Early closures

[5 Little Monkeys]

I agree, it would get old if it happened often. The parent would have 2 choices IMO....talk to the provider and ask if this is going to be a common occurrence or find a new daycare.

IME, parents have never had an issue with my days off or closing early because it doesn't happen very often and when it does, they have lots of notice. They all know I take 2 weeks in the summer and than another 1-2 weeks throughout the year (usually 3 weeks per year when all added up). None of them have questioned the fee because like Amanda said, they are there for more than half a day. It's a small fee to pay to show appreciation for your provider as well. Parents who want to nickel and dime their dcp and be charged for hours used rather than a spot would not choose my dc anyways.

We set our own standards. If parents don't like it or they have no back up for when we are closed, centre dc's would be a better choice. It's things like this that I think more need to think about before having children. (There are times that situations change tho and it can't be helped!)

[bright sparks]

I agree, it would get old if it happened often. The parent would have 2 choices IMO....talk to the provider and ask if this is going to be a common occurrence or find a new daycare.

IME, parents have never had an issue with my days off or closing early because it doesn't happen very often and when it does, they have lots of notice. They all know I take 2 weeks in the summer and than another 1-2 weeks throughout the year (usually 3 weeks per year when all added up). None of them have questioned the fee because like Amanda said, they are there for more than half a day. It's a small fee to pay to show appreciation for your provider as well. Parents who want to nickel and dime their dcp and be charged for hours used rather than a spot would not choose my dc anyways.

We set our own standards. If parents don't like it or they have no back up for when we are closed, centre dc's would be a better choice. It's things like this that I think more need to think about before having children. (There are times that situations change tho and it can't be helped!)

I think it`s give and take too. I have a dcmom who commutes to TO from Niagara Region and she gives herself 2 hours to get home when it should only take an hour so she has lots of room for delays. There have been a few times that she has been late due to accidents, weather or public transit delays on the days she opted to take the GO. Within 2 weeks of returning to work from Mat leave she confronted her situation by asking me how things would be long term if she was late due to these reasons and should she look for alternative care. She was the one who brought it up, before she had even been late as she realized how tight it could be due to variables she had no control of. I really valued and respected her being upfront so I said as long as that was the reason for lateness and she kept me well informed along the way then I didn`t think it was cause for concern. There have been a good amount of times that she wasn`t going to make it on time and she has been able to use her back up daycare to collect on time as often as they have been available. I think in the last 16 months that I have cared for her son, there have only been 2 or 3 times when she has said she doesn't have back up available and would be 10 or 15 minutes late. That`s fine, its life and I`m human, and she doesn't abuse my kindness and regularly collects early on the days she can just breeze through traffic easily. Basically what I`m getting at is that while I have policies I adhere to for the most part 100% of the time, there are circumstances where families are upfront from the start with me and I may or may not give them the benefit of the doubt and allow them this bit of breathing room. In return, should I need to close early that is their way of cutting me a break without nickel and diming me when I also don`t charge them for those very rare occasions that mum comes past 5. If I am closing at a half day mark then I would refund 50% of the days fees because it makes sense as my expenses for the day were not the same aside from only offering half the care, but finishing an hour or two early isn`t something I offer refunding. It`s called give and take as long as neither party starts to take advantage of the others understanding and good nature. I have to close in a couple weeks for a meeting which is fighting for a cause which will directly effect them and will have to close at 2 to be able to get there in time. I`m not going to be offering a refund for that either. I do find it very rare that I am off during my work week as I now don't work Fridays so schedule everything for those days but I do have the occasional specialist appointment where I don`t have the luxury of choice when it comes to appointment times, for the most part I take an unpaid day off for those. Also I think as an employee if you work for any half decent human being, most aren`t going to deny anyone an early finish for an appointment or family emergency. You are going to lose pay of course so yes I know paying for the full day of daycare when you've lost wages sucks but it doesn`t apply to every employee. Also, I don`t have any paid days off aside from STAT days. I can not justify charging a parent for a day that I am not available yet they still have to go to work and potentially pay twice for back up care, or lose income while paying for a service that isn`t available to them. Good for those who are in an area where it is the norm to have paid vacation days and or paid personal days, but in my region it isn`t and it would turn off potential families as a result, so me closing early less than a handful of days a year is still a cheaper option than them paying for the day that I take off.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I am the same way bright. I am closed at 445 but my last 2 parents don't get here until 450/455 some days. I don't charge for this as I know they both work until 430. They are almost always out of the door by 447 though so it's not a big deal to me lol.

I also don't get paid days off but I don't view working over 1/2-3/4's of the day as "off".....I guess it would all depend on what you consider time off?

Also, I've had a few parents who worked on salary, not wage, so that made a difference to I'm sure! Some didn't have set hours either.

[mattsmom]

Totally agree, it's a give and take situation for most of us. I have had instances that I've taken kids longer than scheduled (at the last minute, at no extra charge), and other ways that I have gone above and beyond for dcp's. I don't take any paid days off either, so when I have to take off an hour or two early then I expect them to pay the full day rate, since I have had them way past lunch time.

[mickyc]

I sometimes close early. In my contract it says if I close at noon I charge $15 for the half day. If I close at 3 or later it is full rate. I usually close early around 5 times a year