What would you say daycare

[ray7694]

My dd goes to a licensed daycare that has teacher kids and full time kids. In her contract it states for teacher's kids your child will not attend daycare but you still have to pay for those vacation days. It drives me crazy I can't send my dd for one day to run errands when she is open and I am paying.

I just sent her a message that said I have a meeting at work so my dd will be attending on Thursday. Her response was that my dd really should not be attending since it is during my spring break and that I will be back after my meeting to pick her up.

I want to run errands and feel I should be able to...

[marymoo86]

Do you pay the same rate as non teacher kids?

If not, the issue may be scheduling with teachers as it is usually mandated by age the teacher to student ratio.

[MMMommy]

I've seen another thread with this same issue before, and I am curious. Unless the teacher-parent is paying a lower rate, I don't understand why the daycare would prohibit the teacher-kids from attending if they are paying the same as the non-teacher. That seems unfair to the teacher-parents if the rates are the same.

[BunnyBee]

Do you pay the same rate?
Do you pay the same rate year-round?
Do you have teacher-only perks (e.g., child's space held despite not attending in summer)?
Did you sign a contract specific to teachers with these things negotiated therein?

[TwoBees]

Not sure if this applies in your case, but if the daycare is licensed, it means they must meet certain teacher:child ratios. If a kids shows up who they are not expecting, it could throw off the ratio, putting them at risk of losing their license.

[egoldber]

Do they take other kids during those vacation days? That could be the ratio issue.

[wellyes]

In previous threads it's been talked about how teachers kids generally do not pay in the summer but do get their spot held, which is not how it works for anyone else (for most families, if you go on vacation, you still pay the same as if you were there). So I am assuming that is the arrangement here too?

I think it is fine to ask for an exception to the agreement, but if she says no, then there's not much to be done.

When my daughter was in daycare the DCP took a few weeks vacation which I paid for, but, did not have service. Not the most fun weeks of my life. So I do sympathize.

[Simon]

If you really want the day, then you could offer to pay the drop-in fee if they have space.

There have been several days this year, 2 just last week, where I paid our preschool and then paid a second place for drop-in coverage when the preschool was closed.

[BabyBearsMom]

I don't think there is anything you can say if you signed the contract until the contract comes up for renewal. It does sound ridiculously unfair if you pay the same rate as everyone else.

[crl]

I don't think there is anything you can say if you signed the contract until the contract comes up for renewal. It does sound ridiculously unfair if you pay the same rate as everyone else.

:yeahthat: If you pay the same rates but can't send your kids on the same days as non-teachers and there aren't any other perks (holding space over the summer for example), maybe it is time to look for a new daycare? But in the meantime, I think you are stuck with whatever your contract says.

Catherine

[AnnieW625]

Sounds strange to me but if you signed the contract then you are SOL. I wonder if she does take other people's kids that week, but if she did then what do those parents do who would need daycare for one week during spring break? :shrug: I could see her policy working better for those parents who only need summer care for their elementary kids so she likes to take those kids since she has openings due to the teacher's kids not needing care, but IMHO if she is charging you for the summer as well and has a kid in your place just for the summer she is indeed double dipping and that would piss me off.

Nothing against teachers, but I know since my DD1 started attending the daycare DD2 goes to I have noticed that she no longer takes summers off (the last summer she took off was the year DD1 started there in 2006, DD1 started when she opened back up) and she has very few teachers as clients because having teachers esp. in the summer time when she was trying to run a full time year round business was not profitable for her, and she needed the profits to help with her family's income as her kids were getting older and started costing more money (one daughter is in college now).

[TwinFoxes]

In her contract it states for teacher's kids your child will not attend daycare but you still have to pay for those vacation days.

Sorry, I don't think you have a leg to stand on. A contract's a contract. If this isn't common practice where you live, I'd look elsewhere. Also, maybe ask around to see what other teachers do? (I'm assuming you're the teacher in this situation?)

[egoldber]

but if she did then what do those parents do who would need daycare for one week during spring break?

Some full time daycares/preschools close during the spring break week of the school district they are in. Those parents would need back up care for that week. The Montessori preschool near me (with before and after care) does this.

[wendibird22]

That's really unfortunate. We are teacher-parents. DDs were/are never in daycare when DH or I are on holiday breaks or over the summer. We don't pay for the summer but we do pay for the "during the school year" weeks off. Since we pay for those weeks we ARE allowed to send DDs in and we have in the past for 1 day or a 1/2 but we always give far in advance notice so they can plan for our kid attendance. At our past DCP we had to pay for 1 day a week over the summer months to remain enrolled. We would send DDs in that 1 day since we were paying for it.

I agree with PPs that it's a horrible policy if there are no other perks.

[AnnieW625]

Some full time daycares/preschools close during the spring break week of the school district they are in. Those parents would need back up care for that week. The Montessori preschool near me (with before and after care) does this.

Our daycare sometimes closes too, but I have always figured that was normal and not really looked for anything else. DH and I alternate days off. When both DDs are in elementary they will most likely go to Campfire day camp for a week during spring break if we don't go on vacation anywhere. I had no idea they had that option until I went to Jr. League meeting that happened to be at the local Camp Fire cabin and I saw it posted.

[ray7694]

To answer your questions:

In the summer I pay for two days a week and can send her those days if I choose in order to keep my spot.

I pay for all holidays and for a two week vacation.

The daycare is open during my days off with no additional kids attending. I just cant send my dd because of the policy.

[Philly Mom]

To answer your questions:

In the summer I pay for two days a week and can send her those days if I choose in order to keep my spot.

I pay for all holidays and for a two week vacation.

The daycare is open during my days off with no additional kids attending. I just cant send my dd because of the policy.

Seems strange that they discriminate against teachers. I understand the summer position, but I don't understand why you have to pay for five days during a week of vacation and don't get to use it.

[Giantbear]

the policy seems to be bad, but you knew the policy when you enrolled your child.

[marymoo86]

To answer your questions:

In the summer I pay for two days a week and can send her those days if I choose in order to keep my spot.

I pay for all holidays and for a two week vacation.

The daycare is open during my days off with no additional kids attending. I just cant send my dd because of the policy.

Sounds like this is how the daycare "makes" up for your spot during the summer for those additional 3 days unpaid. What are you saving from those 3 days and does it offset your other time off? Trying to see if you equal out with other non teacher folk or come out better with the annoyance.

Is this your only option in terms of daycare? Or is this standard?

[BunnyBee]

To answer your questions:

In the summer I pay for two days a week and can send her those days if I choose in order to keep my spot.

I pay for all holidays and for a two week vacation.

The daycare is open during my days off with no additional kids attending. I just cant send my dd because of the policy.

My SIL's daycare had similar policies, so she opted to enroll her child as a regular student and not under the teacher program. She was getting her MEd and needed care year-round.

I'd do the math and see whether paying extra for the occasional drop-in day you need with the 60% discounted rate in the summer is less expensive than paying the normal rate year round and just sending your child as needed during your breaks.

[Pear]

Allowing you to hold the spot with just 2 days a week over the summer is deck items a teacher perk. It seems perfectly reasonable for that to be offset by not offering care during breaks.

[Cam&Clay]

Allowing you to hold the spot with just 2 days a week over the summer is deck items a teacher perk. It seems perfectly reasonable for that to be offset by not offering care during breaks.

Yes, I used to work teacher hours before going into administration and often had to pay to keep spot with DS1. With the provider I have now for DS2, I did not have to pay for my summers unless I needed her for a day here or there. In return, I pay her but he did not attend for Christmas, Spring Break, etc. Now that I work all summer and spring break, he can go anytime.

[ray7694]

I'm not upset that I have to pay for the holiday's. I am upset that if I have an appointment or need to do something during my time off I can't send my dd there when it is OPEN and I have paid for the day. Why should I have to get another sitter?

[khm]

I'm not upset that I have to pay for the holiday's. I am upset that if I have an appointment or need to do something during my time off I can't send my dd there when it is OPEN and I have paid for the day. Why should I have to get another sitter?

It seems there must be a plus and a minus to your being a teacher and having a teacher "spot" at this place. The plus is what?

Do you pay a special teacher rate (lower fees, summer flexibility), and are therefore under special teacher rules/cons? Are they just trying to keep X amount of teacher kids from sending the ratios out of whack?

Can you decide to pay the regular rate and therefore abide by the regular rules? What would you be losing if you did this?

The whole thing seems so strange, I feel like I'm missing something.

[KrisM]

I'm not upset that I have to pay for the holiday's. I am upset that if I have an appointment or need to do something during my time off I can't send my dd there when it is OPEN and I have paid for the day. Why should I have to get another sitter?

Can you look into just paying full-time all year, like non-teachers. Then you'd have the break available, right? If the day care isn't losing 60% of your weekly fee in the summer, they should have no problem letting you send her on spring break.

Or, maybe if you pay the regular daily fee for that day, even though you've paid it already, it would be fine.

Otherwise, I don't know. I've never used daycare, but it seems like a pretty big perk to only pay 40% of a week for the summer and have them hold the spot for you. They are losing quite a bit of income that they'd have with a non-teacher paying full-time. I can see why they try to balance things out the rest of the year by having you pay and not go on your other breaks.

[MMMommy]

In the summer I pay for two days a week and can send her those days if I choose in order to keep my spot.


This clears it up a bit. I originally thought OP was under the same obligations as the non-teacher parents - meaning, I thought OP had to pay year round (and more than two days per week in the summer) just like everyone else. It sounds like paying for the two days a week (and keeping the spot) is a good perk. Plus, the terms were laid out in the contract. So while it may seem unfair, it was in the contract.

[PZMommy]

I'm a teacher. Both daycares I have used I have always had to pay the full amount even during the summer when I keep my boys home.

[BunnyBee]

I'm not upset that I have to pay for the holiday's. I am upset that if I have an appointment or need to do something during my time off I can't send my dd there when it is OPEN and I have paid for the day. Why should I have to get another sitter?

Does the center make you sign a teacher contract? You could sign up your child as a regular student, pay 5 days/wk year round, then send your child any time it's open. If your summer break is 8 weeks long, that's about a 9% discount for the year (versus daycares which require you to pay full price all year). If that 9% isn't worth it to you to have these blocked off days, then switch to the regular contract.

[Green_Tea]

Does the center make you sign a teacher contract? You could sign up your child as a regular student, pay 5 days/wk year round, then send your child any time it's open. If your summer break is 8 weeks long, that's about a 9% discount for the year (versus daycares which require you to pay full price all year). If that 9% isn't worth it to you to have these blocked off days, then switch to the regular contract.

:yeahthat:

It sounds as though you have made a trade-off so that you can get an discount. If the terms of the trade-off don't work for you, perhaps a regular contract would be a better fit.

[wellyes]

If they don't have someone else filling that slot, perhaps they will allow you to pay an extra drop-in rate for when you have an appointment. Even though it feels like paying twice for the same day, surely the few drop-in days you use would be much less expensive than paying for 5 days all summer.

[llama8]

I am a teacher and both of my children go to a licensed daycare. I can sent them on days that I am off no problem. They usually ask me ahead of time if I plan on sending them for staffing purposes, but they are legally obligated to provide daycare for them if I am a paying customer.

I pay at the same rate as everyone else, and I do get the "teacher spot" held over the summer.

[Momit]

DS goes to preschool at the same place he went for daycare when I was working. There are a ton of teachers who send their kids there for daycare, and I know they are given the ability to hold their spot even if they take their kids out over the summer (they don't have to pay anything).

I have never heard of teachers not being allowed to send their kids on school holidays, and I don't know how that would even be enforced since some teach at private schools that don't follow the district calendar.

Many preschools in our area do follow the public school calendar, I guess maybe ours sees their flexibility for teachers and the fact that they are open on most district holidays as a selling point. Ours even allows kids who have gone on to kindergarten to return for summer care after their kindergarten year (obviously not a teacher perk, but maybe that's how they make back some $ lost from teachers pulling their kids for the summer).

To me it seems odd that the OP's school doesn't let her bring her child if they are open and if there are no ratio issues. I realize it was in the contract, so they obviously don't have to let her, but it seems worth a discussion to me.