Never Had A Request Like This...Not Sure What To Say?

[NiNi.R.]

I've been contemplating changing my hours next summer from 6am-6pm to 7:30am-5:30pm. If I do this I would no longer be able to care for one of my DCKs which to be completely honest would not break my heart as the mother tends to cause me lots of stress. Her child is here Mon.-Thurs. 6am-6pm and the mother is always wanting freebies.

Today I had an inquiry for a mother wanting her daughter to start August of 2012. This mother would be willing to pay my non refundable deposit and holding fee until then. Her hours would be Mon.-Fri. 7:30am- 4pm. Currently the daughter is being watched by a friend who is a SAHM. SAHMs kids are in school during the day so the daughter has no interaction with other children and mom would like to have some.

I told her to let me think about it. I've never had anyone hold a spot for that long before. Another thing that crossed my mind is that a DCM of mine might end up pregnant by then and I would be absolutely devastated if I didn't have an opening. Which I realize I probably shouldn't worry about something that "might" happen.

So now I don't know what to do. Should I schedule an interview and go from there. Maybe even see if she would be willing to switch to daycare sooner. Or tell her to check back next summer and put her on the waiting list?

My husband thinks I should be willing to hold a spot for her as long as the interview process pans out okay and then when I do change my hours I will already have a fill in. I on the other hand find it completely absurd that someone would be willing to pay a person a weekly fee for an entire year.

What do you think?

[Zoe]

I would have the interview. It's so far away it couldn't hurt. And if this mom is willing to hold a spot for that long, would the holding fee make up a little bit for getting rid of the annoying dcm? You could change your hours then. But I wouldn't do that until you have something for SURE lined up.

[small_steps]

If she is willing to pay your holding fee until then I would say go for it if you like her and the interview goes well. The hours work great with your new schedule and you're already thinking it would be nice without the other child. You're right..you can't always leave a space open just in case one of your mom's turns out to be pregnant. Also, a lot can happen in 9 months. Someone could age out or you could lose someone. Never know what the future holds.

[wdmmom]

I would interview and see if she's a good fit for your group.

Schedule an interview sometime between now and Christmas. Then schedule another sometime late January.

If she's truly interested, I'd charge her a 4 week non refundable deposit and $50 per week to hold the spot for 6 months. (All of which is non refundable too.) If the DCM is game, tell her that when she starts, the deposit she pays will go towards her first 2 weeks and last 2 weeks of daycare.

The only problem I see going forward is, you will have to give notice that you are terminating the contract. When the current DCM asks, just tell her that you are unable to accommodate such long hours. If she knows you are changing your hours, she might have some flexibility and want her son to stay.

[nannyde]

Way too far in advance to consider.

Can you tell me why the child is in your home twelve hours a day? A child that is in care that many hours has an extremely high probability of having profound issues. A parent who accesses 12 hours a day of child care plus travel time with their child each day is going to have an EXTREMELY high probability of having PROFOUND behavior issues with their child and child care provider.

If the child is on free day care it's even MORE likely to have parental behavior issues. There isn't enough awake time left in a child's or parents 24 hour day to have any kind of decent parenting.

We REALLY need to see States intervene and cap the number of hours in child care a child can be before it is considered neglect. They intervene on matters that are *****y tiny compared to the issue of all awake hours care away from home.

[Country Kids]

Way too far in advance to consider.

Can you tell me why the child is in your home twelve hours a day? A child that is in care that many hours has an extremely high probability of having profound issues. A parent who accesses 12 hours a day of child care plus travel time with their child each day is going to have an EXTREMELY high probability of having PROFOUND behavior issues with their child and child care provider.

If the child is on free day care it's even MORE likely to have parental behavior issues. There isn't enough awake time left in a child's or parents 24 hour day to have any kind of decent parenting.

We REALLY need to see States intervene and cap the number of hours in child care a child can be before it is considered neglect. They intervene on matters that are *****y tiny compared to the issue of all awake hours care away from home.

Nan you seem to forget that there are some parents that do work 12 hour days. By the way I'm one of them! Every nurse that works in our hospital does, my husband use to, alot of the men in the summer work in the woods 12 hour days, I'm sure there are many more.

So before you start saying the state needs to cap the amount a child can be in childcare maybe it needs to start with the workforce. No one, and I mean no one should have to work more than 8 hours a day-including childcare providers. Is that what you are thinking? You know how messed up it would make the workforce. Firefighters, paramedics, doctors, nurses, manufactures, lumber employers, daycare providers, would all only be able to work 8 hours? I don't see it working.

[daycare]

I've been contemplating changing my hours next summer from 6am-6pm to 7:30am-5:30pm. If I do this I would no longer be able to care for one of my DCKs which to be completely honest would not break my heart as the mother tends to cause me lots of stress. Her child is here Mon.-Thurs. 6am-6pm and the mother is always wanting freebies.

Today I had an inquiry for a mother wanting her daughter to start August of 2012. This mother would be willing to pay my non refundable deposit and holding fee until then. Her hours would be Mon.-Fri. 7:30am- 4pm. Currently the daughter is being watched by a friend who is a SAHM. SAHMs kids are in school during the day so the daughter has no interaction with other children and mom would like to have some.

I told her to let me think about it. I've never had anyone hold a spot for that long before. Another thing that crossed my mind is that a DCM of mine might end up pregnant by then and I would be absolutely devastated if I didn't have an opening. Which I realize I probably shouldn't worry about something that "might" happen.

So now I don't know what to do. Should I schedule an interview and go from there. Maybe even see if she would be willing to switch to daycare sooner. Or tell her to check back next summer and put her on the waiting list?

My husband thinks I should be willing to hold a spot for her as long as the interview process pans out okay and then when I do change my hours I will already have a fill in. I on the other hand find it completely absurd that someone would be willing to pay a person a weekly fee for an entire year.

What do you think?

why wait until summer to change your hours? If I had a parent that always gave me a hard time, NO amount of money would help me keep their child.

I would rewrite your policies come December and hand them out to go into effect the start of the new year. Or if you want to be nice like me you can give it out after christmas and have it start in Feb.

I have learned my lesson the hard way trying to keep people that really don't fit in my program, but kept them because of money reasons.

For me the business relationship is with the parent and has to work at least 99% of the time or I can't do business with you...

If I got this call, I would tell the parent that so much can change in 9 months, get her information and then contact her a month or two before she needs care.

[daycare]

Way too far in advance to consider.

Can you tell me why the child is in your home twelve hours a day? A child that is in care that many hours has an extremely high probability of having profound issues. A parent who accesses 12 hours a day of child care plus travel time with their child each day is going to have an EXTREMELY high probability of having PROFOUND behavior issues with their child and child care provider.

If the child is on free day care it's even MORE likely to have parental behavior issues. There isn't enough awake time left in a child's or parents 24 hour day to have any kind of decent parenting.

We REALLY need to see States intervene and cap the number of hours in child care a child can be before it is considered neglect. They intervene on matters that are *****y tiny compared to the issue of all awake hours care away from home.

My husband is EMS and he used to work rotating 48 hr shifts....NOW because of budget cuts, he has to work 14 hour days every 3 days....It stinks

Not all families can work 9-5

[dEHmom]

I didn't read the responses on this, sorry. But this is what I decided to do, so that now that I am licensed I am not being taken advantage of.

Before I didn't have operating hours, because I only had 1-2 kids at the time I just based it on their needs.

Now what I decided was my hours are 6:30-5pm. HOWEVER, I still contract based on families needs, and advertise this. You are given a 4-9 hour slot for whatever you need. BUT if your hours go outside of this timeframe, then it's an additional $5/hour. So I'll open earlier if you need, but it's $5, and I'll work till 5:30 or 6pm for additional $5 with NO RECEIPT provided as this is a courtesy.

IF you are exceeding a 9 hr timeframe there is a $5/half hour. And if you are past 6pm, it's $5/15 mins or portion of.

[NiNi.R.]

Way too far in advance to consider.

Can you tell me why the child is in your home twelve hours a day? A child that is in care that many hours has an extremely high probability of having profound issues. A parent who accesses 12 hours a day of child care plus travel time with their child each day is going to have an EXTREMELY high probability of having PROFOUND behavior issues with their child and child care provider.

If the child is on free day care it's even MORE likely to have parental behavior issues. There isn't enough awake time left in a child's or parents 24 hour day to have any kind of decent parenting.

We REALLY need to see States intervene and cap the number of hours in child care a child can be before it is considered neglect. They intervene on matters that are *****y tiny compared to the issue of all awake hours care away from home.

I agree with you a 100% that children should not be in care 12 hours a day. Unfortunately around here there are a couple big companies(where the majority of the town works) that have switched to 4-10s and at this countertop place where she works. More orders later hours in those 4 days and sometimes even working 5 days. Other small businesses in town such as dentist offices, boutiques make good money on Fridays because others are off of work and schedule their outings on those days. So because of this I have some parents that work 4-10 + hour days and some that work 5- 8 hour days. The freebies quit at the beginning of November with the new contract hand out but I kept the same hours because the likely hood of people needing the longer hours was great and am not sure what changing the hours would do to my business. So over the course of the next few months I thought I would build up a savings to prepare for a possibly rough transition. Which is why I would wait until summer.

[NiNi.R.]

[QUOTE=nannyde;166229]Way too far in advance to consider.

Can you tell me why the child is in your home twelve hours a day? A child that is in care that many hours has an extremely high probability of having profound issues. A parent who accesses 12 hours a day of child care plus travel time with their child each day is going to have an EXTREMELY high probability of having PROFOUND behavior issues with their child and child care provider.

I just want to add that this child is really well behaved most of the time..I've taken care of children that have had worse behavioral issues but the child most definitely has an issue with constantly wanting attention. She always puts on a show for other DCMs during pick up and drop offs. Just this morning the kids were singing in a normal tone with a mom walked in. Suddenly, this girl stands up and is yelling the song and giggly while staring at the DCM. ALWAYS ALWAYS seeking attention in similar attempts several times a day.

[nannyde]

ALWAYS ALWAYS seeking attention in similar attempts several times a day.

That's the profound I'm talking about... the always always part

[daycare]

That's the profound I'm talking about... the always always part

as normal, I have to agree with you Nan..

I had a family that had their child here for about 8.5 hours a day. then the parents took on some business contracts that caused them to need care for their children 12 hours a day.

The kids ate EVERY meal at my house.

I did not really have behavior issues here at my house with the kids, we had sleeping issues and drop off/pick up issues.

EVERY SINGLE DAY, the parents would come and complain about the childrens behavior at home. Their reasoning was that because I pretty much was their primary care giver that I was responsible for the childrens bad behavior.

Never in my life will I care for a child past 9.5-10 hour days... AND I will never serve dinner to any family ever again, unless its a one time deal...

[renodeb]

I would have the interview, As you said, you cant hang onto something that might happen. You never know, they might be great. It would be kinda nice to have your deck stacked a little.
Debbie

[small_steps]

Nan you seem to forget that there are some parents that do work 12 hour days. By the way I'm one of them! Every nurse that works in our hospital does, my husband use to, alot of the men in the summer work in the woods 12 hour days, I'm sure there are many more.

So before you start saying the state needs to cap the amount a child can be in childcare maybe it needs to start with the workforce. No one, and I mean no one should have to work more than 8 hours a day-including childcare providers. Is that what you are thinking? You know how messed up it would make the workforce. Firefighters, paramedics, doctors, nurses, manufactures, lumber employers, daycare providers, would all only be able to work 8 hours? I don't see it working.

I agree with both posts. There are so many people that do work 12 hour shifts and sometimes there isn't two parents in the picture. I can see how 12 hour care could be necessary for certain couples. But then you have a lot of parents (I have a couple of them now) who leave their children in daycare all day when they don't work that many hours. it's really sad for the child. I have looked at the way some of you guys do your policies and honestly wish I would have seen them before I opened a year ago and I might have changed mine to where I do only provide care during contracted hours when the parents are at work. I have one parent that works 12 hour shifts and is off 1-2 days per week. The little girl is still here all day on those days as well. Another couple works most of the week but the dad is off most Friday. This child is also here every day all day. I'm not saying don't bring your children if you're off because I know it's easier to get housework done and grocery shopping done without them but pick them up earlier on those days. Sheesh. Just so sad for these kiddos.