oh Help Help Help...

[Unregistered]

I have a new child coiming into my home tomorrow morning. 9 months old, which I haven't had one that young since my two kiddos.

heres the question.... the two boys I had before are now staying home with mom and dad, due to a job loss. I was going to start looking for a outside job, but since there wasn't anything available I had to continue childcare due to my needed income.

In my contract I stated that NOTHING was going to change with the pay each week, holiday or not.

I take one week vacation around christmas with my children. They pay half pay for that week. Other than that they will always pay the same amount each week. If you don't show up....you still pay....if you choose to take a day off....you still pay.

BUT the father called me and asked if his wife were to give me two weeks notice on a day that she wanted to take off, would I still charge them?

I knew before that I was dead set in my rules, but he has kinda made me feel like Im wrong for charging when I don't watch their child. what should i do?

he said that they really need someone that is going to be "flexable". My husband agrees with them, he said "why would I pay someone if they didn't watch our children?" He gets the whole concept that it's a spot that is being taken, but on the other hand, I'm only choosing to take ONE child this time instead of 4 or 5.

what do i do????

any suggestions?

thanks everyone!!

[mac60]

Stick to your policy. Most of my parents have paid time off a work, thur vacations, sick pay, personal days, etc. They all use them. My income would be down considerably if I did not have a pay whether you are here or not policy. If you let it slide this time, they will continue to ask and you will continue to lose income. Doesn't matter if it is for 1 child or 5.

It has been said on every forum I visit,,,,,,if you rent a home and go away for a day or a week, you still pay a full months rent, same for utilities, heating, everything. Parents are paying for the spot, NOT the hours they use. We are only allowed to to have a set amount of children in our care each day. There is no way I could make a living with this job without this policy.

[BentleysBands]

i kind agree, if thats whats in your contract then dad knows this and u need to stand up. it does stink when parents make u feel this way but they r the ones who agreed to the contract when they signed. good luck ..kup

[Pammie]

I agree....stick to what you have in your contract. The parents knew your policies (and obviously agreed to them) when they signed-on with you. As a matter of principle, I wouldn't change your agreement at this point.

That being said, it would be a *major* red-flag to me that this family is wanting to change your rules even before their first day.

Hope it all works out for you!

[My4SunshineGirlsNY]

I know it feels "odd" to collect money on a day you didn't have the child, but parents have to understand this is your business, your policy..it is your income...for most of us it is income we bank on every week.

What I do in my contract is allow my full time parents up to 10 non paid days per contract year if the child is not here (part time parents get 6)...but can't use more than 1 in a week. That allows them some relief if they need to miss work for the child being sick or any other reason, but limits them from doing it all the time.

I would stick to your rule, most providers work this way, unless you feel you can live without the income....but if you allow them to do this, you may be looking at them doing this all the time so they can save money when it's convienent for them, and you're left without pay. If you feel guilty, do what I do and offer them "X" amount of non paid days per year and no more.

[boysx5]

I explain it this way even if you go on vacation you still pay your cable bill whether you watched t.v. or not same with daycare.

[SilverSabre25]

My families get two full (contracted) weeks of unpaid time off, plus four extra for sick days. So, full-time families get 14 days per year when they don't have to pay me. I get the exact same thing, except paid. I get 14 days of paid time off per year. I feel that this is perfectly fair; we each get the same amount of time off to our benefit. So far I don't have anyone who has complained about it.

In this case, I would explain to the parents that you have bills to pay and depend on your income just the same as anyone else, and need to know each week how much you're going to get; furthermore, that you pay taxes on this money (assuming you do of course!) and it's easiest for your accounting if you know how much you're going to get paid.

[DancingQueen]

Regardless of notice my parents still pay if they take a day off.

[bgmeyers]

I don't give parents any time off unpaid until they have been with me for an entire year. Then they get one week (or pro-rated if part-time) where they don't have to pay. That time must be taken consecutively and may not include paid holidays or my paid vacation.

[Unregistered]

nothing was said today when the father came, but my husband and I were talking and he feels that if the parents want someone that is flexiable, and without my losing this family I could tell them that the change in contract will be ..........same pay all week every week. $120.00. if you are sick and unable to come you still pay for the day.

BUT if you give me two weeks notice, then I will flex to half days pay which is 15 instead of 30 a day.

I still don't wanna get screwed that's for sure. As it is it really sucks that Im getting 120 a week which is a drop from my previous family. and it's a 9 month old so the work is wayyyyyy more (in my opinion, I previously had a 4 and 5 year old)

so my budget has already taken a hit. still confused...

[Live and Learn]

I am confused sorry....$120 a week? Are you just working 4 days a week? You said 30 a day. That would be $150 a week.
I just started a full time half day baby. I told them at interview that she will pay if I am open whether daughter comes or not. We all agreed that was fair. The first day at drop off DcM says can we take off every Thursday until feb so grandma can watch dcg? I said that it was fine with me if she took those days off but as per our agreement I would be paid for those days....so glad I stood my ground. She is the sweetest little baby and a very nice mom....I guess she just thought maybe I would make an exception or something... If your rate is $30 per day then charge $30 per day. Why would you cut yourself short like that?
In the past I have had parents who have asked for a lot of flexibility and I have charged a MUCH HIGHER rate for that flexibility....so much higher in fact that they soon realized that it was really a whole lot less expensive for them to just pay the full time rate whether they use it or not.

[kidkair]

If given 2 weeks notice of a change in schedule I would have them fill out a new contract. If the change was temporary than I would make them abide by their current contract. I have a couple kids right now that will be gone for a week or two because of stuff at home but both families know that they still need to pay just as they did when I needed a day off for a funeral. Stick to your contract and policies and avoid them trying to push you over every chance they can.

[AfterSchoolMom]

In my experience, if a parent says that they want someone "flexible", then in they mean that they want to drop off early, pick up late, bring their child in sick, take off at a moment's notice, and never give you a sick day.

IMO, if that's what they want, they should pay MORE for the priveledge, not less!!!

I say stick to your policy, and DO NOT lower your rate for them under any circumstances!! If they read, agreed to, and signed your contract, then they knew what they were getting into. Stick to your guns. If they were looking for someone that would charge based on attendance, then they should have kept looking until they found one, or mentioned that to you right off the bat.

[Live and Learn]

Well said afterscoolmom

[Unregistered]

thanks guys

thank you as usual.....you all rock. I think that I am going to tell them that the pay is the same regardless. your right, they took me on knowing full well what they were getting themselves into. they did ask me prior to the baby showing up this morning that they did in fact want to see if I could be flexiable. I just feel torn sometimes. I was going to be getting a full time job, although it wasn't a guarentee. so I chose to talk on this little one. now that I said yes. I get a phone call with the job offer. but i am a incrediable push over and well here i am......