This is coming from a childcare providers opinion who operates a Montessori Preschool/Dayhome program from my home. I am currently in the process of changing my lunch/snack program as well. I will be asking the parents to provide both A.M., P.M snacks and lunch.

My current childcare fees are only $525.00 per month, soon to go up to $650.00 per month. If you break that down, I only make $20.00 - $25.00 per day, per child (if I'm lucky). Break it down further by taking out what I spend for lunches and snacks (which vary between $5 - $10 per day depending on what is being served because let's face it parents want healthy nutritious meals and snacks (which can be expensive). Don't get me wrong I think it's very important to provide healthy nutritious snacks to children. Anyways, That brings it down to about $15.00 a day. Take away arts and crafts materials (because parents want them to do arts and crafts EVERYDAY), as well as heating costs, hydro costs, wear and tear of toys, wear and tear of the premise etc. If I'm lucky I might make $1 - $2.00 per hour taking care of one child. Yes, I take care of 6 children but I can't look at it that way. I have to look at it as each individual child. Today I could have six children, tomorrow 3. That's the reality of doing childcare. I love my job. I love taking care of children and teaching them, and that's why I do it. However, with that in mind I still have to make some money.

Parents tell you their children are the most important people in their life, however when it comes down to paying for childcare they don't want to pay for it. They want the healthy meals, the BEST quality of care, a preschool program etc. etc. but they are NOT willing to pay for it. And when we as childcare providers turn around and ask parents to provide meals and snack so we can spend more time with their child-instead of preparing meals, or because we are wasting a great deal of food because there children are not eating the meals or snacks or so we can actual use that extra money towards more arts and crafts or learning materials, parents are upset, and make comments like, "I can't believe my daycare won't provide this", "I can't believe I have to to try to decide what to feed them everyday or get up and make my children's meals." When I hear or read comments like that I feel like asking that person, "do you make $1.00 an hour where you work?" "Do the customers come to your house and destroy your house, or break your toys. Is your child actually the most importat person in your life?" It's this simple...If you want me to provide your childs meals and snacks then you have to pay for it. Meaning don't expect to pay $550 per month or even $650 per month. Now you'll be charged by the day instead and your fees will be close to a $1000. a month. Parents don't seem to understand that childcare providers who operate a dayhome from their home DO NOT get paid what they are truly worth. We HAVE to HAVE 6 or 7 or 8 children in our care (if your allowed to in your province or state) to actually make at LEAST min. wage/any sort of money. They DON'T understand when we do our taxes it shows up as us actually not making anything. It's extremly difficult to get loans etc. based on our income because on line 150 iT States we only made $2000 for the year (because we have tried to claim so much, so we don't have to pay a huge amount of taxes) This is what I have to say to that one parent... "suck it up butter cup. If you don't like it go somewhere else. Personally, I wouldn't want you in my daycare if I read your comment. I would find it insulting. And it would demenstrate to me how much you think I'm truly worth. No childcare provider wants an ungrateful parent in their program. I recently opened my daycare at 5:30am (1 1/2hour before open) for a parent who had to work early and closed it at 6:30pm (1 1/2 hrs after closing) at night because they didn't get off work until 6:00pm. (I did this for four days straight.) How much did I get paid for working 13 hours of care $1.92 per hour (This included breakfast, 2 snacks, lunch and dinner). $25.00 for 13 hours of care! I wasn't paid over time, like the parent was. She makes well over $15 an hour and her husband makes $20.00 an hour. Even though he is there only child and the most important person in their life, When I told the parent I would need to charge her more to open my daycare that early and close it that late, she told me she would have to withdraw him from my program and bring him somewhere else.

So the next time you want to complain about a daycare; whether it be a daycare center or dayhome provider and them asking you to provide meals, think about how much they charge you per child, per day, then break it down to an hourly rate, and be grateful that's all they charge you. The going rate for a nanny is about $10 - $15+ an hour.

FYI: My parents have no reason to complain by me asking them to provide their child's own meals & snacks. I offer a Montessori Preschool program in the morning and in the afternoon. We also do Yoga once a week, have art classes (outside of the regular arts and crafts), baking/cooking classes, skating lessons, swimming lessons, kindermusik clases (All included in the price.) As well as a Thanksgiving dinner, Halloween parties, Christmas parties etc. A year end birthday party with gifts for each child to celebrate everyones birthday. All of this for $525.

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