Childcare cancellations - do you still charge?

[Metasequoia]

I'm a SAHM & provide childcare 2-3 times a week. I don't have any contracts, just some basic agreements.

What do you do if someone cancels on you? I have my childcare schedule filled months in advance, but occasionally, I'll get a cancellation either a few days before or even the morning of.

I was thinking that if it's due to illness, I'm okay with a last-minute cancellation, or even if the weather gets really bad - because neither of those things can be controlled. But I've had one mom call me to cancel the day before because a friend of hers invited her to the beach. I brought it up after a few days & said that I didn't think it was fair since I budget this money. She agreed & we decided that if she canceled, she'd pay me half of what she was due to pay me.

I had a mom cancel on me this morning because her DH forgot to wake her up so she missed the training class she was planning on attending. On one hand, it stinks that she missed it, but OTOH, it's not my fault & I was counting on that money & kept today free because of this committment.

I definitely think we should have some sort of aggreement about cancellations, but should I charge the full cost or just half?

How do you deal with cancellations?

[cocoabean8]

I do not own a daycare, but my kids go to one as I am A WOTH mama!!

I pay for all the days that I have signed up for. If my kids are sick, I take a sick day from work and I still get paid...so I figure my DCP should too. If school is cancelled due to weather, I still get paid (I'm a teacher) so my DCP should too.

It's only fair

[rubelin]

Not a daycare mom, but I use one and have the opposite question.

When I keep my son home, I still pay my babysitter (she only watches my son along with her own kids), but this week she's cancelled on me (due to her illness and now her mom is very sick). I don't think I should pay her for this week, would that be ok??

[tpintsch]

When I worked and my son was being watched by a WAHM we paid bi-weekly one flat rate, wether we were there or not. We never had a contract, but because thats how it worked in a regular day-care center, we just kept it the same. They did go on a two week vacation every year and then we didn't pay, but I figured that was fair because we had to pay someone else. I would do the same thing in your shoes.

[janasmama]

Originally Posted by rubelin

Not a daycare mom, but I use one and have the opposite question.

When I keep my son home, I still pay my babysitter (she only watches my son along with her own kids), but this week she's cancelled on me (due to her illness and now her mom is very sick). I don't think I should pay her for this week, would that be ok??

No, I don't think the DCP should get paid when they are sick.

To the OP, I am in the same situation. What I have decided is to do a flat rate for the week and that gives them a base amount of hours...they pay for them whether used or not...if they go over the base amount then we add on per hour.

I had also thought about doing the half pay like what you mentioned. And I do think that is a good middle-of-the-road agreement. I have a friend who does tutoring and that is what she does for cancellations.

[just_lily]

My agreements that if the parent cancels, be it due to illness or vacation, or any of the other reasons you have provided, they still pay. If I am ill or go on vacation they don't. However we also have backup care through my agency, so if their kids go to back up care the parents still pay, and the agency pays the back up provider instead of me.

[root*children]

I take a bit of a different approach, I guess. I don't charge for days when they cancel out of respect for the fact that I don't expect them to pay if we have a sick family member and can't provide care. Just a golden rule thing, I guess. Now, I provide care for AWESOME families -really they are all great AP type chill mamas ... but if they were making a habit out of cancelling last minute, then we would have to renegotiate

[Mama Dragon]

If they cancel, they are paying to keep their spot. Basically, you could have had another kid to fill their spot the day they cancelled. If you cancel, no charge.

[root*children]

No, I underestand the reason you all charge, I just don't agree My town (and daycare) is FULL of hard-working and still struggling mamas, and I don't feel good about profitting off of their child being sick or something. Again, if it became a habit, we'd renegotiate, and probably take on y'all's policies. But, as of now, I probably only have 1 or 2 cancellations a month, out of 4 families, so no biggie

[lilyka]

yes. my full time clients got a good discount for being full time. the paid weather they showed or not and regardless of why. part time clients were different since they were often drop in and their rate was hourly.

and when I use a babysitter I always pay the minimum ($10) even if I have to cancel. afterall, they were counting on that money and likely scheduiled around me or even cancled plans.