What's your daycare snow, cold & other closure policy?

[Anonymous]

Agreed. Watching school aged children is a different ball game. The high schooler next door could babysit in that case. Or one of us could legitimately telework.

Our center was closed today for no reason. Schools close on a day like today bc of school buses and they have to take the entire county into account. Not so for daycares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our center typically follows OPM, but had a two hour delay today, instead of three hours. It's one of those questions I didn't think to ask when we were looking, and then got lucky with their policy. Following the local schools would be a complete deal-breaker for me in a daycare.

Then what are you going to do when your child is in the local schools?

I don't think that PP is wrong. As long as you know what you are signing on to (Follow schools, Feds or just State of Emergencies) from the beginning then you have to find the best place for you. Some people can swing it but for others, it would cost them their jobs. It's a good thing to know from the start (or get really lucky if you forget!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our center typically follows OPM, but had a two hour delay today, instead of three hours. It's one of those questions I didn't think to ask when we were looking, and then got lucky with their policy. Following the local schools would be a complete deal-breaker for me in a daycare.

+1. Many of the factors that go into the decision aren't relevant for a daycare. Plus, there are many days where schools are closed but the vast majority of businesses open normally, or a bit delayed. Employees of all of these companies are expected to get to work so the business can operate; there is no reason a daycare should be different. When the weather is bad enough that the Feds and many other businesses close, then it is of course reasonable for a daycare to close as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. Watching school aged children is a different ball game. The high schooler next door could babysit in that case. Or one of us could legitimately telework.

Our center was closed today for no reason. Schools close on a day like today bc of school buses and they have to take the entire county into account. Not so for daycares.

Where is your center? I am surprised to hear that somewhere was closed. Mine opened two hours late and although schools are closed the backup care was allowed to open at 10:30. Unless your center had some unique issues today, that doesn't seem right.

[Anonymous]

I LOVE my daycare but the only thing I don't love is that they follow FCPS for closures.

I think this is because the employees have kids in FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our center typically follows OPM, but had a two hour delay today, instead of three hours. It's one of those questions I didn't think to ask when we were looking, and then got lucky with their policy. Following the local schools would be a complete deal-breaker for me in a daycare.

Then what are you going to do when your child is in the local schools?

I don't think that PP is wrong. As long as you know what you are signing on to (Follow schools, Feds or just State of Emergencies) from the beginning then you have to find the best place for you. Some people can swing it but for others, it would cost them their jobs. It's a good thing to know from the start (or get really lucky if you forget!).

It's in our contract.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. Watching school aged children is a different ball game. The high schooler next door could babysit in that case. Or one of us could legitimately telework.

Our center was closed today for no reason. Schools close on a day like today bc of school buses and they have to take the entire county into account. Not so for daycares.

Where is your center? I am surprised to hear that somewhere was closed. Mine opened two hours late and although schools are closed the backup care was allowed to open at 10:30. Unless your center had some unique issues today, that doesn't seem right.

Springfield where there is almost NO snow. And yes, exactly. One of the reasons we’re looking to switch. They use no common sense or discretion and blindly follow FCPS, which as has been noted, has many different considerations. So another day of leave I don’t have to burn to begin with down the drain.

[Anonymous]

Ours is in home with one provider on site so they never close. They do delay by and hour or two to get time to shovel and ice melt their large driveway for safety of the parents and students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I LOVE my daycare but the only thing I don't love is that they follow FCPS for closures.

I think this is because the employees have kids in FCPS.

But lots of people in FC have kids in FCPS. Very few get off just because FCPS is closed.

[Anonymous]

Inhome daycare- if we can make it there, they can watch the kids.

This morning was a shitshow getting the kids there with the snow, ice, and work delay. Basically i was trying to telework while they're screaming and DH hasn't taken them yet because his work was delayed and he needed to shovel.

[Anonymous]

The daycares and preschools we've used always follow the school schedule for closings and delays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I LOVE my daycare but the only thing I don't love is that they follow FCPS for closures.

I think this is because the employees have kids in FCPS.

But lots of people in FC have kids in FCPS. Very few get off just because FCPS is closed.

Ours is the opposite - follows FCCPS which is great because we can take her in and have only one child at home when FCPS is closed allowing whichever one of stays home to actually get some work done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I LOVE my daycare but the only thing I don't love is that they follow FCPS for closures.

I think this is because the employees have kids in FCPS.

But lots of people in FC have kids in FCPS. Very few get off just because FCPS is closed.

Here's the thing: when a childcare center teacher's child is off of school, the teacher/parent doesn't have many options because they don't work for a company with backup care (like many of you do) AND they don't make lots of money to afford other options. AND if they are married, their spouse usually makes more money so his/her job is deemed more important and he/she couldn't possibly miss work so the childcare teacher stays home.

I'm a director of a child care center and I've been fighting this fight for years. The truth is, 99.99% of the time the husband goes to work at his job and the teacher stays home with their child. And, NO, a 7 year cannot be in an infant, toddler or preschool room all day. It's against licensing and it doesn't make sense to do that. ALSO if you are in the District then the areas that get really plowed out are Northwest/close in Capital Hill - and that's NOT where your teachers live. I've driven my teachers home and could NOT make it up the hill because the street wasn't even close to being plowed. The buses won't go up a hill when the roads are snowy and the roads in the poorer areas of the city do NOT get plowed immediately. Can take a day or two. I've seen the evidence. This is the ugly truth.

So we have few teachers and yet all the parents bring their children because they can get there as their streets are well plowed and they drive great cars and don't use public transportation. And I'm trying to make ratio! Joy, joy!

[Anonymous]

Mine is an in home and she follows the govt schedule. She told me that she took govt holidays but I didn't realize that also meant govt closed snow days until I showed up at 7:30 am and she told me she was closed.

I see no reason to close when she doesn't leave the house and she doesn't take the kids outside. Just venting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our center typically follows OPM, but had a two hour delay today, instead of three hours. It's one of those questions I didn't think to ask when we were looking, and then got lucky with their policy. Following the local schools would be a complete deal-breaker for me in a daycare.

+1. Many of the factors that go into the decision aren't relevant for a daycare. Plus, there are many days where schools are closed but the vast majority of businesses open normally, or a bit delayed. Employees of all of these companies are expected to get to work so the business can operate; there is no reason a daycare should be different. When the weather is bad enough that the Feds and many other businesses close, then it is of course reasonable for a daycare to close as well.

However, daycare is the only business that would be operating illegally if a handful of staff members called out. Ratio requirements don’t change because of bad weather. Other industries are fine to operate regardless to how many people opt to take leave. Any suggestions?