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PAMommy1228 09:12 AM 10-08-2010
How much do you charge a week, for how many hours? If they go over a certain amount of hours do they get charged more?

For example, if a parent works 8 hours, and an hour of travel, that's 10 hours, what if they do 12 hours a day, do you charge more for the 2 extra hours?
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Unregistered 09:21 AM 10-08-2010
I charge 120 a week for ages 6 weeks till in school full time I do not watch after school kids. My hours are 7:30am til 5:30pm Im only opened 10 hours a day 5 days a week parents still get charged if they dont come, holidays, if im closed, etc.
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BentleysBands 09:34 AM 10-08-2010
i have a flat rate of $20 per day per child regardless of age. most charge $25 here. i also provide everything except formula
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PAMommy1228 09:43 AM 10-08-2010
Thanks!

I just feel like I am being taken advantage. some of my parents leave their children here from open until close every day of the week even if they have a day off. And one of the ones drops of extremely early and the kid is unruly. He won't take a nap, so I don't get any time to do anything during the day. I think 12 hours is way too long to leave your kid when you work 8 hours and only work 15 minutes away from my house.
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marniewon 10:21 AM 10-08-2010
All of my families are contracted according to THEIR WORK SCHEDULE. I will not open before 7:30 and won't stay open past 5:30 for normal work days. If a family needs me early or later occassionally, I will usually do it, and if they stay within 10 hours that day, I won't charge any more for it. However, if someone needed me 10+ hours a day full time, well, first, I probably wouldn't take them. If I did though, I would charge my full time rate and add on extra pay for the extra hours per day. I would not make it very affordable. That is way too long for kids to be in daycare.

I charge $110 for up to 10 hours per day, 4-5 days a week. Part time is $25/day.

So your families only work 8 hour days yet leave their kids in care for 12? If you want that to change, you should write up a new contract and have everyone sign it. Contract their hours for the time they are at work, leaving room for travel time. Say they work from 8-5. I would contract them from 7:30 - 5:30. Make sure to put on there late fees: how much they are, when they start, etc. Mine are $5/15min late (and that includes early drop-offs also). Some people go by the minute. It's really up to you how you want to handle it. If you have late fees, make sure to enforce them, or you will end up right back to where you are now with the kids at your house all day long. Draw it up for each family, let them know it will be effective in 2 weeks (and specify the date), hand it to the family and let them know they need to sign/return it within xx days. That is the ONLY way you are going to get rid of 12 hour days. Well, other than start charging outrageous rates for anything over 10 hours per day. Good luck!
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Unregistered 10:25 AM 10-08-2010
wish i had parents who worked 8hr days. most of my parents have 10-12 hr days not including travel. i do not see a problem with 12hr days so long as the parent is working and not leaving the child in care for their leisure. i do not go by 'hours' in care. i charge a flat rate of $120 per child up to age 5yrs. I'm open 6am-6pm Monday-Friday. I do not charge for holidays or vacation days.
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MommyMuffin 10:26 AM 10-08-2010
I try to be flexible for parents because I know what the snow can do to a half hour drive in winter here in MN...turns into 1.5 hours.
For that reason I have contracted rates...I will never work past 6:00pm though. So I ask them what hours do you need, if it is anything over 10 hours I charge an extra $3 for every hour over per day.
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SunflowerMama 11:06 AM 10-08-2010
I charge just one rate regardless of age. $155/week and I don't watch them any longer than 10 hrs per day.

I only do full-time.
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SunflowerMama 11:12 AM 10-08-2010
I used to do part-time and it was $110 a week. Anthing under 5 hours a day and it had to be at least 3 days/wk.
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Blackcat31 03:02 PM 10-08-2010
My rates are:
Full Time (3-5 days per week) $28 for toilet trained/$33 for non-toilet trained.
Part Time (1-2 days per week) $33 for toilet trained/$40 for non-toilet trained
I also charge flat rate for school age of $50 per week regardless of how many days before or after school they use.
I am only open M-F from 7:30 to 5:30. No exceptions because I do not live in the home I run my child care out of.
Parents can use the whole day if they want to because they pay for it so I don't care either way. I don't care if they are at work or home sleeping.
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MarinaVanessa 06:46 AM 10-10-2010
I charge a weekly rate of $155 (which breaks down to $3.10 an hour) and set a schedule that works with their work schedule within my business hours (6am-6pm) but they can only stay 10 hours per day. Anything before 6am, is overtime. Anything after 6pm, is overtime. Anything over 10 hours, is overtime. I charge $5 an hour (or part of an hour) for overtime. It really deters the parents from leaving their kids too long.
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momma2girls 11:34 AM 10-10-2010
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
wish i had parents who worked 8hr days. most of my parents have 10-12 hr days not including travel. i do not see a problem with 12hr days so long as the parent is working and not leaving the child in care for their leisure. i do not go by 'hours' in care. i charge a flat rate of $120 per child up to age 5yrs. I'm open 6am-6pm Monday-Friday. I do not charge for holidays or vacation days.
When your hrs. are open 6-6, you are very well going to have families abuse and abuse and abuse this- make it contracted work hrs. only!! I have work and commute times only in your contract, have everyone tell you or write down the amt. of hrs. they will need for work and commute times only. There aren't really any parents that both work 12 hrs. days- that is nonsense!! I guess there could actually be a few out there, that both have to work 12 hr. days/5 days a week, but not too many!!!
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SilverSabre25 01:02 PM 10-10-2010
Originally Posted by Iowa daycare:
When your hrs. are open 6-6, you are very well going to have families abuse and abuse and abuse this- make it contracted work hrs. only!! I have work and commute times only in your contract, have everyone tell you or write down the amt. of hrs. they will need for work and commute times only. There aren't really any parents that both work 12 hrs. days- that is nonsense!!
Actually, there are plenty. Nurses frequently have 12 hr shifts. Parents with long commutes, parents who might be managers at retail stores who have to cover shifts if someone calls off or doesn't show up...there are plenty of jobs that a parent might have where they would have to work 12 hour shifts, or at least have their child in care for 12 hours.
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momma2girls 01:19 PM 10-10-2010
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
Actually, there are plenty. Nurses frequently have 12 hr shifts. Parents with long commutes, parents who might be managers at retail stores who have to cover shifts if someone calls off or doesn't show up...there are plenty of jobs that a parent might have where they would have to work 12 hour shifts, or at least have their child in care for 12 hours.
I know there are nurses, etc. that work 12 hrs. a day, etc. but to have both parents work 12 hrs. a day???? One can pick up and the other one can drop off- whenever the one that doesn't work the 12 hrs. can come and pick up and drop off. THere is not very many families that can both say they both work 12 hrs. that one can't pick up. If you are open 12 hrs. many will take advantage of it, believe me I have been there, done the 12 hr. day, somedays even longer, if someone was late coming home, etc... NEVER AGAIN!!!!! I think the 9-10 hrs. is long enough, for any child to be in daycare!! I once had a parent that worked 10 hrs. herself and had a husband that worked 3rd shift. He would wake up at 3:00 everyday, go workout, have alone time, and couldn't make it here by their contracted time 4:30- because the Father had too much to do everyday, before picking up their child- How sad!! There are many, many families out there like this!!! I am a nurse there were times I had to stay extra, becasue of call offs, etc. but I wouldn't expect my daycare to stay open 12 or 13 hrs. because of it, and not pay her any more than an 8 hr. day- That is crazy in my book!!! THere was a time when I was divorced and single when I had to do this as well!!
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nannyde 02:21 PM 10-10-2010
Originally Posted by Iowa daycare:
I know there are nurses, etc. that work 12 hrs. a day, etc. but to have both parents work 12 hrs. a day???? One can pick up and the other one can drop off- whenever the one that doesn't work the 12 hrs. can come and pick up and drop off. THere is not very many families that can both say they both work 12 hrs. that one can't pick up. If you are open 12 hrs. many will take advantage of it, believe me I have been there, done the 12 hr. day, somedays even longer, if someone was late coming home, etc... NEVER AGAIN!!!!! I think the 9-10 hrs. is long enough, for any child to be in daycare!! I once had a parent that worked 10 hrs. herself and had a husband that worked 3rd shift. He would wake up at 3:00 everyday, go workout, have alone time, and couldn't make it here by their contracted time 4:30- because the Father had too much to do everyday, before picking up their child- How sad!! There are many, many families out there like this!!! I am a nurse there were times I had to stay extra, becasue of call offs, etc. but I wouldn't expect my daycare to stay open 12 or 13 hrs. because of it, and not pay her any more than an 8 hr. day- That is crazy in my book!!! THere was a time when I was divorced and single when I had to do this as well!!
I've done twelve hour days for nurses and done just three days per week with a full week salary. Usually these nurses are doing three twelve hour shifts and receiving a full time salary for doing it. If the child has four days a week home with the parent then the sacrifice of having three very long days is well worth it. In the end they are in day care less total hours per year.

It's the twelve hour shifts five days a week that is a recipe for CONSTANT problems. Parents who leave their child in care that many hours are disenfranchised from their child because they do not have enough AWAKE time with their child.

I've been doing this for 31 years and my formula for family success is that the really great day care parents that have really good kids are families that have FIVE awake hours per day between morning and after day care. When parents have their child AWAKE for that many hours a day they are usually comfortable caring for them, they understand their childs needs, they do the WORK of the care of them, and are understanding of what we do every day.

I do a max of nine hours a day. I find out during the inititail phone call what hours the parents both work, where they work, and the time off for lunch. I then only offer the care they NEED based on the parent who is going into work last drops off and the parent getting off work first picks up.

I haven't had any problem finding families that do nine hours or less per day. I've made exception for twelve hour shift families ONLY if the child attends ONLY three days per week and the parent HAS the child on the other four days per week. If the parent is working during anymore than the three days per week I do not sign them on.

There is no such thing as quality time without quantity time. There aren't enough hours in the day for the parent to parent a child if they are in care twelve hours a day. It's simply impossible. Time is time and it can't be cheated.
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boysx5 04:08 PM 10-10-2010
my hours are 6:30 to 6 I charge 200.00 hundred a week most are not there for all my open hours and I charge whether they are here or not
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momma2girls 05:04 PM 10-10-2010
Originally Posted by boysx5:
my hours are 6:30 to 6 I charge 200.00 hundred a week most are not there for all my open hours and I charge whether they are here or not
WOW!! What state do you live in? That is the least of what daycare centers charge here where I live in Iowa. Many are $220.00 per infant!!
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legomom922 05:37 AM 10-12-2010
I charge $35/day no discounts for a full wk, so its $175/wk. I do not have any part time rate, everyone pays the daily rate, from 3 hrs-10hrs per day. Any hr over 10 is overtime and I charge $10/hr overtime. I also charge my OT rate for nights, weekends, and over night care. I'm not even registred either, and am getting top dollar for my area.
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mrs.meg 05:42 AM 10-12-2010
Wow, here in the area where I live we are WAY behind! Most places charge $90/week at the most, that is for daycare. Most babysitters charge $80 at the most. I only charge $75, and I am thinking about charging more because it feels like I am a slave.
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f.barboza82 06:00 AM 10-12-2010
Wow! It seems like the rates vary from state to state, but I normally charge around $150 a week, but that is only part time.
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My4SunshineGirlsNY 06:25 AM 10-12-2010
I charge $125/week for up to 10 hours/day for infant-Kindergarten. Kindergarten and over is $100/week up to 10 hours/day.

Part day over 3 hours up to 6 1/2 hours is $20/day for infant-Kindergarten

I want to bump my rates so bad but I'm worried my parents will try to find cheaper care...my parent of my school age girls can easliely have family in the summer and half the time the dad isn't working due to lack of work but she still brings them to me (the mom and dad are split) so I can have a job. So a part of me wants to raise them due to the cost of food/crafts, the other part tells me to leave it alone or I will be out of a job.
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MMk9987 07:26 PM 11-13-2010
My name Is Megan I recently started taking classes to become an in home child care provider well one my my friends she works for a sports magazine and she just got her friend a job at the same place she works. and she asked me if I would care for her daughter who is 19 months old and i said sure well she said she can only pay me 50 dollars a week because that is all she can afford. I told the mother that she will have papers to sign even though i am not licensed yet i am going to fellow the book. now my question to you ladies that have experience is should i tell her that she will need to sign up for child coordinated care once i am licensed or should i just stick to are original agreement.also i am going to tell the mother she will have to supply the diapers. I know that 50/ a week is not that much Money but I think that since i agreed to it before hand i should stick with the agreement but i wanted to ask your guys opinion
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AfterSchoolMom 07:15 AM 11-14-2010
I would NEVER watch a child all week, all day for $50 per week. If you're doing it to give your friend a break and don't mind it, fine, but if I were you I'd have her supply absolutely every single thing the child needs - diapers, wipes, food, drinks, etc. Don't spend one penny buying anything for the child yourself. I'd also make her sign a contract with strict open/closing times, late fees, etc. and stick with it. You'd already be doing this person an ENORMOUS favor by giving such discounted care, so don't tolerate even one ounce of extra hassle.

I know that sounds harsh, but think of it this way - you're only making $10 per day!
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marniewon 07:52 AM 11-14-2010
Originally Posted by AfterSchoolMom:
I would NEVER watch a child all week, all day for $50 per week. If you're doing it to give your friend a break and don't mind it, fine, but if I were you I'd have her supply absolutely every single thing the child needs - diapers, wipes, food, drinks, etc. Don't spend one penny buying anything for the child yourself. I'd also make her sign a contract with strict open/closing times, late fees, etc. and stick with it. You'd already be doing this person an ENORMOUS favor by giving such discounted care, so don't tolerate even one ounce of extra hassle.

I know that sounds harsh, but think of it this way - you're only making $10 per day!
I totally agree!! As for sticking to the original agreement, unless you are extremely desparate for any money at all, I would go back and tell her that you cannot take any less than $xx per day/week/hour, whatever. If she truly cannot afford more than $50/week on childcare, then she probably qualifies for state aid. And if she doesn't qualify for state aid, then she can cut back somewhere else to pay a decent rate for childcare for her child.

If you watch this child for so little a week, you will burn out way too quickly. No matter how good the baby is or how good the parent, you will start to regret it and any/every little thing baby/parent does will rub you the wrong the way. $50 is not enough compensation for watching a baby full time, every day. I know because I've done it, several times (slow learner!!) and it always ended badly with me feeling stuck in a job I hated, making no money, but not sure how to get out of it.
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MMk9987 11:02 AM 11-14-2010
Thanks for the advice the only reason i agreed to let her pay me 50/ a week is because she told me she could not afford anymore then that because she just started the job I did however find forms enrollment packet plus physical form and shot records form i will make her sign all of that upon her child coming into my home also i am going to tell her she does need to supply everything for the child that i am not going to provide anything for her accept the care i offered to give her child
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Abigail 11:32 PM 11-14-2010
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa:
I charge a weekly rate of $155 (which breaks down to $3.10 an hour) and set a schedule that works with their work schedule within my business hours (6am-6pm) but they can only stay 10 hours per day. Anything before 6am, is overtime. Anything after 6pm, is overtime. Anything over 10 hours, is overtime. I charge $5 an hour (or part of an hour) for overtime. It really deters the parents from leaving their kids too long.
I like how you call it overtime. I will be using the same terminology. Most jobs gives employees time and half and some double time, so I think charging time and half after your scheduled hours is perfect and up it if it's abused. I might have to have a set rate of $10/hour so it's an easy $2.50 for every fifteen minutes late after scheduled hours.

Originally Posted by MMk9987:
Thanks for the advice the only reason i agreed to let her pay me 50/ a week is because she told me she could not afford anymore then that because she just started the job I did however find forms enrollment packet plus physical form and shot records form i will make her sign all of that upon her child coming into my home also i am going to tell her she does need to supply everything for the child that i am not going to provide anything for her accept the care i offered to give her child
Have you advertised to care for any other children? Once you get going, make sure you don't accept ANY low rates because you've already got one. Once you become full (licensed or not) then you can tell your friend her rates are increasing and take it from the business side of things instead of the friend side of things if daycare is what you actually want to do. You can review her rates in January 2011 and say you review everyone at the start of the year and maybe she'll be able to afford $65/week or something better than $50/week. Good luck!
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cherryhill 01:55 PM 11-15-2010
I charge 225.00 a week for full time care from newborn to 4 years.
I have two full time and two part time. I charge 150 for 3 days a week no discount for sibling part timers. Right now I watch 5 with one being my own.
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AfterSchoolMom 04:58 PM 11-15-2010
Wow, cherryhill!!! That's a really great rate. I wish I could get that where I am - here $150 for full time is "expensive".
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MMk9987 08:41 PM 11-15-2010
Originally Posted by MMk9987:
Thanks for the advice the only reason i agreed to let her pay me 50/ a week is because she told me she could not afford anymore then that because she just started the job I did however find forms enrollment packet plus physical form and shot records form i will make her sign all of that upon her child coming into my home also i am going to tell her she does need to supply everything for the child that i am not going to provide anything for her accept the care i offered to give her child
Originally Posted by Abigail:
Have you advertised to care for any other children? Once you get going, make sure you don't accept ANY low rates because you've already got one. Once you become full (licensed or not) then you can tell your friend her rates are increasing and take it from the business side of things instead of the friend side of things if daycare is what you actually want to do. You can review her rates in January 2011 and say you review everyone at the start of the year and maybe she'll be able to afford $65/week or something better than $50/week. Good luck!
Thank you no I have not here is the story I have a friend her name is A she use to work for a sport magazine but she was out for weeks and she had just started the job well her boss decided to get rid of her because of the fact she started the job in October and had only work twice and then showed up late plus she moved into a house that was making her really sick she ended up going to the hospital so she had to call in boss told her to take a few weeks off well then he ended up just telling her it was not going to work out well she has two children who are in child care center right now they are 3 years and 19 months old.well she calls me last week says she has a job opportunity for me so i said okay i am listening she said i have this friend her name is K she just got a job where i use to work I only met K and her daughter once it was at the park so i do not know her all that well her daughter J was only 10 months at the time she is now 19 months old as well any she said but the thing is she can not afford any more then 10 dollars per day 50/ a week so i said fine I called A told her i would do it for that but when i got licensed that her pay would be increased and she said that is fine well she tells me that her daughter went to maine with her grandparents so she will not be coming to me til next week and that she will come to me from 9 30 5 30 Monday through Friday so i am going to make K supply the diapers wipes food ect then when i get licensed i will sign up for the food program i plan on taking 6 months to 2 years old. I am going to tell her the first time she is late she can not bring her back til she pays me also i am going to tell her if she is sick she needs to stay home at least 24 hours before coming back.
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greenhouse 06:07 AM 11-16-2010
I was paying $325/week at a center I hated. I have a friend who charges 225/wk- I will charge $245 a week. going rate in my state is $180 to 800/week per child. I'd like to know who's getting $800!
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laundrymom 10:04 AM 11-16-2010
wowsers!!! 800 per week,.. Im curious,.. surely this is nanny pay?

Originally Posted by greenhouse:
I was paying $325/week at a center I hated. I have a friend who charges 225/wk- I will charge $245 a week. going rate in my state is $180 to 800/week per child. I'd like to know who's getting $800!

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cherryhill 10:30 AM 11-16-2010
Originally Posted by AfterSchoolMom:
Wow, cherryhill!!! That's a really great rate. I wish I could get that where I am - here $150 for full time is "expensive".
Daycare is expensive where I live most centers charge 1400.00 a month.
But I'm sure it all evens out the cost of living is crazy out here.
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MMk9987 06:38 AM 11-19-2010
I can tell you that the child care center my cousin goes to and he is 4 his grandma receives coordinated child care for if she did not get that for him i can tell you that he would not be going to school. well anyway it is 175 per week for the 1 years old 150 per week for the 2 years old 125per week 3s 4s 5s that is how much they charge at his childcare center
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