I've been doing daycare for 12 years, I've never had a problem keeping kids or getting clients. Even during this recession I've managed to stay full. Until all the sudden I have 2 parents lose their jobs the exact same time and one other one is going to a summer kindergarten, so I lost 3 all at once, well 2 of them will be gone in a week and the other one is already gone. I'm so worried I'm not going to fill their spots quickly. Since I can only have 6 ages kinder down I need to fill them with full time but I seem to be getting alot of part time calls, like 2 days per week. I think in time I will fill them but financially this is a huge hit. I don't know if I should take part time or what? I was trying to stay away from it,I have one part timer left, she'll be with me one more year. I sure hope I get these filled quick. YIKES!!!

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I hear ya! I'm getting ALOT of part time calls too. I was turning them away at first, but I've decided to try something else instead...

I plan to charge a little more for part time, so if normally it's $28/day for full time I charge $30/day for part time.

I am also requiring specific days ONLY. That way I can "sell" the other days to another family who also wants part time.

With any luck, I'll get a little extra money watching 2 part time families!!!

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I know filling a roster with part-timers isn't necessarily the best option, but I too have had to accept part-timers from time to time just to keep an income!

I charge more per day for part-time (+$10/day), and I only do part-time in # of days/week, not half-days. So I can often find one family that wants M/W and another that wants T/R...so it works on my roster and I make out better financially.

Good luck!

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for the last two years I took what I could get til I finally will have five full timers starting in two weeks I do what I have to do to make some money and I think in this type of job it goes up and down

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Because I've been doing a little less than a year...I accepted part-timers and now that's all I have. Luckily for me, it's been enough money since one leaves and then another one comes. It's starting to become an issue though with money....I like having part-timers but I need some extra consistency.

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I used to fill my spots with whatever someone had but under the understanding that a part time spot got bumped for a full-time spot. So if I took in a part-timer and a parent called and signed a contract, I'd term the part-timer for the full-timer. Part timers were aware of this prior to bringing their child to me. They do it because they need the care and they hope the full time spot doesnt come to quickly. It worked out great for me because that way I was bringing in an income all the time. I did eventually fill up with full timers. I even had one mom pay full time price for a part time child because she wanted him to stay with me.

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I have always had some part timers, but I also always had a 2 day minimum. I have now changed to a 3 day minimum of $60 per week should anyone call in the future.

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Thanks, that's how my part time contract works as well, 3 day minimum but I've been getting calls for 2 days or 1 day with only a couple hours on a second day. I think I'm just going to have to take whatever comes up for now. Oh and it seems like everyone that calls all need the same days. for some reason tues and fridays are very popular, kind of weird.

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I also have a 3 day min. now. I used to do daycare for 3 litte girls, 2 of them one day per week, and the other one 2 days, it was totally not worth it to me, getting them used to coming here one- two days and totally not worth them taking up a spot for one or two days!!! I only charged them for the one or two days/week as well.

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I've built my business on part time kids and if you get the right schedules, then you can make it work out well financially. Good luck

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Yay, I'm so excited. I had an email last week for 2 full time kids (siblings), I didn't hear back from her so I thought maybe my location wasn't convenient for them since she asked exactly where I was located. Well she emailed me back and we will be setting up a time for her to come by for an interview. So hopefully she calls back. She didn't sound flaky so praying it works out. I need this so bad.

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Yay for you! And yay for me too!

I interviewed a family last week. It was part time but I quoted $100/week for 3 days, 10:30 to 4:30. In January I will take their baby as well. I didn't hear back so I figured that they went someplace cheaper!

Nope! Picking up contracts and leaving a check tomorrow! Whew!

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that's awesome jen. Yay!!!!

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Yes, this just happened to me as well. A few weeks back someone called for an infant 3 days per week- I normally charge $30.00 a day for parttime, but this was a newborn, so I gave a quote of $100.00- and they never called back.

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