One DCM did not bring her daughter yesterday. She then texted after dropoff time that they weren't coming until 1. I thought maybe I had forgotten about a doctors appt or something she might have told be previously. Then DCD calls right before 1 and said that mom and kiddo are having a day off together, nothing is wrong and they will be back today. This morning, again, after drop off time, mom texts and says they aren't coming today. I text back "okay, is everything okay?" with no reply yet (that was 30 min. ago). This family rarely, rarely ever misses a day. They pick their kid up for appts. and always bring her back for the rest of the day. They dropoff early and pickup late as much as they can get away with it and recently added 45 min. to each day that kiddo is here. I have had this kid for at least 18 months and they have never kept her out to spend a day with her. Now that it has been two such days, I am getting worried. They have already paid for this week. Should I call or wait till they say something and just assume they are telling the truth? Also, mom NEVER texts, always calls and now all of a sudden she is texting and only dad is talking to me.

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that is a little odd. I believe they are spending time with their child like they say they are! I would be over the moon if my family like this took a couple of days to stay home with their kids!

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yes if they are really just spending time with their child, I think that is a very awesome thing to do however, they have never done this with her at all so it just confuses me why this week they have taken off for two days and no warning (and little communication)

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The odd behavior would make me a bit nervous too! Hopefully it is just that... they are spending time with their child. I can totally understand though why your mind is wandering and you are thinking other things.... I would be too!

I hope she replies to you and lets you know everything is okay and you have nothing to worry about

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It's a little odd, yes but something is probably going on in mom's personal life. If nothing happened at daycare to give you pause, then I would just enjoy the days off.

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I'm concerned when it's anything out of the ordinary. My first thoughts are that they're hiding an illness they'd otherwise be excluded for for length of time....or searching for other daycare for whatever reason. My mind goes everywhere though.

Of course it would be great if they're actually spending time with their DD, but the texting and little communication sounds strange (because they never use it). I hope they're just being "weird" and that everything ends up being okay.

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well I knew my radar was going off for good reason. Mom quit her job (she was not fired) and didn't want to tell me yet. She finally texted me. I didn't call back right away because I wasn't sure what to say. She called me and said she has no idea what they are going to do next. She might stay home, she might look for another job, no decisions are made yet. I told her to take the next few days to really decide on a direction for their family and that I would like some sort of answer by Monday. I feel that I should not make an exception to my "two weeks notice" rule because she quit, its not like she got fired. It was some sort of personality clash. I don't know what I am going to do if this girl doesn't return though. I rarely every get any calls for older kids, only infants and I can't do anymore younger kids. Right now I will have my newborn soon, a 7 month old, 5 month old, two almost 2 year olds and a 3. 5 year old. One of the almost 2 year olds is very babyish. She is not walking due to medical problems and has other delays. She is not a normal 2 year old. I already have 3 kids under 1 and then a special needs girl, then my other two daughters are the oldest ones. Without this DCG, they don't really have anyone to play with, its just babies.

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Whenever this happens it's almost always one of two things: They are getting free child care but it's not set in stone so they want to keep you on the hook... OR
money

This one is money.

I accept notice ONLY on Friday and I require a months notice. So in my world she would give me notice in writing this Friday and she would be obligated to pay until May 15th. Then she would owe me 1.5 days per month of paid vacation time which I accrue every month. Since I've only taken one day of vacation in 2011 (new years) she would owe me EIGHT paid days off on June 15th.

She would owe me 28 (20 working days in the next month plus eight vacation days) paid days. If she paid 30 dollars a day it would take $840 to pay off the contract.

This kind of contractual obligation requires the parent to PLAN for the termination. They don't think lightly of leaving because the cost to get out of the contract is SO much.

Two weeks notice is too short. It so short that parents think nothing of not doing it. They don't think it's a big deal to live up to it so many don't even consider it when walking away from a job.

It's HER responsibility to HAVE two weeks pay already ready for you if she should term. It doesn't have anything at all to do with WHY she does or does not need day care or her job.. working or not.

She has an obligation to you. Not bringing the child most often means that they think that they are going to give you a few paid days from their upfront pay they gave you last week ... you are SO lucky for that... and then they are done owing you. If you have four paid days of no kid that should equal two paid weeks WITH the kid. That way you are square... in fact.. you got a great deal.

They don't realize that the money they paid upfront is already gone and you need TWO weeks of more money to be square. The kid coming or not coming doesn't matter at all. It costs the same to run business whether the kid is there or not. Attendance doesn't have anything to do with the two weeks notice... it's the MONEY for the two weeks notice the provider needs.

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do you think she was using this week as 1 of the 2 week notice? I would inform her that it still applies, ESPECIALLY because she quit. If she was fired that is different.

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Makes total sense but I am stunned! How in the world, holy crap, umm, wow! lol, I am blonde. I can't wrap my head around this.

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well since she told me today, I am counting today as day one of her notice, should she for sure not return. I am going to send her an email outlining what is required to terminate care. IF she wants to look for a job and keep the daycare spot open, should I charge half pay or what? If she is paying half pay, would it then be okay for DCK to come 2.5 days per week instead of 5 since mom is paying for that time anyway? Its not like I am going to advertise and fill the spot now considering I am almost 36 weeks pregnant. I wouldn't want anyone to start until after I return from maternity leave (anywhere from late May to mid June) and I am sure she realizes that. I'd like to have my email firm on some scenarios no matte what she decide.

1. She want to term immediately
2. She wants to look for a job but who knows how long that would take (I can't go without this 3rd full timer indefinitely)
3. She wants to take the summer off but still wants the spot come fall.

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What don't you understand?

One calander month notice to only be given on Friday.

Accrue 1.5 days of paid vacation per month. 1.5 days per month times twelve months is 18 days paid:

New Years

Memorial Day

4th of July

Labor Day

Thanksgiving and day after Thanksgiving

Christmas Eve

Christmas

Vacation Days:

5 paid days off in June (to be announced yearly)

5 paid days off in December during Christmas Break (to be announced yearly)


If the client leaves before I have taken these days they owe them upon termination. They can't use any of the months notice for any paid time off.

It's the same as an employee at a hosptial. They accrue paid time off (PTO) and when they quit their job the employer pays them their accrued vacation pay.

If I had a client leave now they would owe me 4 months of accrued time (4 X 1.5 = 6 days). I have taken ONE of these days paid off (New years) so they would owe me five days of vacation pay. That pay would go into an account for the vacation time pay. This is what I use to pay my bills while I'm on vacation.

They are paying their child's spots contribution to my paid time off.

If a client starts in November then I accrue 1.5 days per month for November and 1.5 days per month for December. When I take my two weeks off in December I would have taken the
Thanksgiving,
the day after Thanksgiving
That's two of the days paid...

So the client would only owe TWO more days of vacation pay when I was on my Christmas break.

This makes it fair for everyone. They pay THEIR child's portion of my vacation pay only. I only get what I have earned.

This stops clients from terming care right before I take vacation. I had a couple of years of parents leaving right before I took my paid time off. This way they pay their slots portion of it regardless of when they term. It STOPPED the leaving in the end of November to avoid my two paid days at thanksgiving and my nearly two weeks off in December.

It also helps when I bring clients in towards the end of the year. They know they do not have to pay my vacation time for the month of December... only what I have earned.

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She would need to pay the full two weeks. Why would you decrease it? She owes you the notice.

This is pretty common when parents know a provider is going to be off of work at a time in the future but not a set time. The closer to the baby the more liklihood of the client just leaving.

I lost HALF of my daycare when my son was born.

They gave me notice but they left. They didn't want the uncertainty of when he would be born and some didn't want their child in a daycare where they had their own kids!!!

I rebuilt pretty quickly but it does happen.

She may have quit her job now just to avoid having to deal with your stuff... She could have already found a provider and not even quit her job. Sometimes they will tell you whatever they think will owe you the least amount of money.

As soon as you start saying halfzies... or ANY negotiation they want to turn it into what you already have is what they will be willing to give. They want the potential of any future money to get you to back down off of this money. DON'T fall for that.

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I would insist on a written (and paid) 2 week notice, starting when you get the written notice if she is completely done with your daycare. (You did not cause her to quit her job, it is not your fault that she quit and now doesn't know what they are going to do. You gave her until Monday to give you a decision, why start the notice today?)

If she wants to drop to part time to look for a job, 3 days a week at your daily rate (whether they attend all 3 or not).

Ditto above for taking the summer off and holding the spot.

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