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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Fee For Parents Requiring A Later Closing Time?
Soccermom 05:11 AM 05-05-2014
Has anyone ever done this or are currently doing this?

This year my closing time has been 5h15pm because I have one family who requires it.

I say I close at 5h15 but most DCPs pick up AT 5h15 so really I close at 5h30.

Problem is - most DCFS can easily pick up at 4h30 but choose to pick up at 5h15 because they can. ( I have one DCM who used to pick up at 4h30-4h45 at the latest but when I put opening and closing times on her contract this year, she started picking up at the very last minute - DS has a disability and requires extra care so it would be nice if she picked up as soon as possible KWIM?

I am considering changing my closing time to 4h45pm when my contracts end in June but I have to remain open until 5h15 for this one DCF. ( It is a small town so they will all find out that I am staying open later for this one family and be angry.)

I was thinking of encouraging the parents who can pick up early to pick up early by enforcing a 10$ added charge for families needing care past 4h45pm. (I would not charge the one DCF who actually needs me to be open until 5h15 but would not disclose that)

I could also go in the other direction and do a 10$ savings for every week a family picks up before 4h45pm every day.

What do you ladies think?
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bklsmum 05:23 AM 05-05-2014
I think you should phrase it as offering the discount because parents respond better to that generally. You might also want to do a fee increase at the same time to cover your loss.
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Kabob 06:07 AM 05-05-2014
Do you have contracted hours or do you do a flat daily rate? I switched to contracted hours with rates based on how much time the parents schedule. So, I'm open 7am to 5pm but most parents schedule 9 hour days because it's cheaper than scheduling their child from open to close.

Also, I used to offer pick up at 5:15 for one family that supposedly needed it but was taken advantage of so I would never do that again....even if paid for my time...whenever I offer "special" to someone they see it as normal and demand more special treatment...it's a vicious cycle. I have learned it's best to just put everyone on the same routine than try to balance special treatments. But that's just my personal experience.
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SilverSabre25 08:09 AM 05-05-2014
I think Nannyde and Blackcat use a fee schedule where it gets progressively more expensive for every fifteen minutes later the parents pick up starting around 3.

I wouldn't do it *quite* that drastic, but basically you set your "base rate" at the earliest pick up time and then increase it ever 15 minutes. I'd probably do $5/15 minutes.

But definitely phrase it as a discount for picking up earlier. SOmeone else can probably explain better.
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Blackcat31 09:04 AM 05-05-2014
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
I think Nannyde and Blackcat use a fee schedule where it gets progressively more expensive for every fifteen minutes later the parents pick up starting around 3.

I wouldn't do it *quite* that drastic, but basically you set your "base rate" at the earliest pick up time and then increase it ever 15 minutes. I'd probably do $5/15 minutes.

But definitely phrase it as a discount for picking up earlier. SOmeone else can probably explain better.
My base rate is for pick up at 3:00. Doesn't matter what time some one dropped off.

I add fees for 4:00 and 5:00 pick ups.

ANYONE needing pick up after 5:00 pays an additional fee of $3.00 PER 15 minute increment.

Pick ups after 5:00 MUST be scheduled in advance and ONLY be used if working.

Otherwise, the fee for picking up after closing time is $10 for being late and $1 per minute that they are late.

ALL my parents love that they can factor in what their weekly charges will be and make it work for their budgets.

For me the benefit is that I rarely work past 4:30 and when I do, it's extra cash in my pocket.
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josie2014 10:19 AM 05-05-2014
I think $5 for 15 minutes is great.My mistake charge $5 for extra hours,what happen,they pick their kids just hour latter...
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Laurel 10:24 AM 05-05-2014
Originally Posted by Soccermom:
Has anyone ever done this or are currently doing this?

This year my closing time has been 5h15pm because I have one family who requires it.

I say I close at 5h15 but most DCPs pick up AT 5h15 so really I close at 5h30.

Problem is - most DCFS can easily pick up at 4h30 but choose to pick up at 5h15 because they can. ( I have one DCM who used to pick up at 4h30-4h45 at the latest but when I put opening and closing times on her contract this year, she started picking up at the very last minute - DS has a disability and requires extra care so it would be nice if she picked up as soon as possible KWIM?

I am considering changing my closing time to 4h45pm when my contracts end in June but I have to remain open until 5h15 for this one DCF. ( It is a small town so they will all find out that I am staying open later for this one family and be angry.)

I was thinking of encouraging the parents who can pick up early to pick up early by enforcing a 10$ added charge for families needing care past 4h45pm. (I would not charge the one DCF who actually needs me to be open until 5h15 but would not disclose that)

I could also go in the other direction and do a 10$ savings for every week a family picks up before 4h45pm every day.

What do you ladies think?
I charge $150 a week until 5:30 but $160 a week until 6:00. It isn't a lot more as it isn't a lot of extra time per day BUT it seems to make a big difference. $40 a month seems to be an incentive to parents to pick up at 5:30 if they can.

That said, once they agree to $160 then that is what they pay. There is no coming at 5:00 one day and 6:00 the next. They are paying for me to 'be open' till 6:00 for them. If they pick up earlier some days then there is no refund.

Laurel
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saved4always 12:06 PM 05-05-2014
Sounds to me like Blackcat's approach may work well for you. That mom picking up later than she used to may work really hard to commit to earlier pick up if it costs her less. Money always talks. I personally did contracted hours where the contract specified the start and stop time for each family. That way, other people's pick up times didn't affect each other. I base the fee on how many hours were contracted. Being late was defined as the time on the signed contract.
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