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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Do You Close For Snow?
jenh171 03:42 AM 01-27-2011
I really would like to figure out a fair policy for snow days. It is driving me nuts this winter because 4 of the five people I work for work in the schools, and the other one works no matter what the weather is. So I want to be accomodating to the one girl who does NOT work in the school, but it's a huge pain to stay open with one child here. Also, I don't have a separate area for child care, so I just hate working when my daughters/boyfriend all have off for snow. Until now, I have been just biting the bullet and working with the one little girl here, but it's seems much more sensible to perhaps close when the local school closes?
Also, I would like to know the logistics of how you go about taking the snow day. Do you let your parents know the night before? Because another issue is that when we get hit with a foot of snow, I spend all morning waiting to hear from parents if they are coming or not...and I have to be ready to work in case someone shows up. So I was thinking of maybe telling my parents that I will work with the local school...if they close, I will close. Does that seem reasonable?
Also, I would like to know the logistics of how you go about taking the snow day. Do you let your parents know the night before? Because another issue is that when we get hit with a foot of snow, I spend all morning waiting to hear from parents if they are coming or not...and I have to be ready to work in case someone shows up. So I was thinking of maybe telling my parents that I will work with the local school...if they close, I will close. Does that seem reasonable?
TSDaycare 03:51 AM 01-27-2011
We were posting about snow grudges at the same time! I would say it is entirely up to you-if you can afford to close that day without making her pay for care-go for it! However you may lose clients also for that reason..... There are actually alot of home daycares who run on the school schedules, but I guess it all depends on the type of parents you have (teachers, federal workers, sales, etc). If I were to do that in my area I would probably lose business-but believe me I would love to follow the school schedule most days!
jenh171 03:55 AM 01-27-2011
I really wouldn't mind just continuing to work on snow days, but for the past two years, it has worked out that I only have this one little girl here. It just doesn't seem worth it.
DBug 04:10 AM 01-27-2011
Do you charge whether kids are there or not? My policies say that if I choose to close for any reason, parents don't have to pay for that day. My rationale is that they may have to pay someone else to watch their kids, so I wouldn't want them to have to pay double. That's why I don't close for snow days or other issues (like our lack of heat a few days ago). That way, parents can choose whether they come, but either way I get paid.
If you do get paid whether kids are there or not, I'd say close. Or at the very least, make it a movie day if you just have one dckid on those days.
If you do get paid whether kids are there or not, I'd say close. Or at the very least, make it a movie day if you just have one dckid on those days.
DCMom 04:17 AM 01-27-2011
I stay open. I'm getting paid for it and more often than not my parents call in and stay home. If I do happen to have a few kids, they love it because they get the run of the house, they are outside playing in the snow or watching movies since I just do my own thing on those days (with a couple extra little bodies!)
Cat Herder 04:23 AM 01-27-2011
I don't close. I have backup power, water and heating. I am a obsessive planner 
Live and Learn 05:42 AM 01-27-2011
Jenh171:
Like you I work with all teachers but one family.
It is my policy to work only on teacher work days. They don't go to school on snow days so I don't work either.
My one non teacher family was informed of this policy when they started with me.
We rarely get snow here in paradise. Only one day this year so far...we got about an inch with a little freezing rain mix.
Good Luck.
Like you I work with all teachers but one family.
It is my policy to work only on teacher work days. They don't go to school on snow days so I don't work either.
My one non teacher family was informed of this policy when they started with me.
We rarely get snow here in paradise. Only one day this year so far...we got about an inch with a little freezing rain mix.
Good Luck.