3.5k
Daycare and childcare providers in Winnipeg, Toronto, Vancouver, Ontario etc. in CanadaGarderies à Montréal ou au QuébecFind daycare or childcare providers in the USA
Forum control
+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18

Hybrid View

DaycareLady Does anyone offer FREE sick... 03-12-2013, 01:52 PM
JennJubie I offer as many sick days as... 03-12-2013, 01:57 PM
BlueRose I personal would charge for... 03-12-2013, 02:04 PM
daycarewhisperer No. Parents will lie and... 03-12-2013, 02:13 PM
Guest I don't charge for sick days... 03-12-2013, 02:25 PM
DaycareLady I really appreciate all of... 03-12-2013, 02:40 PM
cfred I do exactly as Jenn Jubie... 03-12-2013, 03:03 PM
Momof4 How can you budget if you... 03-12-2013, 04:07 PM
Guest I charge fees monthly.... 03-12-2013, 05:22 PM
Mommy I agree it's all paid for me... 03-15-2013, 10:20 AM
monkeymama I allow 7 unpaid days to my... 03-12-2013, 07:29 PM
Cadillac I dont get why you would... 03-12-2013, 08:01 PM
Mambia There are plenty of home day... 03-12-2013, 08:36 PM
Artsand crafts In here parents have 3 weeks... 03-12-2013, 09:37 PM
bright sparks I don't know how much you... 03-12-2013, 10:08 PM
Artsand crafts Good point from Bright... 03-12-2013, 10:41 PM
Sandbox Sally I don't understand why anyone... 03-15-2013, 10:34 AM
SecondAve I offer two free weeks off... 03-18-2013, 07:32 PM
  1. #1
    Starting to feel at home...
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    181
    Thanked
    36 Times in 22 Posts

    Does anyone offer FREE sick days to clients?

    Hi everyone, I am right in the middle of updating my contract with a fee increase (I posted about this yesterday). I also do not charge for STAT's but will be with the new contract as well. I want to offer the parents a little something extra though because in my town the daily fee is going to be $5 cheaper than I am going to ask and most people around here do not ask for STAT pay. I was thinking of offering 1-2FREE sick days a month for families (I will word it though so days can not be carried over, used for extending long weekends, etc). I feel this choice might be a win/win as I know a lot of parents send their kids sick because they have to pay anyways and by the time the sick child gets picked back up they have already spread their illness and then everyone is sick, including myself!
    Do you think this is a safe move? Or should I just still not charge for STAT? Or should I let them pick between the two?
    I really want to add some kind of sweetness to this deal to help attract future clients as well, not for them to see my fees and run! (although I am hoping they will see my fees and be interested as to why I charge more and want to check me out!)
    HELP oh wise ones!!

  2. #2
    Outgoing
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Ontario
    Posts
    411
    Thanked
    152 Times in 104 Posts
    I offer as many sick days as days their child attends. 5 days a week = 5 sick days a year I don't charge for.

    I also ask for pay for STAT days, but only if it falls on a day of their child's attendance. So if I have a part timer that doesn't come Wednesdays, and Canada day falls on a Wednesday, they wouldn't have to pay that STAT.
    Last edited by JennJubie; 03-12-2013 at 02:00 PM.

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to JennJubie For This Useful Post:


  4. #3
    Expansive... BlueRose's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Ontario
    Posts
    861
    Thanked
    299 Times in 222 Posts
    I personal would charge for sick days.

    But if you don't want to them I would only allow 5 or 6 free sick days per year. people will use them for long weekends (how can you prove there kid is not sick on the Tuesday, when you haven't see the kid all weekend) They will also use the days to take there kids to appointments, visit family etc. If I got to keep my kid home from daycare and didn't have to pay for a few days each month, I would. You will end up loosing money every month and still end up with sick kids. that 12 to 24 days per year without pay per child, it will add up.

    You could also do it that they pay for their sick days but not yours. That way they don't take advantage of your kind nature.

  5. #4
    Outgoing
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    259
    Thanked
    117 Times in 76 Posts
    No. Parents will lie and claim illness when they just have free care that day. You will also have arguments when you limit the number of days. If you allow a set number it will be cool until they exceed that.

    For me, attendance doesn't impact the cost of operating the business. It costs the same whether the kids are here or gone. The cost of operating is the same as the parents costs of having their kids... housing costs the same whether they are home or gone. Cost for heating or cooling house is the same. Household repair same. Cable bill same. Internet same. Phone same... etc etc. I have all those expenses whether the kids are here or not.

    When I'm on vacation the cost of operating is about 3 to 5$ a day less per day to have the kids gone. A few cents less Iin water, a dollar a day less in utilities, etc. Very nominal. So for me, I couldn't offer attendance based fees because I don't want to pay their portion of the hard costs of operating the home, internet,phone, advertising, equipment, toys, repairs, etc when they aren't here.
    Home of child care expertise. Child care consultant for home providers, child care centers, and parents. http://daycarewhisperer.com/
    Please join us on Facebook
    https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/daycare.whisperer

  6. #5
    apples and bananas
    Guest
    I don't charge for sick days or stats. I charge the very high end of my area so this is the main reason clients sign with me.

    I also have something in my contract that states that a client may take off one full week without pay only, everything after that must be paid in full for the week. This stops clients from taking multiple weeks of vacation, or if a child needs surgery or is ill for a week that's it for the year.

    This system works for me. I don't charge for sick because I don't want a client coming sick because they feel they have to get their money's worth. If you sick, I encourage you to stay home.

    Yes, I'm sure some clients do fake sick in order to get an unpaid day, but I haven't experianced that yet.

    I would not give the client the option of sick or stats, it's your business you should dictate. Don't give the client too much control.

  7. #6
    Starting to feel at home...
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    181
    Thanked
    36 Times in 22 Posts
    I really appreciate all of this! Thank you! Lots to think about!

  8. #7
    Euphoric !
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Newmarket
    Posts
    1,130
    Thanked
    550 Times in 347 Posts
    I do exactly as Jenn Jubie does. I also stipulate that sick days will be used in order of use and not 'saved up' for a vacation. I also don't allow sick days to be used in fractions. They are non accumulative (use them or lose them) and not transferable from one sibling to another. In addition, they are not to be used on Stats, which are also full pay.

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to cfred For This Useful Post:


  10. #8
    Euphoric !
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Ontario
    Posts
    3,629
    Thanked
    949 Times in 781 Posts
    How can you budget if you don't know if somebody is going to take a day off and not pay? I charge for all closed daycare days, stats and a few others that are listed in my contract that aren't quite stats like Christmas Eve day. I charge for sick days or missed days for any reason. That would include weather or car problems, you name it, why spell it out?

    In other words, my dc clients pay full fees 49 weeks of the year except for my 3 weeks of closed vacation. It's simple, straightforward and everyone knows how to budget. There are never any hard feelings because it's in black and white with no grey areas.
    Frederick Douglass
    It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.

  11. #9
    Trace of Angels
    Guest
    I charge fees monthly. Payment is made on the first of the month for the upcoming month. Parents pay for their child's spot no matter how much or how little they use it. I am closed for three weeks of vacation and all Stat holidays. The rate is still the same. I deserve a salaried position for my work the same as most of my clients get. I am a 38 year old woman who has a mortgage and a cost of living just like them. I can't afford for my income to be going up and down. How I figure it out is I take their childcare needs for the year and divide it by 12. So for instance someone that needs 5 days a week pays $950 a month every month on the first of the month..............

  12. #10
    I agree it's all paid for me as well but about 350$ less, I wish i could get 950$ here

Similar Threads

  1. Sick days...
    By childcare in forum Managing a daycare
    Replies: 22
    Last Post: 04-24-2018, 07:13 AM
  2. Paid stat days and sick days?
    By Marie999 in forum Parents' experiences with daycare providers
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 04-30-2015, 12:12 PM
  3. Handling sick days
    By Lee-Bee in forum Caring for children
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 07-17-2014, 12:24 PM
  4. Sick Days
    By Shannie in forum Daycare providers' experiences with parents
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 03-28-2013, 02:52 PM
  5. Sick days - own children
    By DCMom in forum Opening a daycare
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 09-04-2012, 10:55 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts

A few tips...

If you visited or if you're using a childcare provider found on DaycareBear, do not hesitate to leave a review. This will most certainly help other parents!
Did you know?
DaycareBear.ca has helped over 22600 daycare providers fill out their openings since its launch in January 2006!
Partner in your
search for a daycare provider