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Ac114 06:03 AM 08-07-2019
I had a parent give me notice because they want to enroll their child in a preschool program that also offers childcare. They said it could possibly be 2 months out depending on the waiting list but could be as early as a month. I am going to start advertising now but if I come across someone that needs care before they are leaving, is it within reason, to hide them a notice. I feel like I have to do what works best for me and my family and 4-8 weeks is a huge gap of not knowing Of I will have income. How would you phrase it? I also give a 2 weeks notice in my handbook but can term for any reason without notice if needed.
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Blackcat31 06:19 AM 08-07-2019
Originally Posted by Ac114:
I had a parent give me notice because they want to enroll their child in a preschool program that also offers childcare. They said it could possibly be 2 months out depending on the waiting list but could be as early as a month. I am going to start advertising now but if I come across someone that needs care before they are leaving, is it within reason, to hide them a notice. I feel like I have to do what works best for me and my family and 4-8 weeks is a huge gap of not knowing Of I will have income. How would you phrase it? I also give a 2 weeks notice in my handbook but can term for any reason without notice if needed.
This is a hard one.
I understand doing what's best for you and your business and am usually in the camp of always looking out for #1 (you/your family) but I also think there is a professional side to it and that we need to follow our own policies.

I understand why they told you early but I also understand how that info impacts a provider both emotionally and financially.

I don't know... I would advertise to fill the space but I don't think I would just boot the family leaving out the door...I'd try to work with their end date as much as I could within reason but I wouldn't just kick them to the curb the second a new family wants to start.

I am sure that was not alot of help/advice but like I said, this is one of the trickiest issues to deal with in this business. Hoping it works out well for you no matter what you (or the family) end up doing.
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Snowmom 07:43 AM 08-07-2019
I can share an issue I'm having that is somewhat similar and what my plan is.

I have 2 kids from one family whose mom is expecting their 3rd. She's 6 months along.... yet she's never said a word to me about it, the dad told me in a nonchalant way ("did Mary tell you we're expecting again? Oh, she didn't, well maybe I wasn't suppose to say anything")

I plan to touch base with them this week and ask what their plans are.... However, I already plan on letting them go before the end of October (oldest needs a different environment). I'm sure she's planning on staying home anyway since there's zero communication.

I have several interviews lined up in the next couple weeks since it's a typical busy season now.
I have one opening now and with these two, that makes 3.

I will take the interviews on a case by case basis. For the two future openings, I'm saying they are open by November 1st.

Once I hear what the family plans on doing, I will work around what they want. But, if their timeframe doesn't work for me, I'll give them the date that does. I won't miss out on a new enrollment just to keep the one leaving for an extra week or two. But they will get plenty of notice either way.

Daycare is a unique business. But it is business.
Think about it like this:
If you were selling your house and buying a new one, sometimes closing on both simultaneously just doesn't work for both parties and you need to adjust on one end or the other. Sometimes you might be inconvenienced for a little bit, but it all works out in the end!
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Ac114 08:06 AM 08-07-2019
Thanks snowmom. Let me clarify that she said she will not know until the end of August if he can start the beginning of September or beginning of October. So I’m upset that I’m basically supposed to be in limbo and if he starts at the beginning of September I will essentially have a week to days notice before they leave care. This is where I was thinking, I’d i advertise now and someone can start in September, why would I give them an extra 4 weeks when they will only give me days if it benefits them.
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Pestle 08:23 AM 08-07-2019
You definitely don't want to punish a family for giving notice. Negative reinforcement of following policies is a bad idea! But this isn't exactly giving notice; it's vague. I'm in the same boat and my kid's parent let me know I can fill his space early if I need to. Hopefully your family also has the courtesy to be flexible. Talk to them about the possibilities. Maybe pin them down on a stop date and say,

"I need to fill Bob's space so I don't lose income. It's possible there'll be a gap between the time he leaves and the time the next child begins, but it's also possible there'll be an overlap instead of a gap. If I find someone who needs to start care a week or two before his new schedule begins, do you have backup care for him?"
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CountryRoads 08:43 AM 08-07-2019
Originally Posted by Ac114:
I had a parent give me notice because they want to enroll their child in a preschool program that also offers childcare. They said it could possibly be 2 months out depending on the waiting list but could be as early as a month. I am going to start advertising now but if I come across someone that needs care before they are leaving, is it within reason, to hide them a notice. I feel like I have to do what works best for me and my family and 4-8 weeks is a huge gap of not knowing Of I will have income. How would you phrase it? I also give a 2 weeks notice in my handbook but can term for any reason without notice if needed.
Do you require notice?

I require 2 week notice that must be paid regardless of attendance.

So, if a parent told me August 30 that their child can start preschool September 1, they would still need to pay for 2 weeks. This gives me a little time to fill that spot and (hopefully) not lose any income.

If you have something like that, I would let her know that she needs to put in her 2 (or however many) week notice when she knows when he can start. Its not your problem if she finds out last minute.

I don't think its fair for you to be left waiting and wondering what's going on and when you can fill that spot.
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Ariana 11:09 AM 08-07-2019
I would stick to my policy and give them their two weeks notice. Just let a potential family know when the start date would be before signing them on. I wouldn’t sit around in limbo if I had someone to fill the spot, that is unreasonable for them to expect that.

I have a family who just informed me they are dropping down to part time once mom has her baby in January. Also had a family inform me their child will be attending Montessori next September. Unfortunately no one is looking for care right now and there are 50 providers on every block, otherwise I would replace.
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soso78 02:49 PM 08-07-2019
It seems like you have a good relationship with them. I would thank them for being upfront about their plans and let them know that I will try my best to work with their timeframe. However, I will be advertising the spot and may have to end care early if a new family is unable to wait.

I actually require a one-month notice as I have found that it is not always feasible to find a new family that is a good fit within two weeks. This also gives me plenty of time to plan, prepare, and adjust my budget as needed.
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HHangout 07:58 PM 08-07-2019
Can you charge them until a certain date, so you can start a new family at that date, so you have your $ and they have their space? If they cant afford it, then you can stop them at the earlier date, and give them X days to decide or you have to pick for them and that option is the earlier date. (Maybe if that time comes up and you dont have a family starting quite yet and they still need care then you can resume care? Better than nobody for 2-4 weeks.)
Then, if they leave earlier and you get someone in, you can give them their $ back so youre not getting double income.
Example:
Last day August 31st or September 30, need to know and pay by August 25th. If there is no answer, care stops Aug 31st. If Aug 31 is the last day, and no new family has signed on, care can resume until a new family has requested care, up until Aug 31.


Ive been in the boat of wait lists, parents arent in control. And having worked in centers, many wait lists are arbitrary. Loads of factors go into it (age of child, other children moving up from a younger class) and some is pure luck, some is sucking up to the Director or having a more immediate need, and some is in order of request. The parent did right by giving loads of notice.
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Ac114 04:46 AM 08-08-2019
I do require a 2 week notice and I appreciate that she gave ample notice that they are looking elsewhere. I just need to have a final date of when she is ending care, not a 4 week gap where I may need care or not within days notice. That doesn’t sound like a notice to me. That’s where my dilemma is. Do I look for care for someone to start in September and if I find someone and they still need care.

I will talk to them about it and explain the situation and see if they want to continue through September to secure care just in case.
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Blackcat31 05:53 AM 08-08-2019
Originally Posted by Ac114:
I do require a 2 week notice and I appreciate that she gave ample notice that they are looking elsewhere. I just need to have a final date of when she is ending care, not a 4 week gap where I may need care or not within days notice. That doesn’t sound like a notice to me. That’s where my dilemma is. Do I look for care for someone to start in September and if I find someone and they still need care.

I will talk to them about it and explain the situation and see if they want to continue through September to secure care just in case.
I would talk to them and just tell them you appreciate the advance notice but without an actual end date it is just discussion at this point.

Let them know that no matter how much or little notice they get from the preschool as to a start date that it has no bearing on you/your contract and that you will still require the 2 week notice outlined in your policies.
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soso78 11:24 AM 08-08-2019
Originally Posted by Ac114:
I do require a 2 week notice and I appreciate that she gave ample notice that they are looking elsewhere. I just need to have a final date of when she is ending care, not a 4 week gap where I may need care or not within days notice. That doesn’t sound like a notice to me. That’s where my dilemma is. Do I look for care for someone to start in September and if I find someone and they still need care.

I will talk to them about it and explain the situation and see if they want to continue through September to secure care just in case.
It sounds like you're making their issue your issue. They were upfront, so you should be upfront. If you want to keep the family until they decide to leave, then do that. If you want to go ahead and set an end date so you can fill the spot, then do that. I prefer to take control of the situation and if I know that a parent wants to leave for whatever reason, then I proactively start looking to fill the spot and let them know. We are usually able to come to an agreement on an end date and everything works out. At the end of the day, I only have so many spots and can't afford to give over that much control of my business.
You should do what you feel comfortable doing. I'm sure the parents will appreciate you communicating this to them and understand. They may not be thinking about it from your perspective.
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mommyneedsadayoff 12:26 PM 08-09-2019
I would let them know that their notice does not start until its official. If she wont know till end of August, then once she finds out, her two weeks starts from that day. If she ends up paying for two weeks even if he is gone, that's her issue, not yours. Getting those two weeks up front is a good way to eliminate them ditching out on their notice as well. At this point, I would be getting ready to fill the spot, but I wouldnt make moves till notice is official. It's kind of like when parents say "we might switch to a closer daycare or we might stay home starting in the summer", ect. What they "might" do is not an official notice. They either give an official notice and an end date or they wait till end of August to do it. That is THEIR problem. Not yours.
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