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  1. #1
    Starting to feel at home...
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    What are your important issues? Where will you compromise?

    What aspects of your contract are the most important to you? What points have you had to reference the most to parents as a reminder(Late Pick-up Policy, I imagine, lol)? What points are you most willing to compromise on (OK to go past your closing? Will you open early? Offer discounts?)?
    ~ Mama to 4, Dayhome provider ~

  2. #2
    Starting to feel at home...
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    I wont comprimise on anything. I spent a long time thinking about what I wanted to offer, how long I was willing to work and about how much I wanted to be paid, once those decisions were made then that is what I follow. If you bend for one parent will you bend for then next?

    To me, contracts are in place to set out rules and expectations of not only the parent but also the provider. If you do not expect the parents to follow your written contract as is, then you should change it.

  3. #3
    Starting to feel at home... Tot-Time's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Emilys4Guppies View Post
    What points have you had to reference the most to parents as a reminder(Late Pick-up Policy, I imagine, lol)?
    No notice when they are dropping off late!!!! It is'nt a huge issue, but an inconvinience, I am 'dealing' with 2 or 3 times a week with at least 2 of my families! I run a fairly busy schedule with the respect that we attend activities outside of the daycare, sometimes leaving as early as 8:30 am. So, I have a policy that parents must notify me by 8 am via phone call, text message, or email, so I can plan accordingly or the children aren't sitting in the van waiting for them to arrive. I write a reminder monthly to all the families, I am continually posting it as a policy reminder as well.

    I have one family I can't seem to reach, she will email me at 8:45," oh we are running late, do you have any plans?" (all my families are scheduled to arrive at 7:30 am)

    There was one day she arrived at 9:30 and got upset with me that I refused to serve a second snack. After almost a year of the one family consistently doing this, I have now just said that if you don't notify me on time I will assume your child will be absent for the day and no learning materials, snack, etc will be prepared for your child's morning activities, because at 8 is free play and those are my few 'stolen' moments to prepare for the day for the children who are present or have confirmed they are running late.
    ~*~ Nicole's Tot-Time Daycare ~*~
    www.nicolestot-time.com

  4. #4
    Starting to feel at home... Tot-Time's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by giraffe View Post
    I wont comprimise on anything. I spent a long time thinking about what I wanted to offer, how long I was willing to work and about how much I wanted to be paid, once those decisions were made then that is what I follow. If you bend for one parent will you bend for then next?
    Do you find that sometimes it is difficult to not compromise or give in? Especially when you have such a good family?

    I am very much a 'rule orientated' person, but I will admit, I do compromise and may change a policy in my contract to suit the individual family's needs. But, just because I change something for one family doesn't mean I will for the next.
    ~*~ Nicole's Tot-Time Daycare ~*~
    www.nicolestot-time.com

  5. #5
    Outgoing
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    Quote Originally Posted by giraffe View Post
    I wont comprimise on anything. I spent a long time thinking about what I wanted to offer, how long I was willing to work and about how much I wanted to be paid, once those decisions were made then that is what I follow. If you bend for one parent will you bend for then next?

    To me, contracts are in place to set out rules and expectations of not only the parent but also the provider. If you do not expect the parents to follow your written contract as is, then you should change it.
    This is me too. I spent a long time trying to get my contract perfect to the way I wanted things to be in my daycare. Everything is in there for a reason and I follow that my contract says.
    The Daycare Room ~ A forum for providers ~
    http://thedaycareroom.forumotion.ca/

  6. #6
    Euphoric !
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    Mostly I follow what is in my contract but I have also worded some sections that will say "at my discretion" or something similar which gives me the right to be lenient with one family but firmer with a family that needs it. I agree with Nicole on the late arrivals because it is so disruptive and depending on the child involved it means I might assume they aren't coming and give the other children a toy to play with but if the baby finally comes I have to take it away or change my menu plan back to a food baby can eat too. I do try to work with each family and depending on what comes out of the interview I have made ammendments for them and on the childcare agreement page they sign there is a spot that says they agree to abide by the contract noting the following ammendments: that could include paying every two weeks where the contract says due weekly or pickup with no extra charge on Thursday if before 5:20 where my time is 5 but knowing upfront it is one daya week but it will also say late fee which is an hourly rate due if pickup is after.

  7. #7
    Starting to feel at home...
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    For myself...

    I will not budge on the money. No discounts, no favours...I am in this for love of the children, but also so that I can be here for my own children too, so it has to be worth my time.

    I won't budge on closing time either.

    I will open earlier for a family I love but won't do that for just anyone.
    ~ Mama to 4, Dayhome provider ~

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tot-Time View Post
    Do you find that sometimes it is difficult to not compromise or give in? Especially when you have such a good family?

    I am very much a 'rule orientated' person, but I will admit, I do compromise and may change a policy in my contract to suit the individual family's needs. But, just because I change something for one family doesn't mean I will for the next.
    I have done favors for families in the past but I soon find that one favor leads to another... and another and another an soon you are opening early every day for a familyor closing late. At first 5 -10 min late doesnt seem like a big deal but if you add in the time it takes to get the child ready and out of your house you are adding an extra 4 - 5 hours per month that you are working for FREE multiply that and that is over a whole FREE week of care per year.
    So no I do not find it difficult not to bend.

  9. #9
    Shy
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    Feb 2011
    Location
    Burlington
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    My policies are not negotiable. Thats why I have them in my policy booklet. In the past i have parents not give me two weeks notice and as I only ask for one weeks deposit I was owed another week. So Ive changed my policy to two weeks deposit and I get paid one week in advance. So know if a parent came to me on Friday and told me they weren't bringing their child anymore Ive at least got my two weeks pay upfront which is nonrefundable.

  10. #10
    Expansive... Play and Learn's Avatar
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    My contracts are non negotiable. You don't ask your doctor or lawyer to open earlier, or stay later, do you? Well, I am qualified at what I do, and the contract is set in place for a reason. I do have a life outside of caring for other individuals children!

    Parents who I have interviewed don't understand that I won't give them leniency on times. I explain to them that I have two businesses to run, and I have to have some me (down) time between the two businesses. Yet they don't care, and it's all about them!

    So no, no leniency from me!

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