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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Much Would You Charge For 3 Kids In Family?
cherakee68 05:31 AM 07-26-2011
I just got a call from someone that has three girls - 4 months, 3 years & 4 years. I have no idea what I should charge. I charge $150 for one right now. Any ideas?
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AnneCordelia 05:33 AM 07-26-2011
*I* would charge $450/week for 3 children, if one spot was $150. 3 spots is 66% of my income resting on the shoulders of one family. I'm not willing to discount that kind of risk. If anything, I should add a surcharge. LOL.
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momofboys 05:38 AM 07-26-2011
I'd probably be inclined to offer a very minimal discount but this depends on the family & how well they seem to fit along with what hours they need. If they want the maximum hours I offer I would likely not offer a discount but say they only need 8.5 hrs then I might be inclined. If my rate was $150/week per child I would probably take a discount off the 3rd child of maybe $25-30/week so I'd charge @$420-425/week.
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TSDaycare 05:45 AM 07-26-2011
I have a family of three boys. I charge full price for the toddler who has been with me since newborn, I charge full time for the pre-k child since he is in my care most of the day except for 2 1/2 hrs at school, and I discounted the SA boy who is in 3rd grade by $20 less per week than I usually charge. It comes out to be $370 a week and mom actually pays more on her own in the summer! Great family, respectful, makes sure Im paid on time etc, picks up early quite often. Can't complain at this rate so Im okay with what we have worked out as far as rates!
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Cat Herder 05:48 AM 07-26-2011
To be totally honest I would have to decline them all together.

I am only allowed 6 kids, having 3 from one family is simply too financially risky for my comfort.

Otherwise, stick to your rates as you would for any other.
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nannyde 06:07 AM 07-26-2011
Originally Posted by Catherder:
To be totally honest I would have to decline them all together.

I am only allowed 6 kids, having 3 from one family is simply too financially risky for my comfort.

Otherwise, stick to your rates as you would for any other.
I can only have eight kids so three from one family would put me in a terrible spot when they left. It's also difficult to keep the relationship from turning into an employee/employer relationship.
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Crazy8 07:20 AM 07-26-2011
Originally Posted by Catherder:
To be totally honest I would have to decline them all together.

I am only allowed 6 kids, having 3 from one family is simply too financially risky for my comfort.

Otherwise, stick to your rates as you would for any other.
I just told a daycare mom this recently and she looked at me like I was nuts. She is pregnant with twins and asked me for ballpark rates for the 2 babies, all 3 kids together, etc. I gave her the rates but told her I couldn't hold the spots either - when she asked why I don't discount for 3 kids I told her because it is more of a liability to me.
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Unregistered 08:50 AM 07-26-2011
Originally Posted by AnneCordelia:
*I* would charge $450/week for 3 children, if one spot was $150. 3 spots is 66% of my income resting on the shoulders of one family. I'm not willing to discount that kind of risk. If anything, I should add a surcharge. LOL.
I agree. I would charge 450 and add in that they need to give you 2 weeks notice per child so 6 weeks total. BTDT and gotten burned so I say no discounts.
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Meeko 06:23 AM 07-26-2011
Are you going to discount the care you give? You will be taking care of all the siblings the same....so charge them the same.

I have never understood why parents EXPECT a discount. They are taking money out of YOUR pocket and expecting the same care as everyone else.
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Country Kids 06:32 AM 07-26-2011
I do have 3 siblings in care. Two are in school all day so they are charged the schoolage price and then the one I have full time is charged the price I charge for that.

I do not offer a discount for siblings and I have never had a parent ask for one. I figure whenever that child is here they are taking a spot and if I had a single child they would have to pay the price.

Also, if the family is a good fit why not try them. Yes, if they leave you will lose quite a bit of your income but that could happen if you lost for some reason a bunch of single children. I figure also if they are a great fit, why not take them its less parents I have to deal with.
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MarinaVanessa 06:53 AM 07-26-2011
I try to stay away from families with multiple children for the fact that others have posted about leaving so many openings if they leave. Right now I don't offer a sibling discount but if I were hard-pressed and If I were to give a discount I would probably only give a 10% discount on the additional children and only if they weren't under age 2. My rate is $160 a week giving them a $32 a week discount for the 2 additional kids making it $448 a week instead of $480.

You should think about the long run. Even at a 10% discount $32 a week (using my numbers here) in six months (24 weeks) that's $768 in discounts ... a full year (52 weeks) would be $1,664! If you do give a discount I'd do what Nan once suggested and give weekly receipts with the total amount that they paid AND the total amount in savings you've given them to date, otherwise then the parent just thinks of that rate as "their going rate" instead of a discounted rate. Good luck and KUP on what you decide.
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Meyou 07:04 AM 07-26-2011
I would charge $450 if I took them. I probably wouldn't though. I'm nervous enough with the two families with 2 children I have now in care. It would really hurt me financially to take 3 and then have the family leave for whatever reason. The twosomes I have are both because of younger siblings being born.
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cherakee68 07:00 AM 07-26-2011
Thank you everyone. This pretty much shows me that I just cut my throat with this family. It is a nephew of my husbands so I didn't feel right charging them full price but my DH was right that I went way to low. All's I can do now is see how it goes, give them a contract and tell them I'll see how it works out. I believe I have one maybe two leaving now anyway so that would leave me with just the three and it's not until Sept.
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MarinaVanessa 08:43 AM 07-26-2011
Originally Posted by cherakee68:
Thank you everyone. This pretty much shows me that I just cut my throat with this family. It is a nephew of my husbands so I didn't feel right charging them full price but my DH was right that I went way to low. All's I can do now is see how it goes, give them a contract and tell them I'll see how it works out. I believe I have one maybe two leaving now anyway so that would leave me with just the three and it's not until Sept.
Well at least you'll have clients . Like I said, I really think you should give receipts and especially now that I know that they're family. Family always thinks that they are special and you might find yourself doing additional "favors" for them. Make sure that they know that you are already doing them a huge favor by offering a very low rate.
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