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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Do I Handle Giving Them A Deadline
awestbrook713 04:19 AM 11-07-2011
I am currently waiting for parents to tell me if they are staying or not with the rate change I am making. I have given them until December 1st to tell me yes or no. This is so I have a month to look for families to fill any openings. Families that won't be staying will be allowed to stay until the new year, but will need alternative care as of January 1st.

I have a family that wants to see if they qualify for the daycare subsidy. I know they will but mom has a bad track record of filling out her portion and sending it in since this is round two of trying to get this done. I filled out my part handed it to dcm and the ball is in her court no more holding her hand. I don't know how long it takes for a decision to be made and won't know if mom sends in paperwork or not and I refuse to have to keep asking her shes an adult its time she acts like one.

Do I keep the December 1st deadline for their answer? The rate will be changing either way and shes already said she can't afford it. If the rate changes and she fails to pay me in full I will be terminating.
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Cat Herder 04:26 AM 11-07-2011
If you said Dec. 1st, then IMHO you need to stick to it. Keeping your word is as important to them as the parents keeping theirs is to you. It is your professional reputation.

In the future, a one week notice is sufficient for contract change signatures.

At the end of the following week, if they choose to leave, they have to give a 2 week notice. That whole process is already 3 weeks long...YKWIM?
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MARSTELAC 04:27 AM 11-07-2011
I would keep the deadline. I have found if I give an inch, they take a yard (or a mile!). My deadline is fast approaching and I have only received one contract back. Should be an interesting next couple of weeks. Guess we should start looking to fill spots just in case.
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awestbrook713 04:42 AM 11-07-2011
See this is where I made the mistake, I only gave them a paper with their new rates to sign in agreement. I haven't handed out the new policies or contract. I plan on giving them out on the 18th that will give them ample time to take everything in a decide. I tend to jump the gun a bad habit I know. I was trying to give them a heads up as to what was going to happen, I know I don't owe them anything but again another bad habit. So everything will be going home on the 18th final new rate info in the contract, new policies, and they have 2 weeks to fill out and return.
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Cat Herder 04:47 AM 11-07-2011
Oh, hun... So after they are given the rate change a couple weeks will go by and then they will be given the policy changes?

Is that what you meant?

I would give them the rest of the changes, now...don't wait. Treat it like ripping off a band-aid.

Otherwise, they will see it as snowballing (think Netflix ), YKWIM? It can backfire badly... Please consider it.
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momma2girls 04:59 AM 11-07-2011
I give all my families the new contract on Dec. 1st, and they have all month to turn it into me. It is due back on Dec. 31st, or the spot will not be held. I had one family, ask me, is anything bad going to happen to us, if I don't return that back to you by the end of the month? I just told her your spot will not be held. She turned it into me at the end of Jan. WOW!! It's a good thing, no one called to take her spot!!
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awestbrook713 05:21 AM 11-07-2011
Well there is no school on friday and I should have every here that day, guess I will hand them out then. I wish I had just waited I have made this such a mess and I am so stressed. I wasn't done with fixing my policies so I didn't want to hand them out at the same time, but I wanted to let them know about the rate change. I don't think there is anything to crazy in my policies so I don't think they should be a problem. We will see.
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Springdaze 05:43 AM 11-07-2011
I would tell you to stick to it. There is other paperwork from time to time for subsity and if she cant fill out the paper work to start, how long will it take to do others!?
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awestbrook713 06:23 AM 11-07-2011
Well guess december 1st is the deadline, if she turns in the paper work awesome, if she doesn't she will have to make a decision because I have already told her the rate is staying as is.
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MarinaVanessa 10:35 AM 11-07-2011
Yep, keep the deadline but give the policy changes soon too (like within a week). That way they have 3 more weeks to decide whether to stay or not and you've laid all the cards on the table.
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awestbrook713 11:25 AM 11-07-2011
Gave first parent the policies and told them the dead line for an answer is december 1st. This was probably my most easy going parent, I feel bad because he has always been on time with payment and very nice. I have one more parent coming today, she is the the mom of my newest dck but she is pretty nice and understanding.
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wahmof3 01:51 PM 12-02-2011
Originally Posted by awestbrook713:
Gave first parent the policies and told them the dead line for an answer is december 1st. This was probably my most easy going parent, I feel bad because he has always been on time with payment and very nice. I have one more parent coming today, she is the the mom of my newest dck but she is pretty nice and understanding.
Have you posted an update? (Maybe I missed it) Just wondering how things turned out
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Tags:contract - revisions, policy - revisions, rate change, rate change notification, subsidy
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