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  1. #1
    Starting to feel at home...
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    Would you give in on this?

    I have a FT DCG that is going down to 2 days/week when her mom goes on mat leave next month. She wants to pull her daughter for two weeks without pay, and an additional 1 week over Christmas, which she is willing to pay for. My vacation policy is that I don't charge when I'm on vacation, and if you want to take an additional two weeks, it is at 50%. Anything on top of that is at full pay.

    For her, money is tight because her EI won't kick in for a few weeks, and her husband is in construction and doesn't work over the winter. The thing is, Christmas is coming, and we had some emergency home repairs last week, so money is tight here too. Not to mention that I'm loosing my only FT spot, and while I'm getting a PT replacement in January, that doesn't help now. Would you be ok with no pay for 2 weeks? I was thinking of offering to let her pay once her EI comes in. Thanks for your input.

    ETA: I just put 2 and 2 together. She told me a while ago that her mom was coming to stay with her for a couple of weeks after she had the baby. So this is about having free daycare at home. If it was truly about money being tight, they would have switched her to PT already, now that her husband isn't working. Now I'm really sticking to my guns, without feeling guilty.
    Last edited by kimg; 11-12-2013 at 03:15 PM.

  2. #2
    Euphoric ! mimi's Avatar
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    While I understand that income is reduced for mat leave parents, it is not something they didn't know was coming. They should have saved for these weeks they wanted off. I would stick to your policy and tell them this money is owed. We can't finance mat leave parents, however, if you wanted to tell her you would wait for payment when her EI starts, that at least lets her know you are compassionate regarding their situation.

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  4. #3
    Expansive... Artsand crafts's Avatar
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    If you give in now be prepared to give in other times in the future. If we don't enforce our own policies then parents may not take us seriously next time. As Mimi said they knew this was coming. You can also offer what Mimi has suggested of telling her you would wait until EI starts for them to pay, but you also have to be prepared to not being paid when that happens.

  5. #4
    Euphoric !
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    The reality is she will only really be pulling her for 6 days if she is part time by then so I don't feel that money will be as big an issue as she is making it out to be. I would probably charge her for the two weeks she is pulling because there is no reason for her to keep child out but then over Christmas I do tend to be more lenient because I would rather have the parents keep the kids home and not get paid but have time with my own family than have their kid to deal with just because they want to get their money's worth and send the kid cause they are paying. Remind her that money is tight for you too since she is suddenly pulling half the fee for the space so quote how much you will lose by end of Dec and therefore there it really is equal in that you are both suffering. Parents rarely realize that their fee is our paycheck and just like she is getting no paycheck it means you are getting no paycheck either.

    Have you advertised for another part time child to fill the balance of the week?

  6. #5
    Euphoric !
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    Nope! She needs to pay for the spot regardless of what is going on in her life. We have to learn to keep our hearts out of the business side of what we do. I think of it as giving my hearts to the kids and not the parents. You have a contract and need to stick with it.

  7. #6
    apples and bananas
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    My Mat leave policy is $80 per week. That gives you 2 days of care (non transferrable to another week) You pay it regardless or vacation time, sick time, I'm closed, you can't come. Doesn't matter. They pay regardless. And I only do this for a limited number of clients and only those who show intention of returning and only if I can afford to take the cut (sometimes I like the prospect of having a bit of a break)

    Some clients choose to religiously bring their child for those 2 days. Some only bring them once in a while. Regardless... they pay the same fee every week.

    So, no, I wouldn't bend. It sets the wrong tone in the relationship.

    You really have to think about it like this.... if you bent like this for everyone you wouldn't be able to afford to do daycare, then where would these people be. You're doing them a service by charging a fair, reasonable rate and maintaining a profitable business.

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