I give my DCF that attend full time a discount if they take a vacation for a minimum of 5 consecutive days.

here is what I currently have in writing but need to change it.


After 6 months of care all Families that attend full time will be enjoy a discount of ½ the normal rate of weekly tuition should you take a vacation for at least 5 consecutive days. To receive this discount, you must submit request in writing 14 days in advance and receive approval from the provider. Approval will be given by email on a first come first serve basis. Once approved, you will be credited on your monthly invoice after your vacation occurs. Vacation time can NOT be used in conjunction with termination or carried over and must be used all at one time. Any vacation time that is not used during the calendar year will be forfeited. There is no discount for part time enrollment.

So this past summer I had 4 families all take vacation on the same month and I was out a ton of money that next month. I was not expecting that to happen. What I would like to do is to credit it back in installments or credit back in limits....does this make sense? I am not sure how to do it so that not everyone goes out on vacation at the same time and then I am out money all at the same time.

how should I do this? any other suggestions to how I could do it... I know I am over complicating this....

thanks for your help

edited to add that I lowed the rate years back to reflect this, but parents were not into it. they want to see a credit given back.

Reply

I do it a little differently. Dcf's with me get as many "free" days as they attend. I have mostly part timers, so if they attend 3 days per week, they get 3 "free" days during the year. I do not make them take it all at once. I let them use it during sick days and holidays, although I didn't used to. But letting them use it during sick days means the dcf's really stretch that out more. They seem to prefer to use it then, and I do, too.

I also offer a vacation "bonus". When on vacation dcf's get $10 of of their rate. This could be 1 day or 5. So 1 day would be $10 off of that rate, and 5 days would be only $10 off of the weekly rate.

If I was hurting for money, I wouldn't offer the vacation bonus.

Reply

You already tell them that you have to approve the time off and its first come first serve so why don't you just add that each month only 2 families (or what ever works for you) will be granted the discounted vacation time. If a 3rd family wants time in the same month they will have to wait until the following month the receive their credit.

Reply

told you I was over thinking it.

this is what I wrote:

After 8 months of care all Families that attend full time will be given a discount of ½ the normal rate of weekly tuition; should you take a vacation for at least 5 consecutive days. To receive this discount, you must submit request in writing at least 14 days in advance and receive approval from the provider. In order for our program to continue running smoothly, only two families can be credited back each month when requested. Credits will be given on a first come first serve basis. If more than two families have submitted request for vacation discount, you will be credited the following month after your vacation has occurred. You will be notified of when you will receive your credit. Vacation time can NOT be used in conjunction with termination or carried over and must be used all at one time. Any vacation time that is not used during the calendar year will be forfeited. There is no discount for part time enrollment.

Reply

I think this sounds good. It will also make people plan ahead and let you know their plans earlier. Hopefully... lol

Reply

Do you care if they use the vacation during paid holidays?

Reply

I am also curious about the 8 months... you had previously said 6 but it now says 8. Can I ask why?

That just seems like a long time to "earn" the vacation discount...kwim?

If you are concerned about crediting fees back all at once, why not just allow the families to take their vacation any time they want just say that credits will be given one week at a time according to date requested.

That way if say all 10 families take a vacation in the same month, you only have to credit back fees to ONE family each week (according to who requested first) until they all receive their credits? The last family taking the vacation wouldn't get theirs back until the 10th week but at least you aren't giving all the credits at one time.

I also wonder about credits in the case of withdrawal. What if a full time family takes vacation but then while waiting for their credit, they decide to leave...do they just forfeit the credit or can they apply it to their final two weeks. I know you said it can't be used in conjunction with termination (I attach termination to the provider doing it) but didn't know if you meant termination by either you or parent...(I attach withdrawal to a parent) so maybe I'm just not reading it right or I'm over thinking it.

Reply

the number change was a typo......

so just about all of my parents pay monthly . I may have one or two that do not.

I invoice monthly and email around the 10th-15th of the month for the following month.

So I would have to credit it back on the next invoice statement.

Of course, I would be sure to credit someone back before they left the childcare. I would know that they were leaving due to the 30 day advance notice they would be required to give, so I would make certain it was credited back before departing. In this case, I would over ride that policy to make things fair.

I don't care when families use it, it's how I am crediting it back that matters.

Reply