Before & After Care

I have a question on how other providers handle before & after care. I am potentially going to be at max capacity finally after a year of being open! Excited about that!!! But I have one family who I have been watching their infant for a year now, the other two children went to a center, one of the children is in school out of my district. Great kids! Now mom is interested in bringing the other two to me- my dilemma is if I take both, I will be over my capacity ONLY for 2 hrs in the morning before school and only for maybe 30 mins after they get off the bus after school. Mom says she doesnt care on days school is off and during the summer, so why should I turn them away just for 3 hrs a day, and I would only be over capacity maybe 2 days a week if that. How do you other providers handle things like this? I have seen other providers who has 11-12 b&a but days that school is out, they only keep what their max capacity is? Thanks for the insight!!

[Michael]

Some earlier posts on after hour care: https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15499

[Abigail]

I would recommend you interview a helper. This would be perfect for a high school student in the area. You can first see if you can find a volunteer--maybe 2 even to alternate? If you can't find a volunteer, then you should offer minimum wage to someone on the days you're over.

I wouldn't recommend going over your limit. I've heard it's okay once in awhile--not weekly--if someone was late by 15 minutes one day and someone else got dropped off, etc. Your situation sounds fairly regular though, so I wouldn't push it. The worse that could happen if you turn them away is she'll remove her children. If you're already full, you will have no problem filling those spots according to guidelines. Remember you have a business and you must follow rules too.