I have several policies that I'm finding myself needing very badly to change, sooner rather than later. How long do you wait between telling the parents and the policy taking affect?

The ones in question are:
1) giving of ANY meds during daycare (I'm trying to work in "no I won't use the snot sucker" into this one but haven't figured out a good way to do it...)
2) car seats in my house
3) infant food/how it's supplied and WHAT is supplied
4) diaper bags and whether they're allowed in my house

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I tell them I redo the contract/handbook and when I give it to them they have two weeks to give it back to me ,I add a "due date back "to it .
If they dont return it on time in this time frame we have no contract and they need to find other day care .

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I would love to work the, no snot sucker in too! I hate those things!


Here's how I've just reworded my contract. Still fine tuning parts, so I haven't given it out yet.





Supplies Required
The following items MUST be brought prior to the first day of care & be replenished as needed:

1. Change of clothing, including socks (appropriate for the season)
2. Babies: A large bag of diapers in the appropriate size.
3. If potty training: A large bag of pull ups or several training pants and plastic pants.
4. 2 bottles, up to 1 year. At 12 to 18 months at the latest, I will begin using sippy cups full time.
5. Bottle fed Babies: A can of formula. I will use tap water, unless you supply a gallon of bottled water.
6. Breast fed Babies: Please bring an extra day’s supply for my freezer as back up.
7. If on baby food, enough food for a week please.
8. 2 pacifiers. After about 6-8 months, I only use these at nap time. Usually shortly after 1 year, they don’t even have it at nap.

Please NO Diaper Bags. I simply don’t need them, or have the space to store them safely from the babies. I cannot guarantee that every bag is baby proofed and the only location I have to keep them are within the babies reach.

A reminder will be sent home when your child is running low on diapers/pull ups, formula or baby food.

Once your child has reached finger food stages, I will supply all meals and snacks. I will also supply sippy cups, plates and utensils.



I'm spreading the word for a new child right now, so I'm redoing my contract for everyone, so they all have the same one.

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IMHO, it should take at the very least, as long as your termination requirement. So, if they don't like your policies, they have (according to old contract) X amount of days to find someone else. That is the soonest you can allow change.

One note:
Any contract/ policy document should have somewhere that "these policies are subject to change with notice" somewhere.

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Oh, I REALLY like that. Just went and added that to the end of my contract I am revising!

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I give one month's notice of policy changes. I inform clients in my monthly newsletter (that they receive the first day of each month that they're in attendance) that effective the first of the next month the new policy starts.

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depends on what it is... sometimes I say it is effective immediately and then other times I only give a weeks notice.

Usually I don't make any major changes that are out of the ordinary, so parents dont seem to mind.

It is also in my contract/PHB about revisions, that I may make them when I see it is necessary and that I will give a one week notice. I require parents to sign the document informing of changes and return to care with payment at the end of the week. If they don't return it, either does this child...

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