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New Members - Welcome to the Daycare.com Forum!>Advice Needed From Other Providers!
Unregistered 05:07 AM 02-18-2014
I am a new provider and I have a mother who will be giving birth in April to her third child (I have been caring for the other two already). She just asked me what my policy is for holding spots for the baby and for the boys while she is on maternity leave. I have a very small daycare and her two boys make up half of my income right now so I can't afford to just let her take them out unpaid for 6 weeks. Hoping other providers can share with me what their policies are for these type of situations. I have not asked for a holding fee for the infant although I have turned away several other families due to not having an infant spot once this baby is born. Thank you! Katy
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butterfly 08:09 AM 02-18-2014
I would charge the full rate and the kids could come as usual. My families typically like to have that bonding time with just the new born anyways. If they could keep all the kids home, I may work with them at doing a 1/2 rate, but it's not something I would offer unless I was in a position to do so financially and I really loved the family.
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Annalee 09:00 AM 02-18-2014
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I am a new provider and I have a mother who will be giving birth in April to her third child (I have been caring for the other two already). She just asked me what my policy is for holding spots for the baby and for the boys while she is on maternity leave. I have a very small daycare and her two boys make up half of my income right now so I can't afford to just let her take them out unpaid for 6 weeks. Hoping other providers can share with me what their policies are for these type of situations. I have not asked for a holding fee for the infant although I have turned away several other families due to not having an infant spot once this baby is born. Thank you! Katy
My parents continue paying for the spot/spots while on maternity leave. Sometimes the parent brings the kids, sometimes not. As for the baby, as soon as I have a spot even if the child isn't born, I let the parents know. If they want the spot, they start paying then, or they can take a chance on having a spot later. Usually they begin paying because I only have 12 spots and only 4 spots are available for children under 24 months due to state regs. Infant spots are hard to come by in center or FCC.
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llpa 11:00 AM 02-18-2014
I have no infants but, I follow the PP's policies w teachers who have summers off. They pay as usual. This will be my first full summer open, but last year, the dck's of the teachers I have came sometime, but not every day. Their place was being paid for so if they were coming I always knew ahead.
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daycare 11:14 AM 02-18-2014
i allow up to 6 weeks maternity leave ONLY if they are enrolled full time.

I would require them to pay 1/2 weekly fee and the children can choose 2 set days a week to still come to give mom a break.

I will give one week off free (five days) when the baby is born...if they want to do that

I do not offer this to PT families.

After 6 weeks, they must go back to their full time status or will I will term their spots and replace them.

at what age is the mom wanting to start the baby?

NOt to be a debbie downer, but 3 kids from 1 family is going to be a hard hit when they leave. just something to think about
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Cat Herder 11:31 AM 02-18-2014
Depending on how long they have been with you (loyalty ) I would consider offering to hold the infants spot in exchange for the others to continue through her maternity leave.

The sticking points would be that tuition x 2 kids is to be paid in full, not based on attendance and infant would be enrolled at 6 weeks of age. I would not hold 3 slots for anyone without full tuition.

6 weeks pay for 1 slot vs. losing 3 long term slots... Hard choice. (unless you have 3 waiting, then the choice is simple.)

***Now I would not show her my lowest bid to start. Poker face . Start with simply telling her your policy. Sometimes we create issues that never existed, ourselves...
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daycare 12:32 PM 02-18-2014
***Now I would not show her my lowest bid to start. Poker face . Start with simply telling her your policy. Sometimes we create issues that never existed, ourselves...


I am QUEEN of the overthinking
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Tags:holding spots, maternity leave - fees
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