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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>What to Charge for This Situation?
LAPE 04:39 AM 08-14-2014
3 school-agers (K, 2nd, 3rd) 5 days/week for 1.5 hours and a 5 month old for 3 days/week. I charge $20/day for school agers (which covers up to 2 hours) and $28/day for part-time children. I did my math and it totals $357/week (sibling discount included). I feel like that's a lot. What do you guys think?
Cat Herder 04:46 AM 08-14-2014
Originally Posted by LAPE:
(sibling discount included). I feel like that's a lot. What do you guys think?
I think I have some questions for you. (sibling discount included). I feel like that's a lot. What do you guys think?
Why do you think getting paid your own rate is "a lot"?
Why do you think parents should pay less for choosing to have more kids?
Why do you think your family should go without so theirs does not?
All rhetorical, of course
hope 04:55 AM 08-14-2014
You are caring for 4 children at odd hours. I think they are getting a deal at that price!
DaveA 05:15 AM 08-14-2014
Where are you located? In my area those would be about average rates. In other areas you would be selling yourself short. Find out what the average rates are for your area (your local Resource & Referral agency can help) and go from there.
Blackcat31 05:15 AM 08-14-2014
Originally Posted by LAPE:
3 school-agers (K, 2nd, 3rd) 5 days/week for 1.5 hours and a 5 month old for 3 days/week. I charge $20/day for school agers (which covers up to 2 hours) and $28/day for part-time children. I did my math and it totals $357/week (sibling discount included). I feel like that's a lot. What do you guys think?
It is a lot. But that part shouldn't be your issue. 3 school-agers (K, 2nd, 3rd) 5 days/week for 1.5 hours and a 5 month old for 3 days/week. I charge $20/day for school agers (which covers up to 2 hours) and $28/day for part-time children. I did my math and it totals $357/week (sibling discount included). I feel like that's a lot. What do you guys think?
You are already giving a sibling discount.
Part time care IS more expensive and school age care is also a bit more costly because it usually isn't worth the time.
I think you should stick to your rates and not sell yourself short.
I don't get the same total as you though... if you charge $20 for the SA it would be $60 for one day(3 SA'ers) adding the additional $28 for the 5 month old, that would be a total of $88 per day.
$88 x 3 is $264 so I don't see where the $357 is coming in at...
Is it tooo early, I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet and math is NOT my strong suit so...
daycare_jen 05:23 AM 08-14-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
It is a lot. But that part shouldn't be your issue.
You are already giving a sibling discount.
Part time care IS more expensive and school age care is also a bit more costly because it usually isn't worth the time.
I think you should stick to your rates and not sell yourself short.
I don't get the same total as you though... if you charge $20 for the SA it would be $60 for one day(3 SA'ers) adding the additional $28 for the 5 month old, that would be a total of $88 per day.
$88 x 3 is $264 so I don't see where the $357 is coming in at...
Is it tooo early, I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet and math is NOT my strong suit so...
It is a lot. But that part shouldn't be your issue.
You are already giving a sibling discount.
Part time care IS more expensive and school age care is also a bit more costly because it usually isn't worth the time.
I think you should stick to your rates and not sell yourself short.
I don't get the same total as you though... if you charge $20 for the SA it would be $60 for one day(3 SA'ers) adding the additional $28 for the 5 month old, that would be a total of $88 per day.
$88 x 3 is $264 so I don't see where the $357 is coming in at...
Is it tooo early, I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet and math is NOT my strong suit so...
the school agers are 5 days a week, the infant only 3 days a week
daycare_jen 05:26 AM 08-14-2014
It does seem like a lot, but this family is big. they will have to prepared for a big daycare bill wherever they go. You are already giving them a sibling discount, don't go any lower. I've been there with a family with three kids (all full-time) and it made me miserable.
Blackcat31 05:28 AM 08-14-2014
Originally Posted by daycare_jen:
the school agers are 5 days a week, the infant only 3 days a week
Thank you! I missed that part... the school agers are 5 days a week, the infant only 3 days a week
I calculated everything at 3 days a week total.
Well, then with the discount, (of nearly a whole days' pay) I think the rate is a deal.
Most places here don't even offer a sibling discount so any family wanting care for 4 kids would be lucky to get the rate the OP is offering as well as the fact that she has room for that many kids and a baby too.
ETA: Plus when you take on a family that large, you have to be financially prepared for when they do leave as that is a big chunk of income to lose when they want to pull.
Will they need summer care or do they just want to use care for the winter months? I can't imagine what the bill would be for the summer.
Cat Herder 05:31 AM 08-14-2014
Originally Posted by daycare_jen:
it made me miserable.
Right!! I forgot about that point. it made me miserable.
When you are making less money YOU know it, they forget it... it is just the "daycare is so expensive" rate to them.
They think they are paying a lot, you think you are giving a discount... then the typical demands come.
Resentment builds... and you become miserable and dread their arrival.... You see the pattern, here?
Crazy8 05:35 AM 08-14-2014
If those are your rates stick with them! But I do see the $20/day for 2 hours to be pretty high, especially when a part time all day is normally $28/day. This has nothing to do with this family but why would you take a full day infant for only $8/day more than you take a 2nd grader for up to 2 hours. That part is the only thing that seems weird to me (but it may be the norm for your area). I charge $6/hr. for before school care and charge $40/day for an all day infant. An all day infant is a lot more work than a 1.5 hr. school ager for me!
daycare_jen 05:37 AM 08-14-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
ETA: Plus when you take on a family that large, you have to be financially prepared for when they do leave as that is a big chunk of income to lose when they want to pull.
Yes, this is what happened to me over the summer. I am open for school year only and had this family with three. Mom had continuously said "oh we'll be with you for years..." and we had made plans for the next school year.... well, then end of June came and I had a voicemail left stating they'd had life changes in the last few weeks and her inlaws were moving in with them and going to care for the kids. I was blindsided and 3 out of the 5 kids I can care for license-exempt were gone. It really is a big chunk when a family that size decides to move on. Thankfully, it worked out for me, but it is always something to consider for the future.ETA: Plus when you take on a family that large, you have to be financially prepared for when they do leave as that is a big chunk of income to lose when they want to pull.
LAPE 06:18 AM 08-14-2014
Thank you everyone! I have pretty much all part time children enrolled and the schedule of this family would work out well with the others, which is why I'm considering it. I know daycare is expensive especially with multiple children, I just didn't want to be out of this world with the price so I wanted feedback from you all. On another note, a lot of providers want mostly full time children. I absolutely love having part-timers! It mixes my days up so that I'm not with the same children all day every day, lol! Plus I can charge a little more and it about equals out to having full time income!
NightOwl 06:35 AM 08-14-2014
I believe it's a little high. In my area, for after school care, it's a flat weekly rate of roughly $65. So $65 x 3 kids is $195. And part time days are roughly $40 per day. So the total here would be $315. So I guess it isn't off by much after all. Lol.
I guess it threw me off because the sa rate seems high but the baby's rate seems low, so it evens out.
I guess it threw me off because the sa rate seems high but the baby's rate seems low, so it evens out.
Angelsj 07:12 AM 08-14-2014
Originally Posted by LAPE:
3 school-agers (K, 2nd, 3rd) 5 days/week for 1.5 hours and a 5 month old for 3 days/week. I charge $20/day for school agers (which covers up to 2 hours) and $28/day for part-time children. I did my math and it totals $357/week (sibling discount included). I feel like that's a lot. What do you guys think?
$28 a day is close to my area (I think many providers charge $25 day full time.)3 school-agers (K, 2nd, 3rd) 5 days/week for 1.5 hours and a 5 month old for 3 days/week. I charge $20/day for school agers (which covers up to 2 hours) and $28/day for part-time children. I did my math and it totals $357/week (sibling discount included). I feel like that's a lot. What do you guys think?
I do hourly, so even with a sibling discount, I would still charge $16 a day for the three school agers (not each), but depending on the hours, the baby could easily be more (9 hours would be 31.50 per day, rounded up to $32) so my total for the family per week would be $176. School agers don't bother me, and I can have quite a few of them due to how I operate.
All that said, your rate is your rate and you should not feel bad charging this family your rate just because they have four kids. You wouldn't feel bad if you were charging this to four different families. I had one family (three kids) want to pay in advance, and when I added it up, I almost balked. Then I remembered they were already getting a good deal (I do discount for sibs) and gave them the price. They didn't even blink.
Go for it!
spinnymarie 11:00 AM 08-14-2014
I'm charging one family over $2500/month for child care. 3 pre-k and one SA.
And that price right there is one of the reasons I'm charging HER and not paying it myself
And that price right there is one of the reasons I'm charging HER and not paying it myself