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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Terminating Care - Notice Period Question
SnowGirl 03:05 PM 11-16-2019
Hello!

My own son has a history of biting one of the children in my care. Back in the spring I worked with the family and I took some social-emotional trainings to help me learn how to help my son past this phase. There have been no incidents in 5 months.

Last night, the mother of this child noticed a bite mark on his arm. When she asked me about it, I had no idea he had gotten injured. So I couldn't tell the family when, or who (although my son is the likeliest suspect.) I of course sincerely apologized for the incident, and that I hadn't been present to witness it (my guess is someone bit him while the bigger kids were outside and I was tending a baby for a few minutes with diaper changes or napping, etc) and I extended the olive branch to her saying I would do better. She expressed that she thought I was being deceitful and that they couldn't trust me, and perhaps I'm not the right provider for them.

I acknowledged her feelings and said that we would make an appointment to sign the paperwork (termination) and retrieve her son's things in the next week. I haven't heard back from her.

So that's everything in a nutshell. Aside from this being a learning experience for me as far as how I supervise children and how I work with them on these issues, I am struggling with how to move forward with this termination.

In my contract, there is a two-week paid notice period. If the family doesn't want to continue care for even the two weeks...should I hold to the two weeks of pay they owe me? I feel like I should waive that since it's a safety concern coming from them, but my contract doesn't have that right for them. Even if they decided to continue care with me (unlikely), I will be terminating care because of her implying I was lying to them and hiding things from them. I was as honest and sincere as I could be in telling her that I'm so sorry this happened to her son, and I don't know how or when it happened. That's me telling her it was inadequate supervision at the time of the incident. SO for her to fire back that I was deceitful is the end of my desire to continue providing care for the family.

So, in my shoes (my imperfect shoes that will be learning a lot from this), would you waive the two weeks? Would you put the two weeks pay in the termination notice per the contract but let it go if the family refuses to pay? WWYD?
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boy_mom 06:30 PM 11-16-2019
I would refund the 2 weeks and terminate ASAP
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SnowGirl 08:10 PM 11-16-2019
Originally Posted by boy_mom:
I would refund the 2 weeks and terminate ASAP
Thank you I appreciate the confirmation of my instincts. Since I haven't heard back from her yet should I just send her a term notice via email tomorrow so I don't have to deal with an awkward Monday morning?
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sunshst 09:23 PM 11-16-2019
I would refund and term asap too. My contract states that I can term immediately any time and for any reason. If there was no biting potentially involving my kid I would've termed her on a spot. However, you should go by your policy and term it accordingly. I would just hand her a term letter on Monday upon pick up and close my door promptly. If she knocks/rings a door bell after that I wouldn't open. Make sure to have someone there with you as a witness when you hand it to her.
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boy_mom 04:40 AM 11-17-2019
Originally Posted by SnowGirl:
Thank you I appreciate the confirmation of my instincts. Since I haven't heard back from her yet should I just send her a term notice via email tomorrow so I don't have to deal with an awkward Monday morning?
Yes, definitely email and I would also send a text asking her to please read your email ASAP. If you can, put the "read" option on both, so you can see when she opens the email/text. If she still shows up tomorrow turn her away!
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rosieteddy 06:05 AM 11-17-2019
It looks like you do not owe them 2 weeks. If you are deciding to term on the spot you are out the two week notice.I would send an email telling them that effective immediately you will not accept him back in care.As she does not trust you. Then I would call and speak to her.Do it today or there is a good possibility she will show up in the morning.She may try to back peddle and say she did not mean it ,be prepared with your reply.Could have just been a bad day.
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Cat Herder 06:31 AM 11-17-2019
I would refund and end the contract immediately.
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SnowGirl 09:12 AM 11-17-2019
Originally Posted by rosieteddy:
It looks like you do not owe them 2 weeks. If you are deciding to term on the spot you are out the two week notice.I would send an email telling them that effective immediately you will not accept him back in care.As she does not trust you. Then I would call and speak to her.Do it today or there is a good possibility she will show up in the morning.She may try to back peddle and say she did not mean it ,be prepared with your reply.Could have just been a bad day.
It's not the first time she's been less than nice to me in communication. She wanted a free day because they chose to keep their son home when my baby was sick (even though baby was with my mom that day and not in the daycare). When I told them in August about a week vacation I was taking in March (7 month notice) her response was "ouch. I didn't know you would have more than one vacation a year."

So yeah....maybe it was a bad day. Or maybe she's a jerk and I'll feel better when she's gone.

I love the kid though. That part sucks.
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Tags:accountability, deposit refund, life lesson, providers own child, supervision - inadequate, terminate - biter
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