NovemberBride
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Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacation?
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AllieLuv83
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dcgator
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
It could be worse, our waitlists here average about 18 months, some up to 2-3 years long. Plus, only about 3 or 4 of them let you get on the list before you are pregnant (which I did 6 months before I got KU). And you have to pay a yearly fee to be on the waitlists, as long as you are on it. Ugh.
NovemberBride|1291144672|2783056 said:
It could be worse, our waitlists here average about 18 months, some up to 2-3 years long. Plus, only about 3 or 4 of them let you get on the list before you are pregnant (which I did 6 months before I got KU). And you have to pay a yearly fee to be on the waitlists, as long as you are on it. Ugh.
NovemberBride
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
DC, where are you located?
dcgator|1291222017|2784141 said:NovemberBride|1291144672|2783056 said:
It could be worse, our waitlists here average about 18 months, some up to 2-3 years long. Plus, only about 3 or 4 of them let you get on the list before you are pregnant (which I did 6 months before I got KU). And you have to pay a yearly fee to be on the waitlists, as long as you are on it. Ugh.
DC, where are you located?
dcgator
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Guilty Pleasure
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
If you have to pay for the whole year, regardless of family vacations and holiday closures, then you should probably think of your weekly or monthly fee as an annual fee split up into 52 or 12 payments. Don't think of it as paying for two weeks that you are not getting a service; think of it as spreading your payments out. I'm a teacher and get paid in the summer even though I'm not at school. My annual salary is spread over 12 months instead of larger checks in the 10 months I'm working.
If you have to pay for the whole year, regardless of family vacations and holiday closures, then you should probably think of your weekly or monthly fee as an annual fee split up into 52 or 12 payments. Don't think of it as paying for two weeks that you are not getting a service; think of it as spreading your payments out. I'm a teacher and get paid in the summer even though I'm not at school. My annual salary is spread over 12 months instead of larger checks in the 10 months I'm working.
NovemberBride
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
I was wondering about that because that's actually where I lived most of my life and my family and friends are still there. None of my friends have had any problems getting into daycares, but they all live in the VA suburbs and not actually in the city. Are you in the city or the suburbs? We are thinking of relocating back to the area in a year or two to the VA suburbs (Fairfax/Loudoun county) and if there are super long wait lists that's something I need to know because we'd definitely need daycare right away.
dcgator|1291224825|2784180 said:The answer is in the name...
I was wondering about that because that's actually where I lived most of my life and my family and friends are still there. None of my friends have had any problems getting into daycares, but they all live in the VA suburbs and not actually in the city. Are you in the city or the suburbs? We are thinking of relocating back to the area in a year or two to the VA suburbs (Fairfax/Loudoun county) and if there are super long wait lists that's something I need to know because we'd definitely need daycare right away.
Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
Tgal, I guess it depends on the size of the business. The big day care centers I looked at all had a holiday schedule that consisted of days off not weeks. Federal holidays, a couple of in-service days, and maybe an extra day or two around the winter holidays. They also have mechanisms to let their workers take lunch breaks and personal days, whereas the home day cares I looked at all had 1-2 weeks off at the winter holiday and another 1-2 weeks off in the summer and they worked through lunch since they didn't have the staff to spell them. With one exception, the caregivers' vacation weeks were paid. Though one home day care provider said that she and her assistant would split their summer holidays to keep the business open during that time, but due to required caregiver ratios that only works if people pull their kids out for their own vacation during that time to reduce the number of kids in the center. She had previously managed to make that work. The home day cares were also usually cheaper than the big places. So just ignoring the environment/quality of care issues for a moment, as a parent I can save money every month at the home daycare, but then scramble to find additional childcare (or take my own vacations) for 2-4 weeks per year when my provider is on vacation, or I can pay more each month and have to scramble to find childcare for certain days rather than weeks during the year.
ETA: I agree with guilty pleasure on how to look at the fees and such. The day care centers have ongoing expenses whether or not it happens that your child is on vacation or their center is closed for the christmas holiday (presuming they pay their staff on vacation days.) Somehow they have to raise the money for these expenses. If they let you not pay during your vacation, they just have to charge more the rest of the year to cover it.
Tgal, I guess it depends on the size of the business. The big day care centers I looked at all had a holiday schedule that consisted of days off not weeks. Federal holidays, a couple of in-service days, and maybe an extra day or two around the winter holidays. They also have mechanisms to let their workers take lunch breaks and personal days, whereas the home day cares I looked at all had 1-2 weeks off at the winter holiday and another 1-2 weeks off in the summer and they worked through lunch since they didn't have the staff to spell them. With one exception, the caregivers' vacation weeks were paid. Though one home day care provider said that she and her assistant would split their summer holidays to keep the business open during that time, but due to required caregiver ratios that only works if people pull their kids out for their own vacation during that time to reduce the number of kids in the center. She had previously managed to make that work. The home day cares were also usually cheaper than the big places. So just ignoring the environment/quality of care issues for a moment, as a parent I can save money every month at the home daycare, but then scramble to find additional childcare (or take my own vacations) for 2-4 weeks per year when my provider is on vacation, or I can pay more each month and have to scramble to find childcare for certain days rather than weeks during the year.
ETA: I agree with guilty pleasure on how to look at the fees and such. The day care centers have ongoing expenses whether or not it happens that your child is on vacation or their center is closed for the christmas holiday (presuming they pay their staff on vacation days.) Somehow they have to raise the money for these expenses. If they let you not pay during your vacation, they just have to charge more the rest of the year to cover it.
janinegirly
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
I always thought this was standard practice - paying for time not there (personal vacation, parent has days off from work). I look at it like I do with rent - you don't not pay rent b/c you took off for 2 weeks. However, I imagine it is painful to write that check! And I would also think there are exceptions -- if you are going to be out for a block of time for example (summer,etc) but again this is dependent on where you live. In places with long waitlists this will not be an option - it is a business afterall and if there is demand, they can be less flexible.
DC: and I thought NYC was bad!
I always thought this was standard practice - paying for time not there (personal vacation, parent has days off from work). I look at it like I do with rent - you don't not pay rent b/c you took off for 2 weeks. However, I imagine it is painful to write that check! And I would also think there are exceptions -- if you are going to be out for a block of time for example (summer,etc) but again this is dependent on where you live. In places with long waitlists this will not be an option - it is a business afterall and if there is demand, they can be less flexible.
DC: and I thought NYC was bad!
dcgator
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
Sorry to continue to the tangent, OP, but to answer your question:
November - No, the waitlists are not nearly that bad in the surrounding areas, esp. outside the beltway. This is for downtown proper, at least for the nice, corporate day care centers. I'm sure you can find some in home ones that are cheaper/less wait time. But, of the 6 or 7 I have looked at, 12 months has been the shortest waitlist. I don't live in the city, but I work here and I metro, so I want my LO close to me, should anything come up.
Even in some of the closer in, (but still not in the city proper) metro-accesible centers the wait lists are still around 12 -18 months. That being said, in some of the areas you menionted, I think you should be ok. Talk to Blen about it though, b/c she might have some insight...
NovemberBride|1291225263|2784184 said:dcgator|1291224825|2784180 said:The answer is in the name...
I was wondering about that because that's actually where I lived most of my life and my family and friends are still there. None of my friends have had any problems getting into daycares, but they all live in the VA suburbs and not actually in the city. Are you in the city or the suburbs? We are thinking of relocating back to the area in a year or two to the VA suburbs (Fairfax/Loudoun county) and if there are super long wait lists that's something I need to know because we'd definitely need daycare right away.
Sorry to continue to the tangent, OP, but to answer your question:
November - No, the waitlists are not nearly that bad in the surrounding areas, esp. outside the beltway. This is for downtown proper, at least for the nice, corporate day care centers. I'm sure you can find some in home ones that are cheaper/less wait time. But, of the 6 or 7 I have looked at, 12 months has been the shortest waitlist. I don't live in the city, but I work here and I metro, so I want my LO close to me, should anything come up.
Even in some of the closer in, (but still not in the city proper) metro-accesible centers the wait lists are still around 12 -18 months. That being said, in some of the areas you menionted, I think you should be ok. Talk to Blen about it though, b/c she might have some insight...
Logan Sapphire
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
Hi NovemberBride- I live in Fairfax County and we've found long waits too, though not as long as in DC. But, to give you an example, when I found out I was pregnant with my son (who was born in April), I asked our daycare what the wait would be for an infant. This was back in Aug or Sept 2009, and they said the earliest spot available would be Dec. 2011. Fortunately, we got in as soon as I told them I was pregnant b/c our daughter also goes there and obviously siblings have preference.
Having said that, if you don't need infant care, it's mostly easier to get a spot for a toddler or older child. All the daycares we looked at for our 2.5 year old (she started at daycare at 16 months) had spots open immediately, except for one federal one downtown. We eventually did get a call from them the day before she was to start at the Burke center but we turned it down.
The wait for federal daycare downtown is crazy. When we looked at the DOJ center, they told me I could pretty much forget an infant spot ever, despite the fact that I'm a DOJ employee and have priority. And by extension, they also said that I could forget a toddler or older child spot too b/c once an infant comes in, they generally don't leave later on.
NovemberBride|1291225263|2784184 said:dcgator|1291224825|2784180 said:The answer is in the name...
I was wondering about that because that's actually where I lived most of my life and my family and friends are still there. None of my friends have had any problems getting into daycares, but they all live in the VA suburbs and not actually in the city. Are you in the city or the suburbs? We are thinking of relocating back to the area in a year or two to the VA suburbs (Fairfax/Loudoun county) and if there are super long wait lists that's something I need to know because we'd definitely need daycare right away.
Hi NovemberBride- I live in Fairfax County and we've found long waits too, though not as long as in DC. But, to give you an example, when I found out I was pregnant with my son (who was born in April), I asked our daycare what the wait would be for an infant. This was back in Aug or Sept 2009, and they said the earliest spot available would be Dec. 2011. Fortunately, we got in as soon as I told them I was pregnant b/c our daughter also goes there and obviously siblings have preference.
Having said that, if you don't need infant care, it's mostly easier to get a spot for a toddler or older child. All the daycares we looked at for our 2.5 year old (she started at daycare at 16 months) had spots open immediately, except for one federal one downtown. We eventually did get a call from them the day before she was to start at the Burke center but we turned it down.
The wait for federal daycare downtown is crazy. When we looked at the DOJ center, they told me I could pretty much forget an infant spot ever, despite the fact that I'm a DOJ employee and have priority. And by extension, they also said that I could forget a toddler or older child spot too b/c once an infant comes in, they generally don't leave later on.
NovemberBride
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
DC and Logan,
Thanks so much for the info. As of now I don't need infant care, but I might in the future I won't be working for the federal government, but that's good information to have because my SIL is a FBI employee and she is counting on getting a spot at their daycare when she has a baby (apparently it is at a much reduced rate?) I'll have to share this with her and tell her to look into it further.
Logan Sapphire|1291299165|2785030 said:NovemberBride|1291225263|2784184 said:dcgator|1291224825|2784180 said:The answer is in the name...
I was wondering about that because that's actually where I lived most of my life and my family and friends are still there. None of my friends have had any problems getting into daycares, but they all live in the VA suburbs and not actually in the city. Are you in the city or the suburbs? We are thinking of relocating back to the area in a year or two to the VA suburbs (Fairfax/Loudoun county) and if there are super long wait lists that's something I need to know because we'd definitely need daycare right away.
Hi NovemberBride- I live in Fairfax County and we've found long waits too, though not as long as in DC. But, to give you an example, when I found out I was pregnant with my son (who was born in April), I asked our daycare what the wait would be for an infant. This was back in Aug or Sept 2009, and they said the earliest spot available would be Dec. 2011. Fortunately, we got in as soon as I told them I was pregnant b/c our daughter also goes there and obviously siblings have preference.
Having said that, if you don't need infant care, it's mostly easier to get a spot for a toddler or older child. All the daycares we looked at for our 2.5 year old (she started at daycare at 16 months) had spots open immediately, except for one federal one downtown. We eventually did get a call from them the day before she was to start at the Burke center but we turned it down.
The wait for federal daycare downtown is crazy. When we looked at the DOJ center, they told me I could pretty much forget an infant spot ever, despite the fact that I'm a DOJ employee and have priority. And by extension, they also said that I could forget a toddler or older child spot too b/c once an infant comes in, they generally don't leave later on.
DC and Logan,
Thanks so much for the info. As of now I don't need infant care, but I might in the future
I won't be working for the federal government, but that's good information to have because my SIL is a FBI employee and she is counting on getting a spot at their daycare when she has a baby (apparently it is at a much reduced rate?) I'll have to share this with her and tell her to look into it further.
Logan Sapphire
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
NovemberBride- I take it that your SIL means the overall DOJ daycare (JustUs Kids)? My sister also works there and she says there's no FBI daycare. Your SIL should get on the list the day she finds out she's pregnant. The rates are not that reduced for DOJ employees at JustUs kids. I think it was still pretty expensive, as it's a Bright Horizons daycare. I think when we looked last year, it might have been around $1600 or so?
NovemberBride- I take it that your SIL means the overall DOJ daycare (JustUs Kids)? My sister also works there and she says there's no FBI daycare. Your SIL should get on the list the day she finds out she's pregnant. The rates are not that reduced for DOJ employees at JustUs kids. I think it was still pretty expensive, as it's a Bright Horizons daycare. I think when we looked last year, it might have been around $1600 or so?
dcgator
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
To further elaborate, most of the centers downtown are Bright Horizons, just chains of them. They do have the nice policy that once your name is on the waitlist for one center, you can get on two more centers' wait lists for the same price. And Logan is right that most places have the longest waitlist for the infants. If you have a toddler, there is generally more capacity and thus it's easier to get in to. Most places will also give "priority" to certain groups, such as those with siblings already in the center, those who work for a certain employer, govt. workers, contractors, and then the general "community". Also, I would tell your sis to forget about the Bright Horizons in the Reagan Building. They just flat out told me it was not likely I would ever get off a waiting list, even if I worked in that building.
But, Logan, to your expensive comment, that $1600 is one of the cheaper ones, so I would be thrilled with that. Most of the other centers are $1900-$2200 a month, so $1600 is pretty cheap, relatively.
Oh, and I would tell your sis to ask if that center will allow you to get on the list before your have a real birthdate, but rather an "expected birthdate". Not all the Bright Horizons centers do it, but you can kinda work around it by finding one of them that will, and adding the desired center as a second or third choice.
Logan Sapphire|1291305960|2785114 said:
To further elaborate, most of the centers downtown are Bright Horizons, just chains of them. They do have the nice policy that once your name is on the waitlist for one center, you can get on two more centers' wait lists for the same price. And Logan is right that most places have the longest waitlist for the infants. If you have a toddler, there is generally more capacity and thus it's easier to get in to. Most places will also give "priority" to certain groups, such as those with siblings already in the center, those who work for a certain employer, govt. workers, contractors, and then the general "community". Also, I would tell your sis to forget about the Bright Horizons in the Reagan Building. They just flat out told me it was not likely I would ever get off a waiting list, even if I worked in that building.
But, Logan, to your expensive comment, that $1600 is one of the cheaper ones, so I would be thrilled with that. Most of the other centers are $1900-$2200 a month, so $1600 is pretty cheap, relatively.
Oh, and I would tell your sis to ask if that center will allow you to get on the list before your have a real birthdate, but rather an "expected birthdate". Not all the Bright Horizons centers do it, but you can kinda work around it by finding one of them that will, and adding the desired center as a second or third choice.
Logan Sapphire
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
DCgator- $1600 was just a guess! It's actually cheaper! $692 bi-weekly. We have friends who had their kid in a private BH downtown and you're right, it was close to $2000. Eeks!
Don't forget too, NovemberBride, that most places charge an application fee just for you to get on the waitlist, and you don't get that money back either!!!!
DCgator- did you happen to go to UF? I did for grad school.
DCgator- $1600 was just a guess! It's actually cheaper! $692 bi-weekly. We have friends who had their kid in a private BH downtown and you're right, it was close to $2000. Eeks!
Don't forget too, NovemberBride, that most places charge an application fee just for you to get on the waitlist, and you don't get that money back either!!!!
DCgator- did you happen to go to UF? I did for grad school.
NovemberBride
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
Thanks again you guys. We have totally derailed this thread but I really appreciate the info and will definitely pass it along to my SIL. My brother and SIL don't have a ton of money, so this will be important for them to consider in their budget - they are house shopping right now.
I can't believe how expensive daycare is in DC, I pay $1250 for an infant at one of the best daycare centers in the Philly suburbs (similar to a Bright Horizons). I just assumed the costs would be similar because the cost of living in generally is pretty comparable in the two cities. It's possible daycare in downtown Philly are more expensive, I don't live or work there so I never looked at them.
Thanks again you guys. We have totally derailed this thread but I really appreciate the info and will definitely pass it along to my SIL. My brother and SIL don't have a ton of money, so this will be important for them to consider in their budget - they are house shopping right now.
I can't believe how expensive daycare is in DC, I pay $1250 for an infant at one of the best daycare centers in the Philly suburbs (similar to a Bright Horizons). I just assumed the costs would be similar because the cost of living in generally is pretty comparable in the two cities. It's possible daycare in downtown Philly are more expensive, I don't live or work there so I never looked at them.
Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
No worries about derailing the thread....the discussion has been really interesting. I can't believe how high some of your dc rates are! I guess rates are much higher in bigger cities/countries, though... With all the demand? I remember my friend in Virginia was saying that she wasn't sure she could afford to have another baby right now, because of the daycare costs - now I know what she means. I pay a measly $25 (in USD) a week for my private daycare. Of course, I do live on a small island and the daycare probably isn't as state-of-the-art as some of the US daycares, so...
No worries about derailing the thread....the discussion has been really interesting. I can't believe how high some of your dc rates are! I guess rates are much higher in bigger cities/countries, though... With all the demand? I remember my friend in Virginia was saying that she wasn't sure she could afford to have another baby right now, because of the daycare costs - now I know what she means. I pay a measly $25 (in USD) a week for my private daycare. Of course, I do live on a small island and the daycare probably isn't as state-of-the-art as some of the US daycares, so...
lknvrb4
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
I am a home daycare provider and I let my families have one week of vacation unpaid every year. I take two weeks vacation per year but I dont make them pay me for my personal time off. I cant afford to let parents have more than one weeks unpaid vacation. My family depends on my income and not getting paid because a family wants to take a 2-3 week vacation is not fair. Think of it as if your employer had a shut down for a few weeks and you were unpaid, might put a dent in the budget.
I am a home daycare provider and I let my families have one week of vacation unpaid every year. I take two weeks vacation per year but I dont make them pay me for my personal time off. I cant afford to let parents have more than one weeks unpaid vacation. My family depends on my income and not getting paid because a family wants to take a 2-3 week vacation is not fair. Think of it as if your employer had a shut down for a few weeks and you were unpaid, might put a dent in the budget.
Logan Sapphire
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dcgator
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
I did indeed, Go Gators! I graduated with my undergrad in '03 and my MAIB in '04. How about you?
November - I think the costs and waitlists are so bonkers because there is hundreds of thousands of people packed into this itty bitty city and so few nice daycare centers. Thus demand FAR exceeds supply. Oh well, I don't plan on being here forever, so at least I know that other big cities aren't so bad.
Sha - Wow, I am jealous. I think I could fly down to you every week and it would still be cheaper than my anticipated weekly fees here, lol. Thanks for your understanding with the tangent. Btw, I lurk over in the baby thread now and again and your LO is sooo cute 
!
Logan Sapphire|1291307337|2785132 said:
I did indeed, Go Gators! I graduated with my undergrad in '03 and my MAIB in '04. How about you?
November - I think the costs and waitlists are so bonkers because there is hundreds of thousands of people packed into this itty bitty city and so few nice daycare centers. Thus demand FAR exceeds supply. Oh well, I don't plan on being here forever, so at least I know that other big cities aren't so bad.
Sha -
Wow, I am jealous. I think I could fly down to you every week and it would still be cheaper than my anticipated weekly fees here, lol. Thanks for your understanding with the tangent. Btw, I lurk over in the baby thread now and again and your LO is sooo cute !
Girlrocks
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
Exactly! I used to be an in-home daycare provider (many years ago). As an inhome provider, you are limited to how many kids you can take. In turn, you depend on the income for a full house. If every family took off for 3 weeks in December and didn't want to pay, that would be a huge dent in your income!
I also allowed 1 week of unpaid vacation per family per year, and I also took my own vacation/sick time as unpaid.
lknvrb4|1291387845|2786204 said:
Exactly! I used to be an in-home daycare provider (many years ago). As an inhome provider, you are limited to how many kids you can take. In turn, you depend on the income for a full house. If every family took off for 3 weeks in December and didn't want to pay, that would be a huge dent in your income!
I also allowed 1 week of unpaid vacation per family per year, and I also took my own vacation/sick time as unpaid.
AllieLuv83
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
Well I just called my daycare JUST TO MAKE SURE and the new interim director informed me of their new policy. We will have to withdraw Charlie and re-enroll him with hopes of there being a spot. We had no problems finding a spot this time around, and there are other centers available but I am just peeved that when we first took a tour I specifically asked this question because it is a deciding factor for me and was told that it would not be a problem. What would you do if you were in my shoes?
Well I just called my daycare JUST TO MAKE SURE and the new interim director informed me of their new policy. We will have to withdraw Charlie and re-enroll him with hopes of there being a spot. We had no problems finding a spot this time around, and there are other centers available but I am just peeved that when we first took a tour I specifically asked this question because it is a deciding factor for me and was told that it would not be a problem. What would you do if you were in my shoes?
NovemberBride
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
Allie,
That is a tough one. They are certainly free to change their policies at any time but it stinks that you choose this place based on that policy and now it is changing. I can understand why they make you either withdraw or pay, it's not as if they can find someone to take the spot just for the summer months and they still have the same overhead costs (rent, salaries,etc.) year-round so they need to have the spot filled. Most of the teachers I know use in-home daycare for this reason because they tend to be more flexible - oftentimes the providers are moms themselves who are happy to have summers off or have less kids in the summer because their own kids are out of school. That is one option to consider if you don't want to pay year round.
Also, how tough is it to get a spot in your area? In my area, if you withdraw your child from one of the better centers there is no way you'd get a spot back at the end of the summer because of the waitlist. But maybe it's not an issue in your area and you'd have no problem getting your spot back.
Allie,
That is a tough one. They are certainly free to change their policies at any time but it stinks that you choose this place based on that policy and now it is changing. I can understand why they make you either withdraw or pay, it's not as if they can find someone to take the spot just for the summer months and they still have the same overhead costs (rent, salaries,etc.) year-round so they need to have the spot filled. Most of the teachers I know use in-home daycare for this reason because they tend to be more flexible - oftentimes the providers are moms themselves who are happy to have summers off or have less kids in the summer because their own kids are out of school. That is one option to consider if you don't want to pay year round.
Also, how tough is it to get a spot in your area? In my area, if you withdraw your child from one of the better centers there is no way you'd get a spot back at the end of the summer because of the waitlist. But maybe it's not an issue in your area and you'd have no problem getting your spot back.
AllieLuv83
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
When I toured 8-10 daycare centers I asked each and every one of them about their policies on summertime. All except for one assured me that they have many teachers in their center that take summers off and that it will not be a problem. When I took the tour at this center it was with the director of the center that is currently on maternity leave but will be back and he son will be in the same classroom as Charlie, she also assured me that it will not be a problem. I just feel like I was mislead. Basically we would have chosen a different center if we were told this from the beginning. We have a number of quality centers as well as home day cares around here, I have a feeling that come March/April I will need to approach them and ask if I need to get my name on a list at another center because we certainly did not plan on paying during the summer. I also called their second locations and they told me the same thing but kind of alluded to the fact that they also have many teachers take the summer off and in years past it was not a problem to get their spot back.
BTW over the summer they run a camp for the school aged children home for the summer.
When I toured 8-10 daycare centers I asked each and every one of them about their policies on summertime. All except for one assured me that they have many teachers in their center that take summers off and that it will not be a problem. When I took the tour at this center it was with the director of the center that is currently on maternity leave but will be back and he son will be in the same classroom as Charlie, she also assured me that it will not be a problem. I just feel like I was mislead. Basically we would have chosen a different center if we were told this from the beginning. We have a number of quality centers as well as home day cares around here, I have a feeling that come March/April I will need to approach them and ask if I need to get my name on a list at another center because we certainly did not plan on paying during the summer. I also called their second locations and they told me the same thing but kind of alluded to the fact that they also have many teachers take the summer off and in years past it was not a problem to get their spot back.
BTW over the summer they run a camp for the school aged children home for the summer.
Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
That really stinks, Allie. Summer is a long time to have to pay for, if you weren't anticipating those expenses. If you go the home-daycare route, do you think you'll keep C there, or try to re-enroll at his old daycare come September?
AllieLuv83|1291396806|2786354 said:
That really stinks, Allie.
Summer is a long time to have to pay for, if you weren't anticipating those expenses. If you go the home-daycare route, do you think you'll keep C there, or try to re-enroll at his old daycare come September?
AllieLuv83
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
I am hoping that it will work out for us to get our spot back. I had my checks only spread out over 10 months because we didn't plan on paying over the summer. I guess I am not sure how to approach it and when to approach it with the current center. It will be a major PITA to start to call places again and what is interesting is that we signed up Charlie in October with a start date of January and the only thing we needed to do to hold a spot is give them a weeks deposit. I am guessing winter is a slower time. I wonder if I start calling around to other centers and put a deposit down at one, that way we would only lose out on a weeks worth of cost rather than a whole summers worth of money and hope to get our spot back, if not then go to the other center.
I feel very lost right now!
I am hoping that it will work out for us to get our spot back. I had my checks only spread out over 10 months because we didn't plan on paying over the summer. I guess I am not sure how to approach it and when to approach it with the current center. It will be a major PITA to start to call places again and what is interesting is that we signed up Charlie in October with a start date of January and the only thing we needed to do to hold a spot is give them a weeks deposit. I am guessing winter is a slower time. I wonder if I start calling around to other centers and put a deposit down at one, that way we would only lose out on a weeks worth of cost rather than a whole summers worth of money and hope to get our spot back, if not then go to the other center.
I feel very lost right now!
Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
Allie it must be a shock but it sounds like getting into daycare isn't a huge challenge in your area. If you want to push the issue, I would talk with the director again and say that you are upset as this policy contradicts what you were told when you toured the place and made your deposit. Then you can either see if they would make an exception to their policy for the coming summer or give you your deposit back so that you can choose a different daycare. I probably would only ask for an exception for the coming summer; by the next one your kid will be older and maybe it would be a good time to transition to a new center. But if this is a huge deal to you and the current center is inflexible, losing your 1-week deposit may be the way to go. That way you can start fresh with a new center.
Allie it must be a shock but it sounds like getting into daycare isn't a huge challenge in your area. If you want to push the issue, I would talk with the director again and say that you are upset as this policy contradicts what you were told when you toured the place and made your deposit. Then you can either see if they would make an exception to their policy for the coming summer or give you your deposit back so that you can choose a different daycare. I probably would only ask for an exception for the coming summer; by the next one your kid will be older and maybe it would be a good time to transition to a new center. But if this is a huge deal to you and the current center is inflexible, losing your 1-week deposit may be the way to go. That way you can start fresh with a new center.
AllieLuv83
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
Allie this is up to you! It sounds like you are set on not paying for summer day care, but how you achieve that is still up in the air. If you want an exception to the policy at the place you are signed up with, I would ask for it now under the guise of 'this is what I was promised when I signed up.' But if they say no, then you have to decide what you would prefer:
A) Go with them anyway knowing you will either be looking for a new daycare over the summer or chancing whether or not you get a spot with them in the fall when you want to resign up.
B) Look for a new day care right now, one where you *know* that will accommodate your summers-off request. In this case I would ask for your deposit back at the day care you are currently signed up with (see: This is what I was promised when I signed up!) but even if they are stubborn and don't give it to you, its only one weeks lost fee.
If you like the daycare you signed up with and it is superior to the others for newborn care (and the day care thing is stressing you out!), maybe stay with them until the summer and then look to switch when you have months off to deal with it. If your kid were older then it might be useful to have continuity of day-care providers over the summer break, but with such a young kid when he goes back in the fall it will probably be all new to him so its mostly about continuity of care for you. BUT! If you have already done a lot of research on day cares now and there are other ones that you are comfortable with and are convenient for you and have space available and have promised to allow easy withdraw and re-enrollment over the summer, maybe it would be worth it to switch now. Then you will develop relationships with the care providers and familiarity with their policies and that might make for an easier back-to-work transition for you in the fall.
Allie this is up to you! It sounds like you are set on not paying for summer day care, but how you achieve that is still up in the air. If you want an exception to the policy at the place you are signed up with, I would ask for it now under the guise of 'this is what I was promised when I signed up.' But if they say no, then you have to decide what you would prefer:
A) Go with them anyway knowing you will either be looking for a new daycare over the summer or chancing whether or not you get a spot with them in the fall when you want to resign up.
B) Look for a new day care right now, one where you *know* that will accommodate your summers-off request. In this case I would ask for your deposit back at the day care you are currently signed up with (see: This is what I was promised when I signed up!) but even if they are stubborn and don't give it to you, its only one weeks lost fee.
If you like the daycare you signed up with and it is superior to the others for newborn care (and the day care thing is stressing you out!), maybe stay with them until the summer and then look to switch when you have months off to deal with it. If your kid were older then it might be useful to have continuity of day-care providers over the summer break, but with such a young kid when he goes back in the fall it will probably be all new to him so its mostly about continuity of care for you. BUT! If you have already done a lot of research on day cares now and there are other ones that you are comfortable with and are convenient for you and have space available and have promised to allow easy withdraw and re-enrollment over the summer, maybe it would be worth it to switch now. Then you will develop relationships with the care providers and familiarity with their policies and that might make for an easier back-to-work transition for you in the fall.
AllieLuv83
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Re: Daycare: Paying to hold a 'spot' when baby is on vacatio
Thank you for your advice Cara. I think we have too much going on right now to start thinking about switching. I think we will get to the summer and maybe in April or May I will have the conversation with them. This daycare is privately owned, not a franchise and has a second location, I would hope that at least one location would have a slot for us. I think that closer to the summer DH and I will try to pick another center that we would be comfortable with and place a deposit for a spot for August just in case we lose our spot, but we will hope that we can come back to our current center.
Thank you for your advice Cara. I think we have too much going on right now to start thinking about switching. I think we will get to the summer and maybe in April or May I will have the conversation with them. This daycare is privately owned, not a franchise and has a second location, I would hope that at least one location would have a slot for us. I think that closer to the summer DH and I will try to pick another center that we would be comfortable with and place a deposit for a spot for August just in case we lose our spot, but we will hope that we can come back to our current center.
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