POLL about policy changes at daycare

REOM

Do you think it is fair for a daycare center to change their policies for existing clients?  Or do you think they should wait and change policies with new clients?

For example, our daycare just decided that teachers have to pay full price for summer months, or lose their spots. Previously, they allowed teachers to go half time during the summer months.  People who have had kids there for years are having a fit, and suggested that they start this policy change with new clients. Of course, they are business and can do as they wish, but what do you think is the fair/right thing to do?

 

[Poll]

EMT

It sucks but if they give you notice, I think they should be able to change their policies.

REOM

EMT:

It sucks but if they give you notice, I think they should be able to change their policies.

Oh yes, they are surely able to, but it was more a question of it was fair or not.

I haven't joined the crusade, but many parents are furious. It's a small family owned center where everyone knows everyone. The cost is so high, it will basically drive all the majority of teachers out.

EMT

Like you said, they are a business. So the fair thing to do to me is what is best for the business. Maybe, in this economy, they are struggling to make it without changing this policy? They have their employees to consider also.

If it is for the summer, there is plenty of notice. Again, if it were me, I'd be pissed too but I'm not sure I would call changing the policy (with a bunch of notice) unfair.

 

 

REOM

No, they aren't struggling, they are doing really well.  It's just that they have always positioned themselves as a daycare center that accomodates teacher and it sucks that they simply changed their minds. It will be a difficult transition for many kids.

eclaires

I'm typing one handed...

but my thought is that they likely marketed their business to teachers and also got a lot of referral business because of the policy and if that is the case, as a business, I would only apply the change to new families.  and let's face it, the current clients will be aging out of the daycare anyway.  you'd get fully to the new policy relatively quickly.  I think it'd be worth it to maintain goodwill with the current clients.  I think that'd be the best business decision, honestly.

EMT

Okay I guess my answer sort of depends on why they are doing it.

I work for a small business owners that bends over backwards for everyone including their employees to their own detriment sometimes. I just know from experience that businesses have to make unpopular decisions/changes because it is the right thing to do for the business. So, I guess my point came from that standpoint...that it isn't always what the owners WANT to do but it is what has to be done. Sometimes the "fair" thing to do, is not popular.

*off my soapbox*...maybe that is not the case in this circumstance? Maybe they just want to make more money?

REOM

Yes, it is a word of mouth business, and they literally have an advertising budget of zero. Due to the referrals, they are operating at full capacity. There was recently a tuition increase, and the business has been self-sustaining for over 20 years. They claim that they 'can't absorb the loss of tuition in the summer any long' but that statement is highly doubtful.

It's not like they are a sandwich shop that changed their policy from putting two pickles on a sandwich to one. Dealing with people's children, their trust, it's a much more sensitive subject area, which is why I am leaning towards the new policy for new clients group.

Zenya

I think it's fair that they change it for all.  It would piss people off to know that other parents got special treatment.  Times are tough for everyone. 

Halo79RN

it's fair if they give you notice.  the only reason it would not be fair is if they came up with this policy in May.  it's a nice convenience they've offered to teachers for quite some time. maybe their clients are changing... maybe there is more demand for their services. if I was a small biz owner and I had a line at my door of people willing to pay full price year round, I would not be holding spots for people who are paying 1/2 over the summer months.  

it sucks for those who benefited and relied on it....  but it's a business... no matter how great they are to your kids ... how much like family that teacher may be... .it's a business.  

Cbidt's girl

Did you sign a contract? As long as they're honoring the contract it is fine in my view. We sign a new contract every year.

Brewster

I think as a business they can do whatever they want.  No, it doesn't seem fair or the best way to retain current business, but that might be a lesson learned the hard way for them.  I wonder if there is any way to express your concerns or suggest to them they start this with new clients.  That really does suck for the families. 

shouldbworkin

Do I think it's fair, yes.  Do I think it's smart, no.  I think they should have tried to find some middle ground.  If they're losing out on camp money then maybe they need to say you pay 1/2 price to hold your spot but you can't bring your child or you have to pick certain days you child will come PT and stick to them so that they can properly staff and allow other kids to come on the days yours aren't.  If they legitimately cannot accept other kids who would be there all year long, then I think parents have to be understanding of that.  But, at the same time, they might be surprised when a bunch of parents pull their kids at the end of the year and they have no money coming in too.  They're taking a big risk, IMO.

Angela814

Do they allow part time care for everyone or are they usually full time only? We go to a small center, and they have full time, part time, and before/after school options. With notice, we changed DD1's schedule twice while I was on leave. I understand if they can't guarantee full time care will be available after dropping to part time, but it doesn't seem fair to suddenly not allow part time at all.

august06mom

Of course it's fair. If teachers want a salary that reflects a year-long job, they should expect to pay for things like full price on year-round daycare.

grja

As long as they're not doing anything outrageous, I think its fair. Do you know why they're doing this? Our daycare had something similar for teachers and a lot of non-teachers started complaining about it. The non-teachers didn't want to pay if their kid stayed home sick, or didn't go a few days becasue they were on vacation or people that only wanted to send their kdis a few hours a day. So the daycare changed the policy across the board to be more fair to people.

Andrewsgal

august06mom:

Of course it's fair. If teachers want a salary that reflects a year-long job, they should expect to pay for things like full price on year-round daycare.

Let me know when teachers get a salary that reflects a year-long job, sure has not happened in my  state.

august06mom

Not sure where you live but it happens in New York. Maybe not every district, but certainly in plenty of them.

august06mom

Without getting into a salary debate, my point is this -- I get 4 weeks of vacation a year. Should I expect DS's daycare to give me half-price for those 4 weeks because I won't use them? How is that fair to the person who gets only 2 weeks of vacation a year and doesn't get half-time for those two weeks?

Summer vacation for teachers should be = to everyone else's vacation time. Either they all get half-time for time they don't use or no one does.

grja

august06mom:

Without getting into a salary debate, my point is this -- I get 4 weeks of vacation a year. Should I expect DS's daycare to give me half-price for those 4 weeks because I won't use them? How is that fair to the person who gets only 2 weeks of vacation a year and doesn't get half-time for those two weeks?

Summer vacation for teachers should be = to everyone else's vacation time. Either they all get half-time for time they don't use or no one does.

This is why my daycare changed. There were too many non-teachers (that make less than a teachers salary) complaining that they had to pay when they kept their kids home.

But in general, I think if they give you some notice its fair. If they say effective immediately, that would bother me.