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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>DCM Asking For Crazy Hours And I’m Stressed
Dsquared 04:48 AM 11-10-2015
Hi Providers,
I love my job but I hate that I have no flexibility. Its hard for me to say no to parents because of our financial situation. My husband refuses to leave his business and get a steady paying job so I am stuck letting parents walk all over me. My normal hours are 8-5. I have a DCM of a 10 month old boy who is now asking for crazy hours ever since the husband started traveling for work. She has been dropping him off at 6:30 and picking him up between 4:30 and 5. The problem is he has been screaming in the mornings when she drops him off! He wakes up my girls who are sleeping. On thursday and friday she needs to drop off at 4:30am! I agreed to it because she is in such a bind. I guess there is no advice to give but I am just tired, but its my own fault
I just need to vent.
I love my job but I hate that I have no flexibility. Its hard for me to say no to parents because of our financial situation. My husband refuses to leave his business and get a steady paying job so I am stuck letting parents walk all over me. My normal hours are 8-5. I have a DCM of a 10 month old boy who is now asking for crazy hours ever since the husband started traveling for work. She has been dropping him off at 6:30 and picking him up between 4:30 and 5. The problem is he has been screaming in the mornings when she drops him off! He wakes up my girls who are sleeping. On thursday and friday she needs to drop off at 4:30am! I agreed to it because she is in such a bind. I guess there is no advice to give but I am just tired, but its my own fault
I just need to vent.
KidGrind 05:12 AM 11-10-2015
I hope you are charging her for the extended hours.
kitykids3 05:33 AM 11-10-2015
Thinking the same thing as pp, I hope you are charging a good deal more for those extra early hours. You could not pay me enough to be up and ready at 4:30am. The other days are all an hour and a half earlier than normal time and I hope you are charging good for those days too.
Thriftylady 06:20 AM 11-10-2015
I honestly may tell her that if the little one couldn't come in and settle back down and at least lay down, I couldn't do those early hours. I get needing the money I am in that spot right now also but really if you can't manage it then you will have to quit doing it. Not worth totally burning yourself out on daycare.
spedmommy4 06:37 AM 11-10-2015
I recently had a situation where a dcd was in a bind and "needed" care before I opened. I told him how much extra it would cost and he magically found a solution to his own problem. It's funny how those things seem to work themselves out when they cost the parents money.
If you aren't charging extra, you should be. A lot extra. My early morning hours are at premium "babysitter" rates. (Think 10-15 an hour)
If you aren't charging extra, you should be. A lot extra. My early morning hours are at premium "babysitter" rates. (Think 10-15 an hour)
Dsquared 08:38 AM 11-10-2015
I never really thought about charging her extra but I will think of an amount and let her know. What if she is picking him up earlier than usual though? She said since she is dropping him off at 4:30 am she would be able to pick him up by 3:00. I'm just not sure how that works or what to charge. My normal daycare hours are 8-5 but I have contracted hours with each individual parent. Her contract states 8-4:30. Thanks ladies!!
Fiddlesticks 08:48 AM 11-10-2015
She is dropping the child off 3 ½ hours early, and picking up 1 ½ hours earlier, yes you need to charge extra. Personally, if would take a HEFTY fee for me to have a daycare child here at 4:30, but some people don't mind, so do what is best for you. But remember, just because this child will be picked up at 3:00, you will still be working until 5:00 with other daycare children. Make sure she makes it worth it for you to work an extra 3 ½ hours!
KidGrind 08:48 AM 11-10-2015
Originally Posted by Dsquared:
I never really thought about charging her extra but I will think of an amount and let her know. What if she is picking him up earlier than usual though? She said since she is dropping him off at 4:30 am she would be able to pick him up by 3:00. I'm just not sure how that works or what to charge. My normal daycare hours are 8-5 but I have contracted hours with each individual parent. Her contract states 8-4:30. Thanks ladies!!
She is not picking up early, an 11:30 AM pick up would be the amount of hours already contracted.I never really thought about charging her extra but I will think of an amount and let her know. What if she is picking him up earlier than usual though? She said since she is dropping him off at 4:30 am she would be able to pick him up by 3:00. I'm just not sure how that works or what to charge. My normal daycare hours are 8-5 but I have contracted hours with each individual parent. Her contract states 8-4:30. Thanks ladies!!
At the very least she would be paying $5 per hour for early care. I would charge any of my families’ enrolled $10 per hour.
Play Care 09:16 AM 11-10-2015
Originally Posted by Fiddlesticks:
She is dropping the child off 3 ½ hours early, and picking up 1 ½ hours earlier, yes you need to charge extra. Personally, if would take a HEFTY fee for me to have a daycare child here at 4:30, but some people don't mind, so do what is best for you. But remember, just because this child will be picked up at 3:00, you will still be working until 5:00 with other daycare children. Make sure she makes it worth it for you to work an extra 3 ½ hours!
She is dropping the child off 3 ½ hours early, and picking up 1 ½ hours earlier, yes you need to charge extra. Personally, if would take a HEFTY fee for me to have a daycare child here at 4:30, but some people don't mind, so do what is best for you. But remember, just because this child will be picked up at 3:00, you will still be working until 5:00 with other daycare children. Make sure she makes it worth it for you to work an extra 3 ½ hours!
I don't work it like that - say my business hours are 7-5. If someone wants care before 7 or after 5 it's a premimum rate regardless of anything else (late drop off, early pick up, etc) like Fiddlesticks said, you still have day care until your regular closing time, it's not as if that child leaves and your day is over. Chances are good that one child leaving a little earlier doesn't make a whole lot of difference.
Back when I started out I did the whole "you can drop off early if you pick up early" business and I found that most picks ups kept getting later and later and even when parents were off I'd still have kids that early, etc.
nothingwithoutjoy 09:33 AM 11-10-2015
Originally Posted by Dsquared:
My husband refuses to leave his business and get a steady paying job so I am stuck letting parents walk all over me.
Why does he get to refuse, and you don't? You can decide what works for you, just as he can. Don't devalue your own time and sanity.My husband refuses to leave his business and get a steady paying job so I am stuck letting parents walk all over me.
My program is open 8 to 4:30. I will take kids extra hours if needed, but I'd rather not. I charge $15/hour for extra time. It's my choice whether I say yes or not, and I only do it when it works for my schedule.
Thriftylady 09:43 AM 11-10-2015
Even if she is picking up earlier, she is using premium hours coming that early. I normally charge something for that. How much is up to you.
Blackcat31 09:44 AM 11-10-2015
Originally Posted by nothingwithoutjoy:
Why does he get to refuse, and you don't? You can decide what works for you, just as he can. Don't devalue your own time and sanity.
My program is open 8 to 4:30. I will take kids extra hours if needed, but I'd rather not. I charge $15/hour for extra time. It's my choice whether I say yes or not, and I only do it when it works for my schedule.
Why does he get to refuse, and you don't? You can decide what works for you, just as he can. Don't devalue your own time and sanity.
My program is open 8 to 4:30. I will take kids extra hours if needed, but I'd rather not. I charge $15/hour for extra time. It's my choice whether I say yes or not, and I only do it when it works for my schedule.
Ariana 10:43 AM 11-10-2015
Originally Posted by nothingwithoutjoy:
Why does he get to refuse, and you don't? You can decide what works for you, just as he can. Don't devalue your own time and sanity.
My program is open 8 to 4:30. I will take kids extra hours if needed, but I'd rather not. I charge $15/hour for extra time. It's my choice whether I say yes or not, and I only do it when it works for my schedule.
I don't understand why you are throwing yourself under the bus for your family and these parents? That is what is really getting you here. Life is just not worth what you are doing to yourself and your sanity. Why does he get to refuse, and you don't? You can decide what works for you, just as he can. Don't devalue your own time and sanity.
My program is open 8 to 4:30. I will take kids extra hours if needed, but I'd rather not. I charge $15/hour for extra time. It's my choice whether I say yes or not, and I only do it when it works for my schedule.
Sit down with your husband and explain that this is a family and you work as a team. You are holding your weight but something has got to give and it's not going to be your sanity. I would also start charging this parent immediately for any overtime hours. You will feel a whole lot better once you start doing that. If you lose her then again sit down wit your husband and explain the situation and come up with some changes.
mommyneedsadayoff 11:07 AM 11-10-2015
yikes! Why does she need to drop off at 4:30? What does she do that requires those types of hours, sice she originally signed on to 8-4:30?
If that is the evryday thing, I would be charging a minimum of an extra $30 per day on top of her usual rate. And I mean a minimum! I have a dcb who comes at 5:15 and stays till 5:30 (usually picked up earlier). He only comes 1-4 days a week, as mom's schedule is different each week, but set for the year, so one month he may be here 10 days and the next month is 15-20 days. I get paid a flat weekly rate regardless and extra if he comes on days outside of our prearranged schedule. She pays $300 a week, which is twice the weekly rate in our area. Like I said, I make that rate whether he is here or not, so some months I am working 1 day a week and making the same rate. The hours she wants are not typical and you should be charging a premium for them.
If that is the evryday thing, I would be charging a minimum of an extra $30 per day on top of her usual rate. And I mean a minimum! I have a dcb who comes at 5:15 and stays till 5:30 (usually picked up earlier). He only comes 1-4 days a week, as mom's schedule is different each week, but set for the year, so one month he may be here 10 days and the next month is 15-20 days. I get paid a flat weekly rate regardless and extra if he comes on days outside of our prearranged schedule. She pays $300 a week, which is twice the weekly rate in our area. Like I said, I make that rate whether he is here or not, so some months I am working 1 day a week and making the same rate. The hours she wants are not typical and you should be charging a premium for them.
Dsquared 02:12 PM 11-10-2015
Her husband was doing all the drop offs and pick ups before he got this new job and she just has some crazy hours. They used to be my best clients. I will tell her I am not doing the 4:30 drop off this week. I love this forum. Thank you all for your help!