I hadtwo incidents to happen this week and I made the decision to stick to my contract / policy yet I feel awful. First thing was yesterday I was on my last close day of my spring break (it was only 4 days ) At around 7:00 am I hear a knock at the door so I got up thinking it was my daughter who I was expecting imagine my suprise when it was a parent with her child asking me are you closed today my reply " yes I am I will reopen tomorrow" I have had a notice posted in my daycare since 1/9/16 to remind parents about my closed dates from 3/30 - 4/4/16, I sent home two notices, and they have a yearly calendar. I found out later through relatives that she had noone to take care of the child for the day and I felt terrible. This morning I get a message from a parent who just had a baby 3 days ago and was going home today and she informed me that they had decided to keep the child home until next week. I felt bad but I felt I had to inform her that her fees were still due even if she decided to keep him home according to DC contract This is the second time something like this has happened and they did not pay me for a full week due to the child being ill but I let it go that time since he was sick although my policy cleary states that they have one free week per year with illness and other than that they have to give two weeks advance notice. I also do not charge parents when I take time off other than major holidays. I really wish that I could help everyone out when these situations come up but parents have to understand that this is a business and just letting me know the morning when fees are due I want to take my child out (no matter what the circumstances hurts me financially(family / home daycare) and is a contract violation. During the four days I was closed I only charged parents for the days I was open so I was experiencing fee cuts as it is and then on on top of that to have to lose one child's fee was not affordable to me. But I feel so bad that I have to do this and so Im thinking that the reason I feel so bad is because I maybe I was wrong under the circumstances to charge them and wrong not to allow the child to stay on my closed day. Somebody shed some light please!!!

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