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Daycare Insurance>Have A Dilemma, Need Advice......Long (Sorry)
marniewon 10:45 AM 03-22-2011
We bought a house (in another town) last fall to fix up and eventually move in to. We have decided to move sometime in June. The house we are in now, we gave back to the bank to auction since they wouldn't work with us. The house sold in December and we're now in the 6 month redemption period. I planned to give notice to my families at the end of April to be done June 3.

Now here's my dilemma. I got a registered letter from my insurance company today saying that insurance coverage will end on April 22 since the home is no longer owner-occupied. I cannot continue daycare without insurance. So now I need to close 5 weeks earlier than I had planned (which gives me less than/around a month notice, and I wanted to give a little more than that). To add to that, I had scheduled my paid vacation the week of April 18-22. I'm assuming there's no way that I can keep that paid vacation when my vacation week would be my last week.

So now I'm wondering what to tell my parents. Do I explain the insurance thing to them or just say I'm closing because I'm moving out of the area? If I tell them that and they see me still at this house or around town, they may wonder why I lied to them.

Any thoughts? Thanks!
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daycare 10:49 AM 03-22-2011
Originally Posted by marniewon:
We bought a house (in another town) last fall to fix up and eventually move in to. We have decided to move sometime in June. The house we are in now, we gave back to the bank to auction since they wouldn't work with us. The house sold in December and we're now in the 6 month redemption period. I planned to give notice to my families at the end of April to be done June 3.

Now here's my dilemma. I got a registered letter from my insurance company today saying that insurance coverage will end on April 22 since the home is no longer owner-occupied. I cannot continue daycare without insurance. So now I need to close 5 weeks earlier than I had planned (which gives me less than/around a month notice, and I wanted to give a little more than that). To add to that, I had scheduled my paid vacation the week of April 18-22. I'm assuming there's no way that I can keep that paid vacation when my vacation week would be my last week.

So now I'm wondering what to tell my parents. Do I explain the insurance thing to them or just say I'm closing because I'm moving out of the area? If I tell them that and they see me still at this house or around town, they may wonder why I lied to them.

Any thoughts? Thanks!
I would be honest with them. Tell them why. This is not your fault, you did not ask for this to happen and you cant control it. I am sure if you tell it like it is and don't beat around the bush, they will understand and respect you. DOn't lie about it, a lie while won't get you anywhere.
You also don't need to tell them in balck and white why, just explain to them without airing all of your personal matters the best that you can...

so sorry too hear this and best of luck to you and your family
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Zoe 12:05 PM 03-22-2011
Wow. I went through EXACTLY what you went through just this past year! We had to "walk away" from our townhouse and were able to get a house in my hometown last August thanks to my wonderful family. I don't like to tell people because I feel like such a low-life doing it, when really I had no choice either! The bank just wouldn't work with me and we needed to leave while we could still afford food. The bank would have foreclosed anyway...I'm getting off topic sorry.

Just be honest. You are moving and even though it's not for a few months, you won't be insured and have to close sooner than expected. I'm sure the families will understand that moving/relocating can be a complicated process, especially when you throw in the whole bank situation. IDK if I would personally mention that part, but in my experience, people asked me if I sold my house, and what else could I say? I had to tell them, because I don't lie. So it might come out. Just a heads up.

If you are upfront, then you shouldn't have any trouble. They will respect your honesty, and it will avoid any future awkwardness should they see you around. At least they'll know what's going on.

This stuff s#$%s and I'm sorry you have to go through it too!
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Rachel 11:21 PM 03-22-2011
I agree. Just be honest and say your insurance policy is finished on that day, so that's the last day you can provide care.

I do think you have to forfeit your paid vacation . Unless it's your only one of the year or something, then maybe split the week and take 2.5 paid days?
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morgan24 02:44 AM 03-23-2011
If you want to continue daycare couldn't you just get a liability policy? When I first started out I got a policy from Michigan Association of Child Care Providers in Livoina MI.
Otherwise I would just be honest and I think you'll have to forfeit you paid vacation.

It sucks when the bank won't work with you and with the economy sucking so bad MI, you would think that they would want to help people keep their homes. Their are so many bank owned homes where I'm at and most of them have been sitting empty for over a year. Hopefully brighter days are ahead for you and your family.
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marniewon 04:38 AM 03-23-2011
Thanks for your input! Can anyone see any way that I can explain the insurance part without going into the whole "losing my house" part? We are truly okay with that part - it was our decision to give the house back. We know that we'll have to pay the difference, and that's okay too, it's just that we were drowning with no end in sight with that mortgage. We have another house that we are fixing up (just a shell right now) and we're very excited about moving there. But, like someone else said, it just plain looks bad when this happens. I'd rather not air all my dirty laundry to virtual strangers, kwim?

As far as my paid vacation goes, I knew I'd have to give that up. And actually, even though I don't usually allow it, since I knew we were moving I was allowing my families to use their free vaca at the same time as my paid, and one family was going to do that anyway. If my other family decided to do that also, it wouldn't have been a paid vaca anyway. Since I will still be taking my vaca (husband already asked for that week off), it looks like my official last day will be April 15! Yikes, guess I better figure out how I'm going to explain this and get on it!!
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Blackcat31 06:22 AM 03-23-2011
Is it a law in your state that you must have insurance?

In telling your families, why not just say something along the lines of all of the necessary requirements for you to remain legal are expiring and you will need to close earlier than originally thought.
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marniewon 06:38 AM 03-23-2011
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Is it a law in your state that you must have insurance?

In telling your families, why not just say something along the lines of all of the necessary requirements for you to remain legal are expiring and you will need to close earlier than originally thought.
I don't think it's a law, but if something were to happen to one of my daycare families on my property, we would be financially devastated! I'm not talking about just daycare insurance that we're losing - we're losing our homeowner's insurance - so we will have nothing in case of any injuries.

That's a good idea. I was thinking that if it were closer to the time my license was due to be renewed I could just tell them I'm not renewing my license. But that's not until August.
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Blackcat31 06:43 AM 03-23-2011
Originally Posted by marniewon:
I don't think it's a law, but if something were to happen to one of my daycare families on my property, we would be financially devastated! I'm not talking about just daycare insurance that we're losing - we're losing our homeowner's insurance - so we will have nothing in case of any injuries.That's a good idea. I was thinking that if it were closer to the time my license was due to be renewed I could just tell them I'm not renewing my license. But that's not until August.
Yeah, that is too big of a stress load to take on but I would definitely just go with something simple and say

Dear parents,

Unfortunately, I will be closing earlier than expected due to the necessary legal requirements expiring and I will be unable to remain open past April XX, 2011.

Sincerely,


Something short and sweet...noneed to explain anything. I would think that my provider being unable to stay legal would be understandable enough for most....
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marniewon 10:32 AM 03-23-2011
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Yeah, that is too big of a stress load to take on but I would definitely just go with something simple and say

Dear parents,

Unfortunately, I will be closing earlier than expected due to the necessary legal requirements expiring and I will be unable to remain open past April XX, 2011.

Sincerely,


Something short and sweet...noneed to explain anything. I would think that my provider being unable to stay legal would be understandable enough for most....
I like that, but they don't know I'm moving yet. How about:

Dear Parents,

_______________ Daycare can no longer procure the level of insurance needed to run our daycare. Due to this, it is with regret that I must inform you that _____________Daycare will be closing, effective April 15, 2011.

Below are numbers of CCR&R and other providers to help get you started on finding new childcare.

Please feel free to call/text/email with any questions or concerns.

Marniewon
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Blackcat31 10:36 AM 03-23-2011
I think that is perfect. The less said, the better. No one really needs to know the details...the only thing that they should be concerned about is that they need to find new care by your given date. I like that you are including the CCR&R number too. Do you know any area providers you could recommend as well? Otherwise, I like your letter...short...simple and to the point.
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marniewon 10:52 AM 03-23-2011
My cousin does daycare, and even though she doesn't have openings for either of my families, she was going to give me names of any that might. My next door neighbor does daycare also, so i will ask her if she has openings. If I don't get any names/numbers, I will just put the CCR&R number at the bottom.

I was really concerned that whatever I wrote would not sound bad on me, or invite personal questions that I don't want to answer. I think this will work for that.

I will be sending notes home tomorrow. One of my families aren't here today, and I want to send home on the same day so one doesn't ask about it in front of the other, without the other having a clue what's going on.

Thanks for all your help, Blackcat!
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marniewon 09:47 AM 03-24-2011
I showed my husband the letter and he says it sounds like I'm making excuses, and should say something like: due to unforeseen circumstances, blah blah blah.....and leave it at that. To me, that sounds like someone is shutting me down, not me choosing to close. Back to square one I guess .

With the way these kids have been acting today I'm about ready to just tell them all that I'm done today because of their misbehavior and then I won't have to worry about what to tell them! j/k. kind of.
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Blackcat31 09:59 AM 03-24-2011
Originally Posted by marniewon:
I showed my husband the letter and he says it sounds like I'm making excuses, and should say something like: due to unforeseen circumstances, blah blah blah.....and leave it at that. To me, that sounds like someone is shutting me down, not me choosing to close. Back to square one I guess .

With the way these kids have been acting today I'm about ready to just tell them all that I'm done today because of their misbehavior and then I won't have to worry about what to tell them! j/k. kind of.
You are letting a man tell you what it sounds like ( LOL!!), you have to look at it like what a daycare parent would read it as....kwim? No offense to your DH but I NEVER listen to mine when it comes to childcare stuff because I was the parent that handled that side of parenting so you have to write the letter with the daycare parents you have in mind, not what DH thinks.

I agree with you about not wanting to write it as if you are being forced to shut down. I think you should say what makes YOU comfortable because YOU are one who is giving out the letter, YOU are the one who will be answering any questions parents may have and YOU are the one with the reputation that you are trying to preserve. I know your DH is affected by your reputation but YOU are the one who has to deal with the whole thing in regards to the parents so if his opinion is different I think you should say "Thanks for your input honey" then smile and do what makes YOU comfortable....unless he is going to inform the parents himself and field all questions and calls in regards to this issue.

I hope that didn't sound snippy towards your DH, I do NOT mean it to be. I just can't think of a different way to say what I mean.....LOL!!
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marniewon 11:26 AM 03-24-2011
Not snippy at all, I completely "got" your meaning - and I totally agree! I'm just so used to asking his opinion (not that I always take it...lol). I didn't really think about how he isn't the one dealing with the families at all, and doesn't know them well enough to know how they would take something.

Since I planned to give the letter tomorrow anyway, I'll just sleep on it tonight and write whatever seems best in the morning.

Thanks for putting things in perspective for me!
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marniewon 12:50 PM 03-24-2011
Well, the decision was taken out of my hands....with one family anyway. I was talking to dcm about dcb's behavior, and she asked if she should look for somewhere else. So I just blurted out about the insurance issue and that I was closing on April 15. So I'm just going to go with my original letter for both.

I feel so much better after talking to her. She was the one who just started a few months ago and I was feeling really bad about her having to look for something else so soon.
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Blackcat31 12:56 PM 03-24-2011
Originally Posted by marniewon:
Well, the decision was taken out of my hands....with one family anyway. I was talking to dcm about dcb's behavior, and she asked if she should look for somewhere else. So I just blurted out about the insurance issue and that I was closing on April 15. So I'm just going to go with my original letter for both.

I feel so much better after talking to her. She was the one who just started a few months ago and I was feeling really bad about her having to look for something else so soon.
Funny how things have a way of working themselves out for us....I just wish they would work themselves out BEFORE we spend so much time worrying about things instead of AFTER...but I guess we can't be picky. Glad to hear it is coming together and solving itself for you!
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marniewon 02:02 PM 03-24-2011
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Funny how things have a way of working themselves out for us....I just wish they would work themselves out BEFORE we spend so much time worrying about things instead of AFTER...but I guess we can't be picky. Glad to hear it is coming together and solving itself for you!
Isn't that the truth?!? I'm an expert at worrying and rolling things around in my head until I'm ready to scream!! And whatever it is never turns out near as bad as I thought or imagined it would. You'd think I'd learn to relax and not worry so much.
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Tags:close daycare, insurance, paid vacations
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