https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 12:58:49 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735866 Sun, 14 May 2017 22:54:32 +0000 PinkElephant 2735866@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It sounds like maybe the other family has two kids - one older who could start in June, and one toddler, and the care provider would hold the October spot for your infant, but wants you to make up the (assumed) loss of the $$ for the older sibling she could have watched from June-October if she gave the other family the October spot?</p> <p>Still doesn't sound very fair to you, but that's the only scenario I can come up with that might make the caregiver feel justified in charging you for a spot that is not yet available!! </p> <p>I'm with everyone else - no way would I be onboard with that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735856 Sun, 14 May 2017 21:25:10 +0000 rnmcdonnell 2735856@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, that is really crazy and I can't believe they can get away with that. Who would pay 75% of tuition just to be able to remain on a waiting list for the next spot?! So sketchy!</p> <p>Glad you have another option to go with the nanny! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735849 Sun, 14 May 2017 20:18:29 +0000 psw27 2735849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Super sketchy. No I wouldn't pay for a slot that wasn't even available. I have paid for a slot that I wasn't ready to use but that was my choice. Glad you are getting a nanny instead! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735841 Sun, 14 May 2017 19:57:33 +0000 travellingbee 2735841@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah that's nuts. We paid a holding fee from January to March because the space was available but we weren't ready. That was annoying enough, but understandable. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735824 Sun, 14 May 2017 19:23:06 +0000 catlady 2735824@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really hope there is some misunderstanding here. I had to pay a holding fee for my LO several months before he started, but it was reasonable because it was a single month's tuition and was applied towards his first month. We are in an extremely tight location for childcare (you need to apply for infant care 9-12 months in advance) and people still complain about our daycare's policy and I even know one family that chose a different daycare specifically due to that policy. The situation you are describing is just insane. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735798 Sun, 14 May 2017 17:49:00 +0000 mrsmacSLP 2735798@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have opted to hire a nanny in lieu of this issue. I'm upset that she went about it this way and we've had our deposit in since September. I'm glad it wasn't just us that thought it was fishy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735797 Sun, 14 May 2017 17:46:51 +0000 mrsmacSLP 2735797@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rnmcdonnell: she explained that there is no spot for an infant until October. However she has an opening for an older child now (in home daycares have limits of ages per caregivers) . But there is definitely not a spot until October. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735776 Sun, 14 May 2017 16:06:20 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2735776@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If the spot is not available til October I just can't even imagine paying monthly in June. If it were that you were the ones not ready to take it that would be a different story. That's crazy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735775 Sun, 14 May 2017 16:05:03 +0000 erinbaderin 2735775@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That is insane and definitely unethical, if it's legal. I would be really wary of taking that spot - it seems like a bad way to start a relationship with a daycare provider, with her basically extorting you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735770 Sun, 14 May 2017 15:53:09 +0000 rnmcdonnell 2735770@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You might want to clarify if that's what she actually meant. I'm in an area with very competitive daycare with year long waiting lists, and I've never heard of anyone doing this and feel like places would go out of business if they did - I can't imagine ANYONE would pay for ongoing childcare fees to hold a spot if the spot wasn't actually available. In essence, paying almost the full cost in order to remain eligible for your waiting list spot.</p> <p>I'm just wondering if (hoping) she just didn't explain the situation well, because it really sounds more like she might mean that there is a spot in June that she's offering - but if you want to wait until August, your options are to either pay 75% monthly to hold the spot until you're ready in August (very common), or the other family will take the spot and you could take the next available spot in October. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735767 Sun, 14 May 2017 15:16:08 +0000 hitchhiker 2735767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jennibenni: oh I totally didn't get that. That's crazy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735766 Sun, 14 May 2017 15:06:22 +0000 MamaG 2735766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsmacSLP: okay that seems crazy. I could see if the spot was open and you weren't ready paying a fee. But paying a fee before it's available seems nutty. That's paying for four months that aren't available. I'd press why that's a requirement. And what's magic about starting to pay in June? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735764 Sun, 14 May 2017 15:05:18 +0000 winter_wonder 2735764@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, our center does this. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735763 Sun, 14 May 2017 15:01:06 +0000 mrsmacSLP 2735763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaG: the spot for W (infant) won't be open right now I guess until October (originally we were told November). We need a spot in August. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735762 Sun, 14 May 2017 14:51:41 +0000 Jennibenni 2735762@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hitchhiker: but I think in this case she's saying the spot is not open. It won't open until October but they want her to start paying in June. Sounds crazy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735761 Sun, 14 May 2017 14:51:39 +0000 MamaG 2735761@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm confused, when is the spot open? When do you need a spot? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735758 Sun, 14 May 2017 14:45:28 +0000 hitchhiker 2735758@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know this happens at our daycare. If a spot opens up and you are the next on the list but aren't ready to use the spot, you can either pay to hold it or you go to the bottom of the list. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735757 Sun, 14 May 2017 14:44:57 +0000 mrsmacSLP 2735757@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kiddosc: I am outraged and I have no idea if she gets away with it because of how small of a community we're in and how fast it's growing/the corporation that pays well is all out here so families pay it! I work for a school district my husband is an engineer for a small company we don't make millions! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735753 Sun, 14 May 2017 14:35:16 +0000 kiddosc 2735753@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've never heard of that and would be outraged. Is that even legal? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-holding-fee#post-2735752 Sun, 14 May 2017 14:22:04 +0000 mrsmacSLP 2735752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I live in a small rural community in the PNW that is (sadly) rapidly growing thanks to a MAJOR corporation. Childcare is severely limited in this community to only 2 in home daycares.</p> <p>I work in a small community which has 4 daycares but their earliest opening is April 2018 which is when W would be able to go into the daycare at the district I work for (open only to staff). </p> <p>We put a deposit in ($150) to hold a spot for W for August 2017, we were told a family would be moving and the spot would be ours. The family has since chosen not to move and we were told the next available opening for an infant is November. </p> <p>Now we received news from the daycare that there will be an opening in October, but starting in June we would have to pay $900 (75% of tuition) to cover the Holding fee even though W can't even start until OCTOBER! She also mentioned that there is another family interested in the spot that she could start in a June. Therefore we'd be paying for double childcare from August-October because I have to go back to work. </p> <p>Is this typical? Has anyone else been through this? I feel like paying for services that aren't rendered is unethical considering he can't even start. And how a spot randomly opened in October because a new interested family came into the picture.</p> <p>Ugh-stressed. Anyone? </p>