I am starting my own daycare business in my home. I was wondering what everyone's veiws are about having part time children vs having full time children. It seems like having full time children, I would have more of a steady income, but in my area, there seems to be a higher demand for part time children needing care. I can only have 6 children and a part time child would take up a spot for a full time child. Thoughts?

Also, does anyone have or know how to get a promotional code for Minute Menu Kids?

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I receive Minute Menu software through my food program and don't have to pay for it.

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I am probably in the minority, but I like part timers - I'd take all part time if I could but I usually always end up with 1-2 full timers too. You can only have 6 kids at a time, but why does a part timer have to take a full time spot?? My part timers are required to contract for specific full days - so I still know my income. I make MORE money per day on part time so if I can work it out where they fill or "almost fill" a few spots I not only get more income but I get a lighter day here and there. Hard to explain without spelling it all out, but I love part timers! I use a grid to fill in my 5 spots of each day so I always know what days are available and how many kids I have here each day.

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I take some p/t but it is 3 SET days. If they need to rotate days they need a f/t spot. I will take a 1x or 2x a week set days if they can use the days left from another p/t child.

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I am like Crazy8 - I love part-timers too! I like having a little different group everyday with a couple of full-timers thrown in. If I had 6 full-timers here, by the end of the week we would all be so sick of each other. I charge a little more for part-time and it usually works out pretty well. I also like having busy days and slow days.

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Sorry - the above post is mine. I didn't know I wasn't logged in.

I wanted to add that at times I have had a kid here in the morning and a diffferent one here in the afternoon so I get paid double that day for the same spot. If a child is here more than 4 hours I charge a full day price. So a kid is here 7:30 - 11:30 and I get another kid after preschool at noon-12:30......cha-ching!

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I take part-timers but they have a set schedule and pay weekly in advance just like my full-timers do. Then I can advertise for any leftover days. For example I have 2 part-timers ... Part-timer A comes M-W-F and Part-timer B comes T-Th. Each pays their fee regardless of whether they come or not and any extra days they need are charged extra (drop-in) if I have the space.

I also accept drop-in kids but that depends upon availability and a spot is not guaranteed and is charged at a higher rate than part-time.

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I go by the "slot". Many of my parents only work three days a week, but pay for the weekly slot. Licensing allows me twelve slots and I explain this to parents in the interview process. They pay for the "slot", not days of attendance. I do not do any part-time pay unless I allow school-age siblings to come in the summer since I am allowed an additional three children as long as they are school-age.

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I need 4 full time kids or the equivent to that for me to be able to keep my kido in college That being said... I have 3 full time and one part time 2 days a week that has 3 kidlets so it comes out over a full time position. I also have another mom with 2 kids that I watch MWF varying schedule that are county so I always make the part time pay which is like having one more full time. I also have 2 kidlets that I do occassional late afternoon care for if I have a spot for them so that is bonus pizza money
I think PT can work if they are consistent so you can work others around or they are just above (pizza money) in your mind. The 3 kidlets T/Th started as one the first year, two the second year and 3 the 3rd year. But I love them and wouldn't trade them! Also set a little higher price and make them pick a schedule and pay for it!

I like the variety of schedule that I have because like today I have 3 and have gotten to do things that 6 doesn't allow me to do.

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Oh and I just wanted to add that I'm in CA so my licensing regulations are different. I don't have to go by slots. I go by ratio. I am licensed for 6-8 kids (if I have 8 two of them have to be school age). So as long as I don't have more than 6 kids under 5 at one time them I'm fine.

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In TN, we have to have two caregivers for my twelve slots (group child care home). I can fill with part-time or full-time as long as I don't go over twelve at any time. I just prefer offering the "slot" fee. Many days, I only have half of the children but still get paid and I do enjoy the "slow days".

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That's very true. I personally do home day care so I can have some of my own cash flow. My husband is the main bread winner, so I actually prefer having part time children so I have a bit more of an open free schedule.

Of course, I took one full time child and that idea went to heck pretty quickly...

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