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SimpleMom 09:29 AM 05-02-2011
Do you accept them and if so, what is your minimum charge during the school year and for the summertime?

I am considering not accepting school agers any longer as I maybe get 35 per week for a school ager all year long and it doesn't really pay for me to do that and as a result have higher numbers on certain days.
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Zoe 09:36 AM 05-02-2011
I'm curious about this too. Does the rate change for the summers? I don't want to take school-agers, but I'm getting to where where I'll take anyone who calls me at this point.
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lil angels 09:39 AM 05-02-2011
I charge $8 a day for after school care don't do before (same as school charges). And when they are off or drop in it is $30 a day and for summer I charge 105 a week same as everyone else and if they don't want to pay then I don't take them because they are more work than the 2 yr olds.
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MarinaVanessa 09:41 AM 05-02-2011
I don't like to take kids over age 5 but I suppose it depends. Like I may make an exception if it's a DC child that has grown with the program and the families will be providing the transportation on their own, bus etc.

I am licensed for 8 but only 3 of them can be infants and two of them have to be school agers otherwise I can only have 6 total. Even then when I have 6 one of them has to be a SA but I have my daughter and she's in kinder so she takes that spot. If I could get a nice child that I knew wouldnt annoy me half to death (remember, this is the age of the attitudes) then I don't see why I wouldn't but only if I had those SAer openings. I wouldn'y know what to charge either. Maybe just my drop in rate?
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MarinaVanessa 09:44 AM 05-02-2011
Originally Posted by lil angels:
I charge $8 a day for after school care don't do before (same as school charges). And when they are off or drop in it is $30 a day and for summer I charge 105 a week same as everyone else and if they don't want to pay then I don't take them because they are more work than the 2 yr olds.
Now I'm curious. What's your normal FT and PT rate and terms? I like how you word your school ager thing and I was thinking that I might want to think about having rates and a contract ready just in case I do decide to take a SA.
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nannyde 09:49 AM 05-02-2011
No school agers. They require more supervision than toddlers and they don't nap.
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lil angels 09:50 AM 05-02-2011
My part time rate is $85 a week witch is 3 days and under and full time is 4 or 5 days $105 a week. That is what I charge everyone except baby's are a little more.
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MarinaVanessa 09:59 AM 05-02-2011
Originally Posted by lil angels:
My part time rate is $85 a week witch is 3 days and under and full time is 4 or 5 days $105 a week. That is what I charge everyone except baby's are a little more.
Ok makes sense thanks. I was trying to figure out how much more to charge for something like SA. Our rates are alot higher here so charging drop-in rate for me would make sense but it seemed a lot complared to yours until I saw your other rates. PT for me is $108 and FT is $160, drop in is $5 so $15 a day sounds about right for SA. Thanks.
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SimpleMom 11:01 AM 05-02-2011
thanks! I think I am going to request that they pay the full amount for summers like everyone else. I just can't afford it otherwise. PLus, I'm only taking sa that are here with siblings or grew up here. Just easier on us all
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mickey2 11:06 AM 05-02-2011
Originally Posted by nannyde:
No school agers. They require more supervision than toddlers and they don't nap.
Yes this! WAY too much work! I could not get paid enough to provide CONSTANT supervision to kids this age.
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AfterSchoolMom 11:56 AM 05-02-2011
I get $16 per day for B/A. I do SA's only, and I take the summers off, but when I did work during the summer I charged $40 per day for part time and $30 for full time.
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VanessaEO 12:00 PM 05-02-2011
Originally Posted by nannyde:
No school agers. They require more supervision than toddlers and they don't nap.
This is pretty much my feeling too. Especially in summer.

I would make an exception for someone who has been with me for a year+. But no new school agers. Every time I've done it, its ended BADLY.
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SimpleMom 02:11 PM 05-02-2011
Originally Posted by AfterSchoolMom:
I get $16 per day for B/A. I do SA's only, and I take the summers off, but when I did work during the summer I charged $40 per day for part time and $30 for full time.
oh man! i WAS feeling bad for charging $85/wk for summers ( seems high where i live), but your rates are more like it. i paid over 100.00 PT for my child was in school age care. Anyways...bad feeling gone!
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Blackcat31 02:52 PM 05-02-2011
Originally Posted by nannyde:
No school agers. They require more supervision than toddlers and they don't nap.
I take them ONLY if they grew up in my program. NO newbies. and I DO make mine take a nap......only they call it "rest time" cuz none of them actually nap. Sometimes if they are being really good...I will let them play outside for rest time...as long as they stay out the whole nap time. No coming in and out. You get 1 in and 1 out. After that: you "rest".

I also take those same kids after school. I charge $50 flat rate per week (max they could be here is 2.5 hours) for school year and $30 per day for non-school days and $150.00 flat rate for summer care. No part-time or drop in rates available for summer....just one flat rate.
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SimpleMom 06:04 AM 05-03-2011
I like that idea Blackcat as well. 150 wouldn't fly where I live, but at the very least I will charge the 116.oo/wk.

I talked to my family yesterday about the new summer rate and I'm not sure if they will continue. Sad to see the sa go, cuz I just love 'em, but I'm feeling a bit taken for granted and I run a good business/childcare. I need to afford to run it well.

All great ideas/advice/comments!! Thanks for the feedback ladies!!
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Meyou 06:10 AM 05-03-2011
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I take them ONLY if they grew up in my program. NO newbies. and I DO make mine take a nap......only they call it "rest time" cuz none of them actually nap. Sometimes if they are being really good...I will let them play outside for rest time...as long as they stay out the whole nap time. No coming in and out. You get 1 in and 1 out. After that: you "rest".
.
This is what I do too and it works out well for me. They can watch movies in the basement OR play outside at naptime. No in and out at all between 1 and 3. My 7 year old and my 6 year old niece still nap when they're cranky as well. The threat of a real nap keeps them in line.
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AnythingsPossible 07:13 AM 05-03-2011
Originally Posted by nannyde:
No school agers. They require more supervision than toddlers and they don't nap.
I am astounded with SA's behaviour 90% of the time. The latest issue here has been bathroom issues. I have had to start shadowing the two boys who come after school in the bathroom. I went in the other day after daycare had left, and one of them had pee'd all over the wall, floor and toilet. They were the only two who had used the restroom that afternoon. Now, as soon as they leave the bathroom, i go check it. They have bad table manners, they are rough with the toys, and are very loud.
These boys were both raised in my daycare, so they know how i expect them to behave, but once they get to school, it all goes out the window.
I charge $5/day for after school care and $350.00/month for summer care. My summer rate is fairly low, but this is my last summer of SA care, and i dont want to deal wth whiny parents over fees, so I've priced them lower, and frankly will be glad to be done after august!
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SimpleMom 10:35 AM 05-03-2011
Originally Posted by AnythingsPossible:
I am astounded with SA's behaviour 90% of the time. The latest issue here has been bathroom issues. I have had to start shadowing the two boys who come after school in the bathroom. I went in the other day after daycare had left, and one of them had pee'd all over the wall, floor and toilet. They were the only two who had used the restroom that afternoon. Now, as soon as they leave the bathroom, i go check it. They have bad table manners, they are rough with the toys, and are very loud.
These boys were both raised in my daycare, so they know how i expect them to behave, but once they get to school, it all goes out the window.
I charge $5/day for after school care and $350.00/month for summer care. My summer rate is fairly low, but this is my last summer of SA care, and i dont want to deal wth whiny parents over fees, so I've priced them lower, and frankly will be glad to be done after august!
oh my gosh! That must've been a "fun" surprise.
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Mom_of_two 11:46 AM 05-03-2011
NOOOOO!! I am not cut out for that. Lol!! I will stick with pre-school age and under.
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AfterSchoolMom 11:49 AM 05-03-2011
Had they gone home already when you discovered that? I'd have made them fess up, and the one responsible would have cleaned it up. Absolutely unacceptable. Mom and Dad would have gotten a very unhappy report as well.
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AnythingsPossible 11:55 AM 05-03-2011
Originally Posted by AfterSchoolMom:
Had they gone home already when you discovered that? I'd have made them fess up, and the one responsible would have cleaned it up. Absolutely unacceptable. Mom and Dad would have gotten a very unhappy report as well.
Yep, they both were already gone. I couldn't remember which one was the last one in there, just know that no one else had used that bathroom after they got back. This was Friday, so I didn't want to grill them Monday afternoon, but that is why I am checking the bathroom after they are in there. If they make another mess, they will be helping to clean it up!!
My mom used to be a janitor at an elementary school and she said it is disgusting the way boys treat the bathroom. I realize they can't supervise the kids in there, but come on!
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Zoe 11:57 AM 05-03-2011
Originally Posted by AnythingsPossible:
Yep, they both were already gone. I couldn't remember which one was the last one in there, just know that no one else had used that bathroom after they got back. This was Friday, so I didn't want to grill them Monday afternoon, but that is why I am checking the bathroom after they are in there. If they make another mess, they will be helping to clean it up!!
My mom used to be a janitor at an elementary school and she said it is disgusting the way boys treat the bathroom. I realize they can't supervise the kids in there, but come on!
School age boys are so gross. Just be glad it was pee! Just sayin'.....
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kidkair 12:28 PM 05-03-2011
I take school-agers for full days as drop-ins during the school year. I've not had anyone ask for before/after school care so I'm not sure what I'd do in that situation. During summer I let them pay the regular full time rate and they go back to drop-in rate in September.
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