Daycare help needed...caution long post ahead!

[mickeyboat]

In my opinion the daycare is a business, and as such, should be open the same as any other business would be during the holidays. LOTS of people have to work that week, and if the business chooses to close then it should not expect to be paid for services it cannot provide! This could cause financial hardship for some families who now have to pay a second time for alternate care.

I might agree with you if this policy was sprung on the parents at the last minute. But I am sure this policy is pretty clearly laid out at the time parents sign the contract to send their kids there, and heck, it's April and parents are already talking about it.

I think lovestoscrap hit the nail on the head. It looks like a "yearly fee" broken up into weekly installements. If they give you a "free"week, you are going to pay for it with higher weekly installements throughout the year - in effect paying the same amount no matter how you spin it.

 

[tiff211]

In my opinion the daycare is a business, and as such, should be open the same as any other business would be during the holidays. LOTS of people have to work that week, and if the business chooses to close then it should not expect to be paid for services it cannot provide! This could cause financial hardship for some families who now have to pay a second time for alternate care.

ITA!!!

 

[shirleyb]

I agree also Tiff, about the holiday issue. Another one of my pet peeves around here is daycares closing when we have snow. Since they rely on my transportation, not school busses, and since I have to go to work, I still need daycare. (Well, actually, I don't now, because my kids are older.) But my point, is daycares close when other businesses don't, which leaves parents high and dry for care.

BTW, your girls are beautiful!

 

[Christine]

Where I live, most daycares (home and center based) have the policy that when they are unable to provide care for any reason, you do not pay. If you are stuck having to find alternate care because of their closing, you do not pay. I found this to be true with in-home providers as well as centers. Now I did pay for a full-week of care if there was a holiday in that week as the assumption is that *most* people get the major holidays. The center was open on non-major holidays such as Columbus or Presidents day.

I don't know how a daycare business is run, but in my particular business (which not daycare), we charge all our work to a task and any benefits/days off/perks, come out of the owners' pocket (i.e., profit) and not charged directly back to our client. It just seems if the daycare wanted to close at Christmas, the owners should be footing that bill.

 

[mickeyboat]

I don't know how a daycare business is run, but in my particular business (which not daycare), we charge all our work to a task and any benefits/days off/perks, come out of the owners' pocket (i.e., profit) and not charged directly back to our client. It just seems if the daycare wanted to close at Christmas, the owners should be footing that bill.

But isn't overhead billed to the customer as well? I mean the workers make $12 per hour, but the billing rate is $15 to the client. The difference accounts for overhead - which includes vacation time, medical insurance, etc., and administrative costs.

 

[Christine]

But isn't overhead billed to the customer as well? I mean the workers make $12 per hour, but the billing rate is $15 to the client. The difference accounts for overhead - which includes vacation time, medical insurance, etc., and administrative costs.

We have several different charges on top of the direct fee that, yes, pay benefits. We are only "allowed" to pay a certain amount of benefits. Anything over and above, (and in my mind a whole week at Christmas time is above what is standard for most of the country) is paid at the owner's discretion out of their profit margin. Probably didn't explain that well as it is kind of convoluted.

I'm just thinking that if a day care center wants to close for an entire week at Christmas, that ought to be coming out of the owner's expenses.

I do know that coverage is an issue. When I used to use this one center, they were always open during Christmas week but definitely tried to manage costs. So, if you were going to be there that week, you did have to "sign up" for it and commit to going and they just ensured that they had enough staff on hand that week for the kids who had signed up.

 

[devmer]

I would be more concerned about the baby oil. If a child accidentally gets baby oil in their mouth and inhales it they can become very, very ill. I would insist that they keep the baby oil away from my child. The fact that you asked them to stop doing something to your child and they totally disrespect your wishes is a big red flag for me. For that reason alone I would go elsewhere.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

i don't send my children to daycare, so i can't help you on any specifics, but it all boils down to gut feelings. If you really don't feel comfortable on any level be it administrative or not, you should not send your children there. I do agree though, that with summer coming up, you need to find something quite soon!

Good luck in what you decide and just go with what YOU feel is right

 

[momof3disneyholics]

But isn't overhead billed to the customer as well? I mean the workers make $12 per hour, but the billing rate is $15 to the client. The difference accounts for overhead - which includes vacation time, medical insurance, etc., and administrative costs.

Just wanted to add that daycare workers do not make anywhere near 12.00 an hour. They make closer to minimum wage. I worked in daycares for a couple of years when I was in college and when my oldest was born so I know this firsthand.

 

[momofbgtwins]

The daycare we use does not close for any extended time for any holiday, although they do close a few hours early before, and a day after Christmas and Thanksgiving, along with a few other days throughout the year (Good Friday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc). I think that is fair, and we do pay for it. There is one daycare in our community that closes for two weeks a year, and we decided not to use them. Also the reason we did not even consider home day care.

Recently, there was a death in the extended family of the daycare director - her nephew, I believe. Since many of the people working at our daycare are related to the director, she decided to close the day of the funeral, with 3 days notice. No mention was given in the notice regarding reimbursement to the families for that day. I think she hoped we'd just pay, and forget about it. Well, of course we moms were a bit annoyed, which must've gotten back to her. About 2 weeks later we were all told of a reduction in the upcoming weekly rate to reimburse us.

Our daycare also allows 2 weeks a year at 1/2 rate, for our vacations, etc.

We have had issues with our daycare, also, but they have been receptive to most of our concerns over the last 4 years. If only they could keep the good staff from leaving! And believe me, DH is VERY vocal (he does most of the pick-up and drop off) But, I am looking forward to the kids going to full day Kindergarten in September so I don't need to have daycare concerns any longer.

 

[Christine]

Just wanted to add that daycare workers do not make anywhere near 12.00 an hour. They make closer to minimum wage. I worked in daycares for a couple of years when I was in college and when my oldest was born so I know this firsthand.

I don't think mickeyboat was even thinking that made that much. Just trying to point out an example. I know most of the daycare providers that worked at ours only made minimum wage.

 

[tiff211]

I know I was sooo spoiled as our old daycare was incredible, I don't think I'll find somewhere comparable. The staff turnover was non-existent. I think 1 person left the whole time we were there. I felt so comfortable leaving my babies with them. We did get a week for vacation without pay and they only closed major holidays and things like the day after thanksgiving, or closed early xmas eve. Snowstorms.......they were open when my job would close. I guess even though I knew the center was awesome, I assumed some of the perks were standard.

 

[KirstenB]

Tiff, the being closed for a week and the baby oil thing is whack!

DD1 has been in 2 daycares, one home-based, and the other a center. Kathy, our home daycare provider took 2 wks of vacation a year, plus the same holidays we all had (there were 6 kids, and all the parents worked in financial services, so we had the same holidays). Her 2 weeks were unpaid, because as she pointed out, we either had to take vacation ourselves, or pay someone else for the 2 wks.

The center shut down for major holidays, but would have lost all it's business if it shut down for a week. I can tell you that wouldn't fly here. In financial services, the last week of the year is wicked busy, and virtually no one is allowed to take off, so who would have been available to watch their own kids?

The baby oil thing, that sounds more like something a stubborn MIL would do, than a professional!! If anything most daycares would be afraid of the liability of an allergy, or other bad reaction.

 

[Crankyshank]

Tiff, is your old center within reasonable commuting distance to Providence? A friend of mine is desperate for a place since her daycare provider in Attleboro is moving,

 

[MareQ]

Just one of MANY reasons I am thankful that I don't have to rely on daycare often like many other people do.

I go to the office once a week now (was only once a month till 6 months ago - I telecommute from home all other day) My two older ones are in school so my 3 yo needs care. He goes to a WONDERFUL woman that watches children in her home.

Our deal - as per me - is this - I agree to pay for 52 weeks a year (I usually pay 2 months at a time) if I cancel on her - she keeps the money. If she cancels on me - I get to reschedule to another day or apply my payment to another day - ie she doesn't get paid if she cancels on me.

Now - I think that is more than reasonable and she agrees. It's not HER fault if I have to cancel and she should be able to rely on my payments as a form of steady income - however it's not far to ME if she cancels on me - so I don't pay. Her response to me is that if she wants paid sick and vacation days she's working in the wrong field. I agree

I don't have an issue with your center closing for Christmas- I DO have an issue with them expecting you to pay them for it. If they want a paid vacation - don't close the center and stagger yoru vacation time. I think it's unfair to have to pay when services are not received. I ALSO would be pretty darn pissed if I asked them to not slather my child with greasy oil and they did it anyway... You may be taking care of my child but it is still MY while in your care.

 

[shirleyb]

Now - I think that is more than reasonable and she agrees. It's not HER fault if I have to cancel and she should be able to rely on my payments as a form of steady income - however it's not far to ME if she cancels on me - so I don't pay. Her response to me is that if she wants paid sick and vacation days she's working in the wrong field. I agree

I don't have an issue with your center closing for Christmas- I DO have an issue with them expecting you to pay them for it. If they want a paid vacation - don't close the center and stagger yoru vacation time. I think it's unfair to have to pay when services are not received. I ALSO would be pretty darn pissed if I asked them to not slather my child with greasy oil and they did it anyway... You may be taking care of my child but it is still MY while in your care.

Yep, I agree. I have friends that do daycare in their home, and they say, "When I take a week's vacation, I expect my day care parents to pay me for the time I take off. Or if I am sick."

I disagree. I tell them, you are self employed. If you run a pizza shop, and you decide to close for a week, do you get paid? No. Same thing.

If you feel you should get paid for your vacation time, you shouldn't be self employed, or you should factor it into you weekly cost.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

my ds8 used to go to daycare and the in hoime place closed for 3 weeks a year and we paid
i as a SAHM now

 

[hpygrll]

I don't think that pay for a closed week thing is that weird. We've always had the kids in a Goddard Daycare - both Goddards have closed the week between Christmas and New Years. I figure Private Schools close - and I would be paying for that too - doesn't really phase me.

Jenny

 

[PrincessTiff]

But isn't overhead billed to the customer as well? I mean the workers make $12 per hour, but the billing rate is $15 to the client. The difference accounts for overhead - which includes vacation time, medical insurance, etc., and administrative costs.

Not hardly. I worked at a daycare in November (was very short-lived for the way they are run...different post) and the starting pay was $7.50. This was at an "upscale daycare". I'd be willing to bet most of them start off around minimum wage.

 

[cardaway]

I don't think that pay for a closed week thing is that weird. We've always had the kids in a Goddard Daycare - both Goddards have closed the week between Christmas and New Years. I figure Private Schools close - and I would be paying for that too - doesn't really phase me.

Jenny

Yup.

I'm surprised people are so upset about daycares asking to be paid for holidays and vacations. I know many that do this (inclduing us) and very few seem to have a problem with it. In fact most places (like us) have a good sized waiting list.