Pay playgroup Morah for april?

amother

Purple

Tue, Mar 31 2020, 12:10 pm

I'm sure they will listen.
Amythest, I don't know why you are so over the top angry at these morahs. Nobody here said the morahs were demanding anything. Everyone was in a holding pattern waiting to hear what is halachically expected.
I get the stress we are all there, but you seem to be taking it out on, of all people, day care providers.
Anyway, if you think it is such a cushy job, why don't you switch careers and become one yourself?

SYA

Tue, Mar 31 2020, 12:54 pm

amother [ Lilac ] wrote:

KEEP IN MIND... Playgroup morahs are paid for 10 months of work with payment divided equally aver ten months. Not every month has equal number of school days, so just stopping payment for April is really like not paying for additional non-April days when there was playgroup. Keep that in mind if you decide on your own to not pay.

I think that given the unprecedented circumstances, parents and Morahs need to work together with a Rav to come to an agreement, and each family-morah agreement may be different. Also keep in mind that Morahs have expenses associated with playgroup that don't magically disappear...rent, project expenses, assistants to pay.

Please, have some respect for your morahs as people who are going through the process of navigating a difficult situation and are trying to do so in the most mentchlich, torahdik way. Also, remember that these are the women whom you entrusted your precious children with, and will likely continue to trust them with in the future. Be kind to them, pay them if you can even if they say you don't have to, and ask a shaila if you can't.

My child's playgroup charges week by week and takes off for days closed like YT. So we don't pay the same amount ten months a year. Tishrei and Nissan we pay much less.

The playgroup is NOT charging for the time they are closed. The teacher did charge though for the hagada she prepared. She had all materials ready and sent pictures and a video of how to do it with your child.

amother

Purple

Tue, Mar 31 2020, 1:38 pm

This is actually more generous to the parents than the morahs, in contrast to the guidelines set by the Baltimore rabbanim. There, parents were told to still pay half for the month of April, even if the morahs didn't provide anything and full, if they did. And those were written more as a halachic decision, whereas these were written as guidelines. Interesting.

Zohar, thank you for that historical tidbit! Fascinating.

amother

Saddlebrown

Tue, Mar 31 2020, 3:31 pm

amother [ Sienna ] wrote:

As a playgroup Morah I'm curious what you say to my answers

Playgroup is in the home (but only live in a house because the playgroup money pays the rent, otherise would live in an apartment).
I provide lunch and snacks
Playgroup usually pays Morahs
Morahs will probably be laid off if there is no money coming in - have to ask a shaila

As a parent, would you pay in this case?

As a parent, as long as I could put food on the table, yes I would continue paying.

amother

Aquamarine

Tue, Mar 31 2020, 3:35 pm

amother [ Purple ] wrote:

The Baltimore response was far more practical.

Chayalle

Tue, Mar 31 2020, 3:54 pm

I'm blessed that I work from home always, so nothing has changed....I'm B"H still working. We B"H have my salary.

I definitely expect to pay my tuition for the year. I have no one in playgroup or babysitting, so not an issue here.

DH is a Rebbe and tutors...I have no idea if he will get his regular salary. I'm gonna guess not (it's not a regular yeshiva situation.) And in terms of the tutoring, he told some of his parents (with my full support) who babysit and are now out of work or maybe getting much-reduced $$$ not to pay him for half of March when they couldn't work (he did the tutoring on the phone, free of charge, anyway.)

(to be honest - one person whom he told not to pay at all - insisted she will pay. So he realized the half strategy is better - leaves people feeling they have dignity left. Otherwise we would just tell them to skip March altogether.)

My feeling is that we will have whatever money Hashem has set for us, not a penny more or less....so I'll do my best to pay what I have to, and to forego others where I can.

amother

Amethyst

Tue, Mar 31 2020, 9:44 pm

amother [ Purple ] wrote:

I don’t work and I have no desire to work. Is that a problem. I never said it’s a great job honestly if I had free time my goal would be to do chessed all day or volunteer somewhere.

I don’t like the fact that many playgroup morahs I have spoken with expected full payment and were shocked when I told them why would you even expect it? It’s the attitude that they have that bothers me?

amother

Amethyst

Tue, Mar 31 2020, 9:47 pm

amother [ Purple ] wrote:

Because In Baltimore many morahs are doing zoom and stuff in Lakewood the morahs arent really doing anything now. They wrote that the teachers are now home spending time with their kids so they should pay for that.

amother

Purple

Tue, Mar 31 2020, 9:49 pm

Well, halacha did back that attitude up, to a certain extent.
And there is always a way to have a financial remuneration discussion in a dignified way instead of speaking angrily and bitterly to the morah (as you describe).
Honestly if I was a morah, being talked down to and told off by a customer, I probably wouldn't accept her children in future. Be careful or you may have trouble getting playgroup providers when this is all over.
"Many playgroup morahs" how do you have time to go about doing surveys? I can't really take you seriously now.

Chayalle

Tue, Mar 31 2020, 9:55 pm

I have a close friend who is a playgroup Morah. I sent my kids to her, I sent my nieces and nephews to her (well, my siblings know what a great Morah she is, so they sent...)

(one sibling sent my now-12-year-old nephew to someone closer to her. That Morah was very no-frills, not much more than glorified babysitting. My sister was very not-happy. For her next kid, she shlepped to this Morah, and she said the way that child blossomed, and the stuff that effortlessly seemed to be just packed into that little brain...was well worth the extra time in transportation.)

I just wanna say, you have no idea how hard she works after hours - the stuff she always sent home with the kids for Pesach was a masterpiece. She prepares many hours so she has these kits that the kids work off of. She cuts out items that they then paste, and learn shapes, and counting skills, etc...all of this takes hours of prep outside of playgroup time.

I have always marveled at how she manages to do these things during Y"T season. She's so into it. She cares that the kids should learn the skills she's set up for them, and develop their brains with her curriculum.

She is still doing it for the kids now. These are items that cost her $$$ too, in terms of supplies, time, etc...she's trying to help the mothers give the kids the knowledge as easily as possible.

I wonder if parents realize how much extra their Morah puts into their child, behind the scenes.

amother

Amethyst

Tue, Mar 31 2020, 10:09 pm

Chayalle wrote:

I’m sure parents appreciate her and I’m sure if you ask her most parents are probably paying her in full because they appreciate her.

The problem in Lakewood is that too many people who aren’t worthy of being a playgroup morah just open a playgroup because anyone can. An amazing morah is worth it, but it’s hard to find that amazing morah. but when you do find it that morah is worth every penny plus more.

I just wish there were more amazing morahs out there. you see your sister traveled to this morah bec she couldn’t find an amazing morah closer to her.

I wish Lakewood would open up a place where morahs have yo be interviewed before they can open up in their homes.

amother

Burgundy

Tue, Mar 31 2020, 11:51 pm

amother [ Purple ] wrote:

yep. im a playgroup morah and im glad I live in Baltimore, not Lakewood. Because the Rabbonim basically told us what to do about this and told us to split it half-half with is more generous than the Lakewood Rabbonim. it's kind of tough finanically in my house at the best of times, and especially right now...

amother

Sapphire

Tue, Mar 31 2020, 11:52 pm

amother [ Amethyst ] wrote:

There are tons of legal daycares in Lakewood. The morahs are for sure interviewed. Lots of staff. Just not everyone wants to pay the cost.

When I choose a morah I ask her lists of questions. Call twice. Call references. Stop in. No way am I sending my child to someone I saw an advertisement.
And I’m not the only one. I get tons of calls as a reference for ppl my kids went to. And I’m honest. Because something I may not mind in s mother others may hate.

I’ve only had the most wonderful morahs for my children at every stage.