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storybookending 10:22 AM 09-15-2017
I understand this is an old thread, I've actually read it a few times before. I started out just last summer. I didn't charge for holidays or limit their amount of days off which I have found to be a mistake.

Due to current ages I have 6 fillable spaces. I have 4 filled with children that have been here since the beginning not paying for holidays or days their children just don't come for whatever reason.

I have a sibling set ages 3 and 1. They do not attend on Mondays. I will grandfather them in and never ask them to pay for Mondays but after they age out I will only be taking full time children, or parents willing to pay the full weekly rate if they do have a day off. I may state when it is time to renew contracts that this family is only allowed 5 days off from their Tues-Friday schedule going forward. Mom was open to it when I started but I wasn't thinking long term and told her she didn't have to pay when they weren't here. I don't see myself ever charging this family for my holidays and I'll just consider them grandfathered in. As far as I know there are no plans for another child for this family. Mom said maybe if they had a different dad LOL.

My 3rd child is also 3. She is full time but does not pay for holidays or days mom has off. Mom honestly doesn't take off that much and when she does it is usually a day the schools are closed when I have the option of picking up the school aged older siblings of my youngest dcb. Next September she will start 4K and bus here in time for lunch and nap and honestly spend only 2-3 awake hours here before mom picks up. Her older brother did this last year and she paid for full days for him. I don't feel as bad losing money on the few days she's off because of this. I will probably never charge her holidays/days off. She's more than paid up considering the 4K schedule in this area. I assume this family is done having kids, mom has 4, dad has 13 including moms two youngest.. but honestly this fact right here and the fact that I never asked has me wondering some days.

My last of the original 4 is my niece, her mother is also my best friend. Doesn't pay when she's off, doesn't pay holidays, doesn't pay the whole month of August when she's off. I lose so much money having her here. I would never dream of asking them to pay any of this time, although some days I do hold a little bit of resentment. This child is a handful but honestly she's the reason I started daycare and I love her more than anything else in this world. Serious talks will be had when they decide to have a second child. I can't afford to take a loss like this on two children.

The above 4 children also pay $2 less a day than all future enrollees that did not start the summer I opened my doors.

Then there is the ones that didn't start that summer..

About 6 months in to starting daycare I started an infant. He is currently 9.5 months old. I stupidly cannot remember what is in that contract as I just edited the master document and didn't save a copy of what they had signed. Live and learn. I believe I had holidays paid. Mom paid for Memorial Day and Labor Day. The week of the 4th of July I also took off Monday the 3rd. She asked me that Friday what she owed and I just charged her for 3 days so didn't take the 4th paid. I don't charge for any extra days I take off other than the holidays listed in the contract and got myself all confused having everyone on different contracts. All contracts renew at the New Year so I will make sure I have it right this time.
In addition to holidays this child gets 10 days off for whatever reason that the parents do not have to pay. The child has missed 3 days of those 10 so far. They reset in January and do not roll over. Baby was not planned has two older siblings in elementary school and mom got her tubes tied so there will not be another for this family.

My 6th child just started Sept 1st. Had to pay Labor Day having just started the Friday before. Also gets 10 whatever unpaid days. All other holidays listed in my contract are paid. Mom mentioned that dad wants another. He has a high schooler and they have a 7 year old and the 2 year old together.

Still learning as I go about this! Sorry for the long post and props to anyone who made it through. I feel the current contract that I have my 6th child on now is great thanks to things I have read on this site. It'll just be a few years of losing income on my first few families. I do owe them a lot for helping me open my doors, I literally didn't even have furniture when I started and the kids ate at an outdoor table in my dining room until that all came in. I might've walked in my house if I were them and walked right out.
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