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-   -   Christmas Schedule Change....WWYD??? (https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23904)

Unregistered 12-02-2010 11:55 AM

Christmas Schedule Change....WWYD???
 
Okay, I need some advice on how I should handle this situation: (Sorry this is long....)
A DCM asked me in like June what my Christmas vacation week was going to be this year. (My calendar year goes September to September) I told her I don't necessarily know for sure becuase I was losing 5 kids to Kindergarten in the fall and didn't know what the needs of any new enrollees would be yet until after school started. When Sept 1st rolled around, she asked again because she said she had to ask for the time off WAAAY in advance at work. (BTW, I have another DCM who works at the same place in same position and she has never said anything about having to ask so far in advance) I told this DCM then that I was thinking of closing the week between Christmas and New Year's because the holidays fell on weekends so it just seemed logical. However, in October, I realized this was not going to work and have decided to take the week before Christmas off instead and remain open for the week between Christmas and New Years. (ALL the SA kids I lost to Kindergarten need care that week due to school vacation so of course I will take the added income and remain open!) When I told this DCM that I was going to do that she told me she had already made plans for her family to be here and watch her kids on the week in between Christmas and N.Y.'s so her kids will not be at daycare that week. She has also made arrangements to have someone watch her kids on the week I will now be closed instead. I normally charge everyone 1/2 pay for both of my vacation weeks during the year, so my question is: If I charge her the 1/2 pay for the week I am closed, what should I do about the week I will be open (but was tentatively going to be closed)? I just know she is going to have a cow about having to pay for a regular week because the kids won't be here and I feel that she sort of cornered me into giving her dates for vacation when I didn't really know they were or weren't going to work yet. I feel like I am available for her kids to be here, she is just choosing to have her family watch them, even though they don't need to now because I won't be closed that week. It is NOT a matter of money with this family. My normal policy is everyone gets 6 absent days per year and after that , they pay regular rate according to their contracted days. This family is full time 5 days per week and have used 2 absent days already this year. I'm jst wondering what everyone else would do.....should I charge her regular because I am here and available? (This is also a family that if I give an inch, they want a mile..kwim?) Advice anyone?

QualiTcare 12-02-2010 12:27 PM

you told her you were "thinking" of closing that week, or did you tell her that was the week you would be closed?

there are people who have to put in vacation requests super early if they want to have the time off (my aunt is one of them and she's worked at the same place for 15 years) bc it goes by seniority and there are so many ppl who have worked there forever.

IMO - if you told her you would be closed that week it falls on you. next time, i wouldn't give a response until you know for sure.

Unregistered 12-02-2010 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by QualiTcare:
you told her you were "thinking" of closing that week, or did you tell her that was the week you would be closed?

IMO - if you told her you would be closed that week it falls on you. next time, i wouldn't give a response until you know for sure.

I told her I'm thinking I'll use that week, but I was VERY clear that I wouldn't know for sure until after school started. That is why I am having such a problem with this is because I never led her to believe those dates were for sure....As soon as I got dates confirmed, I told her immediately...that's when she told me her kids wouldn't be at daycare the week between the holidays. It is only getting to be a problem now because it is getting close to time for payments for those weeks and that is a subject we haven't discussed yet. That is why I'm looking for opinions that I am wrong and should let it slide or that I am thinking correctly and should charge her as normal. DCM hasn't brought it up b/c she is waiting for me to say something and then she will throw a fit and I will feel put on the spot so I am trying to make sure I know what I should say now. I know I want to charge her but part of me feels like I am being too tough.....so I'm waivering.....

marniewon 12-02-2010 03:08 PM

If you told her you "were thinking of closing that week" then I would charge her for that week that she is choosing to take her kids to family. Cow or no cow, you are open and she's choosing not to bring them. Besides, it's not like she's paying family, so it won't be like she's paying double!

If she throws a fit, remind her that you gave her a tentative schedule, that you are open that week, and they are expected to pay.

DancingQueen 12-03-2010 03:17 AM

I've been on her side of this and can totally sympathize with her. But it was her job to make SURE you were taking that week before making her plans.

I never would have made arrangements without getting a confirmation from you. But I really can relate to needing to know things like that with lots of notice.

Tough spot.

legomom922 12-03-2010 04:09 AM

Originally Posted by QualiTcare:
there are people who have to put in vacation requests super early if they want to have the time off (my aunt is one of them and she's worked at the same place for 15 years) bc it goes by seniority and there are so many ppl who have worked there forever.

I agree with this, as I used to be one of these people. I am also a planner type of person and like all my ducks all lined up. The holidays are crazy, and with family here and there and my DH's family, ALOT of planning has to go into this to make it work. It's not like she is pulling a stunt on you the last minute. Here we are only 3 wks from christmas and you werent sure what you were going to do.

This DCM has asked you several times, and to be honest, you were the one holding her up. Obviously she was making plans behind the scenes in her personnal life, weather she needed to know what week you were going to be closed for her to make plans or take vacation from work, is really none of your business.

She has 6 days a yr that you give her off and she has only used 2, so I would let her use the rest of her days during christmas week, and charge her the 1/2 rate for the week before.

jen 12-03-2010 06:31 AM

I let people know that I will give them a minimum of 30 days notice when I take vacation. I understand that some people may need more notice than that for their jobs, however, I may not be able to accommodate that request. Truthfully, that falls under the category of their problem not mine. Not that I wouldn't give them the information if I had it, but I wouldn't feel pressured to supply it if I didn't.

For me, the wwyd part would depend on the family. If they were a family I really loved and wanted to make happy because of how great they were to my family, I would make an exception to my policies. If they weren't, I wouldn't!

QualiTcare 12-03-2010 07:22 AM

Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I told her I'm thinking I'll use that week, but I was VERY clear that I wouldn't know for sure until after school started. That is why I am having such a problem with this is because I never led her to believe those dates were for sure....As soon as I got dates confirmed, I told her immediately...that's when she told me her kids wouldn't be at daycare the week between the holidays. It is only getting to be a problem now because it is getting close to time for payments for those weeks and that is a subject we haven't discussed yet. That is why I'm looking for opinions that I am wrong and should let it slide or that I am thinking correctly and should charge her as normal. DCM hasn't brought it up b/c she is waiting for me to say something and then she will throw a fit and I will feel put on the spot so I am trying to make sure I know what I should say now. I know I want to charge her but part of me feels like I am being too tough.....so I'm waivering.....

it's unfortunate for her, but i think it all boils down to if you told her you were "thinking" about it and you weren't sure, or if you told her those would be the dates. you said you made it clear that you weren't sure - so, if that's the case, and you told her the actual, concrete dates in october then she'll have to deal with it.

but this is now december - so i'm wondering, in october, when you told her the actual dates you would be closed and she said she already made plans, etc., what did you say THEN?

Crystal 12-03-2010 12:20 PM

Personally, I would not charge her for the week you said you "might" close. When she asked intially, I wouldn't have given her any dates. I would have said, I do not know at this time, but as soon as I do, you'll be the first to know.

If you will be making extra income with the school-agers there anyway, I would just avoid the drama and the hard feelings and give it to her.


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