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**legomom922** · 10-16-2010, 05:03 PM

Did she sign a contract already? If so, depending on what you have in it, I would have her pay for at least 2 wks of care, and I would charge her a holding fee, and if not, tell her you cannot guarentee that there will be a spot open at teh end of Nov. How rude!!!

**momofboys** · 10-16-2010, 05:56 PM

She has signed my contract & returned it to me but it says nothing in there about what happens if she extends her maternity leave. I was polite on the phone with her but to be honest I had no clue how to respond. I honestly won't be too upset if she does not come to care with me b/c the potential clients I am looking at both have kids who are my son's age & also the age of the other little boy I watch. So they would be a good fit. I guess it just bothers me that she calls me 2 days before & asks for a 6 week extension without thinking about how this would effect me financially. I can't just sit & wait. Originally she was supposed to begin care the 4th week of Sept but her baby was born past his due date. Then b/c she had a c-section she took more time off which I do undertand BUT I can't hold the spot for free. Now I am totally understanding why so many of you charge to reserve a spot. I will not make this mistake again.

**MommyMuffin** · 10-16-2010, 06:04 PM

I would interview and if you like them call up the other mom and tell her that you cannot go without filling the infant spot and give her the option to pay the weekly fee while on maternity leave or forefit her spot in your daycare.

**My4SunshineGirlsNY** · 10-16-2010, 06:43 PM

I would do the same thing, if I had other people interested that are ready to start soon, I would take them in now....I know it stinks for the mom on maternity leave but it's business..you need to take what comes your way....I for one can't afford to wait around.

**QualiTcare** · 10-16-2010, 07:14 PM

Originally posted by legomom922 View Post

Did she sign a contract already? If so, depending on what you have in it, I would have her pay for at least 2 wks of care, and I would charge her a holding fee, and if not, tell her you cannot guarentee that there will be a spot open at teh end of Nov. How rude!!!

i really don't see anything "rude" about it. i can see why janarae would be frustrated from a provider's viewpoint, but i'm sure the mother isn't a provider. i'm sure she hasn't even thought about the janarae losing income - why would she? once again, provider's always say, "this is a business. it's a business decision, etc." well, that works both ways. the parents treat it like a business too - and they aren't going to use the services of a business that they don't need - no matter how bad the business needs the money.

**momofboys** · 10-16-2010, 07:42 PM

I think the part that bothers me about it the most is that as a provider I would never dream of calling a parent 2 days prior to their agreed-upon start date & saying I was not longer able to provide care. I just think it is a little rude. If I was the parent I would likely think about the fact that the provider is now out some $$$. I used to use a daycare provider when I used to WOTH so I do see it both ways. It's just frustrating. I'm hoping the PT kids work out well so I can break our contract.

**TGT09** · 10-16-2010, 08:20 PM

Good luck and I completely agree that the short notice is super rude! I had to recant a contract a few weeks ago that was due to start in January and it was not fun at all. She took it super well and completely understood. I also "helped" to give her other ideas and places to look. I will probably check in during December to make sure she's found other care. I felt horrible but I had to do what was right for me.

**momofboys** · 10-17-2010, 05:25 AM

Originally posted by TGT09 View Post

Good luck and I completely agree that the short notice is super rude! I had to recant a contract a few weeks ago that was due to start in January and it was not fun at all. She took it super well and completely understood. I also "helped" to give her other ideas and places to look. I will probably check in during December to make sure she's found other care. I felt horrible but I had to do what was right for me.

You gave plenty of notice though! I am supposed to meet with the two potential PT kids this week. So, if things work out with them I will call mom the end of this week. That would still give her 5 weeks to find care. The hard part is I think she still wants to use me here & there to run errands but honestly if I don't think keeping him will work b/c I will find other clients I am less than willing to do fill-in care when I won't have him on a long-term basis. I mean why put up with the rough adjustment phase if it is not necessary?

**MarinaVanessa** · 10-17-2010, 10:13 AM

Here's my 2 cents. She signed a contract with you right? I don't know what your contract says but mine has the specific start date on it and a clause about a two-week trial. If she is now belatedly moving her start date then she is changing the terms on the agreement which you as the provider have to agree to those terms.

With that in mind I would explain this to the parent and the part that you have had calls for this spot and have turned them down but have added them to a wait-list, and let her know that she can either
A) start on the date that was originally agreed
B) Pay a holding fee for you to hold her spot (if that's what you want to do and the holding fee is worth it to you)
If you both decide to have her pay a holding fee then let her know she needs to come back and sign a holding fee agreement and a new contract. The holding fee agreement should have a start and end date and the contract should have the new start date.

If she doesn't want to pay the holding fee and since she is changing the terms of the contract without your agreement then technically the contract is void, she will be breaching the contract. You can tell her this and let her know that you will start calling the people on your wait list or keep interviewing for the spot and if the spot is still open by the time she needs care then she can still have it, otherwise you will fill the spot. Good luck.

**Unregistered** · 10-17-2010, 10:36 AM

Me as a parent dang right I would take the extra time with my kid and not bring my child to daycare. Me as a provider would be frustarted and tell her she can either pay a depoist to hold the spot or you will be looking for someone else to fill the spot asap.

**momofboys** · 10-17-2010, 03:32 PM

UPDATE - baby mama drama

[QUOTE=MarinaVanessa;51187]Here's my 2 cents. She signed a contract with you right? I don't know what your contract says but mine has the specific start date on it and a clause about a two-week trial. If she is now belatedly moving her start date then she is changing the terms on the agreement which you as the provider have to agree to those terms.

There was no date b/c she did not obviously know when the baby would be born but we had agreed upon Oct 18 as the start daye (after baby's birth of course). She seemed wishy-washy about everything though, like she was not 100% sure about returning to work. Anyway, so I had spoken to potential-new client today & their child is coming tomorrow, I am so excited (we had already interviewed earlier this week, child is only p-t but I am still glad). In the interim I know I will need to call baby mama to explain to her that in essence our contract has been broken b/c I can not wait 6 weeks for you to start. I know she will not pay a holding fee (she seemed unhappy about paying a low summer fee when she is not working,s he's a teacher) so it's a waste of breath to ask. In the meantime baby mama calls me this afternoon to announce there is again a change of plans.

I'm thinking oh great, I need to have this conversation NOW and not in a few days. She tells me only 24 hrs later that now she will be returning to work this week!:

: I took a deep breath & said I am sorry but yesterday you called & told me you did not need me until after Thanksgiving. Because of this I have someone else lined up. I was going to call you later this week to let you know you know longer had a spot with me. I feel AWFUL,and she seemed upset. I did say I could fill in this week if she needed me. I hated to leave her in a lurch but who tells their sitter they don't need you for 6 weeks then re-contacts their boss to decide to return to work without consulting the sitter first? She sounded like she was crying & I felt bad & yet. . . . please tell me I did the right thing!

**tmcp2001** · 10-17-2010, 06:28 PM

Janrae, you did the right thing. You were only working with the information she had given you when you decided to fill the spot. She changed her mind too late! I'm sure you feel bad, I would too - however, she chose to go back on the agreement you had with (likely) little to no consideration for how that would affect you. You were within your right to fill that spot when she could not uphold her end of the agreement. Don't beat yourself up about this, her lack of planning does not make for your emergency! I wish you the best of luck with your new family!

**momma2girls** · 10-17-2010, 06:34 PM

I once had a family that I held a spot for 10 months for their baby to come! One week before she was to be starting, she calls, and says that the hrs. drop off and pick up was not going to work at all!! You have got to be kidding!!! I lost so much money!!! You live and learn the hard way with daycare!! I only charged her for a 2 week deposit!! I did change this for maternity leaves, etc. from now on!! I changed it to one week per month, that you would like for me to hold a spot for!

**Live and Learn** · 10-17-2010, 06:58 PM

I once held a spot for a couple of months for infant care...mom called and said that mom in law was going to watch for an extra month...I was ok with that because I had already started another infant...a month later the mom calls right before start date to say that breast fed baby won't take a bottle or rice cereal and she wants to leave baby with me at 7am and just come by at lunch hour to nurse........UH? NO THANKS!!!