dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Jun 5, 2018 5:51:51 GMT -6
In general, a physical space is only licensed to hold so many children (depends on age and needs of the program) and there are very rigid calculations of how many people can be in an X square foot space, how many square feet of windows are to be provided per body in the space, etc. Just explaining in case people wonder why they don't just ship all the teachers and kids to alternate locations or rent a temporary space. Regulations don't really allow that. I would assume them trying to find your kids space at other centres is the most they can really offer and if you need the care I'd jump on it, because spaces will be extremely limited due to the regulations above. I'm so sorry you guys are dealing with this at a terrible time for added stress! Dependable childcare is so critical to keeping the world turning. This, yes. I'm so sorry that you're in this bind! I hope they reopen soon.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Jun 5, 2018 5:53:37 GMT -6
Does your center allow the teachers to babysit privately? That might be a good option for backup care? (I realize $$$, but if you have no other choice) Finding backup care is my #1 complaint about daycare. Yes, but they charge $15-17 and hr which I wouldn’t mind paying if we were getting some or all the money for the week back, but there’s no way we could afford on top of being charged. Also, the teachers are still required to show up for work :/ Well this is actually good to hear bc it means they're still getting paid. Childcare providers in this area are known for being underpaid and I'd hate to think of them losing out on a week of money.
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Post by spicysalmonroll on Jun 5, 2018 6:36:58 GMT -6
That is really stressful and sucky. Sounds like they are doing everything they can, cleaning a flood by Friday is pretty on top of the ball. I know it sucks really bad to not get a refund but it is what it is and hopefully you can make another location work in the meantime.
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Post by angelashly on Jun 5, 2018 7:00:30 GMT -6
I don't send my kids to daycare, but I would be expecting a refund if you don't send them at all. If you send them to another location, I would hope for a reduced rate as a "I'm sorry, please don't hate us too much" gesture. This is clearly out of their control, but they are effing up a lot of people's lives and refunds are what I would expect from a business in that situation. Good point. I’d settle for a reduced rate, or just some acknowledgement that we spend a shit ton a year and they understand and will try and make this as easy as possible for us. But they did by offering you an alternative. Sure it doesn't work for you, but it was offered I would not be expecting a refund. I pay a lot of daycare times that dd doesn't actually go
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rachydc
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Post by rachydc on Jun 5, 2018 7:05:21 GMT -6
Good point. I’d settle for a reduced rate, or just some acknowledgement that we spend a shit ton a year and they understand and will try and make this as easy as possible for us. But they did by offering you an alternative. Sure it doesn't work for you, but it was offered I would not be expecting a refund. I pay a lot of daycare times that dd doesn't actually go Oh for sure. We pay when the kids are sick or dont go bc we take a long weekend or something like that. I'd never expect them to give me a refund for those days. I was just curious because this is such an unexpected crap situation, all around, not for just us, I know for them as well.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2018 7:12:49 GMT -6
They may still have to cover their bills but their insurance should cover something. ? This isn’t necessarily true though. The policy is only going to pay for a loss of income if required. If the contracts with parents require full payment during a temporary closure the insurance company isn’t going to offer to pay out of the goodness of their corporate heart.
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Post by GhoatMonket on Jun 5, 2018 7:22:03 GMT -6
But they did by offering you an alternative. Sure it doesn't work for you, but it was offered I would not be expecting a refund. I pay a lot of daycare times that dd doesn't actually go Oh for sure. We pay when the kids are sick or dont go bc we take a long weekend or something like that. I'd never expect them to give me a refund for those days. I was just curious because this is such an unexpected crap situation, all around, not for just us, I know for them as well. Yes, but your comment about them needing to acknowledge that you have spent money there is... something. Like you need them to validate you. They have enough issues to deal with- they can't be coddling you as well. It's a business. People seem to forget that part a lot with daycares. It is a business. Not a charity.
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Post by angelashly on Jun 5, 2018 8:04:20 GMT -6
But they did by offering you an alternative. Sure it doesn't work for you, but it was offered I would not be expecting a refund. I pay a lot of daycare times that dd doesn't actually go Oh for sure. We pay when the kids are sick or dont go bc we take a long weekend or something like that. I'd never expect them to give me a refund for those days. I was just curious because this is such an unexpected crap situation, all around, not for just us, I know for them as well. I mean that my dd's school closes 1-2 days a month for in service days. Since her school is the only school that closes those days and there are not enough students from that school the daycare will not offer care to my dd for the full day. I still have to pay plus I either have to take off work or find alternate care those days.
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Cher
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Post by Cher on Jun 5, 2018 8:11:14 GMT -6
You should get a partial refund. Our school was closed for 2 days bc of a fire and we were given $100 (which wasn’t enough). Well this is an anecdote and doesn’t mean the OP “should” get anything.
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cmb
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Post by cmb on Jun 5, 2018 8:19:29 GMT -6
You should get a partial refund. Our school was closed for 2 days bc of a fire and we were given $100 (which wasn’t enough). Well this is an anecdote and doesn’t mean the OP “should” get anything. Agreed. Our daycare got partially flooded 2 years ago. It happened to be a big week at work for me and DH was out of town so I was out of work the days they were closed. We were not offered any form of refund, nor did we expect one. We also were not given alternative care arrangements. The teachers and staff were in there trying to clean up so they could partially open as soon as they were able. If I recall correctly, they also had to get insurance people and regulators in to clear them to open, so it isn’t always just a clean up effort setting the timeline for reopening We also use a chain, and it stipulates in the standard contract that unforeseen closures are not grounds for any form of refund. It sucks, but shit happens. I am sorry you have to deal with this, OP
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joy
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Post by joy on Jun 5, 2018 11:55:45 GMT -6
But they did by offering you an alternative. Sure it doesn't work for you, but it was offered I would not be expecting a refund. I pay a lot of daycare times that dd doesn't actually go Oh for sure. We pay when the kids are sick or dont go bc we take a long weekend or something like that. I'd never expect them to give me a refund for those days. I was just curious because this is such an unexpected crap situation, all around, not for just us, I know for them as well. Yes - exactly: it’s an unexpected and crap situation. They are doing what they can. Expecting a refund on top of that is too far in my opinion.
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rachydc
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Post by rachydc on Jun 5, 2018 12:20:39 GMT -6
Oh for sure. We pay when the kids are sick or dont go bc we take a long weekend or something like that. I'd never expect them to give me a refund for those days. I was just curious because this is such an unexpected crap situation, all around, not for just us, I know for them as well. Yes - exactly: it’s an unexpected and crap situation. They are doing what they can. Expecting a refund on top of that is too far in my opinion. Thanks. That's why I posted this. Seems like we were unreasonable in our thinking. My stress heightened my emotions on the issue and my expectations were inflated. Reading everyone's responses, I definitely have been talked back down to Earth.
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gimmeaQ
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Post by gimmeaQ on Jun 5, 2018 12:58:26 GMT -6
this sucks, I'm sorry. I would (unfortunately) just treat it as though your kid was sick and you had to exhaust all of your options for care before taking off work during a busy week.
Did you check to see if either of your employers cover back up care? Some do! Check with HR or via an EAP if you or your H have one of those
Or if you have a Bright Horizons locally, they are known (at least around here) as a drop in provider.
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Post by GhoatMonket on Jun 5, 2018 13:11:54 GMT -6
I have never heard of employers covering back up care until this thread.
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gimmeaQ
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Post by gimmeaQ on Jun 5, 2018 13:16:38 GMT -6
I have never heard of employers covering back up care until this thread. I worked for a company that covered it before I had kids. I had NO IDEA how valuable of a benefit it was at the time.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2018 13:21:36 GMT -6
I have never heard of employers covering back up care until this thread. A lot of bigger law firms and tech companies do. It can be valuable. But in my world is often more like you can’t take off when your kid is sick or the nanny calls out because you have this “benefit “
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Post by imapenguin on Jun 5, 2018 13:26:15 GMT -6
I have never heard of employers covering back up care until this thread. MHs company covers 80 hours of emergency care per calendar year for employees. We actually used it for a couple of days when I was on bedrest last fall and all of our usual go tos had conflicts.
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Post by mustardseed2007 on Jun 5, 2018 13:39:46 GMT -6
I haven't read the whole thread, but did someone already mention trying to find out if any of the teachers could watch your kids in their home? Some of them are probably working to clean up but some of them might be off work b/c of the flood and may welcome the work.
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Leaf 🌱
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Post by Leaf 🌱 on Jun 5, 2018 21:30:51 GMT -6
Does your daycare offer a reduced rate for any number of days throughout the year? It’s probabky just an in-Home care thing, but we can pay a reduced rate for up to 10 days/year when we don’t send DD1 to DC/go on vacation. We have to provide notice but if you have this option, maybe they’d be lenient about that and you can use the reduced rate.
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Sundae
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Post by Sundae on Jun 5, 2018 22:08:56 GMT -6
I have never heard of employers covering back up care until this thread. A lot of bigger law firms and tech companies do. It can be valuable. But in my world is often more like you can’t take off when your kid is sick or the nanny calls out because you have this “benefit “ yup. We get 20 days a year per kid at a reduced rate. Except it never worked when the kid got sick overnight and we needed care. We always had to take the first day off and then we’re covered for additional days out.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2018 0:41:38 GMT -6
Our center was closed during/after Harvey for a few days and we didn’t get any kind of refund. They offered to try and fit us in other centers once they were opened and available, but I declined and took DS to work with me one I had to go back. We use a national chain.
I’m sorry you’re going through this, and I hope you were mostly unaffected from the flooding.
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