Annually I spend a lot of money for supplies for my day care. I purchase new toys, art materials, print photographs, print newsletters, pay for all special activities including weekly music lessons for the group, and supply the general supplies food, tissues, paper towels, hand soap, etc. Well, I am in a bit of a financial tight spot and am trying to find ways to trim without sacrificing any aspects of the program. I was thinking of hanging a giving tree in the entryway. Each month I would print some needs on individual leaves. If families felt like donating an item they could take a leaf and bring in the item. (Some of my thoughts were a box of tissues, baby wipes, new markers, recycled materials such as newspaper (to cover the art table) and paper scraps (for the collage tray), and those little special extra items that don't seem like a lot but add up over the course of he year. I feel this way families can choose whether or not to participate and I won't be burdening anyone. Part of me still feels guilty for asking because child care is so expensive as it is AND I feel doubly guilty because I am raising my rates (for the first time in five years but still) for Fall as it is. What do you think?

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