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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>My Spring Break Coming Up . . . Yipee & Frustrating
momofboys 08:42 AM 03-27-2010
I only care for one family & I am fine with that but I am concerned that I could lose them over something. Months & months ago I told mom I would take off 2-3 days over my kids' spring break. She was fine with it, I gave her the dates THREE times & verbally mentioned it but she never really repsonded much. She is sort of ditzy, I hate to say it but she is not organized at all & seems clueless about her kids at times even though she truly is a very intelligent person (she is an elementary teacher). Anyway, this morning I went to our church's women's group which she also attends. At the end of our meeting she subtley tells me that she forgot to tell me that her own daughter will be at my house on DAY X (one of the days I had previously told her I could not provide care). I am dumbfounded, how could she NOT know? So I say, oh, I'm sorry but that is one of the days we will be out of town for the boys' spring break, remember? Her own child has spring break at the same time?!?! It's the week right after Easter. I'm thinking to myself have you not even made arrangements for your kids for those few days. I did give her almost 4 months notice! So I am about blowing a gasket about this thinking she will show up at our home on one of the days I told her we'd be gone & more than likely we will just be home at least one of two of those days to just relax. My husband thinks I should not freak about it b/c I didtell her the date 3x at least. He says it is her responsibility to mark the dates down & find backup care but I'm concerned she will just show up regardless. What do I do? Write it out AGAIN? Or do some parents just not get it?
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MarinaVanessa 08:58 AM 03-27-2010
And this is why I love e-mail. I make sure to cover myself by not just verbally telling the parents but e-mailing and sending notes home. I bought these little notepads at Office Depot that make copies when you write a note so when I write the parent's notes I keep a copy so later they can't say that they forgot or that I never told them. Comes in real handy. I just put the note in their child's cubby since it's their responsisbility to check it daily when they come in. If they forget to check, don't read it, lose it, throw it away etc. oh well. I stopped verbally telling the parents only a long time ago. If it isn't in writing how will you prove that you really did tell them?
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momofboys 09:21 AM 03-27-2010
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa:
And this is why I love e-mail. I make sure to cover myself by not just verbally telling the parents but e-mailing and sending notes home. I bought these little notepads at Office Depot that make copies when you write a note so when I write the parent's notes I keep a copy so later they can't say that they forgot or that I never told them. Comes in real handy. I just put the note in their child's cubby since it's their responsisbility to check it daily when they come in. If they forget to check, don't read it, lose it, throw it away etc. oh well. I stopped verbally telling the parents only a long time ago. If it isn't in writing how will you prove that you really did tell them?

I don't have their e-mail. I just have the one family so I've never dealt with anything through that medium with a parent. HOwever, everything was in writing but you are right she alone holds the notes I gave her & there is no way she did not see it, I had them HIGHLIGHTED in bright yellow highlighter but of course like you said no proof that I gave it to her. I may have to look into those notes. The last "note" I wrote her I did leave her a voicemail that same day letting her know I had written out the dates for her so she could MARK THEM ON HER CALENDAR. I guess that is what is so frustrating, I have a progress report paper that goes home everyday with her children letting her know what was done that day,e tc & at the bottom there is a section labeled Ms. Jana's notes & that is where I write important dates, etc. But maybe you are correct that I need to have copies of what goes home to protect my rear!
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Former Teacher 09:33 AM 03-27-2010
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa:
I write the parent's notes I keep a copy so later they can't say that they forgot or that I never told them. Comes in real handy. I just put the note in their child's cubby since it's their responsisbility to check it daily when they come in. If they forget to check, don't read it, lose it, throw it away etc. oh well. I stopped verbally telling the parents only a long time ago. If it isn't in writing how will you prove that you really did tell them?
Whenever we had a policy change or a holiday schedule (given around Thanksgiving), we made sure that the parents signed something. For policy changes we made the paper like a permission slip to where the parents kept the top and we kept the bottom. This was like an acknowledgement of receiving the policy. This was kept in the child's file.

For holiday schedules and whatnot we just had a master list and asked the parents to sign to show that they received a schedule.

As for the policy I remember once we updated our heath/sickness policy. At least 3 parents said they don't remember getting one. Well we had the proof. One said that yes they did remember. Number two said they forgOt. The third told me that she never reads what she signs anyway.

Moral of the story in daycare and real life: ALWAYS GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING! NO MATTER HOW PETTY IT IS!
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momofboys 10:12 AM 03-27-2010
Originally Posted by Former Teacher:
Whenever we had a policy change or a holiday schedule (given around Thanksgiving), we made sure that the parents signed something. For policy changes we made the paper like a permission slip to where the parents kept the top and we kept the bottom. This was like an acknowledgement of receiving the policy. This was kept in the child's file.

For holiday schedules and whatnot we just had a master list and asked the parents to sign to show that they received a schedule.

As for the policy I remember once we updated our heath/sickness policy. At least 3 parents said they don't remember getting one. Well we had the proof. One said that yes they did remember. Number two said they forgOt. The third told me that she never reads what she signs anyway.

Moral of the story in daycare and real life: ALWAYS GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING! NO MATTER HOW PETTY IT IS!
You're right, I should have had her sign something to acknowledge she has received it. I had her sign a contract at the beginning of the year but never even thought about having her sign off for days I was taking off. I guess you live & learn, right? I find that I think I have all my eggs in a basket & then I really don't. I will remind her on Monday. . . . . . . I guess the thing of this is I am worried that it makes me look like the bad guy like I am giving her "late notice" for days I took off when in reality she has known about this since I started providing care back in Sept 2009 although she didn't have the actual dates until early January 2010.
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GretasLittleFriends 10:47 AM 03-27-2010
I send home monthly or bi-monthly closure notices with all of my families. Up until recently I had also taped a copy of the closure notice to the wall by the back door. That has now been replaced with a 18"x24" white board. I've been able to add upcoming other events (such as dr appts (prenatal), birthdays and fun little tidbits. I also verbally remind my parents of upcoming events and/or closures.

Reading the above makes it sound like I close alot, no not really... Most events and closures don't affect my parents though, as the closures are typically Sundays and the appts are early mornings. I have mostly 2nd shift kids. I do offer weekend care which is why I inform them of a Sunday closure anyway.

They know coming up here in a few weeks I'll be taking a few weeks off for delivery and recovery. They know I'll be looking fofward to a (fairly) quite house, and are all happy for me.
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MarinaVanessa 10:48 AM 03-27-2010
Well early January is still more than two weeks notice which is the usual notice time anyway but we all know how parent's can be. Nothing is ever their fault. It's tiring how we have to be one step ahead of them all of the time. I think it's sad that I have to resort to carbon copies of notes that I send home about vacation days and such. It stinks. Then those same parents wonder why my rates go up. To pay for all of the stuff that I have to buy to make sure that you don't try to pull a fast one on me that's why!!
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misol 11:09 AM 03-27-2010
Originally Posted by janarae:
I only care for one family & I am fine with that but I am concerned that I could lose them over something. Months & months ago I told mom I would take off 2-3 days over my kids' spring break. She was fine with it, I gave her the dates THREE times & verbally mentioned it but she never really repsonded much. She is sort of ditzy, I hate to say it but she is not organized at all & seems clueless about her kids at times even though she truly is a very intelligent person (she is an elementary teacher). Anyway, this morning I went to our church's women's group which she also attends. At the end of our meeting she subtley tells me that she forgot to tell me that her own daughter will be at my house on DAY X (one of the days I had previously told her I could not provide care). I am dumbfounded, how could she NOT know? So I say, oh, I'm sorry but that is one of the days we will be out of town for the boys' spring break, remember? Her own child has spring break at the same time?!?! It's the week right after Easter. I'm thinking to myself have you not even made arrangements for your kids for those few days. I did give her almost 4 months notice! So I am about blowing a gasket about this thinking she will show up at our home on one of the days I told her we'd be gone & more than likely we will just be home at least one of two of those days to just relax. My husband thinks I should not freak about it b/c I didtell her the date 3x at least. He says it is her responsibility to mark the dates down & find backup care but I'm concerned she will just show up regardless. What do I do? Write it out AGAIN? Or do some parents just not get it?
I agree with your husband in that it's HER problem, not yours. You gave her MORE than enough notice and your part is done. As a courtesy, remind her again on Monday that you will be closed on X days and that you will resume care on X date. For those few days, post a sign on your door that says CLOSED and if she shows up anyway you can just NOT answer the door (this would be my choice) or you could let your husband answer the door and have him tell her that you aren't there because you're closed. Period.
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tymaboy 07:44 PM 03-27-2010
I send out an email when I need days off. I also have a white dry erase calendar board at the front door that I write what days are off or early close.
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momma2girls 06:02 AM 03-28-2010
I send home a note on it, months in advance or several weeks. Then I also have a monthly newsletter, and I have a monthly calendar on my door. So I have it in writing 3 different ways!
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MarinaVanessa 07:41 AM 03-28-2010
Looks like to me like you have covered all of your bases then. She shouldn't have a reason to complain. Take your vacation and enjoy it. Don't let her try to ruin it.
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momofboys 05:39 AM 03-29-2010
Relieved! Just posting an update. Mom dropped off this morning & she re-stated the off dates to me just to doublecheck! I was so proud of her! I guess she has it more together than I thought!
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momma2girls 05:42 AM 03-29-2010
THank God!!
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Daycare Mommy 06:28 AM 03-29-2010
Originally Posted by janarae:
Relieved! Just posting an update. Mom dropped off this morning & she re-stated the off dates to me just to doublecheck! I was so proud of her! I guess she has it more together than I thought!
Yay! Enjoy your vacation.
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