Originally Posted by littlemissmuffet:
Educate them. Break down their weekly/monthly fee into an hourly fee. Break down where their fee goes (rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries, craft supplies, bank fees, cleaning supplies, nap supplies, kitchen supplies, toys, books, repairs, taxes, etc). Remind them of how many hours per week you work, without breaks. Encourage them to interview at lower-priced childcares and compare their services to yours. TELL THEM OPERATING A DAYCARE IS EXPENSIVE. And tell them they can't put a price on knowing their child is in excellent hands 
I just had a situation where a dc parent left me for a "nanny" (aka college student) because she charged $1 an hour less than me. Less than a month later, she was complaining that the nanny was watching tv and talking on her phone all day long, totally ignoring the kids who were either out playing somewhere in the neighborhood all day or vegging in front of the tv with her. She also complained that her house was always trashed by the time she got home from work. I probably should have pointed out that the reason I charge more is that I have more overhead - including craft supplies for our daily art/craft projects, nutrious food, etc. but I didn't bother. She was paying a $1 less per hour but her nanny was using her electricity, phone, tv, a/c, water and food and not doing anything in terms of activities with her kids. What a bargain!
