Pulling my child out of playgroup

amother

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 4:06 pm

Thanks all for the replies
Feel so validating
So she didn't have a full week yet, I am willing to give it another few days
but thanks for confirming that PB sandwiches as a main course for lunch is not OK. This is my first so I thought maybe IM just missing the facts.

I asked her twice what my child was like and what activities they did, she was very vague.
the number of children is what conerns me most, so we are looking into other options

Hard to find something at this point, though

amother

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 4:08 pm

watergirl wrote:

How old is your child?

If you need the playgroup for childcare while you work, and if you will not be able to find a spot elsewhere and if your child is older than a toddler (ie 2.5), tell her the food is not what you expected and you'll be sending your own food and not the extra $75.

If the playgroup is for socializing, pull your child out.

She is 20 months old
I work, so I need this for childcare

the morah does not give an option to bring own food and avoid the fee 😥

amother

Bellflower

Sat, Sep 09 2023, 9:04 pm

I don’t understand how morahs raise their price after committing to a certain price. As a morah myself, I gave my rates after succos last year, by Pesach time I heard ppl were charging more than $100+ extra a month then I announced on. We asked our Rav and we were told that since I committed to a certain price with the parents I am not allowed to change the agreement. The only thing I could do was tell the parents prices went up and ask then if they can pay more etc. I didn’t feel comfortable doing that so I kept my price. OP you are allowed to pull out halachically since she didn’t keep to her side of the agreement. I would be so upset if my child’s Morah raised the price like that. Unless she had a VERY low rate to begin with. But taking more kids too is not right either, I wouldn’t accept that.

amother

Strawberry

Sat, Sep 09 2023, 9:11 pm

This lunch as an only option would not fly by any of my kids either. She needs to either provide better food, a second option (or two) , or let parents choose to send their own lunches. The way it is makes no sense.

watergirl

Sat, Sep 09 2023, 9:15 pm

amother OP wrote:

She is 20 months old
I work, so I need this for childcare

the morah does not give an option to bring own food and avoid the fee 😥

Will you be able to get your baby a spot in a better place?

amother

Clover

Sat, Sep 09 2023, 9:18 pm

The fact that she let your child go hungry all day bothers me more than the ratio of kids. Sorry but if you see the child is not eating then figure out something else to give her.
I'd pull out.

notshanarishona

Sat, Sep 09 2023, 9:22 pm

For $75 a month, I would definitely expect a hot lunch. Nothing fancy, but definitely not just sandwiches.
I would give it a few more days and then start looking for alternatives before pulling out. I think you are definitely in the right to pull out if costs increased and ratios increased

amother

Jasmine

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 10:12 am

OP didn’t say she only served sandwiches just that it was served the first day. Could you ask her for her menu to get an idea of what you can expect?

amother

Yellow

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 10:13 am

Didn't read the whole thread.

The way I see it, if you agreed to send on certain terms, and those terms weren't kept on her end, you can leave.

amother

Amaryllis

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 10:24 am

amother Almond wrote:

I pulled my child out of a group that had 3 morahs and 20 kids. It was a disaster. So disorganized and not clean. And they have a good reputation in town for some reason. My son literally went crazy from that group. I bh was able to get a slot for a group that has 1 morah and 10 kids. I heard amazing things about her. From day 1, my child was a different kid. It was such a calm place, she had everything so under control and she was just amazing. My child thrived there.
Sometimes more morah's, doesn't mean that the group is better run and more responsible.

Is this in Monsey?
Sending to my DC to a place now and the door is blocked so you can't see what goes on behind closed doors. DC is happy so not pulling out but curious since I do wonder if I should be concerned...

amother

Stoneblue

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 10:54 am

as a former Morah, I'd guess she used food as an excuse to raise her price. I'm not saying it correct, but I'm sure she had to add $75, but couldn't officially raise her price, so she added an additional food cost.
I would have done that too, maybe. Maybe then I'd still be open today.
I had taken registration early winter, as I was getting calls non stop. Life costs (crafts, food, etc) went up a ton that year, as did the amount I had to pay my assistant. (I didn't want to take so early, but as a Morah with a good reputation BH, I was getting calls starting in August-for the following year!)
I didn't go up in price at all, as previous Morah poster said, since I didn't feel it's right to do so. But that year I got extremely burnt out, knowing I was working so hard with such a small income, that I closed shop after that. I just couldn't do it anymore.

amother

Petunia

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 12:50 pm

Is the $75 lunch fee per month or for the year?
I crunched the numbers:
Assuming 160 days of playgroup and 11 kids in the class, and current prices on the website of my local Jewish grocery, a year's worth of peanut butter sandwiches and cucumbers, along with plastic plates, comes out to $169 per kid per year.