Why Do I Feel Bad?

[sammyj]

I hadtwo incidents to happen this week and I made the decision to stick to my contract / policy yet I feel awful. First thing was yesterday I was on my last close day of my spring break (it was only 4 days ) At around 7:00 am I hear a knock at the door so I got up thinking it was my daughter who I was expecting imagine my suprise when it was a parent with her child asking me are you closed today my reply " yes I am I will reopen tomorrow" I have had a notice posted in my daycare since 1/9/16 to remind parents about my closed dates from 3/30 - 4/4/16, I sent home two notices, and they have a yearly calendar. I found out later through relatives that she had noone to take care of the child for the day and I felt terrible. This morning I get a message from a parent who just had a baby 3 days ago and was going home today and she informed me that they had decided to keep the child home until next week. I felt bad but I felt I had to inform her that her fees were still due even if she decided to keep him home according to DC contract This is the second time something like this has happened and they did not pay me for a full week due to the child being ill but I let it go that time since he was sick although my policy cleary states that they have one free week per year with illness and other than that they have to give two weeks advance notice. I also do not charge parents when I take time off other than major holidays. I really wish that I could help everyone out when these situations come up but parents have to understand that this is a business and just letting me know the morning when fees are due I want to take my child out (no matter what the circumstances hurts me financially(family / home daycare) and is a contract violation. During the four days I was closed I only charged parents for the days I was open so I was experiencing fee cuts as it is and then on on top of that to have to lose one child's fee was not affordable to me. But I feel so bad that I have to do this and so Im thinking that the reason I feel so bad is because I maybe I was wrong under the circumstances to charge them and wrong not to allow the child to stay on my closed day. Somebody shed some light please!!!

[Thriftylady]

I always feel guilty also in situations like this. But you gave plenty of notice for your days off and if you don't stand behind your contract there is no reason to write one. Don't feel bad!

[mommyneedsadayoff]

Originally Posted by sammyj

I hadtwo incidents to happen this week and I made the decision to stick to my contract / policy yet I feel awful. First thing was yesterday I was on my last close day of my spring break (it was only 4 days ) At around 7:00 am I hear a knock at the door so I got up thinking it was my daughter who I was expecting imagine my suprise when it was a parent with her child asking me are you closed today my reply " yes I am I will reopen tomorrow" I have had a notice posted in my daycare since 1/9/16 to remind parents about my closed dates from 3/30 - 4/4/16, I sent home two notices, and they have a yearly calendar. I found out later through relatives that she had noone to take care of the child for the day and I felt terrible. This morning I get a message from a parent who just had a baby 3 days ago and was going home today and she informed me that they had decided to keep the child home until next week. I felt bad but I felt I had to inform her that her fees were still due even if she decided to keep him home according to DC contract This is the second time something like this has happened and they did not pay me for a full week due to the child being ill but I let it go that time since he was sick although my policy cleary states that they have one free week per year with illness and other than that they have to give two weeks advance notice. I also do not charge parents when I take time off other than major holidays. I really wish that I could help everyone out when these situations come up but parents have to understand that this is a business and just letting me know the morning when fees are due I want to take my child out (no matter what the circumstances hurts me financially(family / home daycare) and is a contract violation. During the four days I was closed I only charged parents for the days I was open so I was experiencing fee cuts as it is and then on on top of that to have to lose one child's fee was not affordable to me. But I feel so bad that I have to do this and so Im thinking that the reason I feel so bad is because I maybe I was wrong under the circumstances to charge them and wrong not to allow the child to stay on my closed day. Somebody shed some light please!!!

Why do you think that? Do you not deserve a day off? Do you not deserve to be paid and keep your income consistent? That mom had plenty of time to find back up care and if anything, it was incredibly rude of HER to show up at your house when she KNOWS you are closed. Had it been me, I would have been sleeping in and not even opened the door. I know you feel bad, but when people become parents, they need to put their big girl panties on and deal with the care of their child. Don't feel bad...you did everything right!

I never feel bad when I close or enforce my policies and neither should you. We also deserve to have time off and get paid for our work. When your families enrolled in your program they agreed to abide by your policies. If they didn't agree to any such as your closures and fees and they had the choice to find another program that worked better for them. It's not your problem if they didn't plan ahead knowing full well your closures and policies ahead of time.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I never feel bad when I close or enforce my policies and neither should you. We also deserve to have time off and get paid for our work. When your families enrolled in your program they agreed to abide by your policies. If they didn't agree to any such as your closures and fees and they had the choice to find another program that worked better for them. It's not your problem if they didn't plan ahead knowing full well your closures and policies ahead of time.

Yes. Exactly!

I used to feel like you so I understand. However, I got burned enough times and grew a backbone. It helped me to feel less stressed out because at that point I was the one in charge of my business and my clients no longer were. Also, I created my handbook and policies for a reason. When I wasn't enforcing everything it was saying what I had written was unfair...and that point, like a previous poster mentioned, why bother having them at all?

What you did was all normal and just fine! No need to feel bad.

[AmyKidsCo]

Originally Posted by sammyj

I hadtwo incidents to happen this week and I made the decision to stick to my contract / policy yet I feel awful. First thing was yesterday I was on my last close day of my spring break (it was only 4 days ) At around 7:00 am I hear a knock at the door so I got up thinking it was my daughter who I was expecting imagine my suprise when it was a parent with her child asking me are you closed today my reply " yes I am I will reopen tomorrow" I have had a notice posted in my daycare since 1/9/16 to remind parents about my closed dates from 3/30 - 4/4/16, I sent home two notices, and they have a yearly calendar. I found out later through relatives that she had noone to take care of the child for the day and I felt terrible. This morning I get a message from a parent who just had a baby 3 days ago and was going home today and she informed me that they had decided to keep the child home until next week. I felt bad but I felt I had to inform her that her fees were still due even if she decided to keep him home according to DC contract This is the second time something like this has happened and they did not pay me for a full week due to the child being ill but I let it go that time since he was sick although my policy cleary states that they have one free week per year with illness and other than that they have to give two weeks advance notice. I also do not charge parents when I take time off other than major holidays. I really wish that I could help everyone out when these situations come up but parents have to understand that this is a business and just letting me know the morning when fees are due I want to take my child out (no matter what the circumstances hurts me financially(family / home daycare) and is a contract violation. During the four days I was closed I only charged parents for the days I was open so I was experiencing fee cuts as it is and then on on top of that to have to lose one child's fee was not affordable to me. But I feel so bad that I have to do this and so Im thinking that the reason I feel so bad is because I maybe I was wrong under the circumstances to charge them and wrong not to allow the child to stay on my closed day. Somebody shed some light please!!!

We're caring people in a profession where it's our job to care for others so I think we tend to feel a bigger amount of guilt than people in other professions. It helps me to remind myself that I need my time off in order to recharge so I can give my best to the kiddos and their families, and I need to be paid according to my policies so I can stay open.