Just curious what you would do in this situation. I had a call from an expectant mom that is due in October and will be needing daycare in December/January. I won't actually have an infant spot until the end of January of next year. Would you charge a holding fee or how would you handle this situation?

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I think it's fair to charge a holding fee even though you don't have a spot right now because she's holding the spot that is going to be available when she needs care. You're still going to have to fill the spot and presumably would have other interested parents. The issue is going to be what you charge her as the holding fee since you won't have a spot available when the mom will actually need care. I personally wouldn't pay a holding fee for a provider that wouldn't have a spot available when I would need care. For example, with my provider, I paid the weekly tuition every week from the time I contracted with her until I was ready to bring my child. If she wasn't going to have a spot until after I needed her, I would have just gone somewhere else.

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that is a really long time away. In this situation, I would tell the family to go on your wait list and call back when it is closer to the date that they will need care. So much can change during that time.

I would tell them to call you back in December and then move on from there. I will only hold a spot for no more than 45 days..... and even that is quite some time if you ask me.....

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I don't charge a holding fee until the opening is available, so if the opening isn't available until January and she wants to start in January I wouldn't charge a holding fee.

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