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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Infant Pricing
momofboys 05:42 PM 08-29-2010
How much higher do you price for infants than you do for a toddler or preschooler? I know it should be higher but by how much? Thank you!
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mac60 06:16 PM 08-29-2010
I don't charge more for an infant. IMO, I find infants much much easier to care for than a toddler/preschooler. Also, I never understood why people would charge less when they are feeding 2 meals a day and snacks. In my area home providers charge the same regardless of age, but the centers do charge more.
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DCMomOf3 06:19 PM 08-29-2010
I have staggered prices right now but am raising my other pricing to match infant/ toddler rates because I agree with mac, they don't get easier as they grow up the work just changes.
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legomom922 08:20 PM 08-29-2010
I charge $10 ($35/day) more for infants, and even though I do agree infants are easier to take care of, it is MORE work when you think about how you have to carry the car seat and the space they take up in a car if you are shopping somewhere, and the crying, and more diaper changes, and you have to take the time to sit there and hold the bottle while they eat, the more messy diapers you have and MORE supplies you have to have on hand for babies, burp cloths, bassinets, infant carriers, swings, exersaucers, high chairs, bibs, the burping, etc.
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tenderhearts 08:56 PM 08-29-2010
I charge $40 more per week for an infant. I think infants are easier in alot of ways but more work in other ways.
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DanceMom 05:56 AM 08-30-2010
I charge $25 more a week for infants...they do require more of my time than toddlers - feeding bottles, more diaper changes, and clothing changes ( all I can think of right now )
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Childminder 06:37 AM 08-30-2010
I charge the same rate for all ages. Imo infants sleep most of the time and are way less work and I'd much rather change an infant than the smelly poop of a toddler.
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tenderhearts 08:52 AM 08-30-2010
That's why I do charge more too, and the 7 mo old I have sleeps way less than the toddlers, his naps are like 30 min - 1 hr, it really sucks then he's really fussy in between.
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DBug 10:09 AM 08-30-2010
I know I've said this before, but if you're going to charge more for infants, be prepared for the drop in income once they hit the age you've chosen to charge less for. Because I registered several infants & 1 year-olds around the same time period, I am now dealing with a major drop in my income now (ie. around $300 per month) that they're all turning 2 (which is the "magic" age I chose to start the lower rates at). I've now started charging the same amount for all ages, and people seem fine with that.

Since we have a limited number of spots, it just makes sense to charge the same for each spot regardless of who is occupying it.
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SunflowerMama 11:24 AM 08-30-2010
I charge the same regardless of age.
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Abigail 12:32 PM 08-30-2010
I'm also going to charge the same across the board. I'm limited to how many children I can have and I will provide the same quality care to each child regardless of their age.
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thatgagirl 03:45 PM 08-30-2010
all the same.

The the pp who said an infant takes up more space in the car, I am curious what you mean? All my kids take up the same space...but all my kids are still rear facing, even my 4.5 year old...
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momofboys 04:02 PM 08-30-2010
Originally Posted by thatgagirl:
all the same.

The the pp who said an infant takes up more space in the car, I am curious what you mean? All my kids take up the same space...but all my kids are still rear facing, even my 4.5 year old...
I'm not sure what the PP meant but in my car even if there were 3 seatbelts some of the infant carseats are made in a manner that I could not fit 3 people in the row of seats. So if you transport kids sometimes you would have a harder time doing it with infant seats.
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thatgagirl 11:06 AM 08-31-2010
maybe....i dont use infant seats though just convertibles. All 5 carseats in my van are rear facing. 12 week old, 8 month old, 3yr old, 2yo, 4.5yo
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momofboys 04:28 AM 09-01-2010
Originally Posted by thatgagirl:
maybe....i dont use infant seats though just convertibles. All 5 carseats in my van are rear facing. 12 week old, 8 month old, 3yr old, 2yo, 4.5yo
Do the convertibles take up less room in your van? I can't just go out & purchase several on my own unfortunately. We do have one convertible in our garage though, I will have to check it for how it fits in the van compared to the infant seat I have. Thanks for the input I would have never thought about it!
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MommyMuffin 07:37 AM 09-01-2010
I see what you guys mean about pricing it all the same, but I am thinking about marketing and getting my spots filled.
If I charge for example 150 across the board, that means I am charging really low and will attract lots of people for infant care in my area, but for preschoolers it is a high rate and I may not get any calls for those ages because the average rate is 135 for that age. Therefore I staggered my prices in order to be competitive in the ages and the job market.
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legomom922 08:19 AM 09-01-2010
I guess it depends on what ages you are trying to attract. Since I am at $35/day $175/wk, I am getting the newborns/infants, but that is what I want and I know I can get good money for them. Even my toddler rate is high at $30/day $150/wk, but that's to make babies that grow into toddlers leave when they turn 2 1/2, since I do not accept toddlers into care, but they all grow up! I would never be able to get $175/wk for a toddler. I would rather fill my slots with infants for $175/wk rather than a preschooler for $100-125...
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thatgagirl 02:01 PM 09-01-2010
Originally Posted by janarae:
Do the convertibles take up less room in your van? I can't just go out & purchase several on my own unfortunately. We do have one convertible in our garage though, I will have to check it for how it fits in the van compared to the infant seat I have. Thanks for the input I would have never thought about it!
MUCH less room. I have 2 Radian XTSL's and a safety first complete air and 2 britax marathons.

The radians are in the captains chairs and the third row has the 2 marathons outboard and the complete air in the center.

I used the fee that I charge each year to apply toward what I spent on carseats, and then I look for good deals. I got the radians for right at $200 each, the complete air was gifted and the marathons were $60 each on clearence at target last year.

I can load the third row through the trunk (take the headrests off). The captains chairs have the 4yo and 3yo (since the XTSLs go to 45# rear facing)
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TGT09 02:16 PM 09-01-2010
I use to charge only $5 more for infants-potty trained but now I charge the same from newborn-kindergarten. It wasn't beneficial to me because each age has it's own "issues" that need to be taken care of. Infants are more needy than toddlers but I provider a curriculum for my toddlers. If anything I should be charging more for toddlers.
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Unregistered 06:03 AM 09-02-2010
I charge one flat rate from 6 weeks till ages 5 and in school fullt time then it drops for after school care rate/summer rate
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