Parents asking for rebates when they dont bring their child in

[mlle.coccinelle]

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

[BlueRose]

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.

[playfelt]

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.

[Inspired by Reggio]

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

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!

[mimi]

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.

[Crayola kiddies]

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 .....

[Sandbox Sally]

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.

[bright sparks]

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...

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!

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.

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

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.

[Inspired by Reggio]

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

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?

[apples and bananas]

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.