Originally Posted by Former Teacher:
This post reminds me of a family. After Hurricane Katrina, our center had taken in 2 families that were displaced due to Katrina. We offered FREE childcare. Since we were a small center we were not eligible for government help, but we felt we had to do something.
This one family whose son was 5 years old. He was a BEAST! (
) Anyway, they were with us for 1 week. The following Monday no call. Tues. no call, etc. no calls at all, all week. The following week we called to see what was up. We got the voice mail. No calls all week. My former director said if and when they come back, we filled his spot.
Sure enough 3 weeks later, father and son came waltzing in like it was nothing. Father wished his son a good day and was ready to walk out when I told him his place had been filled. Father was stunned. I explained to him since there were no calls and that we tried to contact him, we assumed he pulled out. He said no the boy was sick...etc etc. He then got mad at me because he had no where to put his son. I told him that if we was willing to pay for his spot I am sure we could make the space for him. He got even MORE mad at me, telling me that the family went through heck (he used another word haha) through the Hurricane and that I was inconsiderate. I told him while I was sorry for his situation but we were not in business to provide free care. BTW the other family had taken off by this time, again no call. Anyway long story short he got furious with me and took his son and left.
A good way to equate this is to a job-if you don't show up for a few days or even weeks, never call, ignore and fail to return phone calls (essentially incommunicado), and show back up 3 weeks later, chances are that security is going to hand you a box of stuff that was previously contained in "your" desk/locker/cubicle.
It never ceases to amaze me the gall of some people-free daycare, no communication when kid ceases arriving, and they get mad at YOU?
md12-first, is it in the contract, did you read the contract, and were you communicating with them-keeping them updated on your status and intentions? If anything, it sounds like you owe them two weeks and nothing more.
Now, if you want to continue to bring your child there, you may have to work something out with them, but I think they should be a bit more flexible with you considering the circumstances.
Myself, I'd have handed them the check for two weeks, and told them that's all you're getting. But, then again, I'd be in search of a new daycare if I were able to pinpoint that my child was infected at their facility due to negligent housekeeping/other sick kids in attendance.