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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Would You Handle This? Telling DCM Back To Part Time Schedule
E Daycare 04:48 AM 10-05-2012
At the end of the last school year I sent out information to all my parents that said I was going to mon, wed, fri only care. This was mainly Because
A) all of my dcf except one was mon, wed, fri anyways
B) I wanted to reduce the days I had the dcf that wasn't on just mon, wed ANC fri.
This was in June. Fast forward to the first week of school. One dcm informs me that the backup sitter (I require all kids to have a backup as I have no family around to help out in an emergency so if something happens I need a backup to take over) will be down and out for surgery and she needs help temporarily with filling tues and thurs spots.
This was not discussed before that the backup would be down and out and I was put on the spot to help this family. I agreed. Temporary conditions. I gave them a full time contract to sign and received all paperwork. Now the downfall:
I never provided specifics in the contract like "for 4weeks I will provide full time care" etc...Now I've been having issues. Dck is with me 10hrs a day. Dcm has been taking off work a lot yet keeping dck here. Dcm is taking a leave of absence for the next few weeks and asks me "so since I'll be home would you like some time off and go back to mon, wed, fri schedule?".
UH, YEAH!!
Now, once she goes back to work she expects full time for the foreseeable future. My husband is like "oh heck no, you wanted part time, they were all aware and everyone but her complied". All my other dck go to preschool alternating days or have another arrangement. When I first went to 3x a week I gave such a large notice so if they decided it wasn't gonna work for them they could find alternate full care and I could in turn find someone to take their spot.
Now, I still want part time care. I want time with my own son. For two yrs I had part time kids (most of the time) but still worked full 5 days since one family had kids coming whenever her work schedule needed me. Yeah I don't have a full house daily but I still have another kid to lug around to play dates and the movies and museum. I just want to spend one on one time with my kid and feel I've been very accommodating.
Would be inappropriate of me to suggest alternate care 2x a week for her elsewhere? A new facility opened literally down the street from me and is closer to her than my house. I was thinking of sitting down with her and explaining that while I agreed to do the full time as a favor I don't want to do so from here on out. That I really don't want to do full time even tho I just have her and my kid on days I don't have others. I'm prepared to hurt her feelings and possibly lose the client but she was well aware that I didn't and still don't want to do full time (hence her suggesting giving me "time off" when she's at home the next few weeks).
She makes it sound like its no big deal. "well I'll give you this month with time off and then next month is a short month with thanksgiving and then December too with Christmas" (she's a teacher). Then she goes "but then there's a long stint till march/April with spring break". I'm like WHAAAAA as this was supposed to be a few weeks tops, then a few more weeks after that.
Is it overly selfish and wrong of me to suggest she have alternate care again even after I agreed to do full time for a bit?
A) all of my dcf except one was mon, wed, fri anyways
B) I wanted to reduce the days I had the dcf that wasn't on just mon, wed ANC fri.
This was in June. Fast forward to the first week of school. One dcm informs me that the backup sitter (I require all kids to have a backup as I have no family around to help out in an emergency so if something happens I need a backup to take over) will be down and out for surgery and she needs help temporarily with filling tues and thurs spots.
This was not discussed before that the backup would be down and out and I was put on the spot to help this family. I agreed. Temporary conditions. I gave them a full time contract to sign and received all paperwork. Now the downfall:
I never provided specifics in the contract like "for 4weeks I will provide full time care" etc...Now I've been having issues. Dck is with me 10hrs a day. Dcm has been taking off work a lot yet keeping dck here. Dcm is taking a leave of absence for the next few weeks and asks me "so since I'll be home would you like some time off and go back to mon, wed, fri schedule?".
UH, YEAH!!
Now, once she goes back to work she expects full time for the foreseeable future. My husband is like "oh heck no, you wanted part time, they were all aware and everyone but her complied". All my other dck go to preschool alternating days or have another arrangement. When I first went to 3x a week I gave such a large notice so if they decided it wasn't gonna work for them they could find alternate full care and I could in turn find someone to take their spot.
Now, I still want part time care. I want time with my own son. For two yrs I had part time kids (most of the time) but still worked full 5 days since one family had kids coming whenever her work schedule needed me. Yeah I don't have a full house daily but I still have another kid to lug around to play dates and the movies and museum. I just want to spend one on one time with my kid and feel I've been very accommodating.
Would be inappropriate of me to suggest alternate care 2x a week for her elsewhere? A new facility opened literally down the street from me and is closer to her than my house. I was thinking of sitting down with her and explaining that while I agreed to do the full time as a favor I don't want to do so from here on out. That I really don't want to do full time even tho I just have her and my kid on days I don't have others. I'm prepared to hurt her feelings and possibly lose the client but she was well aware that I didn't and still don't want to do full time (hence her suggesting giving me "time off" when she's at home the next few weeks).
She makes it sound like its no big deal. "well I'll give you this month with time off and then next month is a short month with thanksgiving and then December too with Christmas" (she's a teacher). Then she goes "but then there's a long stint till march/April with spring break". I'm like WHAAAAA as this was supposed to be a few weeks tops, then a few more weeks after that.
Is it overly selfish and wrong of me to suggest she have alternate care again even after I agreed to do full time for a bit?
Angelsj 05:16 AM 10-05-2012
No, it isn't rude. I am a very open, flexible care person, but if you want part time, she just needs to deal with it.
Tell her your hours and when you plan to stop caring for her kids (date) on the off days, end of story.
You are not being rude to want time with your kiddo.
Tell her your hours and when you plan to stop caring for her kids (date) on the off days, end of story.
You are not being rude to want time with your kiddo.
E Daycare 05:33 AM 10-05-2012
I know I know (thanks for the affirmation though)
I HATE guilt trips. I feel so dang guilty lol.
I HATE guilt trips. I feel so dang guilty lol.
phoenix 07:15 AM 10-05-2012
The daycare is YOUR business, not hers. She doesn't get to pick when you are open because she is too lazy to find alternate care. If a restaurant is closed on Sundays, they wouldn't open just because one family wants to eat there. Be proud of sticking up for yourself! 
I completely understand about not wanting to offend and lose families, I am gping to raise my rates soon and am nervous, but I have to be true to myself and my family and what I want out of life. And that time with your son.....it is priceless and you can't get it back 
I completely understand about not wanting to offend and lose families, I am gping to raise my rates soon and am nervous, but I have to be true to myself and my family and what I want out of life. And that time with your son.....it is priceless and you can't get it back