Armed with pen and paper you are determined to complete a rough draft of your new contract today! This is a big step toward greater professionalism in your day care business. It has been my experience that a contract is respected, not feared. Your clients won't tuck their tails and run, they will be impressed with your concern for improving the parent / provider relationship, and respect your dedication to the business.

First of all, research! Look at other day care providers' agreements to get ideas.

Secondly, make a list of issues that have been a concern for you. Are you getting paid fairly and on time? Has anyone quit recently without giving two weeks notice? Are they taking the kids to grandma's next week to save money for Christmas presents? Asking you to care for sick children or toilet train a ten month old? If it is an issue that you feel strongly about, put it in your contract! These issues may be short and nonspecific or long and detailed. The purpose of a contract is to prevent surprises and misunderstandings. It will help your business run smoothly. Rates and policies regarding holidays, vacations, and other absences is probably the most important issue you will address. Written documentation is something you must have if you need to visit small claims court for a nonpayment problem. Some providers are switching to a Monday payday. Their clients pay in advance. Be sure to include the statement that nonpayment is immediate grounds for dismissal. Don't sell yourself short.

Something else to consider including in your agreement is an advance warning that you may increase your rates. A thirty day notice of an increase in payments will keep them open to the possibility and make an increase easier to implement.

After you have decided which issues to address the third step is the actual writing process. In a positive, polite, but firm fashion you need to express the guidelines which you have found work best for you. Be sure to include only those issues that you feel comfortable with and will be able to back up. If you decide to include an overtime charge in your contract, charge them when they are late or they will not respect the rest of your contract.

You may wish to begin with some personal information about yourself and your family. Why you chose to be a day care provider and any special training you have for this profession may also be included. This may be a medical or teaching background, foster parent experience, your years of day care experience, membership in a local and/or national child care associations and participation in the Child Care Food Program.

Put lots of thought into your contract. In the end you will reap the rewards. You will find that a contract will save you time and avoid misunderstandings between yourself and your clients. Everything is clear and concise when written.

Have a friend or another day care provider read over what you have written. Type your contract and present a copy to each of your clients.

Lastly, discuss your policies with them. Decide in advance whether or not you are willing to compromise if they find them unacceptable. Often, compromise leads to resentment on both sides. Sometimes parents will test you to see how far you will go to get (or keep) the job and then expect you to compromise on other issues as well. Parents who don't agree on the issues disagree on other petty issues as well. Remember that this is your day care business and all business must have rules and guidelines in order to operate smoothly.