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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Does this rate schedule seem reasonable?
Unregistered 02:12 PM 12-05-2012
I am registered but logged out because I'm pretty sure my dcm visits here. I am a bit confused and need suggestions. I'll change up enough details to get my point across without outing myself in case she's here.

Dcb has been with me for 2 years but only as part time. DCM will soon start a new job and go to full time. YEA!!!

I need to figure out the new rates and I can't decide what to do. Once a month, DCD has some days off mid-week. As it is now, they pay for part time care, and if they need me more days, I just get to earn a little extra that week. But, if DCD has days off, he keeps them, and I only make my base pay. That's fine, I accepted it and have no problems with it.

Right now, she is paying a high daily rate for a set number of days. When she goes full time, I planned to offer her a lower daily rate for 5 days a week.

Now, from a comment Mom made, I think that instead of paying full time rates every week, she is expecting to pay full time every week except when dad is off, and just pay part time that week. As it works out, if you average, I would be working 23 hours more than I do now for only $18 extra.

Hubby thinks I should make her choose either part time rates (where she pays the higher daily rate with a 3 day minimun every week) or she can choose the lower full time daily rate and bring them even when dcd is off. He doesn't think I should let her have it both ways.

Here's the thing. First, they are my only family. I've been advertising all summer with no luck. If I lose them, I'm out of business. Second, I love dcb and would be really sad to lose him. They are great people to work for, and I have no complaints about them. They are the kind of family that, when I read this forum, I want to go hug them and say thank you when they walk in the door. Third, I actually sort of like the idea of having a couple of week days off every month.

I don't want to give in to the lower pay and later get resentful. Been there, done that. And, even if I do decide to enjoy the 2 days off, the very hour I agree to it, I'll get a call for a full time kid and will be stuck with a lower rate from them and no days off anyway. ;-)

I know standard procedure is one flat rate, but has anyone been in a similar situation and just allowed the monthly switch in hours? Did it work out for you?
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Blackcat31 02:17 PM 12-05-2012
I bill according to the amount of access a family needs. If they need access to a full 5 days per week space then that is the rate they are billed.

If the following week they only need 1 or 2 days of that week, they still pay the 5 day rate because I can't fill space around them if their schedule isn't the exact same each week such as M,W,F care or T, Th care.
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littlemissmuffet 03:38 PM 12-05-2012
I think you should be charging DCM a flat full-time rate... as the child will be taking up a full-time space and explain it to her like so. The kid might not be there randomly some weeks mid-week - but how would you fill that space with someone else, highly unlikely! It's not fair you should be out potential income (and be 23 hours MORE for only $18???!) because she doesn't want to pay when dcb isn't there...
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