How would you handle this dcm?

[nschildcare]

Ok, I have this dilemma and I'm asking for some feedback. I have a family that has been with me for a few years and are really great. Over the past year, the dcm has had every other Friday off, but still pays the same each week. So, because her schedule is always alternate Fridays off, I will make dr.'s appointments, etc. on those days that I know they won't be here.

Well, this past week I got an email from her, last minute, saying that she needed to bring them for a couple of hours on the Friday, because she has to run into work for a meeting. I had made an dr. appointment for myself weeks before for that day and told her that I was sorry but I had an appointment that day and I couldn't watch them (it was out of town so I wasn't sure when I'd be back). She proceeded to tell be that "wasn't she paying for this day anyway?". I told her that this was her schedule and how I make appointment for those days, etc...
She just thought that because of the situation, she could use me as a drop in centre.

Was I wrong in how I handled it?

I understand the parent's confusion and I understand your expectations. I think it all comes down to the contract and what you have agreed to in terms of schedule and pay.

If her contract states she pays x amount for her current schedule (including the rotating friday off), then I think you are ok. In other words, her tuition fees are for the schedule she has provided you and if she needs extra days on top of that schedule, then she owes a drop in fee.

If her contract states that she pays x amount for a full time spot (and there is no mention of friday being a rotating off) then I think that you are obligated to have been available.

What's done is done.

I think moving forward, you should clarify with this parent what her schedule is and what her tuition payment is for. They way I would handle it: She is paying for a full time spot (because you will never find another family who only needs every 2nd friday) but her contracted schedule is x, y and z. Therefore, if she does want care on the occasional friday (that is normally off for her), then payment of x amount is due and should be arranged a minimum of 48 hours in advance. I wouldn't cut a deal of a reduced rate b/c she is out one day every few weeks but I would certainly make sure that it is in writing that care is not available to her on those days, except for an extra fee.

[Spixie33]

It sounds to me (and I could be wrong) that you asked DCM to pay you for a full time spot even though her Friday was going to be rotating.

In that case - the right thing to do would be to let her use the day because technically she has paid for it and it is her spot that you asked her to pay for.

I can totally understand why it would be terrible luck on your part though since you have an appointment already set up.

I agree with everyone who said that maybe this needs to be readdressed with the mom and put into writing very specifically on whether these alternate Fridays are hers to use or not.

Good luck - I hope it all works out tomorrow

[Lee-Bee]

What would your policy be had you made this appointment a different day of the week? Would you close but the families still pay? How much notice do you have to give? They same policy would apply to this day. You should give notice of any appointment on the Fridays even if she is not expected to use the day, give notice so she knows that she cannot use the day. If she would have to pay for you to go on a Monday then she would pay for you to go on the Friday. If you typically close with no pay then she would get the day with no pay, even if she wasn't supposed to use the day and it didn't technically impact her.

I would clarify all the above and in the future let her know you booked an appointment on the Friday so she knows the day is not available. if you bring the other kids with you then let her know you planned it for the day she was planning not to use so that you didn't have to close a different day of the week and impact her.

[Busy ECE mommy]

I would think if she pays full fees, then she is entitled to use the day.
Can you get a relative to watch the child for you for a few hours?

[bright sparks]

I pretty much agree with everyone else about if she pays for the day then it is hers. That being said, if this has been a long term arrangement that she NEVER uses these days then why wouldn't you use that to your advantage and make appointments. I think moving forward there is a pretty easy solution to this and it really is just about good communication.

You are not a drop in service so if she is going to attend the daycare on a Friday that she isn't scheduled to come, paid for or not, there needs to be a minimum amount of notice she gives you to say she will be coming. For example, if she never uses those days and the child is your only one who pays for that day, you would have no activities prepped, no food prepped so I would request 24 hours notice if she intends to attend so you can be prepared for the child. It's not that he can't use the day if she were to tell you at pick up the day before, after all she pays for the day, but without notice you are not prepared for him and if she is only going to sporadically use the days how does she expect you to plan?? This would show the parent that you like to be organized for each day to be able to meet the child's needs without last minute rushing or unnecessary preparation if they aren't to attend that day, and it also gives you 24 hours notice to cancel any appointments you may have made without a financial penalty.....does that make sense or did I ramble?

Yes it is her day as she pays for it, but are you expected to get up in time for opening time for just one kid on the rare off chance they will show up? That is ridiculous. She either needs to show up every week or show you the courtesy of some prior notice so you can plan the day in advance, whether that be food prep, activity prep, or cancelling scheduled appointments. I don't believe you can deny her the day if she paid for it, but you can set some new rules in your contract that work in both parties favour.

[mattsmom]

I pretty much agree with everyone else about if she pays for the day then it is hers. That being said, if this has been a long term arrangement that she NEVER uses these days then why wouldn't you use that to your advantage and make appointments. I think moving forward there is a pretty easy solution to this and it really is just about good communication.

You are not a drop in service so if she is going to attend the daycare on a Friday that she isn't scheduled to come, paid for or not, there needs to be a minimum amount of notice she gives you to say she will be coming. For example, if she never uses those days and the child is your only one who pays for that day, you would have no activities prepped, no food prepped so I would request 24 hours notice if she intends to attend so you can be prepared for the child. It's not that's he can't use the day if she were to tell you at pick up the day before, after all she pays for the day, but without notice you are not prepared for him and if she is only going to sporadically use the days how does she expect you to plan?? This would show the parent that you like to be organized for each day to be able to meet the child's needs without last minute rushing or unnecessary preparation if they aren't to attend that day, and it also gives you 24 hours notice to cancel any appointments you may have made without a financial penalty.....does that make sense or did I ramble?

Yes it is her day as she pays for it, but are you expects to get up I time for opening time for just one kid on the rare off chance they will show up? That is ridiculous. She either needs to show up every week or show you the courtesy of some prior notice so you can plan the day in advance, whether that be food prep, activity prep, or cancelling scheduled appointments.

And this is exactly how I felt. Her schedule is alternate Fridays off and I don't have any other dck's on Fridays. When her schedule changed to this a year ago, she was the one that offered to pay the full time fee for each week, because the kids were taking up 2 full time spaces regardless if they are here all week or just 4 days, and also if the time came that she would need those Fridays back if her schedule or job position changes.
How am I supposed to plan on having these 2 children on days they are not scheduled to come? The whole point in making the appointments on these days is so I wouldn't have to tell parents that they have to find backup care because I am taking a day off for it.

[5 Little Monkeys]

Do you have other children these days though? Does she know that you don't? If she just assumes that you are open as normal these days (and why wouldn't she when she is paying you for the day) than you can't really blame her for thinking that it would be okay to send the kids.

Just read your above post...if it were me, I wouldn't charge her for the alternating Fridays so that I could have them off. If I accepted money from a parent I would feel that I need to be available if they EVER needed care for that day.

[mattsmom]

Do you have other children these days though? Does she know that you don't? If she just assumes that you are open as normal these days (and why wouldn't she when she is paying you for the day) than you can't really blame her for thinking that it would be okay to send the kids.

Just read your above post...if it were me, I wouldn't charge her for the alternating Fridays so that I could have them off. If I accepted money from a parent I would feel that I need to be available if they EVER needed care for that day.

No, I don't have any other kids these days and she knows that. I told her that she doesn't have to pay for those Fridays but she insisted because, as I said before, she wants to make sure that if the time comes that her job schedule ever did change permenantly, then she could have them back automatically.
I don't find this unusual though, as I have a dcg whose both parents work in an essential service job and they pay for full time even though she ends up being here only 3 or 4 times a week and their schedule is different all the time, with sometimes long hours.

[Crayola kiddies]

Ok so now I have read everybody's responses and the op has added more information such as these are her only kids on that day so when they are not there on alternate Fridays she has a paid day off..... I agree it all is dependant on what your contract states ... Do you get paid for personal days ? How much notice do you have to give? What if this appt was on a Monday as someone else suggested ? Would she still have had to pay? I understand that booking your appt on this day makes the most sense however the day is still hers to use since she pays for it. If you went with the "must give 24 hours notice if she wants to use it " well she did that 48 actually cause this post was started yesterday and Friday is tomorrow.... You say this is a specialist appt and so it was clearly made months or weeks ago and therefore the 24 hours is kind of usless.... I don't feel she is using you as a drop in centre ...every two weeks she pays you for 10 days of care and only uses 9 .... You get a paid day off every two weeks.... She needs to go to work for a meeting and needs to use her day that she paid for. I'm sorry if I'm not sharing you point of view but I really don't think she's asking too much now if you don't plan in cancelling your appt then I would just say to her " I generally book my appts that cannot be booked on weekends on the Fridays you are not here so that I am not unconvineceing you .... This is a specialist appt that I booked many months ago unfortunately I cannot cancel it so I will refund you one days fees. When you make the next payment deduct one day .... I'm terribly sorry" But I would be prepare for her to find new care cause she will be miffed .... I don't believe it's about the money I believe it's about the fact she has secured a full time spot and even though she doesn't use every other Friday she knows its there in case ..... But actually its not

[mickyc]

For myself I would just reimburse her for the one day that you were unavailable. I would talk to her about it and explain that because you have no kids and still technically open (being paid) that you can take her child providing you receive 24 hours notice to change any plans may have made and that she runs the risk of you being closed on those days depending on what plans you have made and if you do refuse to take the children that you will reimburse her for that day.

As a parent if I was paying for a full time spot I would expect to be able to use the spot when/if I needed it. I have a family that attends my daycare that had a similar issue with her previous daycare as well. She asked to keep her son there for an afternoon that he wasn't usually there and the provider said no that she had errands to run. The mom ended up pulling her son out and coming to my daycare. Her thought was she isn't paying her to run around and do errands (she was paying for a full-time spot).

I am available to all of my parents when I am open. If I close I let everyone know and in this case I think you should have let everyone know you were closed on that particular day for an appointment (which you were not able to cancel if anyone needed care) and not accepted payment from anyone for that day regardless if they normally are away and still pay.