Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
So you say you charge them the same 52 weeks a year. Is it full price or do you figure out how much they would pay for school year and divide it out for 52 weeks? Do they still come in the summer then?
I charge them the same weekly rate in the summer as I do during the school year. Some come and some don't. I think it depends on the family.
I had one last year that goes out of town for the summer months and she asked if I would be willing to discount her summer care and what I did was take what it would cost her all summer ...something like $1700 and said if she paid me $1100 all at once before leaving or $450 on or before the 1st of each month I would be fine with that. I didn't mind being out a bit of money as it was worth not having that extra kid here every day. (especially because they had just turned 2)
I have also given a teacher mom who had a baby (under age 12 months) a break in the summer too and only charged her 50% rates all summer if she agreed to keep him home all summer. NOT having a baby in the summer makes the days so much easier for me that it is totally worth the loss in income.
So I guess for me, each summer is different and I am always quick to let my families who work seasonally know that what worked for me one summer may not always work for me the next so if they just plan to pay like normal, things will be fine.
If I am in the position to do anything "special" for them, they will be the first to know.