Originally Posted by maelb05:
I have a combination of teacher families and non teacher families. We are in the Midwest, so schools were closed yesterday for snow and today and Wednesday for cold. Possibly will be closed Thursday for cold as well.
So far, all my teacher family kids have been in my care yesterday and today. I don't know why, but I was naïve enough to think that these families would keep their children home with them on the extreme cold days. I get that some parents are not the type that do well with having their children with them on a full time basis. I even understand taking days to themselves once in awhile. However, it does make me really have to wonder about their priorities and if they even think about the overall safety of their children, when parents are willing to bring their infants/young children out in dangerously low temps and windchills, just so they can have these days to themselves. 
Maybe I need to switch to only taking teacher families so that I can follow the school year schedule and snow/cold days off. Because I do have other families that still need to go to work on snow/cold days, I don't feel like I can justify telling the teacher families they can't bring their kids, even though they don't NEED their children to be in care. I guess I just needed to vent!
It is hard to see how most parents rather get their money's worth than stay and enjoy a day with their children. With that said you either have to deal with it, change your policies or change how you operate. I ended up going to only before and after care this year. I do not take kids when schools are closed except for one family(mom works at the hospital) Rest are teachers kids and do not need to be here. In the end it was what was best for me and my family. I know not everyone can operate like this. Like today school is letting out 2 hours early for snow. I am closing two hours early.
They are also only paying a before/after rate so they arent paying for something they aren't getting.