Home Daycare Vacation

[FunkHouse9]

My daughter does to a daycare run out of someone's home. She has been going since the start of the current school year (August) and will be going until the school year ends (June). The daycare contract states that the daycare provider gets 2 weeks of vacation per year, one paid and the other unpaid. The daycare was closed for one week in the fall which we paid for. It was closed again this past week. We did not send a check for last week because we paid for the previous vacation and have only been going there since August. The daycare called saying that this past week counts for the new calendar year and we should pay. My argument is that we have not even been there a full year and have already paid for one vacation, so we should not have to pay for this one too. The contract says "two weeks per year" but does not specify calendar year.

Any thoughts???

[ph4ever]

I would think that if it were calendar year the countract should state calendar year. Otherwise it would be 1 year from the date the contract were signed.

[green1]

I owuld have assumed school year too. But it would be just that, an assumption. However it turns out, ensure that you keep a record of the payment and a printed definition of the word "year" given to you by the daycare provider.

Sorry man, that sucks.

[SchoolGirlHeart]

I know it's not probably what you want to hear but the daycare my kids used to go to was based on the calendar year or any part thereof. Even so, I would have thought they would have pro-rated you on the partial year.

[buffettbride]

Does the day care provider provide year-round care or only school year care (in general, not just to you)? Not really significant, but it might be helpful to know. Will you continue to use her when the new school year starts up again?

It sounds like she means calendar year, even though you are only using her services during the school year. If she had to manage her vacation calendar payments based on her customers' enrollment dates, it would be a total nightmare.

I've done the day care thing with both in home providers and day care centers with both my children. There are pros and cons to both, and unclear contracts and expectations are par for the course for in-home providers--even the really, really great ones. You get better care, especially for babies, with a really good in home provider, but in home providers are not always as reliable as a center. You are completely at the mercy of an in home provider if they are sick and cannot provide care (and usually still have to pay for it) you have very little notice to find an alternative.

I've seen good and terrible in home providers. If yours is one of the really, really good ones that are high in demand and really hard to find, then I'd hold on to her and chalk it up as a learning experience. This gal doesn't make very much even though it seems like you are paying a lot. No one gets rich doing in home child care, and she very likely works much longer hours than you and has to spend much of her non-working hours preparing her environment for your child. Things like buying food, preparing meals, doing laundry, etc. When you work that all out, the ROI on being an in-home provider isn't great and you are trusting her every day with your most valuable asset. I promise you that her contract probably wasn't put in place like that to be deceitful or greedy, but as a way of protecting herself and ensuring income. You can be almost certain that she has been burned by other parents before, which is why care providers like this put that kind of stuff in a contract to begin with.

So, if she's one of the really good ones, I would use this as an opportunity to clarify the contract and bite the bullet on this one. That doesn't make it any less sucky, but that is what I suggest. If she's a crappy provider and you don't think you will use her again after the school year, then you might persue it--but I'd suggest pulling your child out from her care before you do that (and she likely wouldn't let you return without payment anyway).

Just my two cents.

[buffettbride]

I didn't mean to kill the thread.

[FunkHouse9]

Does the day care provider provide year-round care or only school year care (in general, not just to you)? Not really significant, but it might be helpful to know. Will you continue to use her when the new school year starts up again?

It sounds like she means calendar year, even though you are only using her services during the school year. If she had to manage her vacation calendar payments based on her customers' enrollment dates, it would be a total nightmare.

I've done the day care thing with both in home providers and day care centers with both my children. There are pros and cons to both, and unclear contracts and expectations are par for the course for in-home providers--even the really, really great ones. You get better care, especially for babies, with a really good in home provider, but in home providers are not always as reliable as a center. You are completely at the mercy of an in home provider if they are sick and cannot provide care (and usually still have to pay for it) you have very little notice to find an alternative.

I've seen good and terrible in home providers. If yours is one of the really, really good ones that are high in demand and really hard to find, then I'd hold on to her and chalk it up as a learning experience. This gal doesn't make very much even though it seems like you are paying a lot. No one gets rich doing in home child care, and she very likely works much longer hours than you and has to spend much of her non-working hours preparing her environment for your child. Things like buying food, preparing meals, doing laundry, etc. When you work that all out, the ROI on being an in-home provider isn't great and you are trusting her every day with your most valuable asset. I promise you that her contract probably wasn't put in place like that to be deceitful or greedy, but as a way of protecting herself and ensuring income. You can be almost certain that she has been burned by other parents before, which is why care providers like this put that kind of stuff in a contract to begin with.

So, if she's one of the really good ones, I would use this as an opportunity to clarify the contract and bite the bullet on this one. That doesn't make it any less sucky, but that is what I suggest. If she's a crappy provider and you don't think you will use her again after the school year, then you might persue it--but I'd suggest pulling your child out from her care before you do that (and she likely wouldn't let you return without payment anyway).

Just my two cents.

She does year round care.

I explained to her that we haven't been there a year, so we shouldn't have to pay for two vacations already. She isn't arguing the point and seems to be accepting my argument, but it really comes down to me feeling bad. Her husband JUST had surgery and I'm sure they may need the money, but I'm moving in a month and need the money too. I went back and read the contract and it simply says "I get two weeks vacation. One week is paid and the other week you will not be expected to pay." It makes no reference to calendar vs. contract year or years at all. She has said that she gets 5 paid sick days and although the contract says nothing about that, we have gone along with it. In the time we have been there, she has already taken 6 or 7 sick days. She isn't the greatest daycare provider but she is very sweet and obviously loves our daughter very much. As for whether or not we'll be returning, that's still up in the air. It's quite possible we won't. Like I said, I just feel bad but I also don't feel that we should have to pay.

[buffettbride]

Day care is a verifiable hell, but a necessary evil for most families. I've run the gamut of amazing care providers, and having to report people to social services. You really just have to do the best you can. When both parents have to work, those are pretty much your options.

For babies, as long as they are being kept safe, clean, being fed, receiving appropriate amounts of stimulation, and being kept on a consistent routine or schedule, your kiddo will do just fine. I always used a home provider until my kiddos were preschool aged and then switched them to a center for preschool. Just kind of seemed like the natural thing to do to continue progressing their education and preparing them for kindergarten.

We are in our last year of day care right now. My son starts kindergarten in the fall and we'll just pay for before/after care (well, and private school tuition, but that is a whole new Oprah).

[springparrot]

Day care is a verifiable hell, but a necessary evil for most families. I've run the gamut of amazing care providers, and having to report people to social services. You really just have to do the best you can. When both parents have to work, those are pretty much your options.

For babies, as long as they are being kept safe, clean, being fed, receiving appropriate amounts of stimulation, and being kept on a consistent routine or schedule, your kiddo will do just fine. I always used a home provider until my kiddos were preschool aged and then switched them to a center for preschool. Just kind of seemed like the natural thing to do to continue progressing their education and preparing them for kindergarten.

We are in our last year of day care right now. My son starts kindergarten in the fall and we'll just pay for before/after care (well, and private school tuition, but that is a whole new Oprah).

Mal
I can't believe your BABY will be in Kindergaten.

[buffettbride]

Day care is a verifiable hell, but a necessary evil for most families. I've run the gamut of amazing care providers, and having to report people to social services. You really just have to do the best you can. When both parents have to work, those are pretty much your options.

For babies, as long as they are being kept safe, clean, being fed, receiving appropriate amounts of stimulation, and being kept on a consistent routine or schedule, your kiddo will do just fine. I always used a home provider until my kiddos were preschool aged and then switched them to a center for preschool. Just kind of seemed like the natural thing to do to continue progressing their education and preparing them for kindergarten.

We are in our last year of day care right now. My son starts kindergarten in the fall and we'll just pay for before/after care (well, and private school tuition, but that is a whole new Oprah).

Mal
I can't believe your BABY will be in Kindergaten.

I KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The little booger is so danged cute!!!

[ph4ever]

WMS!!!!

I had a private in home day care provider when my son was first born. By the time he was 4 months old she had been sick a couple of times (one time lasting a week). Other than that she was great - real loving and seemed to have my son's best interest at heart. Then out of the blue she decided she no longer wanted to care for kids and gave me 2 freaking days notice. I put him in a center and was very happy - even moreso than the home care person. For one I was never hit with surprises like "sorry can't watch your kid today". They offered things I would have never gotten from a home provider. Like swimming pool safety. They taught the little ones what to do if they ever fell in a pool. (one thing was hold your arm up so someone could grab you and pull you out and how to hold your breath) One day my son fell into his aunt's pool. We were sitting right there and his hand went over his nose, pinched it closed and his arm shot up. We were able to just grab his arm, pull his head out of the water and pick him out of the pool. It was awesome. They had other activities like gymnastics, roller skating, museum trips and they taught him songs that I had long forgotten. Hey was very prepared when he started pre-k. I know there are horror stories about day care centers and I was lucky and blessed I found a good one.

If you should decide to go to a center to check it out - don't schedule an appointment. Just show up unannounced. That way you can really see how things are run. One of the places I checked out, I walked all through the center before I found a worker. Looked into rooms where kids were napping. If I had wanted to do a child harm that would have been the perfect place to go.

[springparrot]

Day care is a verifiable hell, but a necessary evil for most families. I've run the gamut of amazing care providers, and having to report people to social services. You really just have to do the best you can. When both parents have to work, those are pretty much your options.

For babies, as long as they are being kept safe, clean, being fed, receiving appropriate amounts of stimulation, and being kept on a consistent routine or schedule, your kiddo will do just fine. I always used a home provider until my kiddos were preschool aged and then switched them to a center for preschool. Just kind of seemed like the natural thing to do to continue progressing their education and preparing them for kindergarten.

We are in our last year of day care right now. My son starts kindergarten in the fall and we'll just pay for before/after care (well, and private school tuition, but that is a whole new Oprah).

Mal
I can't believe your BABY will be in Kindergaten.

I KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The little booger is so danged cute!!!

You have any recent pics

[ph4ever]

Day care is a verifiable hell, but a necessary evil for most families. I've run the gamut of amazing care providers, and having to report people to social services. You really just have to do the best you can. When both parents have to work, those are pretty much your options.

For babies, as long as they are being kept safe, clean, being fed, receiving appropriate amounts of stimulation, and being kept on a consistent routine or schedule, your kiddo will do just fine. I always used a home provider until my kiddos were preschool aged and then switched them to a center for preschool. Just kind of seemed like the natural thing to do to continue progressing their education and preparing them for kindergarten.

We are in our last year of day care right now. My son starts kindergarten in the fall and we'll just pay for before/after care (well, and private school tuition, but that is a whole new Oprah).

Mal
I can't believe your BABY will be in Kindergaten.

I KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The little booger is so danged cute!!!

You have any recent pics

I can live with the fact that Tony's old enough for kindergarten. When Victoria goes on her first date I may puke though.

I'm just now getting over the fact that RhumChum's daughter is the age she is, married and all that.

I'm also kinda peeved my son is no longer my dd - I'm his.

[shakerofsalt]

Assuming she pays taxes (many do not), her "year" is the calendar year, not the school year or how long you have been there. Maybe ask her about prorating it since you were only there half of the first year. Around here, it is almost impossible to find someone to hold a spot over the summer for you, so be thankful for that.

Mal is right- daycare providers don't make much unless they have way too many kids and don't claim their income. Most parents don't think about the extra time the provider puts in cleaning, cooking, buying supplies, bookkeeping and shampooing carpets/furniture if a child had an accident or vomited. Thanks Mal!