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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Would Love to Work 4 Day Weeks
Josiegirl 02:47 AM 09-08-2018
I wish it was doable. But all my dcfs are FT. I just think having a 3 day weekend would be so nice. That 3rd day off I have so much more energy and get stuff done. It feels like Saturdays are spent running errands and catching up. Sundays are chores and groceries, usually a nap to rejuvenate. Then right back to it Mondays.

Do any of you work 4 day weeks??
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LysesKids 04:32 AM 09-08-2018
Originally Posted by Josiegirl:
I wish it was doable. But all my dcfs are FT. I just think having a 3 day weekend would be so nice. That 3rd day off I have so much more energy and get stuff done. It feels like Saturdays are spent running errands and catching up. Sundays are chores and groceries, usually a nap to rejuvenate. Then right back to it Mondays.

Do any of you work 4 day weeks??
Tried it & all my parents bailed once I mentioned it (5 years ago), thankfully I was moving in states in a few months so didn't kill me -

I wish too. I have nothing but 4 littles under 24 months and all need 5 day week due to no family around
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Unregistered 04:52 AM 09-08-2018
Not a four day week, but a few years ago I did make the leap to school calendar. I was terrified at first it would be a struggle to stay full, but it has worked. I started with all new families enrolled under the new schedule I was working towards.

What about advertising for a four day week, and seeing what the interest is? Then approach current families about the change. Some may have grandparents who would enjoy providing care every Friday. Parents might enjoy the one day of free childcare.
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Mike 07:11 AM 09-08-2018
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
What about advertising for a four day week, and seeing what the interest is? Then approach current families about the change. Some may have grandparents who would enjoy providing care every Friday. Parents might enjoy the one day of free childcare.

If the rate is a bit lower, many parents can find a substitute for one day a week. Or even just do alternating 4 and 5 day weeks.
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Homebody 07:35 AM 09-08-2018
I would love to have a four day work week too! When I first started all I had was a few part timers and had Mondays off. It was so nice having that extra day off, and I felt so much more rested and less stressed. I tried so hard to fill the remaining spots with other part timers, advertising for Tuesday through Friday but had no luck and so tried advertising Monday through Thursday and still nothing. I even tried for teachers kids by advertising as offering a teacher's schedule, and wasnt able to enroll any (I'm only located close to one grade school). The only way I could fill the rest of my spots was to take in full timers unfortunately. I still hope to one day have a three day weekend. The only thing I have been able to do is shorten my hours from 7:00-5:30 to 7:00-4:30, which has helped out a lot being done an hour early, and gives me more family time.
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e.j. 04:25 PM 09-08-2018
When my kids were in school, I worked a 4 day week with Fridays off. I wanted one day a week that I could use to schedule IEP meetings, dr and dentist appointments, etc. It worked great for me. I was always full with a waiting list. About 5 years ago, I took on a family with the intention of having them 4 days a week. Their plans for Friday care fell through and rather than risk losing them, I agreed to work Fridays. (I loved that baby from day one!) I ended up taking on 2 additional kids who needed Fridays as well. This year, they all went off to Kindergarten/first grade so I'm looking forward to getting my Fridays back again - for the most part, anyway! The same kids will be coming back to me on Fridays when school is closed or they have a 1/2 day and I'm looking forward to it.) I'm almost full again with a M-Th schedule. Just holding one spot for a baby who should be born any day now. I actually seem to do better when I work a 4 day week for some reason. I hope you're able to figure out a way to do it, Josie. It really does make a difference to have that extra day.
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284878 05:54 PM 09-08-2018
I do, but for me it just fell in to my lap. I had a full house that was full time and I had to let a family go, the replacement family was three days. Then the other family (worked with termed DCM) left. Their replacement was pt and every family since only needed pt.
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Indoorvoice 06:47 AM 09-09-2018
I do 3 or 4 day work weeks in the summer. Game changer!
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Blackcat31 06:54 AM 09-09-2018
Originally Posted by Indoorvoice:
I do 3 or 4 day work weeks in the summer. Game changer!
alternate care options are plentiful in summer months with HS and college kids available so I agree, shorter weeks even over just the summer months is a major game changer!
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CalCare 08:38 AM 09-09-2018
I am starting my Fridays off next Friday! I have almost all part timers. Most are m, t, thr and others were w,f. I convinced one Friday mom to take Fridays off work and I convinced my other Friday mom to just take my one open space another day. So I am golden! I hope it works out. It just was luck since almost all my families did the m, t, thr schedule all along. So now I can hopefully get a few dentist appts in for my teeth that are out if control killing me and maybe see the podiatrist because I can barely walk without crazy foot pain. I'm a wreck. And my DH is basically completely depending on me physically because he has had major spine problems and pain 24/7 for the last year and can hardly get up to go to the restroom. Soooo! Hopefully I can get some of my own stuff dealt with now. You all know how it is. There is childcare, DH, all the shopping and cleaning and cooking, packing lunches, driving my kids, my kids appts, my own kids sick days, homework (god awful homework), science fairs, birthday parties, soccer practice, soccer games, childcare events, school events, pick up DH rxs, DH appts, my mom asking when we will visit, father in law wondering if we will ever see him (farther than my mom)... It's CRAZY. Fridays off. Hopefully it will help things.
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Miss A 06:56 AM 09-10-2018
Based on current and projected future enrollment, once my 2 oldest DCBs head off to preschool in 2020 I will be able to work part time, as the remaining families are only 3 days a week. Because of their differing schedules, I will work M-Th. We are trying to time our next baby to line up with this, so that it is easier to schedule doctors appointments and I can take a little extra maternity leave.
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daycarediva 10:24 AM 09-10-2018
I hired a sub and take one Friday morning off a month. My assistant takes the same Friday, but afternoon. It gives me a chance to plan appointments and get my errands done to start the weekend. Even that ONE half day is a game changer and I LOVE IT!
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BrynleeJean 12:20 PM 09-10-2018
I'm opening soon and only going to do four days a week. I just moved so i had to get a new license, just waiting for the paper license in the mail now, my last home daycare at my last house was 5 days a week and boy did i burn out after i had kids of my own. My husband was my sub as well and he would like the opportunity to not have to work on his days off for me so weather i get 3 kids or a full house I'm gonna make it work with four because 5 just wasn't worth it working at least 10 hours a day and then taking car of your own at night, mom/wife duties, the weekend never comes. someone said you just play catch up. i heard fridays were a game changer and I'm looking forward to it!
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SunflowerMama 11:01 AM 09-24-2018
I've been doing a 4 day week since last September and it has been AMAZING! I was a nervous wreck when I announced it to my families but only lost 1 out of 6 and quickly filled that spot. My families that work full time have moved schedules around although I do have a lot of work-from-home parents who were great about it and it gives them an extra day with their kid which they all love.

I changed my payment structure slightly and saw I started getting more PT families TTH or MW. For me, I love it because part-time pay more per day than my full timers so I am actually making what I made working 5 days and at times I'm making more.

I love having Fridays off to schedule doctors appointments, clean the house, go grocery shopping, take my kids lunch to school, etc. It has allowed me to actually enjoy my Saturday/Sunday because the weekend isn't full of busy errand running. It has also kept me from burning out...I've been doing this almost 10 years now.

Depending on the demand in a given area I say try it out and see but here (we're just outside Dallas, Tx) the need for part-time care is great. I always have a waiting list. Worst case if it doesn't work out go back to full-time 5 days a week care.
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