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Policies
The beauty of owning your own business is that you can make up the policies that you want. Not every provider is going to have or agree to the
policies another provider might feel is appropriate. There are a few that
each provider must have in place for a smooth operation. There are many
others that each provider will implement as time goes on, and he or she
learns what works best for them.
Admission
After the initial interview, and you and the parents feel comfortable
working together it is time to admit the child or children into your care.
If you are a licensed provider there are numerous forms that the county
needs filled out. There should also be a
contract
between you and the parents/guardians. This is a good time to review all
your policies with the parents.
Some providers charge a holding fee or deposit. The holding fee
guarantees the parent a place for their child to attend the day care. This
holding fee is applied towards care at some point during the child's
enrollment. Usually a deposit equal to up to two weeks of care is
sufficient. The entire holding fee can be used a final payment when a parent
gives their two week notice or one half could be applied towards the first
week of care, and the remaining half could be applied towards the last week
of care following the termination notice. Usually, the holding fee is non
refundable if the parent/guardian does not attend as agreed.
A holding fee is important because there may be times when the parent
falls behind when making payments to you. A holding fee can be considered as
"insurance" against non-payment but only up to the amount you have
the parent put down. With a deposit, it's easier to grant the parent the
ability to pay late without jeopardizing your income if the parent
should terminate care without notice.
It is possible to charge a registration fee. This fee is applied
toward the cost of paper work among other things. Some centers charge this
fee each year. Most providers in my area only charge it once at admission.
Usually, it ranges from $5.00 to $50.00. The amount is totally up to
you.
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Activities
It is best to plan age-appropriate activities for each age group. Infants
should have many toys to play with, and have time each day to creep and
crawl, and explore their surroundings. Offer sensory items that rattle,
jingle, wiggle and roll, and are of varying shapes and colors. Infants
should be supervised at all times. If you must leave the room make
sure infants are not left laying on the floor when other children are
playing in the same room. It is best to put the infant in a crib or infant
seat until you return to the room.
Toddlers do well with open-ended activities such as coloring, painting or
any art project that doesn't have a specific image it must resemble.
Preschoolers start using the scissors at about 3 years old at my home.
School age children love to help the younger children, and it can boost
their self confidence when the help others out. There are plenty of
curriculum companies that sell packages of pre-assembled craft kits.
Television is a wonderful learning tool, especially for those children who
are visual learners (like me!). Computer software packages teach hand-eye
coordination, language skills, pre-math skills, and are fun. Video games
that do not promote violence are fun teaching tools as well. Make sure all
these types of tools are used in limited quantities. Nothing replaces good
old fashioned playtime. It may seem like playtime is the opposite of lesson
time, however, it can be the same to a child who is learning all the time.
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Birthdays
It's fun and rewarding to celebrate a child's birthday. At my home the
parents usually bring a treat to share with everyone. I keep it a low key
celebration. The treat is served after lunch. The birthday person wears a
special hat, and everyone gets a sticker or two. All parties are strictly
voluntary.
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Bookkeeping
Always keep thorough records. There are several ways to do this. You can
purchase record keeping software, or calendars, or hand write everything
down in a ledger. In any case make sure you have a listing of all your
income and expenses.
For more information go to:
http://resourcesforchildcare.com
which is an excellent source for tax, and bookkeeping advice.
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Children's Belongings
I encourage the parents/guardians to send a comfort item such as a blanket,
baby doll, stuffed animal, pacifier, etc. along with their child(ren) each
day. This "comfort item" is not shared with the other children.
Not only for sanitary reasons, but to allow the children ownership of
something. Everything else is shared, including me, and I feel the comfort
item stabilizes the child when they are feeling needy.
I ask that a full change of clothes be brought everyday (including socks) or
the parents can leave them here, and I keep them stored in the bathroom
linen closet in case of spills or toileting accidents. Infants usually need
to bring two or more change of clothes due to spitting up.
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Communication
I send a daily report sheet home each day for each child explaining things
like what each meal consisted of, how they slept, if they were happy, sad,
rambunctious, and how they participated in the day's activities, etc. I
encourage good communication skills between parents and providers to keep in
tune with the changes occurring in the children's lives. Telephone calls are
welcome after the dinner hour.
I print out a quarterly newsletter to inform the parents of upcoming
Holidays and vacation days. In the newsletter I list what classes I
have taken, any special books worth mentioning, my favorite web sites, and
the like. I may include achievements, and scanned photographs of the
children.
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Diapers, Wipes and such
Decide whom you want to supply these things. About one-half of the parents
of the children I have cared for brought a supply of diapers and wipes in a
diaper bag each day. The other half brought a 30-day supply. It was not
unusual to have two or three cases of wipes, and several packages of
differing brands of diapers in my home.
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Discipline
When there is a need to discipline the children it must be handled in a
caring manner. Some methods are intervention, redirection, or short time
outs. For older preschoolers and school agers privileges can be taken away.
Never withhold food or place children in solitary confinement as a means of
discipline. One method I use is the "thinking corner". The
children sit on the floor in the corner until they can think of alternate
ways of expressing anger or aggression. This works well with older children.
I have also used a reward system. This worked well also, but I'm not sure
about "paying" children to act civilly. I would like it if they
could do so because it is the right thing to do.
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Discounts
It's an option of yours to offer families discounts for two or more children
enrolled in your day care. A 5 or 10 percent discount or a flat $5 discount
rate works. The amount is your decision. Ask other providers in your area
what they recommend. Remember, this is lost income for you, and not
something that is deductible on your income taxes.
Emergencies
In the case of an emergency you must have a definite plan of action. In
order to be licensed in Hennepin County you are required to have a fire
escape route plan. I advise you to have one whether it is required or not.
Practice your storm, and fire drills. They are life savers. Your
local fire department can help you develop one if need be. In any case, HAVE
one.
If there is an accident, or injury that requires transporting
children to a doctor or dentist have a definite plan of action. Have this in
writing, and share it with the parents at admission. You have three choices:
You could transport the child, you could call an ambulance to transport the
child, or you could call the parent to transport the child. This is between
you and the parents, and the given situation.
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Field Trips
It is beneficial to the children to provide outings each day. Outdoor play
is required in Hennepin County. Field trips are an exciting part of child
care. However, not all providers do field trips. If you are not
comfortable with them, then let the parents know this right away. Sometimes,
when taking care of infants, it is just not possible to take field trips.
Perhaps the provider can't fit everyone into the car. One solution is to
buddy up with another provider and plan field trips together. Some parents
attend the field trips and assist the provider by acting as chaperones.
The providers in your area may be able to let you know of the best sights to
bring the children. There are the obvious places like the zoo, the library,
McDonald's. Local businesses may be willing to offer tours of their
facilities. Sometimes just going to the grocery store provides an enjoyable
experience.
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Food Program
Try to locate a food program sponsor. They are contracted by the government
to reimburse some of your food expenses. They require you to fill out
special forms each day indicating the meal components that were served to
each child in your care that has been enrolled in the food program. They
also assist with referring clients to you, training, and menus. See the
CCAFP
Sponsors Page.
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Helpers
In Hennepin County a helper is anyone 13 years old and up who can be used in
place of a second adult caregiver when there is no more than one infant or
toddler present. Substitutes are limited to a cumulative total of not more
than 30 days in any 12-month period. Substitutes are at least 18
years old. My husband substitutes for me on a short term basis (like running
up to the store, or bringing a child to school). My children are my helpers,
and have been in my employ since they were able to help out. Their job
duties consist of picking up toys, taking out the garbage, helping with
outings, etc. They are paid for their work, and I am able to write off the
expense.
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Holidays
If you should choose to be paid for Holidays this must be spelled out
in a contract. The days you want
to be paid for is totally up to you. Some providers are paid for 52 weeks
per year. Period. Some only charge for the days they are available for care.
Another option is to be paid only if the parent is paid for the Holiday.
What if the parent has to work on the Holiday as some retail employees do?
Decide ahead of time, and have it in writing. This is way there will be no
surprises. Don't expect parents to remember what days you want to be paid
for when you are not available to care for their children.
Always remind the parents of upcoming paid Holidays. Invariably, some
parents will forget.
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Hours
This is one of the best things about owning your own business. You get
to decide what hours you want to work. Most parents will need their provider
to be available for ten hours each day. That will allow them an eight hour
work day, a half an hour for lunch, and about one and a half hours for
travel time. If you are an early morning person you can open up at
6:00 a.m. and find plenty of parents willing to begin at that time. Perhaps
you would like to do overnight or weekend care. These are all options that
are up to you.
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Inclement Weather
How do you want to handle snow days? When the weather in Minnesota is at its
harshest I advocate no traveling. If the parent's place of employment is
closing down for the day due to the weather you could ask that the parents
keep their children home with them. If the roads are impassible in your area
because the snowplows haven't gotten to your street, you could ask that the
parents keep their children home with them as well. Determine what, if any,
discount you will apply for these closed days. You could refund the full
day, or one half the daily rate.
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Illnesses
In Hennepin County parents are required to notify day care providers within
24 hours of the diagnosis of a serious contagious illness or parasitic
infestation. There are more than 3 dozen listed illnesses and infestations.
I give a copy of the list to the parents/guardians at admission.
Do you want ill children in your care? How many children you care for, and
if they are from more than one family will make a difference in how you are
able to handle this. Centers in Hennepin County must adhere to strict
exclusion rules. In-home providers have a little more flexibility. The
biggest complaint a provider will have is that parents bring sick children
to day care. Make your policies on this issue are very plain. Even still,
there will be that day when the parent loads the child up with Tylenol, and
deposits them red eyed, and flushed, into your hands. It is at this point
that your communication skills will be tested. For the health of everyone in
your home the parent must be convinced that the child would be better off at
home. If the other children get sick they can pass it on to their parents,
and then the parents end up missing work. The providers own children may end
up sick. The provider may too. And remember, when the provider is sick, no
one can attend.
It is likely that a child in day care will be ill, and be excluded from care
five to ten days each year. Generally if a child has a temperature of 100
degrees or above, they are considered contagious. Obviously, green nasal
discharge, continuous coughing, vomiting or loose yellow or green stools
that can't be contained are signs of illness. These children must be
excluded from care until they are without fever, and are able to participate
in normal daily activities.
Hennepin County has put an online manual together. This manual specifies
recommendations for providers and parents and includes many forms and
handouts.
You can view this manual here
More on Cleaning and Disinfecting
here
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Inclusion and Integration
Be sure to offer the children in your care opportunities to experience
our many different cultures. Begin by introducing a wide variety of books
and toys that show people of differing ethinicity and thereby encourage an
anti-racist environment.
Paints and crayons in a range of skin tones, dolls of all sizes, genders,
and even those with disabilities, (sadly one of the Little Tikes dolls for
my doll house had her legs broken off, but rather than toss the doll away,
we consider her disabled) and don't forget dress up clothes for all genders
too.
Try to stress to the children that every individual is a part of a
cultural group with uniqueness and gifts to share with others, and to learn
to appreciate the difficulties other people experience. Encourage challenged
children to learn to explore their limits, to accomplish tasks that may not
have been afforded them in a specialized care. Center
for Inclusive Child Care
Insurance
Liability, and accident insurance is not mandatory in Hennepin County, but
it is advisable. Approximately $200 will supply a provider with about
$600,000 worth of coverage for ten children. If the provider decides
not to carry insurance or carries insurance less than $100,000 per person,
and $250,000 per occurrence he or she must maintain copies of a notice
signed by all the parents of the children in care indicating that they are
aware of this. This is in Hennepin County. Your county licensing rules may
be different.
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Interviewing
The interview between yourself and the client begins with the first
telephone call. Make a note of the callers name, phone number, age of
child or children, and the hours and days they need care for. This is a good
time to find out as much information as possible. It's recommended that if
you can't give the caller your full attention that you call him or her back
at a better time. When you are ready to schedule the interview jot it down
so you will remember the day, and time.
The interview is a chance to get to know each other's needs and to see if
you will mesh well together. Not everyone has the same parenting styles.
Here is where you find out. Ask where the parents work. Where do they
live? How do they handle discipline at home? They will have many questions
to ask you. Give an overview of your policies. At the end of the interview I
send a pamphlet containing a brief explanation of some of my policies,
information about myself, and references.
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Napping
Most centers and in-home childcare providers schedule a rest period each
day. This rest period is adjusted according to the age of the child. Young
infants may sleep up to 14 hours each day. Most of an infants rest is
acquired by taking brief "cat naps". As the infant grows, more
defined rest periods form. A morning nap, and an afternoon nap is common.
Toddlers benefit by naps too. Depending on your daily activity schedule, an
afternoon nap works well, but some providers prefer to lay the toddlers down
in the morning when the infants are sleeping. Preschoolers enter a stage
where they may not need as much sleep as they did when they were younger.
Parents may inform you that their child isn't getting to sleep at their
regular bedtime, and insist you keep their child awake during the rest
period. This is a touchy issue if you require all the children to partake in
the rest period. Let's say you laid everyone down for a nap but Johnny. You
will have to not only keep him awake in a totally quiet house but you will
also have to remind him to remain quiet. It can get to be quite a balancing
act. Is this an area you are willing to be flexible in?
Personally, I require all children to participate. Children under school age
are encouraged to nap, and they must stay on their beds and remain quiet.
First through sixth grade children can do quiet activities while resting or
are allowed to play in the yard if they want. I remain indoors during nap
time. I have the parents of school children fill in the appropriate forms to
specify that this is all right with them.
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Nutrition
Proper nutrition is stressed here. I am a member of the Child and Adult Care
Food Program (CACFP) . The meals that I serve to the children are
reimbursable as long as I provide the foods. An exception to this is in the
case of infants where parents decide to supply breast milk. The government
has ruled that the provider is reimbursable for these meals as well. For a
weekly menu sample click here.
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Overtime
Remember inclement weather will cause delays. If you decide to charge
parents a fee for dropping off or picking up outside of your normally
scheduled hours let them know this at the initial interview. Some providers
allow for up to a 15 minute grace period where there is no extra charge.
Again, Up to You! Some providers charge; some don't. Some charge $1.00 per
minute outside of normally scheduled hours. This is something that must be
listed in your
contract.
Do I charge? Yes, I do. I have quite a bit of running around to do, what
with dinner, teenage children, computer courses, in-service training,
shopping, and so on, and so on... I charge $1.00 for every minute the
parents are early or late. More often it is late rather than early.
Sometimes the parents have to be reminded that they owe extra for overtime.
I send home a
"friendly
reminder" slip the
last day of attendance for the week. Communication is the key!
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Parties
Parties are a fun change of pace. With all the holidays celebrated in the
United States we could probably have a party everyday! Realistically,
providers in my area bring out the party decorations for most national
events like Valentine's Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, Hanukah,
Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Years, etc. Themes are stressed. Celebrations can go
on for days, weeks or even seasons. It seems caregivers follow along with
what their local school district's events are. The families at my facility
see repetitions of my holiday window clings each and every year.
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Payment
Decide what day you would like to be paid. Let the parents know this during
admission, and put it into your
contract.
Sometimes a parent may ask you why they have to pay you when their child
doesn't attend. Simply put, you are guaranteeing that child a place to come
each day. If you didn't, then another child would be able to take his or her
place (which is called drop-in care), and that would leave the parent
scrambling to find alternate care. Explain that you don't consider full time
care the same as drop in care, so they are required to pay you whether the
child attends or not.
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Parental Leave
If a child's parents come to you asking if you'll hold his or her spot while
they are off for the summer, have a baby, go on sabbatical, or travel
through Europe what would you say? Decide how long you are willing to go
without income. Or better yet, charge a Leave of Absence rate. It isn't
unreasonable to ask they pay while you guarantee a spot for their child or
children. This could be 1/4, 1/3 or 1/2 of what they normally pay you. What
if they have gone from being employed full time to part time, and only want
to bring their child a couple days per week so they can run errands? If you
can handle the loss of income, then accommodate them. If not, terminate
their care, and put an ad in the paper listing new openings. This may seem
harsh, but it's your income we're talking about here. Your family has to eat
too!
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Pets
In Hennepin County, any and all pets in the residence must be maintained in
good health, and the parents must be notified that there are pets in the
residence. These pets are limited to dogs, cats, fish, guinea pigs, gerbils,
rabbits, hamsters, rats, mice, and birds if the birds are clear of
chlamydia-psittaci. Rabies shots and tags must be current on all dogs and
cats. A word to the wise... if the pet is cranky, keep it away from the
kids. If there are infants in the residence, keep them away from the pets.
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Provider Personal Leave Days
A lot of employers grant their employees paid personal leave days. I receive
full pay for three personal leave days per calendar year to be taken at my
discretion. These days are usually reserved for family emergencies, illness
or vacations, but can be used for any reason. There is no required notice
for personal leave days, but I give maximum notice when possible.
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Rates
The rates you charge should be competitive for your area. Sometimes parents
will call looking for openings, and ask what you charge over the phone. Some
providers will not give their rates over the phone because they don't want
their facility judged solely on what they charge. One way you can compare
rates is to call other day care providers in your area. Let them know you
are interested in becoming a day care provider. Most times providers are
happy to share information with other providers. If there is a caregiver
network near you, you could attend a meeting and ask those in charge what
the average rates are for your area.
Be very specific about the rate structure. Spell out how the parents are
paying for the child care; whether it will be hourly, daily, weekly, monthly
or whatever you decide on. Let them know how many hours this rate will
provide care for. If you are open a 10 hour day, and the parents only need
care for eight hours, will you charge them extra on days they need your
services for more than their regular eight hours? Don't surprise them with
this information the day it happens. Let them know up front.
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Smoking
It is never a good idea to smoke around the children. Smoking is not allowed
at all during the hours you are open for business. As a
former smoker I understand the difficulties this presents. If you smoke, the
odor clings to your clothing and transfers to the children when you hold
them. Of course, as role models we want to discourage children from starting
smoking as they get older. They need all the positive role models they can
get.
Related: The new ordinance
banning smoking in public places. (Dec 2004)
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Termination Procedures
Providers in Hennepin County usually require a two week notice when parents
elect to terminate care. The same is true when a provider terminates care.
The most common reason a parent will terminate care is due to hours. Either
they have had a scheduling change at work or they need the caregiver to
provide care for more or less hours than originally planned. Other reasons
could be unemployment, pregnancy, moving, a new job, etc.
The biggest reason a provider might terminate care would be problems with
meshing with either the parents or the child. These problems could occur
between the new children and the currently enrolled children too. Extremely
aggressive behavior like biting is often a cause for termination.
Noncompliance with the written guidelines as agreed to in the
contract
may also bring about termination. It's possible that the provider has bitten
off more than they can chew, and needs to cut back on the number of children
he or she cares for.
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Toilet Training
Toilet training is a huge step in a young child's life. The independence
from diapers is definitely a cause for celebration! Many children show signs
of readiness between the second and third birthdays. However, it is not
uncommon for toilet training to occur after the third birthday. The process
varies among children. I agree to begin toilet training when the child shows
certain signs of readiness such as staying dry for long periods of time,
being able to sit on the toilet long enough for something to happen, and be
able to undress with minimal assistance. Parents should provide extra
clothing as accidents will happen.
The parents will need to pursue the toilet training process at home with
their child with equal vigor if the child is to have any sense of
continuity. Parents and caregivers will have to communicate the best way to
teach each individual child, while meeting their specific needs. Some
children feel most comfortable on a potty chair. The small size makes a
child feel secure. The only problem with potty chairs is that they aren't
very portable. It's hard to bring one to the mall with you. Once, while in a
restroom in a discount shopping store, I heard a young child refuse to use
the facilities because there was no potty chair.
This brings up the case for toilet, toilet training. A sturdy stool under
the child's feet while they sit on the seat stabilizes their wobbling. There
are forms that fit on the seat to make the opening smaller, and reduce
chances of a watery bottom. And toilets are readily available, usually.
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Toy Days
Toy days or show-and-tell days are fun. The child really feels special when
they get to bring in a treasured item. If it is a toy we share it. If
it is breakable we show it, and stow it. The children like to show their
items during circle time. I like to designate one day each week as toy day.
That way I am not overrun with scads of toys, books, games, puzzles, and
dolls each and every day. It is recommended that the child's name be on the
item somewhere. When conflicts occur the toys are put away.
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Transportation
In the event that you take the children with you in the car, make sure they
are all properly restrained. Hennepin County requires parents to sign a
permission slip enabling the providers to transport children.
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Vacations - Parent
Many providers charge for vacations the parents take. A common practice is
to charge for 52 weeks of care every year regardless of vacation days.
Another would be to charge 1/2 their normal daily rate for the vacation
days. It is possible to limit the number of days the parents get at the
discounted rate. You could allow parents a set number of unpaid days to use
however they want. These, say ten days, could be used for illness, or
vacation; whatever. Maybe you'd prefer the set number of days at a
discounted rate option. Do you hate surprises? Decide, also, if you want the
parents to give you notice of their vacation days. Give it lots of thought.
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Vacations - Provider
As mentioned above, some providers are paid for 52 weeks each year. In
order to avoid burnout I take a vacation every quarter, but I don't charge
for my vacation days. I receive plenty of paid time off for holidays
and personal leave days which totals about 10 days each calendar year.
I feel the vacations help me to provide the highest quality care for
the children, and my family. It can be difficult for me to get away for
doctors appointments, and such, so I must set up these things during my
vacation. I give a minimum of two weeks notice of my vacation days. Parents
provide their own backup care while I am closed.
I know of providers that take off one scheduled day each month, let's say
the first Friday of the month, in which they run errands, volunteer at
school, schedule doctor, dentist, orthodontics, veterinary... and so on,
appointments. This can be a paid day or unpaid. Personally, I like this
idea. I would probably charge parents for this day off. If I decided not to
charge parents, I would set it up on a day where enrollments were lowest.
That way the loss of income for the provider is not as high.
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