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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>For Family Home Daycare Providers - What Are Your Hours Of Operation?
Soccermom 10:47 AM 11-01-2012
Just out of curiosity I was wondering what hours everyone was open each day. I am open from 6:45am - 5:30pm and am considering changing that a bit. Trying to get a feeling for what the norm is. Thanks
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Nickel 10:59 AM 11-01-2012
I do contracted hours and have had great luck with it. This way I can take morning dcks and afternoon dcks. But I am losing one of my afternooners so I signed my odd up for activities. With that I decided I am open 8-5 although currently my last child leaves at 4.
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renodeb 11:00 AM 11-01-2012
7:00-5:15 Monday-Friday But I will go to 5:30 if asked.
Deb
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littlemissmuffet 11:02 AM 11-01-2012
I do contracted hours. My first arrival is never before 7:30am and my last pick up is never passed 5:00pm - except one day a week, I sometimes keep one child until 5:15pm as a favor to mom. When new families start I let them know that I'm on;y availabel between 7:30 and 5:00.
I used to have open/close hours from 6am-6pm... and I will never go back
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MNMum 11:04 AM 11-01-2012
7:45-4:30 M, W
7:00-4:00 T
7:00-4:30 Th

I do contracted hours. I will not stay open any later than 4:30pm. I won't open any earlier than 7!
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wahmof3 11:07 AM 11-01-2012
M: 7:15a-4p

T-F: 7:15a-4:30p

M-W: 3p-12a (only 1 DCF and plan on giving this up in July)
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juliebug 11:09 AM 11-01-2012
7am- 5:30pm most go home at 5pm or 5:15pm never going back to 6pm!
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Provider_Manda 11:09 AM 11-01-2012
M,W, Th, Friday 7:30 - 6:00
Tuesdays 7:30 - 4:30 (5:15 the latest)
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HappyHearts 11:14 AM 11-01-2012
My hours are 7 am - 5:30 pm M-F

I charge a weekly flat rate, so regardless if they are here 1 hour a week or 50 hrs per week, their weekly rate is the same, if they are a scheduled full timer.
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Blackcat31 11:15 AM 11-01-2012
I operate on contracted hours.

M ~ 7:40-5:00
T ~ 7:40-4:30
W ~ 7:40-5:00
Th ~ 7:15-5:00
F ~ 7:40-4:45

I will not work before 7:00 and will not work after 5:30.

NO evenings
NO weekends
NO holidays
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bluemoose_mom 11:22 AM 11-01-2012
I am open 7 am to 6 pm. I wish I could change my close time to 5:30, or even 5:00 but we live in a very small rural community, and most people work 30-45 minutes away. Oh, well.

No holidays, no weekend.

I do have an after hour care program, but so far no one has taken me up on it. I have 4 nights a month (no holidays, no weekends) on a first come, first serve basis set aside to provide care. It's an extra $11 dollars an hour, so that could be why no one has used it. I think I might just stop offering this.
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EchoMom 11:30 AM 11-01-2012
contracted hours here too. But I will not work outside of 7:30-5:30. Been doing 7-6 but have phased that out. Would not go back to it unless totally desperate.
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daycare123 11:34 AM 11-01-2012
My hours are 730 to 530 m-f
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Childminder 11:36 AM 11-01-2012
6am-midnite Mon-Sat
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canadiancare 11:39 AM 11-01-2012
06h30-16h30 M-F I give them an hour travel time each way and everyone works a 07h30-15h30 day. Most days the kids are gone by 16h15.
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ABCDaycareMN 11:40 AM 11-01-2012
My hours I am willing to be open are 6am-5pm. But I will be contracting hours with parents.
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dave4him 11:46 AM 11-01-2012
6-6, but i think it gets taken advantage of
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BumbleBee 11:49 AM 11-01-2012
6:15am - 5:45pm
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Willow 11:52 AM 11-01-2012
I only do contracted hours between the hours of 7:15am and 5:15pm.

10 hours a day is plenty, any more than that and everyone ends up suffering lol
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bunnyslippers 11:54 AM 11-01-2012
I do contracted hours.

I am open from 7:30-4:00. Never earlier than 7:30, and never past 4:00.
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SunnyDay 11:58 AM 11-01-2012
7:30 to 5:30
Contracted hours
Last usually leaves at 5:15
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daycare 12:01 PM 11-01-2012
Originally Posted by bluemoose_mom:
I am open 7 am to 6 pm. I wish I could change my close time to 5:30, or even 5:00 but we live in a very small rural community, and most people work 30-45 minutes away. Oh, well.

No holidays, no weekend.

I do have an after hour care program, but so far no one has taken me up on it. I have 4 nights a month (no holidays, no weekends) on a first come, first serve basis set aside to provide care. It's an extra $11 dollars an hour, so that could be why no one has used it. I think I might just stop offering this.
Im in this same boat... I live in a small town and everyone has to commute out. the traffic here is horrible so I have no choice but to stay open these hours..

7am to 6pm m-f
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tenderhearts 12:06 PM 11-01-2012
My hours of operation are 6:30 am - 5:00 pm, they put what their contracted hours are within these times, so right now I don't have to open until 7am since that's the first arrival time. I also have 2 people contracted, which I made an exception for until 5:15 - 5:20 ish but I'm very firm that it can NOT be past 5:30. It's a really long day, I like to have at least 30-40 min of MY time before the first child and then usually everything is done where last child leaves and the light goes off.
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mema 12:23 PM 11-01-2012
I won't start before 7am and won't go past 5pm. Right now my first ones usually come about 730, although they have been here as early as 7 and as late as 9. I think I have that stopped though after a little chat. I do an extended night until 530 or 545 for 1 dck about every 3-4 months (extra charge).
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Kimberli 12:48 PM 11-01-2012
Originally Posted by daycare:
Im in this same boat... I live in a small town and everyone has to commute out. the traffic here is horrible so I have no choice but to stay open these hours..

7am to 6pm m-f
Same, same. All my parents commute. I am 6a-6p and it wipes both me and the kids out - but if I opened later or closed earlier I would lose several kiddos. Already struggling to fill a couple of recent vacancies and can't afford to rock the boat right now.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 12:56 PM 11-01-2012
Most of mine are 8:00-5:00.

But, I have a couple that arrive at 7:00 and a few that leave around 6:00. This began a few months in.

I do not like the early drop offs at all (and I do not charge for them either, or else I would lose the clients that need it). I do get paid for the late pick-up ($1.50/15 minutes). Once the children who need it phase out/leave then I don't think I'll be offering it anymore.
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crunchymama 01:00 PM 11-01-2012
7:30am to 6:30pm M-F.
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daycare 01:21 PM 11-01-2012
Originally Posted by Kimberli:
Same, same. All my parents commute. I am 6a-6p and it wipes both me and the kids out - but if I opened later or closed earlier I would lose several kiddos. Already struggling to fill a couple of recent vacancies and can't afford to rock the boat right now.
where abouts so cali are you???? you can tell me via pm if you want
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spud912 01:32 PM 11-01-2012
I think it all depends on the needs of your area. If you live in an area that has a long commute, it would be more beneficial to have longer hours. In a small rural setting, I would think you can shorten your hours some.

I live in an urban setting with longer commute, but I only do contracted hours. However, I am willing to work 7:00 am to 5:30 pm. Most of my families come between 7:30 and 8 am. My boys leave between 4 and 4:30 pm and my girls leave between 5 and 5:30 pm.
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Country Kids 01:35 PM 11-01-2012
6:30-5:30 and I have parents that use every minute. I make more money doing it htis way then I use to charging hourly.

I couldn't believe making one little change would work so well.
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crazydaycarelady 01:36 PM 11-01-2012
I am 7:30 - 5:30 but a couple of days per week I have kids get here at 6:30am. UGH!
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Michelle 02:53 PM 11-01-2012
6 a.m.-2 a.m.
This is not a typo or a joke.
I have all my regular dck's all go home by 6 pm and then a couple kids come from 430pm -2 a.m.

And , yes I am a wake the whole time, even thought they sleep.
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daycare 02:54 PM 11-01-2012
Originally Posted by Michelle:
6 a.m.-2 a.m.
This is not a typo or a joke.
I have all my regular dck's all go home by 6 pm and then a couple kids come from 430pm -2 a.m.

And , yes I am a wake the whole time, even thought they sleep.
so you only sleep for 4 hours a night?? dang girl I thought I was nuts on only 5.5-6 hours a night...................
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MyKzooFamily 03:13 PM 11-01-2012
Originally Posted by Michelle:
6 a.m.-2 a.m.
This is not a typo or a joke.
I have all my regular dck's all go home by 6 pm and then a couple kids come from 430pm -2 a.m.

And , yes I am a wake the whole time, even thought they sleep.
How do you feel doing it until 2am? We have a new casino that is about 5 minutes from my house, and a lot of the employees need 2nd shift or overnight care. I would ONLY do overnight if the child was going to be here later than 10pm, as I go to bed at 10pm as does everyone in the house. I get up with my 7 month old 1-2 times per night for a bottle.

I'm trying to figure out how much to charge hourly to make it worth my while, but I think I would have just as much need for 2nd shift/overnight as I would for first shift, because of our location and the needs there.

Since children fall asleep around 8-10pm, I would prefer overnighters, with parents requited to pick them up at 7am. But if parents get out late, I don't see them wanting to get up at 7am! So maybe it's best to stay up until they come get them? Cat nap on the couch while they are sleeping nearby? Hmmm...
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Michelle 06:15 PM 11-01-2012
Originally Posted by MyKzooFamily:
How do you feel doing it until 2am? We have a new casino that is about 5 minutes from my house, and a lot of the employees need 2nd shift or overnight care. I would ONLY do overnight if the child was going to be here later than 10pm, as I go to bed at 10pm as does everyone in the house. I get up with my 7 month old 1-2 times per night for a bottle.

I'm trying to figure out how much to charge hourly to make it worth my while, but I think I would have just as much need for 2nd shift/overnight as I would for first shift, because of our location and the needs there.

Since children fall asleep around 8-10pm, I would prefer overnighters, with parents requited to pick them up at 7am. But if parents get out late, I don't see them wanting to get up at 7am! So maybe it's best to stay up until they come get them? Cat nap on the couch while they are sleeping nearby? Hmmm...
I charge them $300 a week for 2 babies. They are wonderful parents and wonderful kids. If I have somewhere to go, I just take them with me. They are sorta my daughters softball teams mascot! lol

Also, I just watch movies at night catch up on paperwork or go on these boards! so yea you guys help me stay awake.
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Michelle 06:17 PM 11-01-2012
Originally Posted by daycare:
so you only sleep for 4 hours a night?? dang girl I thought I was nuts on only 5.5-6 hours a night...................
I drink a lot of coffee!


This is our only income so I do what I gotta do.
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stitchezz87 06:54 PM 11-01-2012
I am open Monday through Friday from 7am Until 5pm. I have 1 parent that picks up at 5:20pm.
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LK5kids 03:03 AM 11-02-2012
I am re-opening a fcc. I have been out of the business for 15 yrs. I was planning on 6:30-5:30. You are all making me re-think my hours. I may do 6:30-5:00. Then I'd be able to get to Zumba @ 5:30.

When I was running my center before I had to be open longer hours to fill. I live in a small, rural area. I was open 5:30-5:30 M-F.

Factory workers, convienence store clerks, CNA's and nurses all have ealier shifts. I would have to be open earlier to meet their needs, but I'm just not going there if I don't have to. My state allows fcc operators to be open no more than 12 hours per day-no double shifts.
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daycarediva 03:49 AM 11-02-2012
6-6 M-F

I am usually actually working from 6:30-5:30 M-Th and 8-5 on Fridays though
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DaisyMamma 04:00 AM 11-02-2012
Originally Posted by MyKzooFamily:
How do you feel doing it until 2am? We have a new casino that is about 5 minutes from my house, and a lot of the employees need 2nd shift or overnight care. I would ONLY do overnight if the child was going to be here later than 10pm, as I go to bed at 10pm as does everyone in the house. I get up with my 7 month old 1-2 times per night for a bottle.

I'm trying to figure out how much to charge hourly to make it worth my while, but I think I would have just as much need for 2nd shift/overnight as I would for first shift, because of our location and the needs there.

Since children fall asleep around 8-10pm, I would prefer overnighters, with parents requited to pick them up at 7am. But if parents get out late, I don't see them wanting to get up at 7am! So maybe it's best to stay up until they come get them? Cat nap on the couch while they are sleeping nearby? Hmmm...
That's an interesting question. Either you suffer from not enough sleep or they do....
Personally I would say to pick them up at 7. And I would be in sleeping all night too.

I do contracted hours, it ends up being 8-6. I'm trying to phase out the 6 and get down to 5:30.
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Soccermom 05:00 AM 11-02-2012
Originally Posted by MyKzooFamily:
How do you feel doing it until 2am? We have a new casino that is about 5 minutes from my house, and a lot of the employees need 2nd shift or overnight care. I would ONLY do overnight if the child was going to be here later than 10pm, as I go to bed at 10pm as does everyone in the house. I get up with my 7 month old 1-2 times per night for a bottle.

I'm trying to figure out how much to charge hourly to make it worth my while, but I think I would have just as much need for 2nd shift/overnight as I would for first shift, because of our location and the needs there.

Since children fall asleep around 8-10pm, I would prefer overnighters, with parents requited to pick them up at 7am. But if parents get out late, I don't see them wanting to get up at 7am! So maybe it's best to stay up until they come get them? Cat nap on the couch while they are sleeping nearby? Hmmm...
Is there any possibiliy of having the parents pick up a little later in the am? Maybe around 10am or so. DCK could have breakfast and then some playtime and then be on their way.
Imagine if you had only overnighters? You would have your whole day to yourself and then care for some kiddies while they are all sleeping...sounds ideal to me
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MyKzooFamily 05:17 AM 11-02-2012
Originally Posted by DaisyMamma:
That's an interesting question. Either you suffer from not enough sleep or they do....
Personally I would say to pick them up at 7. And I would be in sleeping all night too.
The only problem I would forsee with this, would be the parents picking up the children at 7am. If they did NOT pick them up, I would have those children, PLUS my new children coming in the door for first-shift daycare. I am limited to 6 children at one time, so they want to make sure your overlaps are clean and you aren't stuck with 12 children from overlapping. So that would be the only problem I would have, if parents didn't come right at 7am to get them, is that I would have an extremely full house if they didn't arrive on time.
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Meeko 05:18 AM 11-02-2012
M-f 6am-6pm

First child arrives about 6:10 AM. Last kids leave about 5:50PM
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countrymom 07:07 AM 11-02-2012
monday to fri. 7am to 5pm and its on contracted hours.

I use to do it till 530pm and it dragged on and on and my kids couldn't make it to activities on time.

I have one family that needs me to 515pm but its because they are coming home from work and it takes a bit to get out of the city. I don't charge them more because they are really on the road, and if they are later than that they call. So they are a good family.
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MarinaVanessa 07:18 AM 11-02-2012
My hours used to be 6:00am-6:00pm but I changed them to 7:00am to 6:00pm a few months ago when my last 6am'er started school. Noe if someone needs occasional early childcare I charge premium for those extra early hours.
And I also work off of contracted hours, so just because I'm open doesn't mean any one child is here that long.
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Unregistered 07:50 AM 11-02-2012
I am open from 7-4:30.

Have done until 5 for a couple of families in the past, but all others are gone usually by 4 so changed to 4:30. Has made a huge difference for my family!

I really think it depends on where you are located and what typical work hours are for people in your area. I have a large insurance company about 2 minutes away from my home and most are off BY 3:30.
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Mom2Five+ 12:11 PM 11-02-2012
I am open from 6 to 6 but I contract hours with my parents so they leave their children here the whole twelve hours. I do have on family I take at 5:15 am because dad is military and away and mom has to catch her van pool so she won't be stuck in all the traffic on the highway. But she is here no later than 4:45 to pick her kids up in the afternoon. I don't see them leaving anytime soon but if they do I don't think I will make that arrangement again. I just know what its like to be a single parent when the military member is gone.
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MrsSteinel'sHouse 05:54 PM 11-03-2012
6:30- 6:30 with contracted hours.

In Ohio you have to have a minimum number of hours "off" in every 24 hour period I am thinking it is 8. So, if you do overnight you can't do all day.
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kitykids3 06:28 PM 11-03-2012
I do contracted hours with each parent, but my general hours are 7am to 6pm.
M-W I currently work 7:35-6, Thursday 7:45-5;15 and Friday 7:45-5pm. Those days til 6 are long, but I would rather be open later than open earlier than 7. I am a horrible morning person.
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mom2many 06:57 PM 11-03-2012
I'm working longer hours now than I have in the past & it hasn't been easy. Where I live the commute is grueling, so single moms are having issues with picking up on time due to traffic on freeways b/c of rain & accidents. I've also opened up 15 minutes earlier to accommodate nurses that work at the hospital right down the street from me.

My hours are supposed to be 7 am to 6 pm, but lately it's been 6:45 am to 6:45 pm. It is a very long day................
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MrsSteinel'sHouse 05:13 AM 11-04-2012
Originally Posted by mom2many:
I'm working longer hours now than I have in the past & it hasn't been easy. Where I live the commute is grueling, so single moms are having issues with picking up on time due to traffic on freeways b/c of rain & accidents. I've also opened up 15 minutes earlier to accommodate nurses that work at the hospital right down the street from me.

My hours are supposed to be 7 am to 6 pm, but lately it's been 6:45 am to 6:45 pm. It is a very long day................
and are your nurses now being scheduled 12 hours? That is the hard one for me because it is at least a 20 min drive so that would be a 13 hour day for me! Thankfully, the couple that I have that both work the 12s have been working it so that they can drop off and pick up by 6:30 both ways.
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mom2many 08:05 AM 11-04-2012
Originally Posted by MrsSteinel'sHouse:
and are your nurses now being scheduled 12 hours? That is the hard one for me because it is at least a 20 min drive so that would be a 13 hour day for me! Thankfully, the couple that I have that both work the 12s have been working it so that they can drop off and pick up by 6:30 both ways.
Yes, I have one now that is working 7 am-7 pm & dad works graveyard, so he picks up around 4 pm. Others are working 7-4 pm shifts.
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