I have a read a few threads about teacher kids but the few that I found didn't really make a case for one way or another on my issue. I have a family childcare home and of my 7 kids, 5 of them are teachers. I have my program set up to where my teachers pay me from the day they start school, until the day they get out for summer. They pay me everyday, whether they are here or not, whether I am here or not Then, for summer, I don't charge them a thing. I felt like it would even out as I have my own kids and like to have a smaller summer to do things with them. I thought I would have Easter break, and Christmas break, and snow days with my own kids, because they wouldn't need me. However, I have one family who insists on bringing the kids every day, even when there is no school. My other teacher families don't. I want to say something about it, like no school, no daycare, I feel like this is fair since they get like 11 weeks totally free all summer, but not sure what to say. Thoughts?

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That's basically how I do it. I'm closed the same days as the school, but I'm closed those days for everyone - not just teachers. If someone signs on with me, they need to be able to make other arrangements for those days that I'm closed. If you are working for other families, I can see the teacher family being upset if you bring this up now. If I were you, I may draw up a separate contract for teacher families detailing that you are closed when school is closed to avoid confusion. If you want to remain open for other families then they should probably have a different contract.

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I agree - the issue might be that you have different rules for teachers than for the other family(ies). I would say the easiest thing would be either to have no one come on teacher holidays or let everyone come - especially since they pay for them. You, of course, don't have to do it that way, but it would definitely be the least complicated.

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Give them two options. Present them like this:

You are allowed ONE of two rate options. Please choose from the following options:

Pay tuition fees weekly ALL 52 weeks a year

or

Pay ONLY for weeks during the school year (NOT including NO school days) and no tuition and/or attendance through the summer.

......and then ask them which one are they choosing.

I would NOT allow 11 weeks off during the summer if they are still bringing their children on no school days.

I also know there ARE days in which teachers are required to work but there is no attendance for students so there may be some days where school is not in session but the teachers still need to report to work.

Now that it is March already, there is probably not a lot of no school days anymore to count on spending with your own kids but giving the two options might be something you want to start the school out with so the teacher families KNOW up front that they can't come if they aren't working.

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Thanks for the replies! I agree that there are different rules for everyone but there should be... they get the whole summer for free, while my other families only get two weeks of free, and they still pay me for two weeks of time off as well. It wouldn't be fair to those who don't have all that time off to not have daycare. I have considered not charging for school breaks, but I feel like the summer is enough of a freebie. I honestly think this mom would bring her kids over the summer if I charged. I don't mean that in a judgy way, I adore the boys, but I give up all that income for my own children. Our schools do have a spring break coming up around Easter. I'd like to deal with this before then. I want to handle it honestly and treat everyone the same....

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This is absolutely true. I plan on their children being here on those days and that is fine. I don't care if they need a few random days here and there, just not every single day.

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I have a special teachers rate - they pay either from September to June and have the summer "off" Or they pay the same rate 52 weeks a year like everyone else. If they choose the first option they can not bring their kids over breaks, snow days, etc. I state clearly that the amount they might be paying for those couple of weeks is a drop in the bucket compared to the NINE weeks they don't have to pay for. They are only getting that discount because I expect their child to be home with them for all breaks/ days off.

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This sounds like what I am trying to achieve. So they pay you for those breaks, even though they "can't" come. What about if you take a day off during the school year?

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I do the same thing. I don't charge teachers for the summer and breaks. I look forward to that time with my children. I only keep 3 children and look forward to the light load. I do have a parent that has asked me to watch her child on a Saturday, feed their pets and has even said once school is out she wants me to watch him while they do some home repair. I need to put my foot down and tell her no! The thing is this child has an older sibling that could very well watch the child why they do home repairs. When I took on daycare, it was to make a small amount of extra money and be flexible to stay home with my kids. I feel like the two times I have done daycare (now and 10 years ago), people walk all over me by asking me to go above and beyond my Monday through Friday daycare.

I am learning to stand my ground.

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plain and simple the way you have it now they are paying for those days - why shouldn't they bring their kids?? Sure, we'd like to think they want to spend the time with their kids but we can argue that till we are blue in the face regardless of what profession the parents are in.

If you don't want those kids attending over breaks/days off from school then you need to change your contract to reflect being closed during those days but expect some backlash if you are going to be open for people in other professions but not the teachers. What if they are teachers in different districts where they have different weeks off for break? I just see it opening a can of worms you might not want to open.

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I have a set amount of paid personal days. I am always paid for my sick days, and they have to pay if their child is out sick.

In my mind there has to be a benefit of taking on a client who is out and not paying for such a large chunk of time (but of course expecting their spot to be there when they come back ) - otherwise I wouldn't market to teachers AT ALL.

The wording on my contract is something like (I am on a different computer so not exact)

OPTIONAL TEACHER POLICY: 1. Pay weekly from September 1 - June 30.
I understand that you will want to spend as much of your time off work with your child as possible.
This option allows me to have the steady income needed to run a top notch child care program.
Choosing option 1 means you will pay weekly from September- June, and your child will NOT be in attendance on those days where your school is closed for holidays, vacations and inclement weather days.
I require a copy of your school calendar so I may mark those days on the day care schedule.
*Summer spots will only be held without payment for those who chose option 1.*

Option 2. Payment is due 50 weeks per year.
This option allows you to send your child year round.
IF YOUR CHILD IS IN ATTENDENCE WHILE YOU ARE OFF WORK, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE ENROLLED FOR OPTION 2.

Admittedly this is easier to bring up in the interview stage then it is after the fact. All my teachers chose option 1...

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I understand what you are saying.

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Sorry, didn't mean to hit enter yet. I understand what you are saying, however, I don't feel like they are really paying for "those" days, I feel like they are paying for the spot... which is held all summer for free.

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This is great! It makes it tempting to have this option in my contract! Unfortunately, I am certain that the teacher parents I have would still send their child when they are off so it is a moot point .

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That's why I require a calendar - yeah, I could go and print it out, but I want them to hand it to me so they know *I* know and I always make a point to mention it at pick up "looks like it's Columbus Day on Monday! So we will see you on Tuesday!"

You may not be able to do it now, but you can always change for incoming teachers.

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Oh I getcha , but my teacher parents would hands down always choose option 2 instead.

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That is great! I might have to find a way to start now. One of my teachers has a new baby... I don't want to wait five years to implement this - my own kids will be teens by then... and that is the whole point of me wanting smaller days.

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OP here- so I decided I am going to do what is right for me and my family, and change this to where there is no daycare if there is no school... without prior approval. Meaning if they need me for a day over a break or whatnot, they can ask.... and most of the time I would be okay with it.... but gives me some breaks as well. Now here is my question. DH says deal with the problem, just tell the one family who is doing this. My good friend who also is a provider says send out a addendum to all my teacher families even tho only one of them is doing this. Help!!

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Send it to everyone.

I always add that some of my notes and memos aren't always applicable to everyone but it's easier to send out the same letter to all parents and let them decide which parts are directed at them.

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That was my original thought too but the other provider suggested that by sending it to all, I might encourage other parents to start bringing the kids when they currently aren't, and open a whole new "can of worms" - I might be in the wrong business when it comes to this needing backbone stuff.

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If I was getting paid year round, I wouldn't mind. Part of my issue is finding summer fill ins. Year round payments, problem solved now, if they were trying to come those days and refusing to pay for the summer, I would terminate care.

That said, I find teachers are CHEAP and do not want to pay for summer care. So if they only way they could do that is to chose the strict school calendar option they do it.

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I currently have one dck whose parents are teachers. They want dck to come during the summer "part-time," but their idea of part-time is entirely different than what the rest of the world considers part-time. They want to bring dck 4 days a week instead of 5, but approximately 40 hours per week. Then they want to pay me 1/5 less of the payment. I consider part-time to be under 30 hours AND the rate goes from weekly to hourly. Otherwise, these parents send their child full-time during every day off of school and have given me some grief when I took a day off.....during one of their days off of school .

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