Terminating Care

[Monday 2 Friday Mama]

Have you considered sending an e-mail ? It would allow you to take all the time you need to compose your message, and it would give everyone time to process the news - you don't want anyone going into a meltdown in your front hallway while their child is standing beside them. =) Stick to neutral language and focus on how the current situation is not in the best interests of the child; you can also identify a few specific situations where the problem behaviour has occurred and list the different ways that you've tried to help the child manage better so that they know you're not just throwing in the towel at the first hint of trouble. Ultimately, have faith that you (and you alone) make the decisions about who you care for. Of course the parents will be put out - they now have the chore of finding another caregiver, and no one likes that. However, you're giving them a month's notice to find another caregiver which is very reasonable, and that's the best you can do.