Don't Be Led Down The Yellow Brick Road

My daycare provider friend, Dorothy is a hard knocks type of gal. No one pulls the wool over her eyes. I have yet to meet a fiercer business woman in the realm of daycare. Dorothy has a saying, "You book it - you buy it". Dorothy is right on the money with that adage.

Canadian summers are far too short. It feels like July first rolls around each year and in the blink of an eye and two camp fires later the kids are skipping off to school again. We Canadians are opportunists. When you live in a climate that, like the last year, consisted of literally six months of winter-like winter you sure as hell are not going to waste a single second of any day over twenty degrees. I know that in my area we had our first snow fall before Halloween and our last just before Easter. Yes, that American myth of approaching the 49th parallel and being blinded by the snow border twenty feet tall is starting to become a reality. If you don't like dogs you better learn to. I hear huskies can be quite aggressive!

Back on topic......

Daycare providers love summer. It is a time of less noise as the kids are in the yard for hours a day. It means our homes stay cleaner and our sanity remains intact. But there is a down side to summer as well - vacation time. Now, if you are a hard nosed provider who doesn't take any flack perhaps you have not experienced those mid-June moments when informed by a parent that they will be taking an entire month (if not more) off to enjoy this radiant, blue sky weather. At first notice you attempt to conceal your jubilation at the news that your summer will be a little less busy. That is of course until mom also informs you that what she really means is that she will be staying at home and you will not be getting paid. You take a double look at her to ensure that you really didn't smack her upside the head after recovering from this reeling news and then in that stupefied moment you utter something along the lines of "uh-huh". Mom strolls off with her child in hand and you are left trying to absorb the conversation that just occurred.

If this has happened to you rest assured you are not alone. Just this week I have read, on message boards, three different providers being delivered this news. And, hey, what can you do about it? You can't force a parent to work all summer. You can't demand that they send their child to care. But, you can, and must demand that they pay the usual fees regardless of attendance. There should be no circumstance where you hold a spot throughout the summer (unless otherwise agreed upon at the onset of care as in the case of teachers etc) and not be compensated for it.

Maybe I'm completely wrong but I hazard to guess that should a parent be put in the position of not having employment over the summer they would do one of two things. They would either look for another job or, they would collect Employment Insurance. Being self-employed we do not have the luxury of employment insurance. But, we can find another 'employer'. We can fill the spot with another child and leave the aforementioned family without daycare services upon their return. I would advise this last option to all providers. Why should we be expected to hold a spot, without compensation over an entire summer? For the average daycare provider that could amount to over $1200 in an eight week period. Nope, nadda, no way, no how.

So, for those of you who have been approached with this news recently be prepared. Look after you first. After all, isn't that what the parents are doing? And, on top of it those same parents are probably collecting vacation pay and pocketing your daycare fees as their spending money. So, while your arms get shorter and your pockets get deeper they are enjoying your income as their own. Enough is enough. Speak up and demand what is yours. Tell parents you will gladly hold their spot when they pay for it. And, if they see this as unfair let them discover how hard it will be to start looking for daycare and building a rapport with another provider all over again. Let them suffer the consequences of their actions. And for those spots you still have not been able to fill come their anticipated return time? Sorry, but they are no longer available. If you take back a family who has done this once you can be sure it will happen again. Refuse to work with parents who lack respect and you will always be respected.

And when they still can't grasp the concept that daycare is your source of income and not your hobby? Just pipe up and say, "You booked it - now you buy it or someone else will". Then wave good-bye and log into Kijiji.






For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca