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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>In a Dilemma
NightOwl 04:29 AM 07-18-2014
I have had dcg2 from birth. When I closed my center and started a home daycare, her parents waited for me to open for 3 months. These are loyal people.

So the dilemma is that mom is pregnant and due in February. I didn't have a spot but I assured her we would work it out. But now, my dcb2 who was planning to start next month has decided to stay where they are. So there IS a space for the new baby.

But that's 8 months away! I wasn't going to charge them anything to hold a spot because I technically didn't have one available. I told them we'd work it out when the time came and not to worry. But I can't keep a spot open for 8 months either. That's $520 a month I would be losing.

I don't feel like I can ask them to pay to hold the spot because of our previous conversation and me assuring them it would all work out. Idk what to do here...
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coolconfidentme 04:46 AM 07-18-2014
You can explain that a spot recently came available & it isn't cost effective for you to hold it for 8 months. Thrown in, "I'm sure you understand." (That always puts the ball back at them.) I do a 50% holding fee. If they really want the placement, they will pay. They also have the option to roll the dice & come up empty.
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Blackcat31 05:23 AM 07-18-2014
I think in these situations, you have to ask yourself...what is MORE important to me at this time...loyalty to the family OR income for you.

Once you decide that, the rest is easy.

If you need to tell them that you can't hold the space for that long without some sort of payment, tell them exactly what you said above...

You had it worked out but now things are different what do YOU (the family) want to do about that? Pay to guarantee the space or take a gamble?

It really is their decision.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 05:25 AM 07-18-2014
Originally Posted by coolconfidentme:
You can explain that a spot recently came available & it isn't cost effective for you to hold it for 8 months. Thrown in, "I'm sure you understand." (That always puts the ball back at them.) I do a 50% holding fee. If they really want the placement, they will pay. They also have the option to roll the dice & come up empty.
Absolutely! I highly doubt that Mom, despite how nice she is, would pass up $4,000+ for the sake of being nice. That is A LOT of money. I tend to be pretty upfront about spot openings. I have people who are interested in part-time and those ARE extremely rare over here so I give them a time estimate (the next foreseeable available opening for that is in 1.5 years, but I can let you know if it becomes available any sooner...) and perhaps you could do the same? Your reassurance makes it seem like you will make room when the time comes but with ratios and all that just may not be possible.
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NightOwl 05:39 AM 07-18-2014
It was definitely a spur of the moment comment. They had just told me she's pregnant and I was so excited for them, so I was like sure! I'll figure it out! I spoke before I thought. It was a mistake, but it's done and now I have to deal with it.
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Shell 05:47 AM 07-18-2014
Agree with BC about figuring out what is more important to you. Personally, I wouldn't ask the dcm to pay to hold the spot, and I would try to find a replacement in the meantime. Eight months is a long time- let's say you take on a new family- then in February you can re-assess if you keep all existing families or term one that isn't working out. Another family could lose their job, move, etc. there is never a guarantee in this business!
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cheerfuldom 06:05 AM 07-18-2014
Just because you said something does not mean you have to trap yourself into a commitment. Why not have a conversation or write a letter beginning with the fact that you were so excited they were pregnant, you may have given them false hope that you would have a spot 100% for sure for them. In reality, this is what their options will be......and then outline what you can and cannot do for them. A letter would be best. One comment said spur of the moment can quickly be clarified by a professional letter.
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coolconfidentme 06:07 AM 07-18-2014
Originally Posted by Wednesday:
It was definitely a spur of the moment comment. They had just told me she's pregnant and I was so excited for them, so I was like sure! I'll figure it out! I spoke before I thought. It was a mistake, but it's done and now I have to deal with it.
"we'd work it out when the time came and not to worry"...., doesn't sound to me like you were offering to hold a spot for free. It sounds like an opportunity came to work it out came earlier than expected. It is up to her if she wants to act on it.
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Heidi 06:31 AM 07-18-2014
Originally Posted by Shell:
Agree with BC about figuring out what is more important to you. Personally, I wouldn't ask the dcm to pay to hold the spot, and I would try to find a replacement in the meantime. Eight months is a long time- let's say you take on a new family- then in February you can re-assess if you keep all existing families or term one that isn't working out. Another family could lose their job, move, etc. there is never a guarantee in this business!


I wouldn't freak out anyone at this time. You never know what changes, and 8 months IS a long time. Fill the spot, and see what happens.
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NightOwl 06:37 AM 07-18-2014
Originally Posted by coolconfidentme:
"we'd work it out when the time came and not to worry"...., doesn't sound to me like you were offering to hold a spot for free. It sounds like an opportunity came to work it out came earlier than expected. It is up to her if she wants to act on it.
You are right about that! I didn't say anything about holding a spot. Just that we'd work it out.
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jenboo 06:48 AM 07-18-2014
8 months is a long time! I would fill the spot and deal with it when the time is closer. Who knows what could happen in that amount of time. You might end up having a spot available. Maybe the new family doesn't work out.....
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Unregistered 07:17 AM 07-18-2014
How about a conversation like this:
Hey, Dcm, an opening just came up! I know it's really early for your needs, but as you probably know, it's hard to say when another opening will come up. So, here's how it works: if you'd like to save the space for your baby, the holding fee is $xxx per week/month. If you choose not to hold the space, I will fill it, but you take the chance that I will not have another opening at the time that you return to work. Just let me know by xx/xx date, and we can do the paperwork or I will fill my spot.
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Annalee 07:25 AM 07-18-2014
Originally Posted by coolconfidentme:
You can explain that a spot recently came available & it isn't cost effective for you to hold it for 8 months. Thrown in, "I'm sure you understand." (That always puts the ball back at them.) I do a 50% holding fee. If they really want the placement, they will pay. They also have the option to roll the dice & come up empty.
I had this happen once, not 8 months, but for 8 weeks and I talked to the clients about splitting the difference.....I lost out 4 weeks of pay, but the clients started paying 4 weeks early...... Just a suggestion that maybe they would split the difference with you......Good Luck!
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NightOwl 07:41 AM 07-18-2014
So I could put it back on them; give them the option to pay holding fees or take their chances. So I'm not technically making the decision, they are.
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Crazy8 07:49 AM 07-18-2014
Personally I wouldn't even offer it up to them 8 months out - when you said you'd try to work it out when the time came, that to me means 8 months from now. I would just fill the space now and not worry about it till the time got closer. Anything can happen in the next 8 months.
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preschoolteacher 07:52 AM 07-18-2014
I had a situation where I enrolled two siblings and saved a spot for the new baby for 8 months. I filled the vacant spot with several different PT families who were all aware upon registration that the spot would no longer be available in May. Worked for me!
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DaisyMamma 08:43 AM 07-18-2014
IMO its a gamble for you if you hold the spot.

People move.
Lose jobs.
Decide to stay home.
These things are not anyones fault but they happen. Things change.

You could very well hold that spot for 7 months just to have dcm say she decided to be a SAHM, and she really, honesty, had no intention of doing so when the spot opened.
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SilverSabre25 09:08 AM 07-18-2014
Originally Posted by DaisyMamma:
IMO its a gamble for you if you hold the spot.

People move.
Lose jobs.
Decide to stay home.
These things are not anyones fault but they happen. Things change.

You could very well hold that spot for 7 months just to have dcm say she decided to be a SAHM, and she really, honesty, had no intention of doing so when the spot opened.

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Annalee 09:23 AM 07-18-2014
Originally Posted by Wednesday:
So I could put it back on them; give them the option to pay holding fees or take their chances. So I'm not technically making the decision, they are.
8 months is a long time....my dilemma was with 8 weeks and I REALLY liked the clients which is why I split the difference with them....putting the decision on the clients is probably best and you might just get paid for 8 months and no kid, ya never know!
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daycarediva 09:28 AM 07-18-2014
I would fill the space. 8 months is a LONG TIME. When she gets closer to her due date, you could always reassess your group and decide who needs to go (behavior or parent issues, what have you) and then let them go for ratio IF you decide to make room for the baby then. IF I took baby, I would ABSOLUTELY have dcm sign a contract and put up two weeks prior to going on maternity leave.
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Unregistered 11:37 AM 07-18-2014
Originally Posted by Wednesday:
So I could put it back on them; give them the option to pay holding fees or take their chances. So I'm not technically making the decision, they are.
Yes ma'am
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AmyKidsCo 11:42 AM 07-18-2014
Originally Posted by Heidi:


I wouldn't freak out anyone at this time. You never know what changes, and 8 months IS a long time. Fill the spot, and see what happens.


A lot can happen in 8 mos.

Last week was the last day for a DCB I only had 9 mos. When I enrolled him last August I figured he'd be here for 2 years, until 4K. I never imagined it would be less than a year.
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Indianadaycare 11:46 AM 07-18-2014
Originally Posted by Shell:
Agree with BC about figuring out what is more important to you. Personally, I wouldn't ask the dcm to pay to hold the spot, and I would try to find a replacement in the meantime. Eight months is a long time- let's say you take on a new family- then in February you can re-assess if you keep all existing families or term one that isn't working out. Another family could lose their job, move, etc. there is never a guarantee in this business!
Exactly.
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Learning Daycare 10:26 PM 07-19-2014
I agree, it is a long time to wait. But, I would:

1) fill the spot as maybe part time (most people charge more for this than their full time rate),

2)do drop-in care (more than part time and full time per week),

3)advertise a temporary spot OR

4) roll the dice and open up the spot and, like others said, re-evaluate the group when the mother delivers. The only issue with this option is, what if the new family is a perfect fit for your family? It would put you in an even more difficult position just at a later date.

Hope I gave you more additional options! Well wishes!
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CraftyMom 07:33 AM 07-20-2014
I also would not hold a spot at half price for 8 months when you could fill the spot and make full price.

We'll work it out when the time comes. The time has not come yet. Also that doesn't mean free. It means we'll work out a payment arrangement to hold your spot when the time comes
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Mister Sir Husband 08:27 AM 07-20-2014
I am thinking the same as someone mentioned above.. fill the spot but tell the person taking it that its temporary for about 8 months. Someone who is stuck and needs a spot immediately will take it and give themselves 8 months to line up something else, by which time you may have the ability to accommodate everyone as lots can happen in 8 months.
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