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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Paying For The Gap
daycare 01:09 PM 08-12-2013
one of the things about being a large daycare is being able to schedule everyone so that there are no gaps or over lapping.

I have finally got my whole schedule figured out but do have this situation and I want to see what you ladies think.

I have two families that want part time...... they both only want two days a week.....

family 1.............monday and tuesday
family 2 .........thursday and friday

nobody on wednesday


I tired to get one of them to pick up that wednesday, but neither of them want to. so my thought is since I can't and won't fill that one empty day, is that I split the cost of that day and charge family 1&2 the cost of it....

so if it were $30 a day, then that would mean the families are going to have to pay $15 extra a week. They can not use the spot on wednesday..........

I know this seems steep. What do you guys think?
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Margarete 01:23 PM 08-12-2013
Seems pretty reasonable. A lot of providers charge more per day for part time care, and some also have a 3/week day minimum charge. Hope it works out.
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mom2many 01:37 PM 08-12-2013
I would do this and think it is totally fair.
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snbauser 01:39 PM 08-12-2013
What I have done for part time rates in the past is take my full week rate and divide it by 4 for exactly this reason. It is really hard to back fill spots. I think that although it would be nice to have them split the day that you need to look at how you advertised/interviewed. If you offered 2 days/week then it really isn't fair to make them pay for the third day.
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butterfly 01:42 PM 08-12-2013
Are these families that have been with you for a while? Have they been paying a particular rate previously? I don't see an issue with charging that way if they aren't used to something else - even then you should be able to change it and charge this way with notice.

I can see either of them throwing fits if they aren't accustomed to this though.

From a provider standpoint, I think this is an excellent idea and a great compromise. - I only charge a weekly rate regardless of attendence, so this is more than fair in my book.
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daycare 01:57 PM 08-12-2013
thanks for the input ladies.


family 1 has been with me for almost 2 years attending only 2 days a week M-T. They were just recently warned that they may need to move days so that I still accommodate them. They said they can't. I feel a little frustrated that they are not willing to move days, but I understand that they need to do what works for their family...I think it is fair to say well since you are not willing to move days the only way I can keep you is to charge this new way....

Lucky for them I have a new client coming in who wants to attend TH-FR.
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Blackcat31 02:10 PM 08-12-2013
Originally Posted by daycare:
thanks for the input ladies.


family 1 has been with me for almost 2 years attending only 2 days a week M-T. They were just recently warned that they may need to move days so that I still accommodate them. They said they can't. I feel a little frustrated that they are not willing to move days, but I understand that they need to do what works for their family...I think it is fair to say well since you are not willing to move days the only way I can keep you is to charge this new way....

Lucky for them I have a new client coming in who wants to attend TH-FR.
What happens if the new client needs to switch days or leaves after only a short while?

I think your payment idea works great IF these two families are going to be long term and not need to switch days ever or leave....

Otherwise, I think this will be trouble the second someone's needs change. kwim?

I offer part time care but I offer it on MY schedule NOT theirs. I offer

3 days (SET 3 days) Space is guaranteed
*for a specific rate (high enough that not having a kid 2 days a week is nice but the rate is high enough that I am not really losing money)

3 days (varying days) Space is guaranteed
*for a specific rate (high enough that not having a kid 2 days a week is nice but the rate is high enough that I am not really losing money)

Anything under 3 days a week is considered drop in. The drop in rate is high and the spaces for drop in is varying so I sometimes have space to accommodate their needs and sometimes I don't.

It's simply the risk they take by not being enrolled at 3 days per week.
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daycare 02:15 PM 08-12-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
What happens if the new client needs to switch days or leaves after only a short while?

I think your payment idea works great IF these two families are going to be long term and not need to switch days ever or leave....

Otherwise, I think this will be trouble the second someone's needs change. kwim?

I offer part time care but I offer it on MY schedule NOT theirs. I offer

3 days (SET 3 days) Space is guaranteed
*for a specific rate (high enough that not having a kid 2 days a week is nice but the rate is high enough that I am not really losing money)

3 days (varying days) Space is guaranteed
*for a specific rate (high enough that not having a kid 2 days a week is nice but the rate is high enough that I am not really losing money)

Anything under 3 days a week is considered drop in. The drop in rate is high and the spaces for drop in is varying so I sometimes have space to accommodate their needs and sometimes I don't.

It's simply the risk they take by not being enrolled at 3 days per week.
ooohhhh I did not think of this at all.....this is why I need this form.......

great point... I do charge a higher rate for part spots, but was not sure how I could make up for that whole........

back to the drawing board...........lol
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Blackcat31 02:22 PM 08-12-2013
Originally Posted by daycare:
ooohhhh I did not think of this at all.....this is why I need this form.......

great point... I do charge a higher rate for part spots, but was not sure how I could make up for that whole........

back to the drawing board...........lol
I PM'ed you my rate sheet so you can see what I mean on paper.

It makes more sense that way.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 02:39 PM 08-12-2013
I would do as you said and split the cost.
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Willow 02:54 PM 08-12-2013
I don't take part timers but I do charge a weekly minimum of 20 hours for my full time families.

Something like that might work well because then you're still getting a full 40 hours in each week between the two. Or if you do flat rates cut the regular rate in half for each so it doesn't look like they're paying for a day they don't have access to.
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daycare 02:59 PM 08-12-2013
Originally Posted by Willow:
I don't take part timers but I do charge a weekly minimum of 20 hours for my full time families.

Something like that might work well because then you're still getting a full 40 hours in each week between the two. Or if you do flat rates cut the regular rate in half for each so it doesn't look like they're paying for a day they don't have access to.
thanks guys I will check out the rate sheet..


Willow. so when you say 20 hours, how many days would that allow a child to attend...Sorry I have massive jet lag right now.....lol
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Crazy8 04:26 PM 08-12-2013
Originally Posted by daycare:
ooohhhh I did not think of this at all.....this is why I need this form.......

great point... I do charge a higher rate for part spots, but was not sure how I could make up for that whole........

back to the drawing board...........lol
If you already charge more for the part time spot aren't you essentially already making a full weekly rate (or close to it) by having each of them 2 days a week??? That has always been my reason for charging more for p/t.

For instance say your f/t rate is $125/week and your p/t rate is $30/day. If each family is taking 2 days a week that is $120 - so only $5/week less than a full timer is paying and you get the break of less kids one day.

If I were to do what you were proposing with current families I would NOT word it that way at all. I would just explain that due to their p/t schedule their rate will be increasing $15/week. I would not word it as them paying for half of Wednesday - that is just opening a can of worms.
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Willow 04:29 PM 08-12-2013
Originally Posted by daycare:
thanks guys I will check out the rate sheet..


Willow. so when you say 20 hours, how many days would that allow a child to attend...Sorry I have massive jet lag right now.....lol
What are your hours?

If you're open ten hours a day tell them it's access to a total of twenty hours (a contracted two days), so that's what they're paying for.

Leaves you getting paid for a full 40 hours while still keeping that Wednesday off (and even open to taking another part timer if you can find someone who just wants care on Wednesdays).
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Cradle2crayons 04:33 PM 08-12-2013
I don't do any part time at all. I do drop ins only on MY TERMS. I also do overnight.

But what you are proposing sounds extremely fair to me!!

I also agree that I would add both of their rates. Minus the full time charge, and then half it for each family.

If I did part time, 2 days a week I'd charge hefty for it because it would be near impossible for me to fill that.
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Crystal 04:45 PM 08-12-2013
My part time is UP To 20 hours per week. (2 days) My rate for part time is $130 per week. My rate for full time (3 days or more) is $160 per week.

If I had two part timers, I'd be getting $260 per week for the one space. This makes it more than worth it for me to juggle two part time schedules and I don't need to worry about the extra day.
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Cradle2crayons 04:48 PM 08-12-2013
Originally Posted by Crystal:
My part time is UP To 20 hours per week. (2 days) My rate for part time is $130 per week. My rate for full time (3 days or more) is $160 per week.

If I had two part timers, I'd be getting $260 per week for the one space. This makes it more than worth it for me to juggle two part time schedules and I don't need to worry about the extra day.
that too
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daycare 05:08 PM 08-12-2013
Originally Posted by Willow:
What are your hours?

If you're open ten hours a day tell them it's access to a total of twenty hours (a contracted two days), so that's what they're paying for.

Leaves you getting paid for a full 40 hours while still keeping that Wednesday off (and even open to taking another part timer if you can find someone who just wants care on Wednesdays).
I work on contracted hours and day which allow you to use the daycare up to 9.5 hours a day....

seems like I am not doing this right.....
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Cradle2crayons 05:11 PM 08-12-2013
Originally Posted by daycare:
I work on contracted hours and day which allow you to use the daycare up to 9.5 hours a day....

seems like I am not doing this right.....
Daycare, Are you saying that both parents total fee is less than one full time rate?? Maybe that's where we are all getting confused.?
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daycare 05:59 PM 08-12-2013
Originally Posted by Cradle2crayons:
Daycare, Are you saying that both parents total fee is less than one full time rate?? Maybe that's where we are all getting confused.?
so here is how it currently sits...

PT over 2years is 45 day 2 day - 90
PT under 2 is 47 a day 2 days - 94

FT over 2 is 42 a day -----210
FT under 2 is 46 a day-----230
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Cradle2crayons 06:21 PM 08-12-2013
Originally Posted by daycare:
so here is how it currently sits...

PT over 2years is 45 day 2 day - 90
PT under 2 is 47 a day 2 days - 94

FT over 2 is 42 a day -----210
FT under 2 is 46 a day-----230
So what you are saying is that for example, two one year olds from two different families each coming two days a week totals $ 188 and your full time rate for the same age group for one kid coming five days is $230 so because you are missing a day there's a $ 42 deficit??

For me, full time is a minimum 4 days and a maximum 5 days a week. So a full time spot wouldn't necessarily be all five days. I charge by the week not by the day, unless its a drop in so if they are paying full time and are sick two days and only attend three, they are still paying the full time rate.

In that case, and you contracted them each for two days, part of me says it isn't quite fair to charge them for that Wednesday because they didn't anticipate that when they contracted. Then part of e understands you are minus a day of income you can't fill. But really, that isn't the parents fault because you knew up front and agreed to those two days a week.

It's a judgement call. As a parent I'd be mad if I contracted for two days and en suddenly you raised my rate to accommodate for a day you knew up front I wouldn't be coming. As a provider I understand completely where you are coming from.
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daycare 06:32 PM 08-12-2013
Originally Posted by Cradle2crayons:
So what you are saying is that for example, two one year olds from two different families each coming two days a week totals $ 188 and your full time rate for the same age group for one kid coming five days is $230 so because you are missing a day there's a $ 42 deficit??

For me, full time is a minimum 4 days and a maximum 5 days a week. So a full time spot wouldn't necessarily be all five days. I charge by the week not by the day, unless its a drop in so if they are paying full time and are sick two days and only attend three, they are still paying the full time rate.

In that case, and you contracted them each for two days, part of me says it isn't quite fair to charge them for that Wednesday because they didn't anticipate that when they contracted. Then part of e understands you are minus a day of income you can't fill. But really, that isn't the parents fault because you knew up front and agreed to those two days a week.

It's a judgement call. As a parent I'd be mad if I contracted for two days and en suddenly you raised my rate to accommodate for a day you knew up front I wouldn't be coming. As a provider I understand completely where you are coming from.
yes what you have figured out is correct......

I take my daily rate x the # of days that the child attends and that becomes my weekly rate...

I understand what you are saying about being upset if you were told that you had to pay an increase in your price of care. BUT if they want to stay at the two days a week, neither wants to move days, then I have to increase the rate. OR I tell the new family NO and then I go back to having 3 days of my week not filled.....

BTW did I mention how much I hate PT schedules.........I never used to allow them to chose their own days.....I would only allow them to pick days of M-W-F or Tu-Th..............but then I has to families that approached me together and asked if they could do the M-T for one family and the other family take the back half of the week. IT worked that way for 3 years, but now the kid that was the back half of the week has left for kindergarten........UGH

insert here me hitting my head on my desk
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mamac 07:33 PM 08-12-2013
I didn't read all the replies but I like BC's rate schedule for PT. I will only take 3 days minimum. If they want 1 or 2 it's at a drop in rate at $50/day. Make the drop in rate steep enough and someone will be willing to pay for an extra day that they are allowed to use even if they don't need it. PT 3 days works out a lot cheaper.

Or you could split the cost and tell them that preference is given to ppl who want more days so if someone comes along and is interested in 3 days they will either have to upgrade to 3 or lose their spot. Might "scare" them into wanting that 3rd day.
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