Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Paying for DC's Vacation
Momvent 08:17 PM 06-06-2018
I just need to vent. So my 8.5 months old baby has been going to this daycare since he was 3 months old. The owner doesn't like us very much because I drop him off too early (7:30am) and pick him up too late (5:30pm) and mind you we do pay extra so that he can stay there an hour extra. Anyways, our relationship has not been the greatest and we never felt welcomed. About a month ago she told me that she will no longer be able to care for my baby because one of the staff members is living and she's not planning on hiring anyone else. When we enrolled my baby to her daycare we paid a 2-week deposit which it was supposed to be applied toward the last 2 weeks of service. So, technically we should only pay for the first 2 weeks of June. But this lady is telling me that the deposit will count towards her 10 days of vacation so I need to pay the full month?!? (Her vacation is not until 7/20 and she just told us today) This is NOT what the contract says! The owner later texted me saying that now she wants 1-week worth of vacation payment, so we only pay 3 weeks instead of the full month 😠 She said that since she's been so considerate & patient with us she "deserves" to be paid for her vacation time!! She went on saying how tiring it is to hold the bottle for my baby because he is 8 months old and he should be able to hold his own bottle 🙄 and watching him 10 hours a day is way too much for her! Is this even legal??? Please, advise!
Reply
Josiegirl 02:21 AM 06-07-2018
Reread your contract about paying vacations after leaving. I don't have anything like that in mine. If she's only saying she 'deserves' to be paid, that's not right. But do be warned you might find yourself without dc sooner than you think.
Reply
Cat Herder 04:48 AM 06-07-2018
What does your contract say?
Reply
CalCare 06:29 AM 06-07-2018
Hi, I'm going to try to reply to a few things..
1. Why did you continue to go to a provider who doesn't like you or never made you welcome!? Why?
2. If they weren't open at 7:30 (apparently telling you that you came too early), why did you continue to come at 7:30? And if they were open and they complained about when you came, why on Earth would you continue to choose to bring your baby to a childcare facility that complains to you about doing their job? This is very odd to me.
3. Probably no staff member is leaving, she's just looking for excuses to terminate care.
4. As you said, your contract doesn't state that you owe for vacation or anything above and beyond final two weeks care so, no, you don't owe her that.
5. Why does she say she was so patient and understanding with you? What transpired in these past few months? I'm just curious! Something seems to be missing from the story.
6. She doesn't want to hold a baby bottle!? Unfortunately she needs a different job. The main point of this job is literally holding a baby bottle. I would venture to say, if we do nothing else AT ALL each day, we should at the very least be feeding the babies in our care lol but she doesn't want to do that? I get that many providers want to help the children with their self help and independence, but not an 8 month old baby needing a bottle! Again, very odd. Was it some kind of jab at you because you aren't supporting independence, maybe?

Anyway, it seems like the two of you just never saw eye to eye and she's getting out of the agreement, but you don't owe her extra money if it isn't in writing.
Reply
Unregistered 06:48 AM 06-07-2018
I agree with CalCare and would pull immediately. I wouldn't want my baby cared for by someone who was feeling admittedly resentful and overwhelmed.
Reply
CityGarden 07:44 AM 06-07-2018
It is not uncommon in my area for parents to be charge the same amount all year regardless of holiday/vacation closures. I charge for them and honestly if I was terminating I would wait to give that notice until after my paid vacation..... which leads me to believe something drastic must have weighed on your provider for her to terminate now.

If you signed in the contract to pay her for the vacation time then I would pay it - especially IF your child will be staying there until new care is found. If you really feel it is unreasonable and beyond what the contract allows then send her an email explaining how this is beyond the contract and you cannot do that while also affording the upcoming cost of securing new care. If you do this approach I would pull your child ASAP - not because the daycare provider will harm your child but because I would never leave my child with someone who was annoyed/frustrated with me.
Reply
Tags:contract, learned helplessness, long hours in care, paid vacations
Reply Up