if I am NOT here....teachers...n o EXCEPTION....they pay for Christmas....march break....in full....as far as summer months....I will NOT hold a spot over the summer for them unless their child comes 3 days a week (paid)....I've NEVER HAD A PROBLEM....

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Originally Posted by flowerchild

This was her giving you notice to terminate care.

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I absolutely agree with this. You told her that if she wants you to hold her place over summer, she needed to pay a 50% holding fee. She declined and said she'd take a chance on that place being empty come September. That means that at the end of June, your contract with this family is done.

The fact that she had a change of heart after learning the space would be taken, is irrelevant. As someone whose care contract ends in June, she tried to negotiate a new arrangement, and it's not a proposal you have accepted.

You don't need to say anything more. I suspect, she won't either and she'll be arrogant enough to presume that her half fees are good enough to hold her place.

Should you decide to take on this new family, then it's entirely up to you how you handle it. You could write to the teacher family a few weeks before the new starter is scheduled to join, and merely confirm that x date is the final day of care for their child, following their decision in Jan 2015 to terminate at the end of June rather than pay and so subsequently, as they were made aware at the time, the place won't be available after June. Or you could clarify now and be aware that they might pull their child earlier than you would like. You know your client so you'll have to figure out what is the best approach.

I have had lots of teachers over the years and mine always pay - every single client pays based on days registered not occupied here and I don't/won't differentiate based on employer. Just as school board employees get a lot of leave, so do military families and we have a huge military presence here.

School board employees tend to ask at interview for the free summer which can be irritating in their expectation of it. Military don't. I just tell them straight, if they come here, they pay. For the most part, it's not been an issue. For the odd one it was, then right there at interview, they knew this wasn't an option here.

To be honest, those that pushed for it, I tend not to offer them a place. Fair or not, I tend to feel that if they are so pushy for things to be wholly to their advantage from the get go, then likely they'll just pull their child come June anyway. Since I don't enjoy the interview process, I consider that situation avoidable by offering the place to someone else.

New family end of story.

My husband and I had this debate when we started our daughter in care. For whatever reason, he had trouble understanding that we pay for care even if our child isn't in care that day. In explanation, I liken it to monthly parking. You want to secure a stall...you pay for the month...etc.
In my opinion, offering any free days is not needed. You need to make a predictable wage. It is not like you can 'rent' the stall last minute to make up for the shortfall.
I agree with the above. Terminate the care and suggest that she locate a drop in type home as it may be economically more viable for her needs (slim chance, but the reality check will help her next provider). Geez. Some people. BTW: My sister is a teacher and there is NO WAY she gets that kinds time off. This lady has it good and she doesn't even know it....