Quote Originally Posted by 5 Little Monkeys View Post
It's entirely up to you....you have a few choices that I can think of

1. Tell her that the spot is open now and if she would like to secure it for Fall, she will have to pay starting now. With this, she is free to use the spot when she would like though. If she wants to introduce baby to daycare starting part time, this would be ideal. (If you do that though...some providers don't like a gradual entry and like to just start ft, again up to you!!)

2. I charge a holiday fee for any days that I know ahead of time that they won't be here. It is $10 less a day so $200 less a month. I would charge this if I went with the option of making her pay now. It's a big enough decrease for a parent to consider this option but not a huge cut into my pay (and really, getting that $10 less a day but also not having the child in care yet is kinda a bonus lol)

3. Tell her that she can pass for now and risk you not having a spot in September because if you find a child between now and than, you will be choosing them from a business financial standpoint.

4. Take a deposit from her ( I do one week's pay and than apply that to their last month in care once they start) and hold the spot for her come September. It is a risk only you can decide if you want to take. I totally understand that the over 2 crowd is harder to come by but I also get that asking a parent to start paying now might not work either and they will just look elsewhere or touch base with you closer to September.

FWIW, I have never had a parent say they will start and than decide not to come. However, I also haven't had too many spots open up where I knew months in advance (I think only 2 families signed on early and than had to wait for their start date) If I had been burned in the past than my advice might be different. I know there are a few providers here who have had that happen and it is definitely a possibility but like I said, it's a risk you will have to decide to take or not.
Thanks...i'll think over all the posts...Teachers are probably most likely to return to work I think.... they wouldn't want to lose their teaching spot, even temporarily as I've heard it's hard to get back in a school once they're out. So, this client is probably a sure bet . Yes, I've been burned once before (you're lucky you haven't been), holding a spot for 4 months when i could have filled it earlier. The mom decided to stay home instead of return to work in the end as her employer was downsizing. Thanks!