Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
A provider friend of mine offers ALL families two choices.
A) Pay one flat weekly rate 52 weeks a year
or
B) Pay ONLY for the days in which your child attends.
Of course, the families that choose Option B have a higher rate than families who choose Option A but when they all add up the yearly costs it's all the same. 
This is what I do. I tell parents that I charge $xxxx per year, and that they can pay it how they wish. I do not DISCOUNT for days off, as I have already figured them into my rates. I have had some parents grumble about (VERY infrequent) days off, but no one has complained about paying for them, just the inconvenience of having to search for alternate care (that they agreed to find before starting their children).