What do you give your child care provider for the holidays?

[shancan911]

It's funny, as I read through here, I'm questioning myself. Our sitter is a SAHM, and is very flexible with my needs. DH travels irratically, so some weeks I use her more than others. This is our 4th Christmas with her. I've always gone the route of a gift card to her salon in the amount of her service that she normally gets. She always seems to put herself last, and I think this is a nice jesture for her to treat herself, deservedly.
That's all I was going to type, and then I continued reading. When DS was younger, 2-3, we had him in a daycare facility. I don't think giving a gift to the teachers there ever crossed my mind. Now I feel a little bad. I don't know if it was because I just didn't know, or if it was because of the $150 per week I was spending, plus supplying my own diapers Apologies to providers that have absent-minded parents such as myself

 

[tchrchgo]

if she has a home daycare, she might appreciate a gift certificate to the local teacher supply store for things for the daycare.

 

[ZPT1022]

It's funny, as I read through here, I'm questioning myself. Our sitter is a SAHM, and is very flexible with my needs. DH travels irratically, so some weeks I use her more than others. This is our 4th Christmas with her. I've always gone the route of a gift card to her salon in the amount of her service that she normally gets. She always seems to put herself last, and I think this is a nice jesture for her to treat herself, deservedly.
That's all I was going to type, and then I continued reading. When DS was younger, 2-3, we had him in a daycare facility. I don't think giving a gift to the teachers there ever crossed my mind. Now I feel a little bad. I don't know if it was because I just didn't know, or if it was because of the $150 per week I was spending, plus supplying my own diapers Apologies to providers that have absent-minded parents such as myself

anything that shows her you appreciate her would be great. The salon thing is a treat for herself so that is nice I watch my cousin's kids and I was/am a SAHM otherwise. I am so flexible with them and I feel taken advantage of more than not. Pick up time just keeps moving later and later, they come on days they don't typically come, etc... I'm not saying you take advantage of your child care provider but just trying to say that anything you do that shows that you care would be well appreciated. The fact that you took the time to know what salon she goes to and give her the gift of pampering is very sweet

 

[Lisa_M]

I'm not sure if I'm going to get the ladies at daycare anything or not. I guess I have to make a decision here soon. DD goes to a center and there are 5 ladies. I was thinking of a $10 gift card to the grocery store. I know it sounds cheap, but money is tight, especially when daycare is $185 a week. The reason I'm not sure about giving anything is because I'm mad at the director. DH screwed up and forgot to pick up DD one night. I picked her up and I was 17 minutes late and they charged us $20.

DD got RSV and couldn't go last week or this week...I still have to pay. We'll be out of town for 2 weeks over christmas, I still have to pay. Plus, I'm paying my sister to watch DD this week, so I can go to work. So I figure 4 weeks without the extra child there might be gift enough. IDK, maybe I'm feeling like a big scrooge!

 

[tchrchgo]

I'm not sure if I'm going to get the ladies at daycare anything or not. I guess I have to make a decision here soon. DD goes to a center and there are 5 ladies. I was thinking of a $10 gift card to the grocery store. I know it sounds cheap, but money is tight, especially when daycare is $185 a week. The reason I'm not sure about giving anything is because I'm mad at the director. DH screwed up and forgot to pick up DD one night. I picked her up and I was 17 minutes late and they charged us $20.

DD got RSV and couldn't go last week or this week...I still have to pay. We'll be out of town for 2 weeks over christmas, I still have to pay. Plus, I'm paying my sister to watch DD this week, so I can go to work. So I figure 4 weeks without the extra child there might be gift enough. IDK, maybe I'm feeling like a big scrooge!

I myself don't like my daycare most of the time, but I do feel the need to play devil's advocate here. the director has to pay her staff to watch the kids (and must maintain the state regulated ratios) regardless of whether a child is out sick or not. she can't say, "well, little johnny's not here today, so I'll just deduct his lost tuition from your paycheck." and a daycare really does need to enforce a late pick up policy. it's not their fault your dh screwed up, it's dh's fault. why should the day care pay their staff out of their pocket to stay after to watch your child, when it's not their fault? if they were lax on this, there are a great many parents who would take advantage of this.

 

[Lisa_M]

I myself don't like my daycare most of the time, but I do feel the need to play devil's advocate here. the director has to pay her staff to watch the kids (and must maintain the state regulated ratios) regardless of whether a child is out sick or not. she can't say, "well, little johnny's not here today, so I'll just deduct his lost tuition from your paycheck." and a daycare really does need to enforce a late pick up policy. it's not their fault your dh screwed up, it's dh's fault. why should the day care pay their staff out of their pocket to stay after to watch your child, when it's not their fault? if they were lax on this, there are a great many parents who would take advantage of this.

I understand why they have their policy regarding paying even when sick, but I also know that other centers allow a week or two freebie for vacation or whatever each year.

Regarding the late fee, yes DH screwed up, however I was never given any paperwork regarding this fee. It was just an arbitrary number the owner threw out. Also, a staff member did not say late, the owner/director did and it was our first time. She even said, I know these things happen sometimes with miscommunication and had no problem billing me an extra $20 for it.

 

[CarrieR]

Lisa,

There was nothing in your parent handbook you recieved at enrollment regarding late fees? If not, then you shouldn't have had to pay anything. (That said, the standard is a dollar a minute, excepting the first minute, which is usually $5... so that's about right.) Yes, it's steep, but speaking as a provider, if you don't have one in place, you'll have parents late EVERY night.

I should probably add that although I have late fees in place, I don't ever enforce them. I close at 5:30. My last parent usually picks up at 5:40. So... case in point. (Even if I did, though -- I would let it slide if it was unusual, as it was in your case.) Not saying to defend, just explain.

Anyways... to the point of the thread.

As a daycare provider, I usually get gifts that range from $50-150. I consider that MORE than generous (although I would guess any given gift is about half of a week's salary.) The lower end of that spectrum is usually gift cards or a check, the higher end has included an iPod and a renewal to my season pass for our local amusement park (~$160.)

For those parents that have their kids in a center, IMO that's a different ballgame. You usually have at least 3 providers, who each spend 40hrs/week with a group. A small token to each provider is perfectly appropriate.

In-home providers (group care, not nannies, who SHOULD get a full week's cash pay IMO,) spend 50 hours a week with a small group of kids... I know for my daycare kids (whom I've had since infancy) I spend more waking hours with them than their parents do. Christmas is the parents' chance to thank me for helping to raise their kids. I'm lucky though; I have the same kids year in and year out and have parents who really "get it" when it comes to the importance of daycare in a child's life.

For the record, I've done all three varieties mentioned above (and then some, ha ha.)

Forgive the ramble... it's late. LOL! Hope that helps someone...

 

[Lisa_M]

Carrie, all I received at enrollment was a sheet with rates (nothing mentioned about a late pickup fee). The only fee on there is if you don't pay by the close of business on Friday. It's a center, but a family owned center with 2 locations.

Thanks for the info regarding what is expected in different settings. It helps to know that. I will probably go ahead with the gift cards, even though we really do not have the money to do so right now (somehow the budget gets messed up every December...). It's not the ladies fault that I'm mad at the boss...

 

[DebMcDonald]

I'm not sure if I'm going to get the ladies at daycare anything or not. I guess I have to make a decision here soon. DD goes to a center and there are 5 ladies. I was thinking of a $10 gift card to the grocery store. I know it sounds cheap, but money is tight, especially when daycare is $185 a week. The reason I'm not sure about giving anything is because I'm mad at the director. DH screwed up and forgot to pick up DD one night. I picked her up and I was 17 minutes late and they charged us $20.

DD got RSV and couldn't go last week or this week...I still have to pay. We'll be out of town for 2 weeks over christmas, I still have to pay. Plus, I'm paying my sister to watch DD this week, so I can go to work. So I figure 4 weeks without the extra child there might be gift enough. IDK, maybe I'm feeling like a big scrooge!

I'm a daycare provider and I feel that people forget this is a BUSINESS, we love children and that's why we chose this business, but it's a business none the less and we have expenses, etc. When you call in sick to work the majority of people get paid shouldn't your daycare receive the same if your child is sick. I don't charge my parents for my vacations or my sick time (I never take sick time), but you do pay when your child is not here for whatever reason. I also have a late policy in place, not that I really enforce it, but this year because of being taken advantage of it's now billed in 15 minute increments. So if you show up at 5:01, you're going to get a bill for $15. If you are never late, I probably won't charge that parent, but if you only come three days a week and you are late two of them and other parents see you at CVS and the grocery store, then you are taking advantage of my time and will be stuck with the late fee. If you chose not to do a gift that's fine, but at least do a card letting the person/people know how much you appreciate them. Remember these are the people that you trust your most prized possessions - your children!