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littlemissmuffet 08:05 AM 06-22-2011
Originally Posted by Angelwings36:
So since the day I opened up my daycare over 5 years ago I have always offered one full time space for a single mother at a lower rate. So I took this lady on about a year and a half ago at $400/month on this promo, my regular rate at that time was $500/month for full time. My full time rate now is $650/month. So this lady is saving $250/month on daycare.

Here's the problem:

The little boy started with me at 18 months, he is now 3 years old. I have known since the day that he begun care with me that there was something wrong with him and on many occassions brought this up to the mother, she finally decided to get him evaluated now.

- He doesn't speak at all...so communication is impossible.
- He doesn't listen, no matter how consistent I am, and will often have huge temper tantrums and throw stuff when upset.
- He is violent towards the other kids.
- He is extremely destructive, he has put holes in 4 of my playpens over $320.00 in damages, among other things that he has wrecked on me.
- I can not put him in a bed to nap as he won't stay. I can not put him in a playpen to nap as he will either crawl out or destroy the playpen. He will not cooperate in quiet time because he doesn't understand what being quiet means and disrupts the other children.
- I obviously can not leave him unsupervised for even a minute without containing him or taking him with me.

On top of that...

- He is the first to come and the first to leave (7:30am - 5:15pm). Which means mom works 9 hours? It's only a 15 min drive to and from her work place so I would assume that means she works 8:00am - 5:00pm? Does that mean she gets an hour of unpaid lunch? I got thinking about this today and called the office, she works for the foster association as an secretary, the office was not open at 8:10am. Does she work an hour before it opens?
- Mom pushes my policies. She constantly tries to bring her son at 7:10am when she knows I will not allow drop offs before 7:30am. She has tried to bring her son at 1:30pm when he had an appointment when she knows I don't allow pick ups or drop offs during quiet time (12:30pm - 2:30pm). She brings outside food and toys in...another no - no and the list goes on....

I just don't know what to do. I feel that I should raise her rates but I am very close with this mom and know she really can't afford to pay much more and have formed an attachment with the child despite all the stress he causes me.

I just would really like some input from others to help me decide what the right thing to do is...

Thanks so much!
The reality is, when we start giving parents deals and breaks they just begin expecting things from us. Because she knows you don't EXPECT her to pay what everyone else pays, she thinks you don't/won't EXPECT her to follow the rules. I have never and will never give price breaks because this is generally always what's going to happen. Raise her rates.
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