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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Long Do You Watch Your Daycare Families Children For On Average??
MrsCoffee 11:45 AM 06-04-2010
Originally Posted by nannyde:
The dreaded Granpa stories. He's a tool. Just be as bold with him as he is with you.

Why do you keep the kids eleven hours a day? That's INSANE.
I have a family that is willing to leave their children with me from the time I open until the time I close... It makes me sad for their children. I made my hours like this to be able to accommodate different schedules. I feel like I am being taken advantage of but don't know if that right or not... I am open:

7am-5:45pm

Most fams drop off at 830 and dad will come at 4pm to pick up. one other fam from 7-4pm. But my last family keep the children here untill 545 even though they dont need to... It eats me up because my second family have half their children on a waiting list to be in my daycare. I considered droping this last family because of this but thought it would be unprofessional...? What do you think?


Wanted to get your alls take on this topic...

How long do you watch children for from each family? is there a limit?
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Greenshadow 11:51 AM 06-04-2010
DC Boy - 6:30-5pm
DC Girl - Varies but normally 7:30-6:30 or so. Sometimes d/o is 8:30 or 9 with same pick up time.
DC Boy - 8 to 1:30-3pm, varies.
DC Girl - 8-5pm
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nannyde 11:53 AM 06-04-2010
The longest I have any kids is nine hours. I base my rates on nine hours a day and departure times. See rates below. Doesn't do them any good to keep their kids here later than they need. It gets way too expensive. If it's more than nine hours total then it's an additional four dollars an hour.

3:00 p.m. departure $135.00 per week

3:15 p.m. departure $140.00 per week

3:30 p.m. departure $145.00 per week

3:45 p.m. departure $150.00 per week

4:00 p.m. departure $155.00 per week

4:15 p.m. departure $160.00 per week

4:30 p.m. departure $165.00 per week

4:45 p.m. departure $170.00 per week

5:00 p.m. departure $175.00 per week

5:15 p.m. departure $180.00 per week

5:30 p.m. departure $185.00 per week

5:45 p.m. departure $190.00 per week

6:00 p.m. departure $195.00 per week
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MrsCoffee 11:55 AM 06-04-2010
I like that Nanny !!
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Lianne 12:00 PM 06-04-2010
Right now most my kids arrive between 8-9am and are picked up before 5:30pm. I don't have open/close hours but I'll work around the hours a parent needs care...as long as those hours work for me at that point in my life. I do keep two children (separate families) later one evening each week. My evening care is different from my regular care though.
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nannyde 12:00 PM 06-04-2010
Originally Posted by krogers1982:
But my last family keep the children here untill 545 even though they dont need to... It eats me up because my second family have half their children on a waiting list to be in my daycare. I considered droping this last family because of this but thought it would be unprofessional...? What do you think?
You want to make the most money per hour that you can right? So you don't have to have open hours. Always do what is best for you. If you have the ability to fill the slots with kids for the same amount of money but less hours then of course... DO IT.

Every business works this way. We aren't different.

Time = Money
just like every other business.

I made this decision YEARS ago because I saw such a substantial difference between kids who had at least five WAKING hours per day with their parents.

When it comes to parenthood: QUANTITY TIME = QUALITY KIDS

I have a house full of quality kids with quality parents. All of my kids have at least five waking hours a day with their parents and boy does it show... on all of them.
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Daycare Mommy 12:01 PM 06-04-2010
Oh tell me about it! When I first started I had a lady with an infant that thought just because I advertised 24 hour care that she could leave her baby with me as long as she wanted (12-16 hrs a day!) for my measly $90/week rate.

My limit now is 10 hrs. 9 hrs to work and a half hour commute each way. If their shifts are shorter I base it off of the mom AND dad's work schedule. Mom works 7-5 and Dad is 6-3, then Mom drops off @ 6:30 and Dad picks up @ 3:30.
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SunflowerMama 12:15 PM 06-04-2010
Like pp mentioned I limit my care to 10 hrs/day too.

dcg - 6:45a - 4:45p
dcb - 7a - 4:15p
dcg - 8a - 6p
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fctjc1979 12:17 PM 06-04-2010
Like Nannyde, I also charge four dollars an hour for anything over 9 hours in a day. That's if they pay by the day. If they pay by the week, it's four dollars an hour for anything over 45 hours in a week.
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Daycare Mommy 12:27 PM 06-04-2010
Originally Posted by nannyde:
The longest I have any kids is nine hours. I base my rates on nine hours a day and departure times. See rates below. Doesn't do them any good to keep their kids here later than they need. It gets way too expensive. If it's more than nine hours total then it's an additional four dollars an hour.

3:00 p.m. departure $135.00 per week

3:15 p.m. departure $140.00 per week

3:30 p.m. departure $145.00 per week

3:45 p.m. departure $150.00 per week

4:00 p.m. departure $155.00 per week

4:15 p.m. departure $160.00 per week

4:30 p.m. departure $165.00 per week

4:45 p.m. departure $170.00 per week

5:00 p.m. departure $175.00 per week

5:15 p.m. departure $180.00 per week

5:30 p.m. departure $185.00 per week

5:45 p.m. departure $190.00 per week

6:00 p.m. departure $195.00 per week
Hey Nanny, what's the average ft daycare rate in your area? 135? Or is that discounted for earlier pickup time? I'm thinking about using a scale like yours, but I don't really know where I'd put the average rate in there.
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nannyde 12:28 PM 06-04-2010
Originally Posted by Daycare Mommy:
Oh tell me about it! When I first started I had a lady with an infant that thought just because I advertised 24 hour care that she could leave her baby with me as long as she wanted (12-16 hrs a day!) for my measly $90/week rate.


When they call for care and ask what hours you are open answer them with a question. "What hours do you need?"

They will answer with <insert 12 hour day> and then you ask where they work and what times they work. Both parents. So then you say "okay so dad goes in at eight and it's a fifteen minute drive so drop off would be a little after 7:30 and you get off at 4 and it's a 20 minute drive so pick up would be 4:30. Right?"

Whoever goes into work last drops off.
Whoever gets off of work first picks up.

Exception is when one parent works really close to you and the other doesn't and they don't live nearby. Then you can go with one parents schedule. If you don't allow that then they will incur too much in gas money and prolly won't pick you... so be flexible on that. Also some parents DO have to park and walk. I have one client that when she first started with me she was way back in the back forty of her parking lot and had a hike into the building every day. She was one of many clients I had from that company so I knew she was telling the truth. As she advanced thru the company her spot got closer and closer and now she parks right close to where she goes in the building. So you do have to listen to what they have in addition to the drive.

I have found that parents that really want my services but have later hours or an hour lunch WILL work with their employer to switch their hours to earlier hours and flip to a half hour lunch to stay within my nine hours and get off as early as possible. Sweet for everyone involved. Saves them money, gives them more waking hours with the kid, and gets the kids out da doe earlier.
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Anna 02:19 PM 06-04-2010
I have two daycare girls here from 6a-6p another daycare girl comes at
6:30a and gets picked up at 5:30p except for Tuesdays and Thursdays where she sleeps over. The fourth daycare girl usually is here by 8:30a and leaves by 5:30p but it varies with her moms school and work schedule. Long hours..

I get a little frustrated with my 6 month old daycare girl because her dad doesn't even work Mondays and they still bring her. They live a few roads over so even if he doesn't work until 10a they will bring her here at 6a on the dot and pick her up at 6p. Sometimes her mom will pick her up and be like "oh yea I just got done shopping". One time she even went home to take a nap and "over slept" and didn't pick her up until 6:30p.. frustrating. I have had this girl since she was 6 weeks old and she has only not come 6a-6p 3 days.. I mean if it were me, I would want to spend as much time as possible with my brand new baby but I guess they would just rather have me watch her for the majority of her life. I mean theypick her up at 6p and she goes home and goes to sleep at 7p and sleeps through the night until they bring her to me at 6a. They barely see her awake! I complain about this all the time to my husband and he always tells me to terminate her but I can't justify terminating a child because they came during the hours I am open..

PS I would love some advice on this ^^^
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Janet 02:22 PM 06-04-2010
I find out what hours are needed. I don't give the option to bring them from open to close unless they had a work schedule that was one with longer hours. And in that case, I would charge a bit more.
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Daycare Mommy 02:54 PM 06-04-2010
Originally Posted by nannyde:
And to top it all off she only worked 15-20 hours a week. <--we need a more aggravated looking eye rolling smiley. And I know now. Trust me. This was about 7 years ago when I was brand new to daycare, had no backbone to speak of, and before I'd even had my own children. This wouldn't fly for 2 seconds now.

Originally Posted by nannyde:
When they call for care and ask what hours you are open answer them with a question. "What hours do you need?"

They will answer with <insert 12 hour day> and then you ask where they work and what times they work. Both parents. So then you say "okay so dad goes in at eight and it's a fifteen minute drive so drop off would be a little after 7:30 and you get off at 4 and it's a 20 minute drive so pick up would be 4:30. Right?"

Whoever goes into work last drops off.
Whoever gets off of work first picks up.
Great advice as usual Nanny. And that's so funny that this should come up. I actually just did exactly this just a few days ago. Parents called wanting me to watch their kids from 5:30am-6:00pm. So I casually ask what their work hours are. Turns out she works 6-3 and he works 8-4 or rarely as late as 5. I just have to ask myself why why why (in these extreme cases I mean) these people had children in the first place.
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Childminder 03:23 PM 06-04-2010
In my contract they sign it states what their drop off and pick up hours for each day. I charge $160 based on a 45 hour week and every thing over that is $4 per hour. If they come past or before the contracted hours that THEY enter on the contract it is $1 per minute unless caused by an act of God. Trust me when they get the first bill that states they owe $160 for the 45 plus (let's say) $20 for the extra contracted hours PLUS (let's say) $25 because they dropped off 10 minutes early plus picked up 15 minutes late, they will be on time from then on.
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nannyde 04:24 PM 06-04-2010
Originally Posted by Daycare Mommy:
Hey Nanny, what's the average ft daycare rate in your area? 135? Or is that discounted for earlier pickup time? I'm thinking about using a scale like yours, but I don't really know where I'd put the average rate in there.
I don't know for sure. I used to but with the economy the way it is I think it has lowered substantially.

I think a really GOOD paid provider in my area... let's say within five miles is about 125 maybe 130. I live in bluecollarville. The average house in my neighborhood is about 130-140,000 and my city is 500,000

I have a center less than two blocks from here and they are 185 for a baby but they are at 40 percent capacity right now and 80 percent of their kids are State paid which means that they actually get like 155 for the babies.

I put the bottom rate that I HAVE to have for the slot at the three p.m. and then go up from there. I have to have 135 minimum. Most of my clients leave by 4:30 but I have two that are 5.

How I raise rates is every year I had five dollars per week to every level for any INCOMING kids. I also do not raise rates on current clients. So kids that are with me over years are paying their rates for the year they started. If a kid starts in 2010 and leaves at 3 p.m they pay 135. A kid with the same schedule that started in 2009 was 130. A kid who started in 2008 would be 125. That's the base rate so if they change schedules I can pull up the rate schedule for that year and give them a quote.

Almost all my clients start at a near three p.m. departure and then as they advance in their jobs they increase the departure time. I only have one kid here now that leaves at three and he has just been here for a month. He will most likely increase to a later departure as his parents get promoted and make more money. No matter what ... as long as he stays the base rate table that you see above will be the rates I will apply to that family. So if he changes to a four p.m. departure in 2011 then it will be 155 per week for them. My average length of stay for kids is 3 years 8 months.

It seems complicated but it's very easy once you do the system. I always get paid for any hours where the child needs more direct care hours. If they stay later in the day they have more "awake" hours at my house. I get paid for that. Kids who leave at three receive less direct care hours because they either come in early ( like six a.m. or so) and go back to bed or they come in later and I work less than eight hours in a day for that family.

It's a HUGE incentive to get kids picked up early. I don't have parents switching schedules to longer harder hours on me unless they HAVE to do it for work. I don't have any parents who pay for longer hours and are not at work. It just gets too expensive for them to be here too late. That's the idea.

It doesn't come without a price tho. It's not a cure all situation. You have to remember that there is plenty of providers who will do eleven/twelve hours a day open hours and allow the parents to drop off and pick up any time within those hours. That's what I'm up against. People who come here WANT their kid to be here and want to keep the cost down to an affordable rate.

There are legions and legions of parents who want really long hours of care and the flexibility like Centers have. They want that for home day care price. Then end up paying MARKEDLY less per hour for care and don't have their kids for many awake hours a day. That will not stop until Centers and Home Day Care's start charging for the extra hours and start paying attention to the amount they are getting per hour per child and looking at the "awake" hours per day where they HAVE to have a certain number of staff per child (as in Centers who get to lower the staff during nap) or in home day care's where it's just plain harder to have kids up than it is when they aren't. I have a staff assistant who is not here during nap so the cost per hour of the hours the kids are napping is markedly less.

I hope this bad economy forces Centers to start limiting the total number of hours daily and the flexibility to use hours without a schedule other than the Centers hours of operation.
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nannyde 04:29 PM 06-04-2010
Originally Posted by Daycare Mommy:
Great advice as usual Nanny. And that's so funny that this should come up. I actually just did exactly this just a few days ago. Parents called wanting me to watch their kids from 5:30am-6:00pm. So I casually ask what their work hours are. Turns out she works 6-3 and he works 8-4 or rarely as late as 5. I just have to ask myself why why why (in these extreme cases I mean) these people had children in the first place.
Yup

They want to bring the kid to daycare in the morning before they get ready for work so they can go back home and get ready in peace. These are the types that put the kid straight into the car seat from the crib and bring them over in their night diaper and then say "oh he wouldn't eat this morning.. he may be hungry and I think he crapped on the way over".

BTDT
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nannyde 04:41 PM 06-04-2010
Originally Posted by krogers1982:
I like that Nanny !!


Maybe Daycare.com should give nannyde a job?

Poster Laureate
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judytrickett 06:49 PM 06-04-2010
I work a nine hour day. Not a minute more. I do not care for kids longer even for extra money or late fees. Come 4:30pm I expect every child to be off my property. I do not/will not work any later for one simple reason - I DON'T WANT TO.

If there is one thing I know it is this - the longer you are open the longer parents will leave their kids in daycare regardless of whether it is needed or not.
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emosks 06:51 PM 06-04-2010
Wow...I can't believe people (well I can...but you KWIM) would want their kids in daycare for 12+ hours a day unneeded!! I had to have my son in care from 7a-5p and it KILLED me but I had over a 30 minute commute to work.

Anyway...we have kids with this schedule:

DCB 7:45-4:45
DCB 8:15-5:15
DCG 8:15-5:15
DCG 8:15-3:00 (sometimes 4:30)
DCB 8:30-4:30
DCB 7:30-4:30
DCG 9:00-1:00
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momma2girls 06:07 AM 06-05-2010
Originally Posted by judytrickett:
I work a nine hour day. Not a minute more. I do not care for kids longer even for extra money or late fees. Come 4:30pm I expect every child to be off my property. I do not/will not work any later for one simple reason - I DON'T WANT TO.

If there is one thing I know it is this - the longer you are open the longer parents will leave their kids in daycare regardless of whether it is needed or not.
I am the same- a 9 hr. day is enough for me!!!! That is 45 hrs. a week!!! That is an 8 hr. day, 1/2 hr. lunch, and 1/2 hr. commute. When I first started doing daycare, I lived in a small town, and many would have to drive, some 1 hr. each way- I was open for 11 1/2 hrs. then one was always late, so technically, I had to be open for 12 hrs. I hated it!!!! Then I was getting paid there, $25.00 per day for 12 hrs!!!! No thanks!!!! ONce we moved, I set my hrs. lower and lower, and families kept abusing them, and abusing them, now they are set!!!!
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melskids 01:00 PM 06-05-2010
i am 7 miles just from our super small town where everyone lives, and most people are commuting 45 minutes to an hour each way to work, so i have kids a bit longer during the day, usually 10 hours at most. most of them are really good about getting here as soon as possible, or have one parent drop off and the other one pick up to make it a shorter day. i do have one mom however, who only works 3 days a week, 10 - 2:30, yet leaves her child here everyday from 8 to 5:30. i just sent her a letter informing her she will NOT be doing that this summer (dcb is SA and only here in the summer) i am giving her until 4:30 to get here, which i think is still too lenient on my part and more than fair. if she doesnt like it too bad... she can go somewhere else.
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momma2girls 03:40 PM 06-05-2010
Originally Posted by krogers1982:
I have a family that is willing to leave their children with me from the time I open until the time I close... It makes me sad for their children. I made my hours like this to be able to accommodate different schedules. I feel like I am being taken advantage of but don't know if that right or not... I am open:

7am-5:45pm

Most fams drop off at 830 and dad will come at 4pm to pick up. one other fam from 7-4pm. But my last family keep the children here untill 545 even though they dont need to... It eats me up because my second family have half their children on a waiting list to be in my daycare. I considered droping this last family because of this but thought it would be unprofessional...? What do you think?


Wanted to get your alls take on this topic...

How long do you watch children for from each family? is there a limit?
THere will always be families that leave their children your max. of hrs. if you show your open and close hours to them. I had to change mine starting this yr. and it has worked wonderfully. I changed mine to work and commute times only! It is 9 hrs. per day!!
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Unregistered 07:24 PM 06-05-2010
I have hours of 7:30 to 5:30 BUT I ask parents what time they work and how long it takes to get to work and from work I base it on that so I have one parent who drops off at 7:30 and picks up at 5:30 she works 8 to 5 and needs to the 30 minutes each way I have another Mom who drops off at 8 and picks up at 5:15 she works 8:30 to 5 this way Im not watching anyones kids so they can shop, etc.
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momofboys 08:31 AM 06-07-2010
I had my one family (teacher's family) from about 7:00 am until @ 5:00 pm. So @ 10 hrs a day. My new family will be here 3 days a week for about 27.5 hrs a week.
I will be shaving my teacher's hours this fall possibly with Nannyde's suggestion about the pick-up time determining the pay. My DH doesn't think that will go over well with her SO I am not going to have such open hours for her anymore. I believe I am going to say her hours are 7:15-4:45 (she is off work at 3:45) so that should be adequate.
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momma2girls 08:51 AM 06-07-2010
Originally Posted by janarae:
I had my one family (teacher's family) from about 7:00 am until @ 5:00 pm. So @ 10 hrs a day. My new family will be here 3 days a week for about 27.5 hrs a week.
I will be shaving my teacher's hours this fall possibly with Nannyde's suggestion about the pick-up time determining the pay. My DH doesn't think that will go over well with her SO I am not going to have such open hours for her anymore. I believe I am going to say her hours are 7:15-4:45 (she is off work at 3:45) so that should be adequate.
Yes, all my teacher's were completely taking advantage of me as well. THey would all see each other arrive between 4:45- 5:00 or after!! They all get off at 3:30!!!!
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momofboys 08:57 AM 06-07-2010
Originally Posted by Iowa daycare:
Yes, all my teacher's were completely taking advantage of me as well. THey would all see each other arrive between 4:45- 5:00 or after!! They all get off at 3:30!!!!
ITA!!!! So will your teachers be surprised in the fall with your new contract or do they already know, have you already given them new ones? Last week mine were as late as 5:20 one day!!!! Anyway, I am going to say she has to pick up by 4:45 & I may offer an incentive if she picks up closer to 4:30 (maybe some sort of discount of discount). It's ridiculous to be picking up so late when they get off early. And yes I know teacher have work to do after school. If that is the case then take it home with you!!!
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Anna 09:04 AM 06-07-2010
Originally Posted by :
Yes, all my teacher's were completely taking advantage of me as well. THey would all see each other arrive between 4:45- 5:00 or after!! They all get off at 3:30!!!!
My mom is a school teacher (2nd grade) and her school day is over at 3:30p however she usually doesn't leave school until 5p or so because she is getting things cleaned up and getting things ready for the next day (making copies, lesson plans, etc.).

I hate working 12 hrs a day..however if I didn't, I wouldn't have any children. Traffic on Oahu is brutal and one of my parents has about an 1 1/2 commute down town everyday. Also with military parents days start VERY early. All providers in my area have hours 6a-6p (that I know of) and some even open earlier. Can't wait to get a new duty station and be able to change my hours to shorter days! Only 2 more years...
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nannyde 09:09 AM 06-07-2010
Originally Posted by Iowa daycare:
Yes, all my teacher's were completely taking advantage of me as well. THey would all see each other arrive between 4:45- 5:00 or after!! They all get off at 3:30!!!!
My one teacher gets off at 3:45 and is here by 4:15 I don't offer the option to do anything but travel time. If they have "meetings" that are beyond the contract time then they pay extra after 4:15 BUT it has to be scheduled.

My school district has a TON of teacher with teacher time now so it's not something that came up at all this year. Nan didn't get a penny in overtime.

Set your base rate at the time they get off plus travel time and then have a GOOD hourly rate for anything after that.

I don't have any parents that leave their kids in day care after they get off of work. I do have ones that leave them here on days off but not after work.
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momma2girls 09:20 AM 06-07-2010
Originally Posted by janarae:
ITA!!!! So will your teachers be surprised in the fall with your new contract or do they already know, have you already given them new ones? Last week mine were as late as 5:20 one day!!!! Anyway, I am going to say she has to pick up by 4:45 & I may offer an incentive if she picks up closer to 4:30 (maybe some sort of discount of discount). It's ridiculous to be picking up so late when they get off early. And yes I know teacher have work to do after school. If that is the case then take it home with you!!!
Nope in Jan. of this yr. I changed my contract, to work and commute times only- I don't have any opening or closing times in my contract any longer!! I will be really enforcing the things that are already in my contract next Fall though, I am still tired of them all taking advantage of me all the time!!
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momma2girls 09:24 AM 06-07-2010
WHen my parents(one is no longer here, because of it) see each other's children still here, they think it is Ok!! I would have them pick up their children at home, change, pick up groc. get gas, etc. on my time!! I put an end to it in Jan. but they still are late at times, and want me to open early at times. This will come to a halt in the Fall when they all return!! I am implementing the late fees, early fees, etc. I was being nice, and not charging them, but I have to abide by my own contract- lol!!!!
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momofboys 09:24 AM 06-07-2010
Originally Posted by Anna:
My mom is a school teacher (2nd grade) and her school day is over at 3:30p however she usually doesn't leave school until 5p or so because she is getting things cleaned up and getting things ready for the next day (making copies, lesson plans, etc.).

I hate working 12 hrs a day..however if I didn't, I wouldn't have any children. Traffic on Oahu is brutal and one of my parents has about an 1 1/2 commute down town everyday. Also with military parents days start VERY early. All providers in my area have hours 6a-6p (that I know of) and some even open earlier. Can't wait to get a new duty station and be able to change my hours to shorter days! Only 2 more years...
My teacher mom can be here early if she wants to, she runs errands/does laundry etc. And I am not willing to work longer days b/c of it. 12 hours is too long IMO unless you are only working a 3 or 4 day week. Do they parents work 10 or 11 hour days? I hope you charge extra (more like a day and a half ) for such a long day!
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Anna 09:50 AM 06-07-2010
Originally Posted by janarae:
My teacher mom can be here early if she wants to, she runs errands/does laundry etc. And I am not willing to work longer days b/c of it. 12 hours is too long IMO unless you are only working a 3 or 4 day week. Do they parents work 10 or 11 hour days? I hope you charge extra (more like a day and a half ) for such a long day!

Well my Army mom has to leave her house at 4a but the dad drops off his daughter at 6a then she picks up the daughter at 6p. This is the family that frustrates me a bit because the dad sometimes won't work until 10a or so and still drop off his daughter at 6a on the dot. He also doesn't work Mondays but of course dcg is still here AND the mom gets off work earlier sometimes but still doesn't pick up until 6p on the dot.

A different dcgs mom works downtown from 8a-4:30p but with a 1 1/2 commute she is usually here around 6:15/6:30a and leaves at 6:00/6:15p. I have no problems with this because she is legitimately working and traveling at the time she leaves her daughter with me. She also hates leaving her with me for so long but she has no way to shorten travel time. She is a single parent.

A different dcg comes at 6:30a and leaves at 5:30p. Her mom works at 7a and works until 5p however she has night classes on Tuesday and Thursday until 10p so we worked it out that her daughter would just stay ove on Tuesday and Thursdays since she will be here the next morning anyway. I have no problems with her since she is a friend of mine and her husband is currently deployed.

I think a lot of you who have nine hour days work in areas where you can. If providers around here only worked nine hour days then they would not have anyone to watch. I live in a heavily (and I mean heavily) saturated military area and the majority of families looking for care are military. My husband is in the Army and leaves the house at 5:30a and doesn't return until 7p. If they are not military they drive the insane commute to downtown which takes a ridiculous hour and a half (it is about 20 miles). I don't think there is a solution for my 12 hour days. Luckily I have a really good group of girls which help make my day go by fast.
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momofboys 11:25 AM 06-07-2010
Originally Posted by Anna:
Well my Army mom has to leave her house at 4a but the dad drops off his daughter at 6a then she picks up the daughter at 6p. This is the family that frustrates me a bit because the dad sometimes won't work until 10a or so and still drop off his daughter at 6a on the dot. He also doesn't work Mondays but of course dcg is still here AND the mom gets off work earlier sometimes but still doesn't pick up until 6p on the dot.

A different dcgs mom works downtown from 8a-4:30p but with a 1 1/2 commute she is usually here around 6:15/6:30a and leaves at 6:00/6:15p. I have no problems with this because she is legitimately working and traveling at the time she leaves her daughter with me. She also hates leaving her with me for so long but she has no way to shorten travel time. She is a single parent.

A different dcg comes at 6:30a and leaves at 5:30p. Her mom works at 7a and works until 5p however she has night classes on Tuesday and Thursday until 10p so we worked it out that her daughter would just stay ove on Tuesday and Thursdays since she will be here the next morning anyway. I have no problems with her since she is a friend of mine and her husband is currently deployed.

I think a lot of you who have nine hour days work in areas where you can. If providers around here only worked nine hour days then they would not have anyone to watch. I live in a heavily (and I mean heavily) saturated military area and the majority of families looking for care are military. My husband is in the Army and leaves the house at 5:30a and doesn't return until 7p. If they are not military they drive the insane commute to downtown which takes a ridiculous hour and a half (it is about 20 miles). I don't think there is a solution for my 12 hour days. Luckily I have a really good group of girls which help make my day go by fast.
That's good that your DCK are a good bunch! I'm sure that helps a ton
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Sprouts 07:50 PM 10-24-2011
Originally Posted by nannyde:
The longest I have any kids is nine hours. I base my rates on nine hours a day and departure times. See rates below. Doesn't do them any good to keep their kids here later than they need. It gets way too expensive. If it's more than nine hours total then it's an additional four dollars an hour.

3:00 p.m. departure $135.00 per week

3:15 p.m. departure $140.00 per week

3:30 p.m. departure $145.00 per week

3:45 p.m. departure $150.00 per week

4:00 p.m. departure $155.00 per week

4:15 p.m. departure $160.00 per week

4:30 p.m. departure $165.00 per week

4:45 p.m. departure $170.00 per week

5:00 p.m. departure $175.00 per week

5:15 p.m. departure $180.00 per week

5:30 p.m. departure $185.00 per week

5:45 p.m. departure $190.00 per week

6:00 p.m. departure $195.00 per week
Quick Question,

So if my base pay for full time child is $250...then would I start at that rate and go up? Or that would be the highest??
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nannyde 04:17 AM 10-25-2011
Originally Posted by Sprouts:
Quick Question,

So if my base pay for full time child is $250...then would I start at that rate and go up? Or that would be the highest??
I would put that in the middle. Whatever you think your market can withstand. I wish I made 250 a kid. I could live off of four. That would be awesome
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Rachel 04:51 AM 10-25-2011
I just opened and my hours (standard for here) are 7:00 - 4:30. The one boy I have is usually here from 8 / 8:30 - 2:45 / 3:30 or so. Starting next week I have 2 more coming so I am sure I will be working longer hours, just not sure what they yet.
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Nellie 06:24 AM 10-25-2011
Originally Posted by momma2girls:
Yes, all my teacher's were completely taking advantage of me as well. THey would all see each other arrive between 4:45- 5:00 or after!! They all get off at 3:30!!!!
Just because the work day end's for a teacher, doesn't mean there day is done. They are required to stay at the school for X amount of hours a day, but often work longer hours to finish the work. My mothers is a teacher and she is required to be at the school from 7:30 to 4:00. School is from 8 to 3. She is their from 6 am to 7pm on an average and often as early as 5 and as late as 9.
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JenNJ 07:28 AM 10-25-2011
Family #1: 8:15 - 4:30 One parent dropping and picking up. 2 minutes from workplace.

Family #2: 8:00 - 5:20 One parent dropping and picking up. I live in the opposite direction of parents workplace.

Family #3: Care 3 days per week. 8:15 - 6:15pm One parent dropping off and picking up. Home is 30 minutes from mine and workplace is 45 minutes from mine. Kids are with family members the other 2 days.

Family #4: Care 3 days per week. Two days 8:30 - 4:00, one day Noon - 4:00. He stays home with one parent the days he isn't here.

I have had no issues with late pickups EVER. The kids with late schedules are with family the other days and that works well for everyone involved, especially the kids.
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MarinaVanessa 08:32 AM 10-25-2011
Family #1: 6:30am-5pm 10.5 hours/day Mon-Thurs 42 hours/wk
Family #2: 7:00am-5pm 10 hours/day Monday-Fri 50 hours/wk
Family #3: 8:00am-6pm 10 hours/day Monday-Fri 50 hours/wk
Family #4: 8:00am-6pm 10 hours/day Monday-Fri 50 hours/wk

My hours are 6am to 6pm and only once I had a family that wanted to bring their child from 6am to 6pm but it got expensive for them considering that the DCM never actually made it here at 6am. She would get here at 9am or later, sometimes as late as noon.

I charge a weekly rate of $160 for FT for 10 hours a day (50 hours a week). Anything more than 10 hours a day I charge at $5 an hour so this family was paying $235 a week for 6am to 6pm for a couple of weeks before she changed the contracted hours to the typical 10 hours a day.

I figure that 10 hours a day is average considering that most people work 8 hour shifts with an hour lunch and that leaves another 30 minutes of commuting time each way.
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2ndFamilyDC 08:46 AM 10-25-2011
Originally Posted by Janet:
I find out what hours are needed. I don't give the option to bring them from open to close unless they had a work schedule that was one with longer hours. And in that case, I would charge a bit more.



Yep same here. I pretty much do it the way NannyDe does.
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renodeb 09:17 AM 10-25-2011
I know a lot of providers that do have a limit.
My early family comes 645-445 (someitmes gets picked up ealier) moms a teacher.
next drop off is 730-445
and then my pt boy is usually 900-530 (when the mom drops off its 800-530)
I think the average is 10 hours with travel time. Anything other than that is an awful long day. Sadly alot of parents dont want to deal with there own kids so we have them.
Debbie
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PitterPatter 09:38 AM 10-25-2011
Originally Posted by nannyde:


When they call for care and ask what hours you are open answer them with a question. "What hours do you need?"

They will answer with <insert 12 hour day> and then you ask where they work and what times they work. Both parents. So then you say "okay so dad goes in at eight and it's a fifteen minute drive so drop off would be a little after 7:30 and you get off at 4 and it's a 20 minute drive so pick up would be 4:30. Right?"

Whoever goes into work last drops off.
Whoever gets off of work first picks up.


Exception is when one parent works really close to you and the other doesn't and they don't live nearby. Then you can go with one parents schedule. If you don't allow that then they will incur too much in gas money and prolly won't pick you... so be flexible on that. Also some parents DO have to park and walk. I have one client that when she first started with me she was way back in the back forty of her parking lot and had a hike into the building every day. She was one of many clients I had from that company so I knew she was telling the truth. As she advanced thru the company her spot got closer and closer and now she parks right close to where she goes in the building. So you do have to listen to what they have in addition to the drive.

I have found that parents that really want my services but have later hours or an hour lunch WILL work with their employer to switch their hours to earlier hours and flip to a half hour lunch to stay within my nine hours and get off as early as possible. Sweet for everyone involved. Saves them money, gives them more waking hours with the kid, and gets the kids out da doe earlier.
I tried this exact thing a couple weeks ago with a potential private paying client. I was hoping to take the 1st step in avoiding being walked on. The Mother said what hours they worked was none of my business and since I want to be so demanding of their time she will take her business elsewhere. Then she hung up on me. So much for being stern from the get go
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nannyde 09:55 AM 10-25-2011
Originally Posted by PitterPatter:
I tried this exact thing a couple weeks ago with a potential private paying client. I was hoping to take the 1st step in avoiding being walked on. The Mother said what hours they worked was none of my business and since I want to be so demanding of their time she will take her business elsewhere. Then she hung up on me. So much for being stern from the get go
That person wouldn't work anyway. They want open hours day care. You CAN be stern from the go.
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mismatchedsocks 09:57 AM 10-25-2011
Most of my kids are here 8-9 hours, one is here 10 hours, one is here 6 hours.
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