child care problems

crankyasanoldma · Feb 10, 2004

I understand your frustration, but I don't think your child care provider is being Entirely unreasonable and this is why: She is entitled to a reasonable expectation of income. If your child doesn't come in one day, she cannot go out and find another child to fill that spot to maintain her income.

On the other hand, I don't care for her holiday and vacation policy. If she takes a week off for vacation, I don't think you should pay that week. If you were to take a week (or day) off, I think it would be reasonable to expect to pay. In my experience, most chain-type or business type day cares offer a two week period per year where payment is not required to allow for vacation.

Perhaps you should shop around for another child care situation.

Personally, I was never comfortable with home child care situations. Practically anyone can "hang out a shingle" and claim to be a child care provider. What little day care my kids recieved was through a large chain of child care centers. The staff at least underwent some rudimentary training and the places were generally clean and bright with big windows so that no adults were ever left without supervision.

Best Wishes to you and yours!

mstewart · Feb 10, 2004

My MIL does daycare out of her home, too (licensed) and does the contract thing. However, there is a person in my neighborhood that is licensed out of her home and she DOES NOT do contracts. I think each person is different. I also think the people who haven't done daycare for very long do not have contracts. I think the reason providers do that is to protect themselves and to set guidelines. Also, they look at it as. "I should get a paid vacation just like you do". But, I agree with, "you chose that job". Just like nursing is a 24/7 operation-I will have to work holidays and such. Find some one that doesn't require a contract.

That's it, I'm never having kids!

JenW · Feb 10, 2004

Daycare is so frustrating. Unfortunately, the situation you are running into is pretty common. My daughter has been in a daycare facility and home daycares and the situation has always been pretty much the same. We only need a sitter 3 days a week, but that's more than part-time, so we are forced to pay full-time. It's awful. I understand the logic behind it, but it's a crummy deal for a lot of parents. I'm about to go on maternity leave to have my second child and I'm going to quit working full-time days afterwards so we can avoid childcare costs. I'm going to work part-time eveings/nights to keep my sanity :) and earn a little extra income.

Dixen81 · Feb 10, 2004

Sounds like she is operating just like daycares. Can't say it's unreasonable, though for the same reasons cranky gave you. And, like cranky, I never felt comfortable with home child care providers, either. I would not send my children to one. I prefer a licensed daycare with surveillance cameras.

Good luck to you.

lucianne · Feb 10, 2004

Other than the paid vacation, I don't think your childcare provider is being unreasonable. Why should she suffer because you get cancelled at work or because your child is sick? Her utilities aren't going to cut her any slack because the flu is going around. As for it being the profession she chose, yeah, it is, but you should be glad she and other women like her chose it or you'd be in a tighter spot than you are right now. You might be able to negotiate with her, but I doubt it. You're certainly free to find someone else whose policies you like better. Childcare is a highly necessary service and extremely undervalued.

luci

Nurse Ratched, RN · Feb 10, 2004

http://mychildfun.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4

is an interesting forum I ran across a while back where child care providers meet to chat, vent (much like us here! :)) A little bit of reading there gave me a lot of insight into some of the nuances of their issues/pet peeves, etc. I gathered there that this is a fairly common practice. As someone who used to work in *adult* day care, I remember well the problems associated with last minute cancellations for whatever reason (we had staffing ratios, meal counts, etc. that we had to plan on.) It was nice to know you could count on a certain number of clients attending. I also appreciate your predicament tho. Shop around like others said.

ktwlpn, LPN · Feb 10, 2004

I am so frustrated feel like
I work 3 days during the week and every other weekend. My current child care provider(license home) wants us to sign a "contract" for the days specified. Whether or not my children are there at her home we still have to pay. My problem is sometimes I get cancelled on, (only 1 time a week). We will be required to pay for the day I get cancelled. If you call in because your child is ill, too ill for child care you still have to pay. She wants 1 week paid vacation.What that means we are going to end up paying double, for her and the back up babysitter for that week she took her vacation. What my husband is really upset with is her Paid Holidays, for example if Christmas lands on the day specified and we both got Christmas Day off we are still required to pay her. I never had this problem before we moved to a new city so we left our old Child care provider which never did the whole contract thing she was flexible. What I found out is that this is common practice child care providers can set up contracts like this. I just think its unfair. Can't qualify for subsidized child care cause in their eyes I make too much $ so can't get help there. We don't make a lot of $ just to agree with her "contract". It's always the hard working middle class people who gets hurt. I understand this is her livelihood and the contract makes it so she has guranteed money. But I feel that hey this is the profession she chose. If she wants a definite paycheck then she should work (lack of a better word) a "regular job". What do you guys think?

I don't agree with you-she is working-trying to run a licensed daycare is a business.She is entitled to a "definite paycheck" I know many,many women in her position that ended up being owed hundereds of dollars...A contract sounds great for both parties......Every day care our son ever attended made us pay for a certain number of days every week regardless of attendance.In return I got trustworthy and dependable childcare that was always there when they were supposed to be....I would attemt to negotiate that contract-and if she is inflexible then I would start looking elsewhere but be prepared.There are nightmare situations out there....I would balk at the paid holidays and vacation-and I would talk to any other parents involved and again attempt to negotiate with her....Is she really caring for children on major holidays? If so then she should get time and a half from you....if she is never "open" then she should not get any paid holidays...I really think that if you try to talk with her in a reasonable manner and let her know how much YOU REALLY APPRECIATE HER you can come to an agreement.I don't know any daycare situations in which the clients pay for the caregivers vacations or holidays.She is asking YOU to pay for her benefits...If she wants them she should work for someone else..I would not hestitate to sign a contract...You should have to give her your schedule a set number of weeks or days in advance,too....

Also-check into your state's licensed daycare provider's regulations-you will find that it is a pretty big responsibility..If you find a good situation hold onto it and appreciate it...Your child is your most precious possession-----you can not be too careful when looking for someone to care for them.....Your child's caregiver is making a BIG commitment to you.....

marshalbc77 · Feb 10, 2004

Ktwlpn,

She doesn't watch kids on major holidays she's closed. She has 10 so-called "major holidays" listed. Which you are still entitled to pay. Here's a qoute from the contract.

"No care will be provided on the following holidays. These holidays will be billed as though care were provided. Alternative childrcare is the responsibility of the parent".

I have spoken to her this morning about this, bottom line I asked her if she'll keep my children without a contract and she stated "No, it helps her out and it's not fair for the other families that they have to abide by her "contract" and not us. Let me just tell you guys about the "other families". These " other families" that she has are in the states child subsidize program, which means these other families don't pay anything out of there own pocket or they have a minimal cut.The State or County pays for them. So she could charge them these "holiday" and "vacation" days and these families won't complain about it because it's not affecting them in anyway. But as for people like me and my husband it affects us big time. We are the only family that pays out of our own pocket.

I'm currently looking for daycare centers and after and before school programs

problem now these services are fulltime and flat rate. I only need it for 3 days. I'm starting to think that I should just work weekends and be with my children during the week. (father has weekends off). Or win the lottery so I don't have to work.

ceecel.dee, MSN, RN · Feb 10, 2004

Another hard-working female being dissed for expecting a few benie's. We are holding ourselves back ladies!

ktwlpn, LPN · Feb 10, 2004

I'm hoping for the lottery for you....Our son is 14 now-we really celebrated when he became "too old" for day care.We get home now at the same time-It's great....I would NOT pay for those holidays and vacations..She is really taking advantage of the sytstem-that sucks...Everyone could have a different contract for all you know-that sux

ceecel.dee, MSN, RN · Feb 10, 2004

We expect paid holidays if we are off, and double time if we are on. If your daycare mom makes more being paid by the government for the low income families, it's no different than nurses going to agencies for the biggest bang for their hours and a cherry schedule. America has turned into "every man/woman for him/herself". It's not pretty or desireable, but we have created it with our votes for our representation from the suits on high.