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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Mini rant & What are your hours, prices, late fees, do parents pay you for holidays?
ImFromTheStars 06:08 AM 08-21-2014
I have been doing too many favors for too many people for too long. I grew up in a home daycare so I've been exposed to this and doing this for a long time...except unlike my mom, I let people run me over because I just always want to help people and feel bad for them. Well Ive decided I'm not going to allow certain things anymore.

What does everyone else charge per week?
What are your late fees?
Hours you operate and do you provide meals or does the parents bring them?

I need to rewrite my policies, prices and add late fees... (No, I have not been charging late fees because my parents are usually on time but I have a new client who comes in 30-40 mins late nearly every day). Yes, I know it is my own fault but I want to change. I LOVE doing this job. I love working with all of these wonderful kids but dealing with the parents and getting them to respect me is a challenge at times.

One parent thinks I'm her slave and refuses to bring her child to the front door. She started out as my first client and so she would always have me go downstairs and around the corner (I live in a townhome community) in the mornings to meet her in the parking lot to get her son from her and would complain when I wasn't standing there the second she pulled up. I put it to a stop when one morning her son got out the car and repeated all of the bad words mommy said because Ms. Jessie wasn't standing outside. I had a talk with her that day and even then she still refuses to bring him to the door. She calls me so I can open my front door to let him in because she is standing outside watching him walk up the stairs (she refuses to walk him to the door). I just ignore her and her ugliness but this is just an example of what I deal with !
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Play Care 06:18 AM 08-21-2014
TERM.

That's blatant disrespect and in my contract it's cause for immediate, without notice termination.

ETA: I charge $150 for FT 2 and up
160 for under 2
$40 per day for drop in
$35 per day for contracted PT (3 days or less)
I take 3 unpaid weeks off a year
I take 5 paid personal/sick days per year
I take most holidays off with pay


I will caution that you can have all the written policies in the world, but if you don't have the backbone to enforce them you might as well not bother. Parents push limits, you have to be firm.
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Blackcat31 06:30 AM 08-21-2014
Originally Posted by ImFromTheStars:

One parent thinks I'm her slave and refuses to bring her child to the front door. She started out as my first client and so she would always have me go downstairs and around the corner (I live in a townhome community) in the mornings to meet her in the parking lot to get her son from her and would complain when I wasn't standing there the second she pulled up. I put it to a stop when one morning her son got out the car and repeated all of the bad words mommy said because Ms. Jessie wasn't standing outside. I had a talk with her that day and even then she still refuses to bring him to the door. She calls me so I can open my front door to let him in because she is standing outside watching him walk up the stairs (she refuses to walk him to the door). I just ignore her and her ugliness but this is just an example of what I deal with !
Legally that can't happen here.

Parents must physically accompany their child in and out of my house.

They are also required to sign them in/out. Signature and time.

NO WAY would I continue to offer curb side service.
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Heidi 06:34 AM 08-21-2014
The going rate here is $110-$140 per week. I charge $140. The centers charge a little more, but they don't have any "paid" personal days, which I do.

I get all the major hoildays, plus 5 days per year to use for sick days or training or personal. Beyond that is unpaid. My parents pay for all their days off.

I am open 7-5:15, but each family's schedule is contracted separately. I do not charge a late fee, but rarely have an issue. Since I'm in a rural area 6 miles from the nearest (3) towns, I don't really expect people to be here to the minute; especially in winter. 30-40 minutes would NOT be OK.

Does that 30-40 minutes make your day longer? I mean, do the make you work another 30-40 minutes because of it, or do you still have other kids. Depending on that, I would either raise their rates and change their contracted hours, or I would institute a hefty late fee.
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melilley 07:10 AM 08-21-2014
No way I would let that happen here either! Ridiculous!

Do you have a handbook and contract? If not, I would seriously think about writing them! That way, the parents know your expectations.

I am open 7 to 6 and parents pay a weekly or daily rate that includes care up to 10 hours a day. I also contract my hours so that I know drop off and pick up times.

My late fee is $1.00 per minute, which I don't always enforce. I depends on the situation and family on whether or not I charge the late fee.

I charge $140 a week or $35 a day for p/t. Rates really depend on where you live. Licensed homes here are from $90 (that's ridiculously low) to $175 a week. Centers are much more than that.

I have every holiday off, including Christmas Eve, the day after Thanksgiving, 5 personal days and a week of vacation off-all paid. I also have one more vacation week that is not paid, but I may change that next year.

I provide 2 meals and 2 snacks and am on the food program. I do not allow outside food except for formula.
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debbiedoeszip 07:45 AM 08-21-2014
7am to 5:30pm

full day (10.5 hrs) = $30
half day (5.25hrs) = $20

drop in full day = $50
drop in half day =$30

I do offer to be open on holidays (excluding Christmas Day), but I charge a higher rate for the day ($50 for regulars, and $70 for drop ins)

dc child sick days are paid
days daycare is closed (holiday or provider sick day) are unpaid

breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack are daycare provided

diapers and formula are parent provided

late fee is $1 per minute beyond 5:30, and on the third time late I term

drop offs and pick ups are at the daycare, and a parent who won't interact with me is termed because that's just ridiculous
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midaycare 08:40 AM 08-21-2014
I have mostly part timers.
$40 for 1 day, $75 for 2, $100 for 3, $130 for 4, $150 for full time.

Infants (until age 1) are $200 a week because I hire someone to come in for 2 hours a day so I can still teach preschool. That costs me $100 a week...I only take 1 infant at a time. Costs me too much money. But I like knowing I will (most likely) have a family for a long time. Infant care is expensive, but when the parents hear, "one on one attention for 2 hours a day" they are pretty much sold. I had 4 families fighting for my infant spot.

No late fees ... Yet. But I have it in my contract that I may enforce them if necessary. It's $1 a minute. If I am still open and a parent is late, I don't care. They always let me know. As long as it's in a 10 hour window. Anything over 10 hours and they have to automatically pay me extra.

I get 10 paid holidays a year and I have a sub for vacations and sick days, so parents don't have to stress about that.
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BrooklynM 08:55 AM 08-21-2014
My hours- 6:15am- 5:30 (the ones that come at 6:15 are always gone by 4:30).
Rate- $275 a week, part timers pay $55 a day.
I provide all meals

I have no late fees. I let the parents know upfront that this is about us both respecting each others time. If they have something come up and they let me know ahead of time and I don't have any plans, I accommodate. This has happened maybe 3 times (I can only remember 2). Most of them pick up by 5. If they were to be late I would have a face to face discussion and let them know that in order for them to continue then they need to be on time for pickup otherwise I won't be able to care for their baby because when they are late and that means that they are taking time away from my family. That is priceless to me and not worth $1 a minute.
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hope 09:01 AM 08-21-2014
Every area has a different rate scale. I would call around to your local centers and see what their rates and policies are. I would also look at Craigslist to see what home daycares in your area are charging. The policies you set are what fits for you and your family. If you want to take 2 weeks paid vacation or the whole summer off that is up to you not anyone else. I suggest you update your handbook and contract and read it over with each client and have them agree and sign. If they are not on board than they have the option to fund other care.
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Unregistered 09:06 AM 08-21-2014
$185/week-Full time
$40/day-Part time
Late fees are $1/minute.
Open 7:00a.m.-5:30p.m. with contracted hours,I provide all food.
I'm closed for all holidays with pay.
I close for a week during Christmas break and one week vacation,unpaid.
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AmyKidsCo 09:25 AM 08-21-2014
$165-190 depending on age.
I'm open 7-5 with a grace period of 15 min before or after for free IF occasional & arranged ahead of time. Otherwise late fee is $10/child for the first minute, $1/child/minute after. If there's no contact by 6 I call Social Services to pick up the "abandoned" child.
I provide all meals/snacks including baby food & formula.
My policies state parents MUST bring children inside & make contact with myself before leaving.
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llpa 10:47 AM 08-21-2014
My hours are 7am - 5:30pm
Rates are $40/day minimum 3days/wk 9 1/2 hrs per day or less. I take 2 1/2 to 6yrs old.
Late fee is $1/minute.
I have 6 paid holidays off and I am paid for the week between Christmas and New Year's. I also take a week of my choice paid sometime during the year.
I provide all snacks, milk and water.
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spinnymarie 11:18 AM 08-21-2014
Our hours are 7:00 - 5:00, each family has a 9.5 hour block within those times.
Rates are high for our area, and based on a monthly school-year calendar, at around $43/day for infants. Average rate here is $25 for average rural daycare and $36 in the city for infants.
We provide everything, diapers, sunscreen, food, formula, etc.
Late fees are $10/15 minute blocks.
We don't charge for holidays, but we make up for that monetarily with our daily rate.

Make your parents sign in, your parent will either have to come in the door or find alternative care.
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Tags:dcp, late fees, meals, policies, pricing, rant, vent
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