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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Wording Help for Terminating a Friend
Indoorvoice 06:06 AM 02-28-2018
I broke one of my rules and took one of my daughter's friends from school on as a dck last summer because it was only a few days a week and I thought she would keep my daughter busy. Well it turned out to not work out well at all. I could not keep them occupied or quiet during nap and the little girl is just not nice at all. My daughter follows directions much better and helps with the daycare when her friend isn't here, but turns into a little show off when her friend is here. I reluctantly agreed to do before/after care a couple days a week for the school year too. Again, NOT going well especially on days with no school. I just filled a spot for an infant starting in June which leaves me with a very young group and it just sounds like a nightmare to have the school aged kid here this summer even for only 2 days a week. I don't think I will be able to provide appropriate school age activities while also attending to the toddlers and infant. The problem is the mom has my daughter over all the time and takes her on all sorts of outings. Every time I sit down to write a termination notice, it just sounds awkward and I'm just not sure how to break the news. I'm feeling guilty because she has my kid over all the time for free, but I charge her for watching her kid just a few days a week. I feel like I can't just say that I'm not doing school age care anymore because obviously I will be having my 2 school aged daughters here. So I don't know. Any good wording ideas? I have to email as I don't ever have a chance to talk in person to mom for more than a few seconds.
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Ariana 06:41 AM 02-28-2018
I think this is why taking friends from on as clients is so tricky. My opinion is that you can't really terminate without causing a riff. No amount of word wizardry will help. So if you are prepared for that you could word it in a way that lets her know you want to focus on younger kid care and not SA care OR you could say it is a financial decision and you have decided to take a full time kid. Either way make it about restructuring your business rather than anything personal. Apologize profusely, say you hope to have play dates etc.
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Blackcat31 06:44 AM 02-28-2018
Originally Posted by Indoorvoice:
I broke one of my rules and took one of my daughter's friends from school on as a dck last summer because it was only a few days a week and I thought she would keep my daughter busy. Well it turned out to not work out well at all. I could not keep them occupied or quiet during nap and the little girl is just not nice at all. My daughter follows directions much better and helps with the daycare when her friend isn't here, but turns into a little show off when her friend is here. I reluctantly agreed to do before/after care a couple days a week for the school year too. Again, NOT going well especially on days with no school. I just filled a spot for an infant starting in June which leaves me with a very young group and it just sounds like a nightmare to have the school aged kid here this summer even for only 2 days a week. I don't think I will be able to provide appropriate school age activities while also attending to the toddlers and infant. The problem is the mom has my daughter over all the time and takes her on all sorts of outings. Every time I sit down to write a termination notice, it just sounds awkward and I'm just not sure how to break the news. I'm feeling guilty because she has my kid over all the time for free, but I charge her for watching her kid just a few days a week. I feel like I can't just say that I'm not doing school age care anymore because obviously I will be having my 2 school aged daughters here. So I don't know. Any good wording ideas? I have to email as I don't ever have a chance to talk in person to mom for more than a few seconds.
Here is my attempt at professional WITH friends... lol! Its so easy to professionally write something but tough to add the friendly aspect in Also for reference I called her DD Janie and your DD Susie

Sow about something like:

Dear DCM

While I loved having Janie as part of my child care program over this last year, I unfortunately am not able to provide services for her again this coming summer. I will have a very young group and will not have the time and/or attention to accommodate older children.

My own DD's have both "outgrown" daycare as well and will both be in and out of the home during the summer enjoying activities with family and with their own friends and/or will be working within the daycare.

I know Janie and Susie have gotten to be pretty good friends as of late so I am sure there will be lots of opportunities for them to socialize and get together outside of daycare. Plus, I am sure getting together outside of daycare verses being daycare kids will be so much more fun for them!

Thank you so much for enrolling Janie this previous year....we enjoyed having her as a daycare child and look forward to enjoying time with her outside of daycare this next year!

Provider

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Indoorvoice 11:55 AM 02-28-2018
Originally Posted by Ariana:
I think this is why taking friends from on as clients is so tricky. My opinion is that you can't really terminate without causing a riff. No amount of word wizardry will help. So if you are prepared for that you could word it in a way that lets her know you want to focus on younger kid care and not SA care OR you could say it is a financial decision and you have decided to take a full time kid. Either way make it about restructuring your business rather than anything personal. Apologize profusely, say you hope to have play dates etc.
Thank you! So true! I know better than to have friends as clients as I have been through this more than once! It seems someone always bugs me enough to watch their child and I cave. I need to learn my lesson!
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Indoorvoice 11:56 AM 02-28-2018
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Here is my attempt at professional WITH friends... lol! Its so easy to professionally write something but tough to add the friendly aspect in Also for reference I called her DD Janie and your DD Susie

Sow about something like:

Dear DCM

While I loved having Janie as part of my child care program over this last year, I unfortunately am not able to provide services for her again this coming summer. I will have a very young group and will not have the time and/or attention to accommodate older children.

My own DD's have both "outgrown" daycare as well and will both be in and out of the home during the summer enjoying activities with family and with their own friends and/or will be working within the daycare.

I know Janie and Susie have gotten to be pretty good friends as of late so I am sure there will be lots of opportunities for them to socialize and get together outside of daycare. Plus, I am sure getting together outside of daycare verses being daycare kids will be so much more fun for them!

Thank you so much for enrolling Janie this previous year....we enjoyed having her as a daycare child and look forward to enjoying time with her outside of daycare this next year!

Provider
Perfect! I like the part about my kids being in and out of the daycare with family. It gives me an out if she queations why I won't do school age care if my school age kids are there anyway. Very friendly yet to the point. Thank you!
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Ariana 01:15 PM 02-28-2018
Perfect letter BlackCat!!
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Tags:terminate - friend, terminating, termination letter
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