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crazydaycarelady 12:01 PM 03-28-2014
My policy is that full time kids get one free absence per month.

So dcm asks me if her 13yo can come with the two younger kids and help me out today (mostly she just wants to come play with the puppies I am fostering.) If she can't come then the two younger ones will just stay home with her (meaning they use their free day and I don't get paid.)

So the 13yo is here but it is just making the day draaaaag on.
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NeedaVaca 12:13 PM 03-28-2014
That is a lot of free days! Do you get paid vacation or is that unpaid too? I could not afford to do free days. Especially that many...
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countrymom 12:14 PM 03-28-2014
well you should get paid for the 13 yr old too. Makes no sense. Its different if you asked for the child to come over and hang out, but the mother asked you so that is a paid job deal. I will ask dd's bff to come over and hang out, but only after hours because I watch her before and after school.
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Blackcat31 12:16 PM 03-28-2014
Originally Posted by crazydaycarelady:
My policy is that full time kids get one free absence per month.

So dcm asks me if her 13yo can come with the two younger kids and help me out today (mostly she just wants to come play with the puppies I am fostering.) If she can't come then the two younger ones will just stay home with her (meaning they use their free day and I don't get paid.)

So the 13yo is here but it is just making the day draaaaag on.
I'd require ADVANCE notice of use of free days unless it is illness related.

I would not be happy about the way DCM approached this subject if that is how she put it....
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LadyPearl 12:19 PM 03-28-2014
So she got the 13 yr old out of her hair as well. Well played, dcm, well played!! Now she knows that she can do that to you!
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dalman 12:20 PM 03-28-2014
Originally Posted by crazydaycarelady:
My policy is that full time kids get one free absence per month.

So dcm asks me if her 13yo can come with the two younger kids and help me out today (mostly she just wants to come play with the puppies I am fostering.) If she can't come then the two younger ones will just stay home with her (meaning they use their free day and I don't get paid.)

So the 13yo is here but it is just making the day draaaaag on.
I guess I am curious, what made you implement this policy? I have not heard of this before.
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CraftyMom 12:23 PM 03-28-2014
That does seem like a lot of free days. Maybe you could require a 1 or 2 weeks notice in advance so you know what days you will not be paid. I would not be happy with a last minute "oh my 2 kids aren't coming tomorrow and we're taking it unpaid"

I allow 2 of my scheduled days off per year to be unpaid. The parents get to choose which days, but only from my scheduled days off. I require a 2 weeks written request which I may deny if more than one family requests the same day.
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Katierue 01:43 PM 03-28-2014
Originally Posted by dalman:
I guess I am curious, what made you implement this policy? I have not heard of this before.
I used to do that, back in my first year. But it didn't make sense, and I always felt screwed. Maybe change the policy?

If I have a child 3 days a week, and they will miss one of their days, I let them make it up on another day that week if I have the space. Even doing that gets complicated, but I like to give a little here and there- makes it easier to stand my ground on the things I feel more strongly about.

Did you charge for the 13 year old?
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Blackcat31 01:46 PM 03-28-2014
Originally Posted by Katierue:
I used to do that, back in my first year. But it didn't make sense, and I always felt screwed. Maybe change the policy?

If I have a child 3 days a week, and they will miss one of their days, I let them make it up on another day that week if I have the space. Even doing that gets complicated, but I like to give a little here and there- makes it easier to stand my ground on the things I feel more strongly about.

Did you charge for the 13 year old?
Welcome to the forum!
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TwinKristi 01:53 PM 03-28-2014
Yeah for me that would be $150 a month, $1800/yr, just where I'm at now and I'm not even full. If I had 8 kids enrolled that would be more like $300+ a month out of my pocket.
I don't even give 2 free days a year! LOL but in exchange I don't charge for days **I** close like today, for illness, vacation, etc.

I don't like teens so I probably would have let her take her days, the month ends Monday.
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crazydaycarelady 03:36 PM 03-28-2014
I used to offer one free week a year of absences (which is kind of customary around here for home daycares.) But one year several families all took their week in December. So I changed the policy to one free day per month, which is actually more free days for them. This way I never lose more than 1 days pay per month. Part-timers don't get ANY free days. The days don't stack up, it's just one per month. A lot of months they don't even use the free day.

I DO like this girl and she is helpful. You guys just know how it is when someone is here that isn't usually here. The kids are different plus I worry about her being bored. I didn't charge for her.
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daycare 03:46 PM 03-28-2014
My insurance would have thrown the book at me. NO way... I would tell dcm that DCG age 13 is no longer able to attend due to the fact that she is not covered by your insurance. Thanks for understanding.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 03:48 PM 03-28-2014
Originally Posted by crazydaycarelady:
I used to offer one free week a year of absences (which is kind of customary around here for home daycares.) But one year several families all took their week in December. So I changed the policy to one free day per month, which is actually more free days for them. This way I never lose more than 1 days pay per month. Part-timers don't get ANY free days. The days don't stack up, it's just one per month. A lot of months they don't even use the free day.

I DO like this girl and she is helpful. You guys just know how it is when someone is here that isn't usually here. The kids are different plus I worry about her being bored. I didn't charge for her.
Why did you not charge???
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TwinKristi 03:54 PM 03-28-2014
Originally Posted by daycare:
My insurance would have thrown the book at me. NO way... I would tell dcm that DCG age 13 is no longer able to attend due to the fact that she is not covered by your insurance. Thanks for understanding.
Yeah I mean your daycare or homeowner's insurance would probably be liable if she got hurt. Plus you had to feed her right? In my state children over 12 don't count in your ratio (and are eligible for food program) but they're still daycare kids. Basically she forced you to choose watching 3 kids for the price of 2 or don't get paid at all. I would eliminate that policy personally. I could see 3 per year? But 12?? maybe go back to 5 but say all 5 cannot be used consecutively.
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daycare 04:07 PM 03-28-2014
Originally Posted by TwinKristi:
Yeah I mean your daycare or homeowner's insurance would probably be liable if she got hurt. Plus you had to feed her right? In my state children over 12 don't count in your ratio (and are eligible for food program) but they're still daycare kids. Basically she forced you to choose watching 3 kids for the price of 2 or don't get paid at all. I would eliminate that policy personally. I could see 3 per year? But 12?? maybe go back to 5 but say all 5 cannot be used consecutively.
I agree I would give maybe 3 per year that can be used as they need it. I would also require a notice to be given if they want to use it.

I give 5 days off that must be used all at the same time so that I don't have to track it. They must also give me a 30 days notice. They must be FT

I have given families a break on being absent due to illness when it was severe and they were out longer than a week. which has only happened twice.

If I did what you are doing, I would lose $7200 a year...........
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Laurel 05:44 AM 03-29-2014
Originally Posted by daycare:
My insurance would have thrown the book at me. NO way... I would tell dcm that DCG age 13 is no longer able to attend due to the fact that she is not covered by your insurance. Thanks for understanding.
That is a good idea. I didn't think of the insurance aspect.

I don't do free days at all but I have watched drop-in's before. My insurance covers 6 children and 6 children is my legal limit but it doesn't specify which 6 children. If I was taking a drop-in then I would still be legal as I don't go over 6. A drop-in can only come because I have some part time children and am not always at full capacity (as I don't choose to be). In my case they would be covered but I could always say they weren't if I wanted a good excuse.

Good idea there!

Laurel
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Mister Sir Husband 06:34 AM 03-29-2014
I also am allowing parents free days if their kids are sick (with limits of course). I wouldn't have even thought of charging for the 13 year old.. but instead would have told her fine.. keep them all at home. No way is a parent gonna tell me that if I don't take an extra kid she isn't sending any of them. Plus, the way my contract is written, the free days are only useable if your child is sick. By her own words, her two little ones clearly are not sick, so I'd be charging for them anyways.
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Blackcat31 06:38 AM 03-29-2014
In my state a 13 yr old can be used as a helper.

Having her present would have allowed me to have 2 additional children in care.

The food program stops allowing me to claim her at age 11.
The state assistance program stops paying for their care at age 12.
The state allows them to be considered helpers at age 13.

My daycare liability insurance covers enrolled children and their parents
My home owners insurance covers anyone on my property.

Having that 13 yr old attend wouldn't have had an impact on me in any way (other than food) but I still would not have been happy about the way the mom presented it.

If I were OP, I would simply have allowed the daycare kids to stay home with their sister and would have worked on re-writing my policy about free days.
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Laurel 11:22 AM 03-29-2014
Originally Posted by crazydaycarelady:
My policy is that full time kids get one free absence per month.

So dcm asks me if her 13yo can come with the two younger kids and help me out today (mostly she just wants to come play with the puppies I am fostering.) If she can't come then the two younger ones will just stay home with her (meaning they use their free day and I don't get paid.)

So the 13yo is here but it is just making the day draaaaag on.
So did the 13 year old at least help?

Maybe if you put her to work that will end it for the future.

I used to have a 12 year old that was homeschooled help me a few hours for a few days a week but I paid her and she was never a daycare child. She was fantastic. She was 12 going on 21 though.

Laurel
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DaisyMamma 04:09 PM 03-30-2014
That really is a lot of free days. Doesn't it hurt financially?
I use to do one week per year. I don't do that either any longer. Even losing $175 in a month screws up the finances. Now I charge 52 weeks per year regardless of attendance, vacation, closings or holidays.
But I understand that you need to compete with what others do in your area.

Since you didn't charge for the 13yo perhaps that takes up their free day this month, eh?

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DaisyMamma 04:11 PM 03-30-2014
And then you could say, ohhhhh I thought you meant that you wouldnt take your free day if she could come. ..
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CraftyMom 04:44 PM 03-30-2014
Originally Posted by DaisyMamma:
And then you could say, ohhhhh I thought you meant that you wouldnt take your free day if she could come. ..

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Unregistered 04:53 PM 03-30-2014
I agree with Daisy Mom.

I would say (Monday)
It was great swapping the free day for watching your (13YO) and it was great to have her here! Thank you for doing that.


She probably did NOT mean it that way, and will gawk at you, but then if she says anything against it, I would then be tempted to say "O, well I didn't charge you for (13yo). If you want me to charge for her instead, that's fine too" and smile.
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Laurel 05:30 AM 03-31-2014
Originally Posted by DaisyMamma:
And then you could say, ohhhhh I thought you meant that you wouldnt take your free day if she could come. ..
Love it. Great idea!

Laurel
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EntropyControlSpecialist 05:56 AM 03-31-2014
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I agree with Daisy Mom.

I would say (Monday)
It was great swapping the free day for watching your (13YO) and it was great to have her here! Thank you for doing that.


She probably did NOT mean it that way, and will gawk at you, but then if she says anything against it, I would then be tempted to say "O, well I didn't charge you for (13yo). If you want me to charge for her instead, that's fine too" and smile.
Bingo!
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My3cents 12:37 PM 03-31-2014
Originally Posted by crazydaycarelady:
I used to offer one free week a year of absences (which is kind of customary around here for home daycares.) But one year several families all took their week in December. So I changed the policy to one free day per month, which is actually more free days for them. This way I never lose more than 1 days pay per month. Part-timers don't get ANY free days. The days don't stack up, it's just one per month. A lot of months they don't even use the free day.

I DO like this girl and she is helpful. You guys just know how it is when someone is here that isn't usually here. The kids are different plus I worry about her being bored. I didn't charge for her.
never heard of this....... be paid for when you work! When you offer free days it drives down the price of daycare for everyone! Not cool-
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daycaremum 06:57 AM 04-02-2014
Originally Posted by My3cents:
never heard of this....... be paid for when you work! When you offer free days it drives down the price of daycare for everyone! Not cool-
This is simply not true. Many "daycares" in my town do not charge for abscences and charge much less than me. It does not drive my price down.
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Mister Sir Husband 07:16 AM 04-02-2014
Originally Posted by My3cents:
never heard of this....... be paid for when you work! When you offer free days it drives down the price of daycare for everyone! Not cool-

I agree! I do get paid for when I work. However if all my kids take a free day, I am not working.
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rosieteddy 11:41 AM 04-02-2014
Wow you guys are super nice.In my area most providers charge the full rate 52 weeks,take paid holidays and vacations.I now have all Holidays ,and 3 weeks paid vacation.If they take additional time I am still paid .It took years to get here but its great.New clients know before they commit that its policy.
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crazydaycarelady 02:47 PM 04-02-2014
If every single family used every single free day then I would potentially lose a lot of money I suppose, but it doesn't work out that way. It sounds really good when they read my contract that they get 12 FREE days per year but they really only take a few of those. I get paid for way more days that they aren't here that they must pay me for anyway. It is only FT families also.

Originally Posted by :
never heard of this....... be paid for when you work! When you offer free days it drives down the price of daycare for everyone! Not cool-
I get paid for when I work. The free days are for when their kids are NOT here.
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