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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>DCM Maternity Leave
Unregistered 05:23 AM 06-08-2015
I have a current DCM who is expecting in September. DCD just told me at last pickup that DCM plans on keeping their 2 year old home with her during maternity leave. I have never had a family do this before. The older children have always stayed in care while mom was home with the newborn. Has anyone else been in this situation before? Do you still charge full pay for the spot or charge them a holding fee for the spot while gone? This family will be changing to drop in during the summer since DCD is a teacher and has summers off. I have always been fine with lower numbers in the summers since my kids are home as well, but didn't expect this situation.
Play Care 05:28 AM 06-08-2015
I've never had that come up, since MAT leaves are so ridiculously short here. But I would let mom know that there would be some charge to hold spots. And I would look for a replacement soon - since she may decide to just stay home with both (the whole idea of keeping both kids home for MAT leave could be a trial run, you never know)
I give props to mom for doing it, too often today parents can't manage more than one child at a time.
I give props to mom for doing it, too often today parents can't manage more than one child at a time.
Blackcat31 06:21 AM 06-08-2015
Parents can keep their older siblings home if they choose. It makes no difference to me as rates are based on enrollment not on actual attendance or days used so she would still be paying the same weekly rate either way.
I refuse to take a financial loss so that some one else can save money.
I refuse to take a financial loss so that some one else can save money.
jenboo 06:27 AM 06-08-2015
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Parents can keep their older siblings home if they choose. It makes no difference to me as rates are based on enrollment not on actual attendance or days used so she would still be paying the same weekly rate either way.
I refuse to take a financial loss so that some one else can save money.
Parents can keep their older siblings home if they choose. It makes no difference to me as rates are based on enrollment not on actual attendance or days used so she would still be paying the same weekly rate either way.
I refuse to take a financial loss so that some one else can save money.
This is how I would do it
TheGoodLife 07:08 AM 06-08-2015
I once held a spot for a baby (I had just opened a few months ago and didn't know better 
) I took the older DCB 1-2 days a week for almost 6 months, then a week or two before the baby was supposed to start I get a notice of termination. So I held that spot for about 6 months and ended up losing both. DCM was great, always paid even when they kept DCB home for the week, always paid on time, and was very nice. I was told she decided to try to keep them home with her while she worked from home. (There had recently been a daycare death from an infant in a carseat and I was told by DCD that DCM knew that mom and it scared her, completely understandable!) Everyone has to do what works fro them- I suggest to either have them pay or tell them they can give up the spot and hope they are open when they come back.
) I took the older DCB 1-2 days a week for almost 6 months, then a week or two before the baby was supposed to start I get a notice of termination. So I held that spot for about 6 months and ended up losing both. DCM was great, always paid even when they kept DCB home for the week, always paid on time, and was very nice. I was told she decided to try to keep them home with her while she worked from home. (There had recently been a daycare death from an infant in a carseat and I was told by DCD that DCM knew that mom and it scared her, completely understandable!) Everyone has to do what works fro them- I suggest to either have them pay or tell them they can give up the spot and hope they are open when they come back.
childcaremom 08:03 AM 06-08-2015
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I have a current DCM who is expecting in September. DCD just told me at last pickup that DCM plans on keeping their 2 year old home with her during maternity leave. I have never had a family do this before. The older children have always stayed in care while mom was home with the newborn. Has anyone else been in this situation before? Do you still charge full pay for the spot or charge them a holding fee for the spot while gone? This family will be changing to drop in during the summer since DCD is a teacher and has summers off. I have always been fine with lower numbers in the summers since my kids are home as well, but didn't expect this situation.
Mat leave is 1 year long so my thinking is a littfe bit different.I have a current DCM who is expecting in September. DCD just told me at last pickup that DCM plans on keeping their 2 year old home with her during maternity leave. I have never had a family do this before. The older children have always stayed in care while mom was home with the newborn. Has anyone else been in this situation before? Do you still charge full pay for the spot or charge them a holding fee for the spot while gone? This family will be changing to drop in during the summer since DCD is a teacher and has summers off. I have always been fine with lower numbers in the summers since my kids are home as well, but didn't expect this situation.
If a mom is on mat leave here, generally they would only want PT. I have never had a mom want FT care while they were on mat leave.
If I liked the family and wanted to keep them and the new sibling at their return to work, then I would do a PT if it was reasonable to be able to be able to fill the days opposite. If I didn't think I could fill the spot (if mat leave is super short then obv. this would be more difficult) then no, I wouldn't offer to do PT or hold the spot without pay.
Does this family normally have the summer off and you don't charge to hold the spot?
If so, and you don't want to hold 2 spots for her in September, then just tell her that in order to reserve the spots for her children, she will need to pay for them starting in September. Do you think that you will be able to fill them? If so, tell her that. "Dcm, if you want to guarantee that the spaces are available for you on XXX date, then I require payment in full starting September 1st. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee space for X and Y."
I would start advertising either way for an opening for September.
daycarediva 08:57 AM 06-08-2015
Originally Posted by Play Care:
I've never had that come up, since MAT leaves are so ridiculously short here. But I would let mom know that there would be some charge to hold spots. And I would look for a replacement soon - since she may decide to just stay home with both (the whole idea of keeping both kids home for MAT leave could be a trial run, you never know)
I give props to mom for doing it, too often today parents can't manage more than one child at a time.
I've never had that come up, since MAT leaves are so ridiculously short here. But I would let mom know that there would be some charge to hold spots. And I would look for a replacement soon - since she may decide to just stay home with both (the whole idea of keeping both kids home for MAT leave could be a trial run, you never know)
I give props to mom for doing it, too often today parents can't manage more than one child at a time.
I've never even had a parent attempt keeping both kids home. I have a Mom who tried, was paying the FT rate to keep child enrolled and called me close to tears on a Monday morning begging for dcd to drop off late. Yes, dcd had left to go to work, and dcm made it through breakfast, but around 10 the baby was crying and dcb wanted to go outside and.... she called dcd to pick up dcb to bring him to me. 
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Parents can keep their older siblings home if they choose. It makes no difference to me as rates are based on enrollment not on actual attendance or days used so she would still be paying the same weekly rate either way.
I refuse to take a financial loss so that some one else can save money.
Parents can keep their older siblings home if they choose. It makes no difference to me as rates are based on enrollment not on actual attendance or days used so she would still be paying the same weekly rate either way.
I refuse to take a financial loss so that some one else can save money.
I would tell them that they can either pay to hold the space or they can terminate care and you will fill the space. Especially knowing so far in advance that shouldn't be a big issue.
laundrymom 09:36 AM 06-08-2015
I give them the option of bringing older ones, or keeping them home, and paying full rate, or dropping down to drop in and risking losing the spots. I stopped giving them the curtesy of informing them when someone was interested in the full time position and giving them The option of coming back. Why should I spend time and energy interviewing if I'm only going to let a family who didn't think I was worth full time payment come back. ??
I completely understand the economics of paying for daycare you don't "need". I get it. I do. But...
I am worth it. I am worth the expense and deserve to be treated so.
I've heard all the excuses. From "I'm a single
Mom" to "but we didn't plan for the expense"
My response,
"Neither did I. And when you ask me to pay your tuition (because holding a spot without payment IS EXACTLY THAT) because you couldn't stick $20 buck a week back throughout your pregnancy is not my fault. That's all it costs. $20 a week would pay me for six weeks.
I rarely have an opening so they don't generally choose that option but it has happened. I interview for new families two weeks out and usually after 6/8 families I find one I like. Usually two evenings of interviews. Sometimes three.
I completely understand the economics of paying for daycare you don't "need". I get it. I do. But...
I am worth it. I am worth the expense and deserve to be treated so.
I've heard all the excuses. From "I'm a single
Mom" to "but we didn't plan for the expense"
My response,
"Neither did I. And when you ask me to pay your tuition (because holding a spot without payment IS EXACTLY THAT) because you couldn't stick $20 buck a week back throughout your pregnancy is not my fault. That's all it costs. $20 a week would pay me for six weeks.
I rarely have an opening so they don't generally choose that option but it has happened. I interview for new families two weeks out and usually after 6/8 families I find one I like. Usually two evenings of interviews. Sometimes three.
laundrymom 09:39 AM 06-08-2015
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I have a current DCM who is expecting in September. DCD just told me at last pickup that DCM plans on keeping their 2 year old home with her during maternity leave. I have never had a family do this before. The older children have always stayed in care while mom was home with the newborn. Has anyone else been in this situation before? Do you still charge full pay for the spot or charge them a holding fee for the spot while gone? This family will be changing to drop in during the summer since DCD is a teacher and has summers off. I have always been fine with lower numbers in the summers since my kids are home as well, but didn't expect this situation.
Oh. And if I found a perfect replacement family before the time they planned on leaving I would give them two weeks notice. That seems cruel but I'd rather 6 families who respected me than ten who didn't.I have a current DCM who is expecting in September. DCD just told me at last pickup that DCM plans on keeping their 2 year old home with her during maternity leave. I have never had a family do this before. The older children have always stayed in care while mom was home with the newborn. Has anyone else been in this situation before? Do you still charge full pay for the spot or charge them a holding fee for the spot while gone? This family will be changing to drop in during the summer since DCD is a teacher and has summers off. I have always been fine with lower numbers in the summers since my kids are home as well, but didn't expect this situation.
Dilley Beans 08:31 PM 06-11-2015
I charge $10 per contracted day if parents are going to be on sabbatical for 5 weeks or more. Their child cannot come during this time so I am able to take drop in daycare kids to fill that spot if possible. Payment is also due up front. So if they decide six weeks into their 3 months maternity leave that they are not coming back, I'm not out the fees. I'm still too new to have this happen. But I foresee one of my parents having another one in the next year or two.
DaveA 04:12 AM 06-12-2015
For extended absences such as maternity leave I charge 1/2 normal rate. During that time they can schedule 2 days/ week care. I've only been asked to do it twice. Most times parents would rather have the flexibility of full time care. The spot is paid for regardless of attendance so no problem for me.
MarinaVanessa 04:59 PM 06-12-2015
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Parents can keep their older siblings home if they choose. It makes no difference to me as rates are based on enrollment not on actual attendance or days used so she would still be paying the same weekly rate either way.
I refuse to take a financial loss so that some one else can save money.
This is how I do it also. If they want to keep their child home that's fine with me but they either pay for the spot or they take the chance of being replaced with another client. I've been in this situation once and I was proactive and gave them a letter outlining their options. I gave them a deadline to give me notice in writing in a letter notifying me of their decision (to pay or cancel their contract) and specified that if I didn't receive written notice by that date that it would be assumed that they were going to keep their older child home and were canceling the contract. I also gave a "last day of attendance" date. Parents can keep their older siblings home if they choose. It makes no difference to me as rates are based on enrollment not on actual attendance or days used so she would still be paying the same weekly rate either way.
I refuse to take a financial loss so that some one else can save money.
The letter was really just me covering my bases just in case they failed to notify me so that I wouldn't just be left hanging wondering what they were doing ... which happened because they didn't tell me what they were doing by the deadline that I gave them. I started advertising for their spot the end of that same deadline date and the following week I verbally told them I had started to interview. I got the "Oh" face but I was covered and wasn't going to make it my issue so didn't really worry about it.
They did end up keeping their child home during the maternity leave in order to save money and I was clear that I wasn't going to save them a spot unless they signed a contract, paid the 2 week deposit and paid for their spots even if they didn't attend ... I just don't like to save spots. They did end up losing the spots they were hoping that I was going to have for them and I ended up having both spots filled that same month that I started interviewing. One client started before the last day of the older child of this family the 2nd family started the week after this child's last day if I remember correctly. When mom called 4 weeks before she was scheduled to go back to work she flipped out about not having child care ... wasn't my problem at that point but funny how they still acted shocked
. They were ok to leave me hanging, with having me lose out on money and still expected 2 spots open for them when they decided to return ... don't let that happen to you.
If you do want to hold their spots but don't want to charge full price what you can do (if you feel like it) is ask them to pay a reduced rate of like half price for both spots and sign a Holding Contract with a specific start date that can't be changed and then advertise for a temporary spot that ends the week before their start date. Make sure that the parents also sign a contract with their start date, rate etc. for their new child and pay a deposit up front otherwise don't save them a spot. Also make sure that the Holding Contract says that the Holding Fee is a fee specifically meant only to hold their spots and that payments are not paid towards child care once it starts.