I just need to take a moment to vent and maybe hear what you guys think about this situation or what I could do differently in the future.

I currently have 6 children in care, out of the seven children two are originals that started with the daycare when I first opened. Over the past two months I have lost 3 children and it has been hard financially trying to keep my staff employed. I have one parent that is a single parent that came in on a special rate. When it was time to increase her rate, she cried and said it was too much. That was two years ago. Six months ago I came and told her again that I was going to have to go up on the rate to the normal rate and she cried again. I then gave in and allowed it to happen.

This January I gave her a rate change notice telling her that her rate would be the normal rate so that I can continue to pay staff and update the children’s playroom. I explained to her that it was the same rate all other parents pay for her child’s age. She became angry and gave me a two week notice saying that she just cant pay it. Yet, she always comes in with new clothes and new shoes and purses. Her daughter is also in the expensive brand name clothing and new shoes at least twice a month. I got tired of offering her a discount when I know other parents hurt financially. Its just not fair to my other parents to sit back and watch this. I guess my timing was wrong because now I am down to 5 regular paying students and I have to let my staff go because I cant afford to pay her now. To make matters worse, recruiting hasn’t yielded any new clients in the past month and I need at least 8 children for the daycare to run smoothly and be able to pay all of my expenses.

What has me really heated is that the child who has been with me for two years told me that her mom said that I was money hungry and that she was tired of me asking for money. In my opinion, some people just want something for nothing and I know that she was getting an exceptional rate for the quality of care that she received. I don’t charge for food or curriculum nor a supply fee, I offer a preschool curriculum for free and teach the kids spanish and yoga.

Needless to say, she doesn’t understand at all what its like to be in my shoes dealing with clients that feel like the world owes them “the hook up”. I don’t feel like I was wrong for giving her the notice and asking her for what I am worth. I also think that its her loss because I know that daycares around here charge at least $80 to $100 dollars more than what I charge. I may have been wrong for allowing it to go on for so long to the point where now it hurts the business. I also shouldn’t have made judgement on the clothes she wears to say she could afford it. I am aware that she has a choice but I feel it hurts to lose a child that has been with you for two years. Ive been crying for the past two days because I love this kiddo so much.

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