parents had to pay regardless of whether their child was there or not. While we did not have a contract, there was a signed agreement that parents would paid regardless of absents. There was also a section that stated that a 2 week notice would be required. Well, parents never read what they sign and are stunned when reality hits. Of course my former director never held them to the 2 week notice, however she was VERY firm on the weekly payments. Once there was a child who enrolled August. This family was extremely well off so they went ahead and paid up to Dec 31st. Yes, a couple thousand dollars! Well the poor thing in September contacted RSV. So she was out until January. Did the parents receive their money? No. My former director explained to them in order to reserve their space, they had to pay regardless.
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.
Another mother got very upset with me because her daughter was out sick for a week (no calls) and she came in the following Monday and she was charged a late fee. She wanted to know why she was charged a late fee plus tuition. I told her probably because she never called to let us know. Had she, maybe she wouldve just been charged the tuition. She told me she didn't feel she should pay because her daughter wasn't there. I told her that just because she didn't make a phone call everyday, she was still charged for the phone line. She, too, also wasn't happy with me!