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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Is This A New Trend? Or Just Here?
crazydaycarelady 10:38 AM 12-11-2012
My policy is that when a mom goes on materinty leave I charge her full price for the older siblings spot and charge her for the baby when it starts. In the past I usually end up having the older sibling some days but usually not all the days.


Well, the last 2 moms who have gone on maternity leave have brought the older sibling EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. One dcm kept her child home for one day because they were out of town and the snow was bad coming home, but that was it. These are both 3 month maternity leaves.

I am really full right now so I even offerred one dcm to drop down to 2-3 days per week, and only pay for those days. Things have been tight for them so I thought she would take me up on it to save some money, but she was not interested the slightest in it.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 10:44 AM 12-11-2012
I just had a part time child go to full time once the new sibling came (this child is #3, baby is #4).
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lolaland 10:57 AM 12-11-2012
I had a mother in maternity leave that dropped off everyday in my daycare the older brother and the newborn while she enjoyed almost half of the maternity leave home alone. She said she needed the time to pack all her stuff because they were "thinking " in looking for a new house to rent.
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blandino 11:02 AM 12-11-2012
I would say that is the norm. We had a mom on maternity leave from oct-now, who we offered p/t to while she was on maternity leave, so she only came 2 days a week. But most of the time ours come even while mom is on maternity leave.
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wdmmom 11:06 AM 12-11-2012
I had one mom bring their child every single day. I had another drop down to as needed.

Personally, I think its all a matter of who genuinely is a better, more family oriented mother. I have 4 children of my own and my kids were with me during maternity leave with exception of the oldest being in half day preschool.
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Meyou 11:32 AM 12-11-2012
I've had 3 in the past 4 years who have brought their older child 4-5 days per week for the whole 12 month mat leave. I don't really mind but if it was me I would do less days or at least pick up early.
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mema 11:38 AM 12-11-2012
Dcb I had while mom was on leave still came everyday and actually longer hours than when she was working I understand to a certain point, I would rather have the child here more than not as it is easier to keep the routine, but 4 days instead of 5 with a bit later drop off and a bit earlier pick up would have been nice
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itlw8 11:43 AM 12-11-2012
mine tend to continue f/t if they can afford it. They still need the preschool even though mom is home.. They do tend to pick up earlier during the day though.
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daycaremum 12:24 PM 12-11-2012
My policy is that a full time kid has to come minimum 3 days/pay for 3 days to keep their spot for after maternity leave. Most do it. I don't care. It keeps their kid used to being with other children socially, and keeps them used to the routine of going to daycare and being at daycare. Most people will use what you charge them for, it's just as simple as that. I'm sure most of my clients would just quit if I charge them full rates for the duration, because I never had a client who didn't want to spend some of their mat leave with their older child, and I don't think any of them would agree to pay full fees if they didn't intend to use them. It's not the norm in my area to charge full fees to keep the child's spot over mat leave.
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Lucy 12:47 PM 12-11-2012
Originally Posted by crazydaycarelady:
My policy is that when a mom goes on materinty leave I charge her full price for the older siblings spot and charge her for the baby when it starts. In the past I usually end up having the older sibling some days but usually not all the days.


Well, the last 2 moms who have gone on maternity leave have brought the older sibling EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. One dcm kept her child home for one day because they were out of town and the snow was bad coming home, but that was it. These are both 3 month maternity leaves.

I am really full right now so I even offerred one dcm to drop down to 2-3 days per week, and only pay for those days. Things have been tight for them so I thought she would take me up on it to save some money, but she was not interested the slightest in it.
My latest dcm did that too. The "newborn" girl is now 4 years old, so this was awhile back. But she brought her then 5-yr old son EVERY DAY for 3 and a half months! But it didn't surprise me, as these are people who bring them EVERY DAY no matter what. She will have the day off, and set a dang alarm to wake up and bring the kids here!!! Unreal.
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Oneluckymom 12:54 PM 12-11-2012
Yup. I had my first expecting mom who just had her baby. The older sibling came every day and stayed all day.

This was surprising to me to. I really think parents believe that its normal to be away from their children even when its not necessary.
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daycare 01:01 PM 12-11-2012
I PREFER THat they stay in daycare on their normal schedule so that when they come back, it's not heck trying to get them back into our routine and daycare schedule.
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MarinaVanessa 01:05 PM 12-11-2012
Yes for me too ... well sort of. Before she had the baby she dropped from full-time for 1yo DCB to part-time 2x's a week so that he could still have some socialization. Once the baby came she got overwhealmed. She has a 6yo DD which stays home with her, her now 2yo DCB that comes 5 days a week and her newborn which also stays home with her.

She keeps 2 kids home although the 5yp goes to Kinder but DCD was saying that the daughter was constantly going after DCB and being bossy and he was unhappy so they brought him 5 days a week after that. DCM works from home though so she keeps the baby in her home office with her at all times while she's working and their daughter will play in her own room. Apparently when all 3 kids were home the daughter was chasing DCB all around the house making him cry and DCB would come into her home office and interupt phone calls .
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Crazy8 01:13 PM 12-11-2012
In the 11 years I've been running my daycare it is more the norm than not to see the mentality "well I'm paying for it" - and that means bringing the kids when home with a new baby as well as all other scenarios. Of course its not ALL parents, but I'd say most.
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Country Kids 01:34 PM 12-11-2012
Originally Posted by Crazy8:
In the 11 years I've been running my daycare it is more the norm than not to see the mentality "well I'm paying for it" - and that means bringing the kids when home with a new baby as well as all other scenarios. Of course its not ALL parents, but I'd say most.

This is what I was going to say but saw you had already posted.

Also, alot of women now don't take alot of time off when they have their babies so I'm sure they aren't even thinking of taking their children out when they might be rushing to get the baby in childcare.
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Scout 01:53 PM 12-11-2012
Apparently I am not the norm. When I was off for 3 mos I did not take my oldest to dc at all, NOT ONE SINGLE DAY! I wanted him with me, to assure him that just because he has a brother, it doesn't make him less important. I would have never wanted him to be away from me during that transition. I had no problems with him retransitioning to dc when I returned to work. I don't get it, probably never will.
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crazydaycarelady 02:34 PM 12-11-2012
I agree that I do like the kids to keep coming at least a few days to stay in the routine, but this last older sibling got sooooo whiney. His dad works from a home office so each day he got dragged over here while mom, dad and the new baby all stayed home. He knew what was going on!

And the other mom, I offerred her a reduced rate but she would rather pay the money and not have her kid at home. I think whoever said it was right - they just are not used to being at home with their kids, it is foreign to them.
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Mom&Provider 02:57 PM 12-11-2012
Norm here too. DCF brings their child 3 days per week, sometimes asks for more if they have things to do that would be easier done with the child - appointments or shopping kinda thing.

I guess I don't mind, since if they had pulled their child, then I would of had to find another family (and this family is very good, so I would hate to loose them!), which I didn't have to do in this case and soon enough I will be getting the little one too!

I also have a DCF only has one child and if they get off early or have a day off they spend it alone...spa day is what DCM has told me! I've had DCD from the same family drive past me while picking up kids from the school, so I know he is home, but he shows up on the button at closing...says he went to have a nap or start dinner!? It really floors me to be honest. I worked after I had my son and any day I could leave early to get him I would in a heart beat! It's kinda sad actually...
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Unregistered 03:29 AM 12-12-2012
Originally Posted by Scout:
Apparently I am not the norm. When I was off for 3 mos I did not take my oldest to dc at all, NOT ONE SINGLE DAY! I wanted him with me, to assure him that just because he has a brother, it doesn't make him less important. I would have never wanted him to be away from me during that transition. I had no problems with him retransitioning to dc when I returned to work. I don't get it, probably never will.
I used to think like this. BUT as time goes on I think most parents are thinking to try to keep the older child on their routine/schedule as obviously having a sibling is a huge change. In addition the parent is probably thinking that it's better for the older child to be at care with friends, planned activities, and attention from the caregiver then home with mom who may have been up all night with baby and is too exhausted to do anything other than snap on the tv... I know I was so happy I had my second child in the summer so DH could run interference with our older child. Mat leaves are so short in the US that it doesn't really make sense to keep the older child home only to have to transition them back a few short weeks later.
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momma2girls 12:34 PM 12-17-2012
Originally Posted by Crazy8:
In the 11 years I've been running my daycare it is more the norm than not to see the mentality "well I'm paying for it" - and that means bringing the kids when home with a new baby as well as all other scenarios. Of course its not ALL parents, but I'd say most.
It certainly true with 90% of the parents anymore!!! They go on vacation, they leave their kids here, etc. etc...... It might not be 90%, but for me it is close to it or over it!!
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Willow 01:35 PM 12-17-2012
Originally Posted by daycare:
I PREFER THat they stay in daycare on their normal schedule so that when they come back, it's not heck trying to get them back into our routine and daycare schedule.
I strongly encourage the same.

I think it's great for moms to have that time to recover and bond with the new baby and a fantastic idea for the child already in care to keep their schedule as consistent as possible.
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MamaG 01:47 PM 12-17-2012
I don't see a problem if they use me full time. Why pay for something you aren't using? Who can afford that? I personally would keep my child in care but for less hours per day if we could afford it. I'm big on consistency for kids.
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littlemissmuffet 03:40 PM 12-17-2012
I think MANY parents would only have one child if they knew they would have to have both home. Daycare providers make raising kids too easy for parents.
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Tags:holding spot - pregnancy, holding spot policy, maternity leave
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