A letter to the upcoming year morah

amother

↑ Catmint ↓

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 7:31 am

I do think morahs have every right to charge a registration fee (and even put it towards playgroup expenses besides for tuition), however $250 is A LOT. Especially as she’s charging another $250 for lunch!! And your sending a lot along. I think that’s crazy. She’s charging for everything so she doesn’t have to use a single cent. And she has 24 kids, that’s a very big group.
When I did playgroup I had a very small group (4 kids), so with just tuition I ended up using a big chunk on the playgroup and was left with very little. That’s why I said I would definitely charge a fee it I did it again.

amother

Wheat ↓

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 7:33 am

Anyone excusing morahs for what they’re doing- just please STOP. I was a morah, never charged a registration fee (should have but it should be included in first month imo) , always gave my hours and fees upfront and never changed. I signed up one child this year, the morah gave me her price, two weeks ago I got her registration forms and she added $20 a month tuition??? Why? Because she said assistants went up in price. Mind you, she is already charging on the higher end for this age. And with the calculation I made, she’s making GOOD money a month. Halachically, she can’t even do that without asking the parents first. (I was in a position like this and our rav said you can’t just change your price after setting it) Somehow some morahs think they are above the law. Now to my other child, morah gave me her hours and price when I signed up. Well two weeks ago I got her forms and she changed her hours. (Obviously shorter) Um, didn’t you think to notify me and ask me if I still want the slot???? Where is this entitlement from morahs thinking they can do whatever they want??? I was a morah, I never did this and never would. And don’t excuse them please. It’s a good paying job. Better than lots of ppl make these days. Esp since most don’t report esp if they are requiring cash only which is also not fair. (Never did that either) I’m not continuing my grp for other reasons, but please stop giving some morahs an excuse to continue this behavior. It will only get worse.

amother

Mimosa

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 7:35 am

amother Maroon wrote:

I backed out of a morah when I saw her registration fee was 250. that is absolutely taking advantage. all morahs I’ve ever sent to registration was 100. the morah wasn’t giving a price yet for tuition she said closer to school she will give price. but when I saw price of registration which was craziest price I ever saw I backed out cuz I figured tht was just a microcosm of what was to come. what is the monthly tuition your morah is asking for ?

A morah expected people to sign up without saying what her monthly fee was? That’s so strange
Did people besides you actually sign up, not knowing that tidbit? I would never

amother

↑ Wheat ↓

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 7:38 am

@amother mimosa, I wouldn’t either sign up my child without hours and price set. The problem is some parents are so nervous they won’t get a slot that they agree to all terms. That is why morahs are taking advantage and continue to do so. They know they will always get the desperate mothers who have no other choice. On the other hand, I signed up my kids to a price, and one morah just changed it. So it’s an almost never win.

amother

↑ Trillium ↓

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 7:43 am

Everyone asking questions about signing up without knowing details clearly never tried to find a playgroup for their child in lakewood.

I would be okay with a registration fee. Ideally I'd like it applied to the first month. But even if it isn't, I'm only okay with paying a registration fee when I signed up, to hold my spot.

They only told me about the registration fee last week!!!

amother

↑ Wheat

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 7:45 am

@amother blush, there is still yashrus and what is right and wrong. I always say, If you open registration and say my registration fee is 250, my monthly tuition is 650, my snack fee is 100 etc etc, then I don’t care, because whoever signed up knows what they are signing up for. The problem today is that some morahs change their price in august because of “inflation” or all of the sudden announce a registration fee in AUGUST, to try and get more money from parents. Or add snack, lunch fees etc etc, THAT IS THE PROBLEM. Morahs must be open and honest upfront. I heard some morahs during covid set their price in advance and didn’t raise it in august because they knew it wasn’t right. Hashem pays those ppl back. Those ppl waited for the next year to raise it like how it should be. What some morahs are doing now is so wrong. Do any of them think they need to ask a rav first? Texting a parent your price and hours is like setting it. You can’t change it months later without asking the parents first. Or add extra fees without being upfront about it and giving parents no other choice.

amother

Aster

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 8:18 am

I think that a fee to go towards any new supplies etc is of course reasonable, but should 100% be counted towards tuition. It’s very upsetting to be paying so much $$ and then be hit with another ‘fee’ that goes nowhere.
Hearing from Morahs on this thread that they need the extra $$ to cover expenses so it shouldn’t come out of their pocket… as many other replies have said, this is the cost of business. The same way you’re not working for free, is the same way you need to understand that businesses do have overhead. If you need more to break even and make a profit, then raise the tuition next year. Getting surprise ‘fees’ does not make anyone feel good, especially when paying premium prices.

On that note, I will say that I am really pleased with my daughter’s Morah who did charge a $100 registration fee but counted it to tuition. I pay $750 per month for hours 9-3 and half day Fridays. It’s expensive (I live in Monsey and this is normal) so an added fee would be downright upsetting.

amother

↑ Honeydew

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 8:19 am

Op I’m sending my 2 year old to a great daycare in south Lakewood. It’s $700 a month for 9:30-3 and 9:30-12 on Fridays. Lunch and snacks are included. There’s an extended hours option for $100-200 more per month. Registration fee was $100. You can email me if you want the babysitter’s details - dinaaltman777@gmail.com (not my real name). She also has a 3 year old group. I think she has slots available in both age groups.

The way the group is run is there’s a frum morah and 2 Hispanic assistants assigned to each age group which has up to 16 kids. The Hispanic assistants are really cute and nice, I like them, but letting you know in case it bothers you before you go to the trouble of emailing me.

It’s a pity to lose the $250 deposit but you’d be saving money each month and the morah would be normal and nice and not gouging every dollar you have out of your pocket.

amother

Winterberry ↓

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 9:13 am

amother Taupe wrote:

For rent, food, and the Morahs clothes

Imagine you went to the grocery store and they charged you an extra fee for their grocery carts. Or tape to close the boxes. Or a new keyboard for their office.

Or imagine if a real estate agent charges you for gas they use to show you homes.

These things are called business expenses and it’s paid from the regular income they get.

That’s how the world works. I don’t know morahs have a different reality.

amother

↑ Trillium ↓

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 9:15 am

amother Winterberry wrote:

It's my new motto, and it explains everything on life.

Because they can.

We also pay for shopping bags (because they're reusable) and boxes (which haven't changed, but now cost $1 each)

It's because they can.

That's why. It's not fair, it's not right, but they do it and get away with it Because they can.

amother

↑ Winterberry

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 9:22 am

amother Trillium wrote:

Correct. Because they can and because (collective) we give into it.

When I have a morah who is yashrus about costs, registration fees etc, it really says a lot about her as a person and I’m so happy to be able to send to her.

amother

↑ Brass ↓

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 9:43 am

amother Khaki wrote:

Because playgroup Morahs do whatever they want and we are still dependent on them so we cannot refuse.

100% this. We are literally slaves to our morah's whims.

It's like they look at the calendar and go, Should I start the same day the girls are starting school? Because officially I follow X school's calendar.

And then they're like, Nah, what for? Why would I do that and literally make the lives of thousands of parents easier during this crazy-busy time of year, and make the earning power greater for all the self-employed parents during this crazy-expensive time of year, if I could start the following Monday and still charge full tuition for September?

Then they go, And not only that, I'll only have a half a day on Monday, because why not?

Calling all morahs out there: Make it make sense. Please.

amother

↑ Foxglove

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 9:46 am

The above is an example of a halachic Sheila.

I know a morah told parents she was going to go like a specific school schedule. Then wanted to change a day to another school bec it was a later start and better for her.
She asked a rav and was told if she told parents she was following a specific schedule she cannot change.

amother

↑ Trillium ↓

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 9:46 am

amother Brass wrote:

I'm laughing because it's so true... but it's also really not okay, and there's nothing we the parents can do about it. The morahs don't need us, we need them.

amother

↑ Brass ↓

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 9:49 am

amother Foxglove wrote:

Sorry, but this is not a halachic question on one morah; it's a question on practically every morah in town. Literally every lkwd morah follows a specific school's schedule. Maybe the day cares don't, but the morahs definitely do.

And I don't know of a single morah that started today. Do you?

amother

↑ Blush

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 10:04 am

[quote="amother Wheat"]@amother blush, there is still yashrus and what is right and wrong. I always say, If you open registration and say my registration fee is 250, my monthly tuition is 650, my snack fee is 100 etc etc, then I don’t care, because whoever signed up knows what they are signing up for. The problem today is that some morahs change their price in august because of “inflation” or all of the sudden announce a registration fee in AUGUST, to try and get more money from parents. Or add snack, lunch fees etc etc, THAT IS THE PROBLEM. Morahs must be open and honest upfront. I heard some morahs during covid set their price in advance and didn’t raise it in august because they knew it wasn’t right. Hashem pays those ppl back. Those ppl waited for the next year to raise it like how it should be. What some morahs are doing now is so wrong. Do any of them think they need to ask a rav first? Texting a parent your price and hours is like setting it. You can’t change it months later without asking the parents first. Or add extra fees without being upfront about it and giving parents no other choice.[/quot

I've never had a morah who did anything like that, I research morahs and if they are that type I don't send. I don't wait till last minute I make the phone calls sukkos time and always got into awesome playgroups . These morahs are doing such a hard job I have so much hakaros hatov to them. I'm always offering to sub or cover for them if needed. The only reason anyone is still Morahs is for the money and convenience .... No one owes you anything . If you think they have it so good why don't all of you become morahs ? I would also prefer to sit in an office sipping coffee and talking to adults than changing diapers and wiping snot off other peoples kids

amother

↑ Trillium ↓

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 10:22 am

amother Brass wrote:

My 2yo started today.

amother

Linen ↓

Thu, Sep 05 2024, 10:25 am

I don't understand the fuss. Doesn't every yeshiva and school charge a registration fee?

And for that matter my sons little league has registration fee. My daughters ballet has a registration fee. I'm pretty sure my daughters summer program in Israel has a registration fee.

I'd imagine 90% of playgroups charge registration fees.