What Is Going On????

[cheerfuldom]

My area is getting flooded with SAHMs and VERY cut-throat amongst all the providers and facilities. I really do think that the demand cannot support the amount of caregivers and something is going to give soon.

The average is $125-$150 a week for full time care at a home daycare (more at a facility)

I started seeing $100 more and more in the last 6 months and even say one $90 a week.

Today I saw $60 a week and they provide two snacks and a meal each day! The info was fishy though...they had a schedule that included several half hour to full hour segments during the day marked potty/diapering/wash hands. Why does it take one hour to do all this?

anyway, things are getting crazy in my area, how bout yours? I advertised for six months for a full timer and ended up taking a part timer out of desperation. I wasn't even getting very many bites off any of my ads.

[Mary Poppins]

Originally Posted by cheerfuldom

My area is getting flooded with SAHMs and VERY cut-throat amongst all the providers and facilities. I really do think that the demand cannot support the amount of caregivers and something is going to give soon.

The average is $125-$150 a week for full time care at a home daycare (more at a facility)

I started seeing $100 more and more in the last 6 months and even say one $90 a week.

Today I saw $60 a week and they provide two snacks and a meal each day! The info was fishy though...they had a schedule that included several half hour to full hour segments during the day marked potty/diapering/wash hands. Why does it take one hour to do all this?

anyway, things are getting crazy in my area, how bout yours? I advertised for six months for a full timer and ended up taking a part timer out of desperation. I wasn't even getting very many bites off any of my ads.

Same here and it is sooo frustrating!!

Lately I've also been seeing ads locally for dc's that you would think would have waiting lists a mile long, they are so awesome! Everyone is struggling it seems and I really feel badly for those ones because their rates are really up there (as they should be, since they have master's degrees in education and five star programs).

I haven't been doing this long enough to know whether or not it is normal to have so many of these SAHM's undercutting everyone but now I'm thinking we're experiencing a "Daycare bubble" or something. Hopefully it will pop soon!!

[Breezy]

I'm seeing $80-$95 dollars per week here too. And offering all day care, meals, etc. Only way you can profit from that amount and serve those meals is to be operating over regs... at least here.

I am a SAHM that does unlicensed daycare but thats because I have four children and I can not fit anymore then 6 into my vehicle.

My cost is $35/day which includes 2 snacks, a ton of crafts, and outings. I can not believe people are getting families for $60/w! That is an insanely low price. Something has to be compromised to enable the provider to make a profit.

[Meyou]

I saw one the other day here charging $8/day for SA. The going rate is $15-20. She said she was cheaper than the school program and the 3 closest SA caregivers in the area and named their streets. I was floored. Not only is she undercutting so badly I don't know how she's going to feed them but she's badmouthing other providers that the school recommends. I think she got the list from the school of SA providers in the area.

[AfterSchoolMom]

That has been going on here for several years now. I see ads for $55-60 per week ALL the time. The main complaint about me for the last few years is that I'm expensive, but you know what? I'm not compromising the care that I give, so why should I compromise the rate? Families that appreciate my service will pay it.

I also notice that I continue seeing those same ads over and over again...I'm betting they have a really high turnover.

[SunshineMama]

Personally, I would not want my child in care that was only $55 or $60 a week; you get what you pay for, and I would be afraid that the provider would eventually resent my kids because she would be doing so much work for so cheap. I can't believe the lady called out individual streets! What a lot of other SAHM's do not realize is what a daycare really entails. Remember the SAHM who had the snarky craigslist ad post about how she will only do organic food, and zoo trips, and guaranteed no diaper rash? Can we say burn out?

Best of luck to the providers who can stay in business for $55 a week. I will continue to charge my $165 a week, and be happy knowing that I provide a safe, loving environment, nutritious food, and lots of smiles. Heck, maybe I will even ask for a raise?

[cheerfuldom]

oh and that original daycare is also ALWAYS advertising for an assistant. I cant even imagine what they are offering to pay for one.

[momofboys]

Originally Posted by cheerfuldom

My area is getting flooded with SAHMs and VERY cut-throat amongst all the providers and facilities. I really do think that the demand cannot support the amount of caregivers and something is going to give soon.

The average is $125-$150 a week for full time care at a home daycare (more at a facility)

I started seeing $100 more and more in the last 6 months and even say one $90 a week.

Today I saw $60 a week and they provide two snacks and a meal each day! The info was fishy though...they had a schedule that included several half hour to full hour segments during the day marked potty/diapering/wash hands. Why does it take one hour to do all this?

anyway, things are getting crazy in my area, how bout yours? I advertised for six months for a full timer and ended up taking a part timer out of desperation. I wasn't even getting very many bites off any of my ads.

It is frustrating & my area (central OH) is the same. I see lots of ads on CL for $65-70 week for FT. I honestly don't know how anyone can make $$ on that. TBH I would feel resentful if I worked for so cheap.

[sharlan]

Welcome to my area. There's a daycare on every corner and no one is at capacity.

[greenhouse]

I honestly don't even want parents who are okay with cheap unlicensed care for their kids. DH and I were discussing lowering rates, but I serve organic meals and snacks, I buy crafts supplies, new toys, I pay for insurance, liscense fees, taxes,etc. If I charged less it wouldn't even be worth it. I'm still about $100 less a week than centers, but that has not been low enough lately

[Heidi]

We have a lot of unlicensed, illegal daycares in our areas. They get turned in (for having 12-18 kids without a license. In our state the requirement is +3 needs a license). They get visited, they get a letter, they occasionally get a fine. But no one does anything for real, so they keep going.

My MIL says "so what, as long as the kids are taken care of" that is the prevailing attitude.

Um ok, so do you want people driving without a license? no...

Would you go to an unlicensed restaurant? no....

[Christian Mother]

Originally Posted by Breezy

I'm seeing $80-$95 dollars per week here too. And offering all day care, meals, etc. Only way you can profit from that amount and serve those meals is to be operating over regs... at least here.

I agree..I see the adds on CL for this also...more and more now. But, then I talk with families who use inhome daycare and they def. don't like paying high fees and their looking for care that won't charge when the kids aren't there. I had my banker ashually ask me about this and want to switch over to my daycare bc he doesn't like paying for care when the kids are sick. After asking about their contract and also if the daycare was lic. I found that the provider isn't lic. and running past her capacity. I told him for me I can only have 4 in attendance but that I don't charge for days the kids aren't their but that I am extremely picky with my families bc of this. I am reliable to a fault and I expect my families to be the same way. I work hard to make sure I am healthy and that the daycare is clean. I can't afford for kids to be sick all the time bc I won't make money that way. So I explained that for other daycare providers it's the norm to charge regardless of attendance bc we are only allowed so many slots so if your part time or full time it makes a diff. in our income. So far I've been really lucky that I am full and also have a drop in that takes the days a child is out sick or not in attendance so I am covered that way. But I will be losing 2 part timers during the summer bc they'll be moving. So I will need to look for a full timer to complete my group. Times are tough but I am not going to drop my rates bc I want good families and my rate is extremely fair at $125 a full week for 10 hrs of care each day.

[KBCsMommy]

The same here in my area too. Craigslist has become overflowed with SAHM ads. I advertised on their for 2 weeks for a full time infant spot, and not a single call.

Some advertising as much as $15 a day. One of my past dc moms looked at one of these places, and a licensor walked in to do an inspection. Needless to say dc mom said the place was horrific and would never leave her child there.

You get what you pay for. You want cheap daycare, you get cheap daycare. Unhealthy food, broken toys, and no schedule!

[REWALKER04]

I guess Im pretty lucky that in my area daycare is needed pretty badly! There is not of good daycare to go around. I started in November and was able to have families ready to go within a couple weeks (truthfully most of my people were friends of my friends on facebook.) I advertised for a week in the paper but only one child of mine was actually from the paper.I think sometimes word of mouth beats advertising any day. I already also have someone holding a spot for there unborn child (due in april) for the summer as I will be losing a child in the summer as mom is a teacher and daughter will be going to kindergarten fulltime in the fall! So I am lucky to already have that spot filled.

[beachgrl]

There are quite a lot of ads here too and many teens and retiree's offering to nanny or babysit. I think their is a market in this area for Nanny;s for higher income families but those same families dont want an in home because they want their precious little one to be the only one which is why they are usually willing to pay more but I have seen several ads for nanny's where the families are giving a low amount for someone to watch their child, clean, and cook for them.

I lowered my rates by $20-40 a week because although there are several providers in the bigger city near me charging $140-180 a week I wasn't able to get many bites at $140 even with a Bachelor's and almost master's degree in early childhood and many years experience, etc. I don't provide meals either because I only had drop ins to start with and it was too much hassle, and if I am going to have to drop my rates that much to compete they can bring their food. I may add the food program eventually but not right now.

I have two full timers, a new part timer, a drop in today that may turn into another pt spot opposite the other pt (yay if so) and another possible ft in the works coming for a visit tomorrow if they show. I have only had a couple kids for a few months now and I would get calls, then nothing, then calls, visits, but no sign ups....now I am very hopeful this week that I may be close to full enrollment and will still have one ft spot open if so! It has taken some time and I have ? myself on some of my policies/rates/the food/etc but they are slowly coming...

[Sugar Magnolia]

I am in a nice area and doggy daycare is 60 a week.

[Countrygal]

It's the economy, at least around here. People are travelling 1 1/2 hours to find jobs because they've been laid off for over 2 years.

I can't do that, as I have young gs living with me. I can't be gone 12 hours a day. I was also a SAHM my whole life and really loved it. I did daycare then, too.

This area is absolutely bereft of any job that pays over 8.00 an hour, and almost none that have full time positions with benes. That translates to 64 a day, 55 takehome if you're a single gp like me. And then you have to pay 100 to 150 a week daycare and still don't have any health ins.

It's much easier to stay home and take in daycare yourself! And with me, I just love it.

[littlemissmuffet]

Originally Posted by bbo

We have a lot of unlicensed, illegal daycares in our areas. They get turned in (for having 12-18 kids without a license. In our state the requirement is +3 needs a license). They get visited, they get a letter, they occasionally get a fine. But no one does anything for real, so they keep going.

My MIL says "so what, as long as the kids are taken care of" that is the prevailing attitude.

Um ok, so do you want people driving without a license? no...

Would you go to an unlicensed restaurant? no....

Just because someone is unlicensed, even illegally, doesn't mean they are not fantastic childcare providers. I am legally unlicensed - where I am I can have 8 on my own, 12 with an assistant. However, I only ever operate at 6 maximum.
I would probably operate illegally if I could only have 3 too. I refuse to be licensed.