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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Finally had a Backbone...
JJPlaycare 01:35 PM 04-10-2012
So long story short.... I have a family who has threatened leaving my childcare 3 times. Once because my hours didn't work for a job change,so I added 15 mins in the morning for them, in which they just stopped comming and forgot to mention to me that they weren't going to show up the 15 mins earlier. 
Second time was when their child and another 2 year old were biting eachother back and forth. Third was another job change which they never mentioned needing longer hours, just started randomly texted and asking for me to take the children early and dad was late picking up everyday. So after the fourth day of this I said no I couldn't take the children early and would like my hours to stay 7-5. She texted back and said then they would have to look for different childcare. I didn't answer through text cause that was not a text worthy conversation. They both basically gave me a silent treatment for a week, so I wrote them a letter and stated why I have contracted hours and why I am not willing to extend my hours for them and so on. I said I don't mind helping out now and then, but there will be a charge. The letter was obviously a bit more detailed but you get the point. She continued not to speak to me about any of it, so one evening I told dad to have mom call me, in which she did and was completely apologetic and took everything back she said and informed me that her boss was able to work her schedule out to make my daycare hours work. Well its been a few weeks and life has been good. So the other day one of my other daycare moms says to me "not that it is any of my buisness, but I heard from two different people that so and so is looking for different daycare, they saw her post of fb." Funny thing is I am fb freinds with her so she must have blocked me, but 
forgot to block my mother! Indeed the night she texted me she also fb posted looking for childcare, best part her sister and another one of her friends wrote, "what happened to Megan?" I let it go, didn't matter she apologized for the text and probably has no idea I know about fb, whatever. Soooooo FWD yesterday she drops off and an hour later I get a text asking if the children could come earlier Wed morning? I told her this morning that would be fine, but she will be charged what I stated in the letter, she didn't say much and left. An hour after she leaves I get a text that says "My husband will drop the boys off at normal time then." Hmmmmm I guess I stood my ground, but I am sure she is mad about this and will maybe really follow through with her threats! Ugh I am just sick of the disrespect, I deserve to be paid for my time and I am tired of this game she plays through text messages, why can't she talk to me?? Whatever I have no idea if she is mad or not as you can't see emotion in texts, but I guess if anything she maybe will finally get it or get so mad that I don't "help her out" that she will leave 
Second time was when their child and another 2 year old were biting eachother back and forth. Third was another job change which they never mentioned needing longer hours, just started randomly texted and asking for me to take the children early and dad was late picking up everyday. So after the fourth day of this I said no I couldn't take the children early and would like my hours to stay 7-5. She texted back and said then they would have to look for different childcare. I didn't answer through text cause that was not a text worthy conversation. They both basically gave me a silent treatment for a week, so I wrote them a letter and stated why I have contracted hours and why I am not willing to extend my hours for them and so on. I said I don't mind helping out now and then, but there will be a charge. The letter was obviously a bit more detailed but you get the point. She continued not to speak to me about any of it, so one evening I told dad to have mom call me, in which she did and was completely apologetic and took everything back she said and informed me that her boss was able to work her schedule out to make my daycare hours work. Well its been a few weeks and life has been good. So the other day one of my other daycare moms says to me "not that it is any of my buisness, but I heard from two different people that so and so is looking for different daycare, they saw her post of fb." Funny thing is I am fb freinds with her so she must have blocked me, but forgot to block my mother! Indeed the night she texted me she also fb posted looking for childcare, best part her sister and another one of her friends wrote, "what happened to Megan?" I let it go, didn't matter she apologized for the text and probably has no idea I know about fb, whatever. Soooooo FWD yesterday she drops off and an hour later I get a text asking if the children could come earlier Wed morning? I told her this morning that would be fine, but she will be charged what I stated in the letter, she didn't say much and left. An hour after she leaves I get a text that says "My husband will drop the boys off at normal time then." Hmmmmm I guess I stood my ground, but I am sure she is mad about this and will maybe really follow through with her threats! Ugh I am just sick of the disrespect, I deserve to be paid for my time and I am tired of this game she plays through text messages, why can't she talk to me?? Whatever I have no idea if she is mad or not as you can't see emotion in texts, but I guess if anything she maybe will finally get it or get so mad that I don't "help her out" that she will leave
Blackcat31 01:46 PM 04-10-2012
Girl, you are a bigger woman than I am, I would have had a termination letter waiting for them the minute the whole relationship became uncomfortable. I cannot work in a stressful environment when it comes to the parents. Kids, I can understand but adults? No way, no how!
Good job using your back bone!
cheerfuldom 02:01 PM 04-10-2012
yeah, I dont do the silent treatment, hiding behind the spouse, randomly changing things with no communication. I would have given one warning a long time ago and then termed. I had to give this type of warning twice and both times, the parents totally shaped up and that was the end of it forever. It takes two to communicate and I think that writing a firm letter and sticking to it is a good start. Sounds like she is ready to leave whenever she finds someone though.
JJPlaycare 12:02 PM 04-11-2012
Honestly if she leaves then so be it. I LOVE her kids and they are great, but the parents 
I have decided to stand my ground and to fill my life and house with families that want to be here, love to be here and are respectfull of me, my house, my family and my rules! If when I put my foot down and request what is in my signed policies from them and they get mad and quit then so be it, I don't want them here anyway if that is how they are going to act and go about things. It's really to bad for their children..... 
I have decided to stand my ground and to fill my life and house with families that want to be here, love to be here and are respectfull of me, my house, my family and my rules! If when I put my foot down and request what is in my signed policies from them and they get mad and quit then so be it, I don't want them here anyway if that is how they are going to act and go about things. It's really to bad for their children.....
Blackcat31 12:03 PM 04-11-2012
Originally Posted by JJPlaycare:
Honestly if she leaves then so be it. I LOVE her kids and they are great, but the parents I have decided to stand my ground and to fill my life and house with families that want to be here, love to be here and are respectfull of me, my house, my family and my rules! If when I put my foot down and request what is in my signed policies from them and they get mad and quit then so be it, I don't want them here anyway if that is how they are going to act and go about things. It's really to bad for their children.....
Honestly if she leaves then so be it. I LOVE her kids and they are great, but the parents
I have decided to stand my ground and to fill my life and house with families that want to be here, love to be here and are respectfull of me, my house, my family and my rules! If when I put my foot down and request what is in my signed policies from them and they get mad and quit then so be it, I don't want them here anyway if that is how they are going to act and go about things. It's really to bad for their children..... That is exactly the attitude that will keep you loving your job for a long time! Good job!!