:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
Originally Posted by Blackcat31: |
Both experienced taking my child to a daycare and having my own daycare
Originally Posted by CharlesReese: When I was taking my child to a day care provider some years ago, all I know is that I'm paying her for taking care of my child and that's it! I worked at a retail store and the word "holiday" does not really exist so, I was a little bit upset. I thought that it was really not fair for me to pay her when I can't bring my son in due to her vacation or paid holiday. I thought that it was not fair that she's getting paid for relaxing and spending time with her family while I have to go to work and leave my child to some other stranger just so she can take her "day off". Well, after a few years I decided to open up my own day care and learned a few things on how to run this business. Well, I did not know about the capacity limit and the restrictions set by the state. So, here's how it works: Capacity limit of 6-8 kids for small day care - this means that 3 kids can be ages from 0-24 months and 8 kids if u have 2 school aged kids with only 2 kids that are 0-24mos of age If you had you small day care license for over a year, you can request for a large license meaning your capacity limit will be changed from 6-8 to 12-14 kids with age restrictions. Capacity limit of 12-kids are allowed if you have 4 kids ages 0-24 months. If only 3 kids are ages 0-24 mos, you can have up to 14 provided that at least 2 of them are school aged. You are also required to have an assistant. Now, going back to the question. Why do parents have to pay their child care providers even if their child is not present? Because child care providers don't get paid by the hour. If we do, then it's only fair not to charge for the time or days that their child is not in our care. If we at least get paid the minimum wage, no child care provider will complain. This is how I make parents understand and realize that they are paying for the spot and not for my time: I offer the "drop-in basis". This means that parents don't have to pay me for the days that their child is not here, but since the spot is not guaranteed for their child, they have to call me the day before they wish to drop off their child. Of course, if I have the spot, I say sure... but, if I don't... then I just say "no". Parents are our clients, not our employers. We don't have employees' rights but, we set our own policies. We don't get paid by the hour but we charge for the child's spot. Just like a retail store, if you don't like their return policy or their prices... you just simply have to move on. We are a business and not employees. I hope this helps. |
I think you def. do have to look at it as a "case by case" issue. Although it is not illegal to charge for holidays or days not there. You do need to put a lot of time looking for a provider... To be honest, I think person(s) looking for care for their child(s) need to do a lot of investigating on what they want in a provider/facility. There are going to be compromises on both ends. But you need to make sure you make a list of things you are looking for. Your child is the most important thing to you so why not take the time to really go in and look for that "perfect" care your looking for. Take in consideration that this is a business to us and we work soooo very hard on making sure your child is safe, loved, entertained, taught, encouraged, I could go on and on. I am willing to bet that your not happy where your at bc you wouldn't question at all pay. You would be sooo over happy where your leaving your child that money would never be a issue. If you think your paying to much you need to be in communication with your provider. Start looking in your area for what the going rate is and if they charge for days that your child is not there. Some do some don't. I do not but I can tell you. My child care here every day. They don't miss days and the parent provide me with toys, food, gift certificates, little notes of appreciation. They do this with out me even asking. I love it bc it makes me feel appreciated..and I would never ask for more money bc these parent go above and beyond. I sometimes will care for a child when it is a holiday and I charge double my normal rate. They don't complain or even argue it. I am hardly ever sick. Last yr I had pneumonia and was sick for 3 days and some of my kids stayed home and i had maybe 2 child that my husband came home to help watch since I could not. We all make do as we all care and love each other. It's a group effort but it is still a business. If you agreed and signed the contract your bound to it. If you now feel that you can't continue paying or you now don't agree you need to have a talk with your provider and either try to find a compromise or give your 2 weeks notice but understand that you will still have to pay regardless of whether your child is there or not.
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I started to reply, but didnt read the whole post. However my take on charging for holidays is this. I charge a rate. Its a weekly rate. You pay this weekly rate to me every week. The only time you do not have to pay me is when I am on vacation, because then I feel that they may have to pay for another daycare.
Here is a way to think about it. or word it. "I charge a weekly fee of $150 a week ( for example ). This is to be paid weekly on Monday. There is no discount for days off or holidays because it is already worked into the tuition amount. It also covers the food, love, warmth, electricity, ...... etc. that I will provide. Even times/days your child is not here I am planning for them to be here. Food, arts, laundry, gifts, etc." If you think about how many days we work in a year ( me its 60 a week times 52 weeks = 3,120. Then subtract my week off, and then about 5 holidays. So about 3000 hours. Divide this by 52 weeks is about 57 hours a week, equals to about 2.60 an hour. OR if we did the hourly way, that parents want only when their child was here. I would not charge 2.60 an hour. I would charge about 4 an hour, so pretty much paying $170 a week. that was a bunch of rambling, but in other words the tuition that a parent pays every week here takes into account the holidays and days off when making the price. |
ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? (No pun intended)
Originally Posted by Unregistered: |
Yes it is. A daycare is a business you are coming to someone's business you are not their boss and you do not set the rules, if you want to do that hire a nanny. All licensed daycare's have a contract (if you went to one that is not licensed that is your fault) and you signed that contract so you are abide to follow the rules. If you do not like it, look for another place for your child. And when you do think that daycare providers work 12 to 13 hours a day for less than 3 dollars an hour, that is not even minimum wage so show a little appreciation for the person that is helping you race your child. There is to kinds of daycare the ones that don't do anything with the children just put them in front of a TV and watch them play, and the ones that prepare daily activities, lesson plans, never have the TV on etc...quality daycare is expensive. So again is your decision what kind of daycare you want for your child and how much are you willing to pay for it. I charge by month so I charge for 48 weeks a year instead of the 52 weeks everybody charges so there is my 2 week vacation time and Holidays that I consider I well deserved for my hard work. Any of the parents in my DC complains and they all tell me to have a nice vacation all the time other wise (since I have a waiting list) they would not be in my daycare.
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daycare fees
can some one tell me why daycares are allowed to charge fees even when they decided to close the center? on stat holidays as well?
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Originally Posted by Unregistered: |
Originally Posted by crazycat97306: |
I couldn't have said it better!
Parents need to read, understand, and agree to the contract they are signing. If they do not agree to the paid days off, then find care elsewhere. We work, long hours and need a break just like anyone else to reenergize so we can be the the best providers for the children that we care for! It's that simple! |
Originally Posted by Interested: |
Originally Posted by Unregistered: |
Originally Posted by Unregistered: |
Unfortunatly, (sp?) It is legal. I dont do it that way but most places will have it in writting. The dcs I know of where I live dont discount for bad weather. I think its up tp the individual place to make up there policies.
Debbie |
Really?
It's easy for you to say that parents whine but funny that the money is not coming out of your pocket...you must a provider!
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Yeah, having children is expensive. :Sunny:
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Do Day Cares still charge the state for subsidized daycare rates for days when services are not rendered due to inclement weather or holidays?
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Originally Posted by Taxpayer: Our state does NOT pay for closures for the provider vacation or parent vacations or for bad weather closures. Even if ALL the other parents have to pay. In that case, we have to directly bill the family since the state doesn't cover it. The only other option is to not to charge ANY family for any closures. |
Daddy day care
Blah, blah, blah. You get vacation pay why shouldn't we, yes but the other people don't pay for it the company does. Please, all I know is that it's another way they got you/they got us by the b-lls. At $13,000 a year for my kid, let see total of 27 kids mostly from welfare families (many places) I pay cash, and they walk away with $351,000 a year. Really? You think I should pay for your vacation still? 2-teachers making what $40,000 at total max $80,000 leaving $271,000 for daycare. Really? Owners should learn to eat some of costs. I've learned that I'm in the wrong business.
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Originally Posted by Unregistered: |
Originally Posted by Unregistered: OP: This is just yet another situation where parents want to crap on their providers. Is it legal for your job to pay you for time you DON'T WORK? Oh, wait, it is isn't it? It's called a benefit. Us providers don't get paid benefits, but sheesh, we should get some sort of acknowledgment for the work we do. This job is so thankless. The kids are the only ones who even make a difference in our lives, and maybe the one or two parents that come and go that are decent. This is why I quit too! People are ungrateful especially when it comes to the care of their children which boggles my mind. A child should come FIRST, not last. If your child is sick or you don't have to work Christmas, how is that OUR fault? Why should WE sacrifice even MORE time with OUR families so you don't have to pay us? Why should WE be forced to work a day YOUR OWN employer gives you off? And if on the off chance that they don't, why do we HAVE to work? Why is it okay for YOU to get paid for sick time, vacation time, personal time, Holiday pay for NOT doing a job, but the same isn't okay for providers? You're not working, right? why should your employers offer to pay you? The COMPANY consists of OTHER PEOPLE!! It's like dumb is everywhere these days. It goes BOTH ways, so why should providers be screwed over? In-Home providers make NOTHING. Seriously, look at my taxes for 10 years, I made NOTHING. Your (general) kids should be much more important than MONEY! SHAME SHAME! |
Originally Posted by leadhead15717: LOL This is the PERFECT analogy, THANK YOU! |
Originally Posted by Unregistered: you have it COMPLETLEY backwards. As a business owner I can set up my Daycare as I please. I attract clients that read and AGREE to my contract and we are all very happy about it. |
Originally Posted by Interested: |
Originally Posted by Unregistered: |
Hourly wage
Please consider that only teachers get paid holidays not worked!!! The rest of us that have to clock in get paid by the hour, and with the economy the way it is most employers work a skeleton crew and you get sent home without pay, if teachers got paid like this life would be fair!!!
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Originally Posted by Unregistered: |
Why should you get paid for holiday and not us?????????
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Wow, this thread should be locked. If people actually took the time to read the 3 pages of posts all their questions would be answered.
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As parents we do not employ daycare workers. Daycare centers employ daycare workers. Parents are paying customers and the daycare provides a service. Having said that, the business should be conducted as such. Just as in any other business, if you don't render a service, you don't get paid.
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paid time off
Originally Posted by Unregistered: There are hundreds of child cares out there. Bottom line is that if you don't want to pay for the provider's vacation time or off days, then find one who doesn't ask you to. But if you have one who asks you too and you sign it....stop complaining about it!!!!! |
Originally Posted by Unregistered: Costco is another example. Members pay the same flat monthly fee to be able to shop in their store and the fee is not prorated when they have to close for holidays. |
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa: |
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa: |
Think about it
Think about everything needed to take care of up to 10 kids a day. You need to think about toys/books, projects/activities, food, naps, everything needed to clean and organize.
Some people are lucky enough to have the money to start a daycare outside their home, but for those of us who are doing it to stay at home with our families and because we enjoy kids, we are sharing our home/business in one space. It also means all of our furniture is getting used more than before. Most Daycares aren't able to fill all their spots, so we depend the income of our contracted families. So when you decide to take a day off, we still need to get paid because that is our only income. However, I don't believe in charging for major holidays like memorial day, labor day, thanksgiving, and christmas because these are days that we are most likely not caring for children and not all parents get holidays off. Plus I wouldn't charge for a holiday that falls on a day the child wouldn't normally be here. I don't believe in charging for vacations I take either or if I have to take a sick day. Most of us are giving 10-12 hrs day to care for children, which what your paying may seem like a lot, but after all the costs of supplies and taxes, it's not as much as you think. I have used several daycares in the past, most of which didn't charge for holidays either, and until I started my own I didn't realize what the providers do on a daily basis. Granted, it is rewarding working with kids, but you also have to think about the fact that not all kids are angels either. So before you get upset about prices, holidays, and ect... think about how much work the provider does and the lack of breaks. |
Originally Posted by Unregistered: |
M
Originally Posted by Unregistered: You are a piece of work. Some people work holidays and don't get paid any special pay. It's a capital expense that should be taken out of the conpany's resources not the moms that pay holidays and then have to turn around and double pay another sitter while they have to work holidays. I don't even understand the point of holidays, in healthcare I have to work every holiday so what makes day care so special that they automatically get the day off? Kids still need to be looked after, some times I think business owners and day care workers whine more than the kids do. |
New families interested in enrollment in my program have to go through a 3 Step Interview. The first interview is for parents only. It's after day care hours and can last anywhere from 2-3 hours. I have a guideline I use to make sure and discuss EVERY rule including fees and I make sure and give scenerios to help them fully understand. They are given a list of all paid/closed holidays and vacations, a short resume with references, an example of a monthly calendar, and an outline of the yearly themed curriculum I use. (Contracts and Policies are not even brought out at this time).
The second part of the interview is for the parents and the child during day care hours. It's for just relaxing and getting to know each other to see if we are a fit. The third part of the interview is when we both have decided that enrollement is a good idea. Again the third interview is for parents only (I don't want any distractions). We sit down together and go over and sign Contracts and Policies. This process gives parents plenty of time to think about everthing that they have seen and heard and decide if they agree with and will abide by all of the rules. I always remind parents that if they don't agree for any reason, then they should walk away, otherwise it will affect our relationship and they won't be here long. It's important to make sure all information is given upfront so problems later on are less likely to happen. So, however you decide to run your business is up to you. You set your fees, your hours, your time off etc....all providers are different. Parents can choose what works best for them. But, parents don't have to the right to change rules when it suits them just because they want a particular provider to care for their child or because the other providers they had to choose from didn't measure up. (Parent's want the choice of: "Hey I pick you because your the best, but I don't really like or agree with all your rules. Oh, but I'm coming here for sure. So, I'll just be your worst nightmare for as long as you allow it....you see, I'm selfish like that"). Bottom line is this...My House (or Day Care) My Rules! I tell parents that I am the boss of my day care and that they are the boss of their child. As the boss of my day care, I make the rules and will not change them to suit parents..as the boss of their child, if they don't like the rules, they get to decide whether to stay or go, but they don't get to tell me what to do. :mad: |
Originally Posted by momofboys: My daughter is a teacher and her salary is for the days worked, not breaks such as Summer. They can choose to receive a paycheck only when working or spread it out over the whole calendar year, which makes each paycheck smaller but gives income all year long. |
Originally Posted by CharlesReese: |
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