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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Comparing Part-Time Schedule Offerings...
CityGarden 01:10 PM 01-09-2018
At present I offer three schedule options:

5-days M-F
3-days M/W/F
2-days T/TH

I have a near by colleague who offers

5-days M-F
3-days M, Tu, W or W, Th, F
2-days, M,Tu or Th, F.
She feels consecutive days are best.

What are your thoughts? Pros / Cons to the different approaches. Which would you go with as a provider / parent and why?

Looking at a couple other programs similar in approach to my own they offer 3, 4, or 5 day enrollment options.... (no two day option). How does that work?

How do you fill a "full" spot (i.e. M/W/F + T/TH would equal one full spot) or do you/they just take the income loss to not deal with 2-day per week students? For those that offer this do you give them their choice of 3-days/ 4-days or is that something you as a provider set? (i.e. for 4-days could they do M,Tu,TH,F if they want or do you set it as M-TH for example)

TIA
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Blackcat31 01:37 PM 01-09-2018
I offer

5 days (M-F)
4 days (any)
3 days (any but same each week)
3 days (any but varying each week)

I will fill the empty spots in between but only if I have the space and the ability to do so. I don't mind the spaces that don't get filled because I charge a higher amount (broken down per day) for anything less than 5 days.

So the family that brings their child 3 set days a week darn near pays what a family enrolled at 5 days a week does and the difference in rates is satisfactory to me to have a quieter day or just a day without that child...kwim?
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MarinaVanessa 03:22 PM 01-09-2018
I offer
M-F (4 or 5 days)
Any 2 days (same schedule each week)
Any 3 days (same schedule each week)
Fluctuating schedules pay full time because they take up a full-time spot.

I charge a higher price for the less days clients are here so like BC I don't feel like I have to fill the slots if I have part-timers but the way I charge and have it set up benefits me and not my clients. I kind of want to steer clear of PT care but when I do accept a PTer then at least I feel adequately compensated. Typically and currently I only have FT clients.
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AmyKidsCo 07:47 PM 01-09-2018
I do the same as MarinaVanessa, and also charge more for fewer days.
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Snowmom 06:59 AM 01-10-2018
Originally Posted by CityGarden:
At present I offer three schedule options:

5-days M-F
3-days M/W/F
2-days T/TH

I have a near by colleague who offers

5-days M-F
3-days M, Tu, W or W, Th, F
2-days, M,Tu or Th, F.
She feels consecutive days are best.

What are your thoughts? Pros / Cons to the different approaches. Which would you go with as a provider / parent and why?

Looking at a couple other programs similar in approach to my own they offer 3, 4, or 5 day enrollment options.... (no two day option). How does that work?

How do you fill a "full" spot (i.e. M/W/F + T/TH would equal one full spot) or do you/they just take the income loss to not deal with 2-day per week students? For those that offer this do you give them their choice of 3-days/ 4-days or is that something you as a provider set? (i.e. for 4-days could they do M,Tu,TH,F if they want or do you set it as M-TH for example)

TIA
If my memory is correct, you are more of a preschool program rather than daycare? Or do I have you confused with someone else?

Most preschools in my area offer the (3) M/W/F or M/W (2) rotation. But there are many who will let you alter the schedule for an additional premium.

To me, part time will always have issues adjusting when they are only here a handful of days a week. So, in that regard, I don't think it matters if it's consecutive days or not. Whatever works best for YOUR schedule is best.

Filling unused days- always tough. That's why we charge more for part time!
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daycarediva 10:02 AM 01-10-2018
I love part time. I don't have any issues filling in gaps as I find the demand for my services are high (UPK in my area charges, and then parents would have to pay for wrap around care, so I am a significant savings)

I charge one flat rate for FT or rotating/flex schedules
higher daily rates for 1-4 days.

I currently have 3 kids sharing one space. 120/3 days. 100/2 days. 55/1 day.

$100 MORE than my weekly rate for one space. Even without the 1 day/week kiddo (which are tricky to find that adjust well), it would still be 45/more.
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Ariana 11:05 AM 01-10-2018
I provide only part time and agree that consecutive days are best. The kids will never fully adjust because they are part time but with consecutive days it gives them a bit of a chance. Part timers tend to take about 6 months to adjust fully. I have done it all and this is what works for me. Currently I give care Wednesday, thursday and friday and I don’t try and fill the other two days at all. I advertise that these are the days available, either full days or half days. I generally do not like half day kids because they take up a full day spot at less $$ . I enjoy some time off especially because my own kids are young. I charge a bit more than other providers but not by much. There is a provider on every corner in my neighbourhood so I can’t charge big “premiums”. As it is I am competing with illegally run daycares that charge next to nothing!

When I first started out I just catered to what the parents needed and I ended up working 4-5 days a week but making less $$ so I switched to fixed days. If I can get all of the kids those 3 days I make more money and work less.
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CityGarden 03:18 PM 01-10-2018
Originally Posted by Snowmom:
If my memory is correct, you are more of a preschool program rather than daycare? Or do I have you confused with someone else?

Most preschools in my area offer the (3) M/W/F or M/W (2) rotation. But there are many who will let you alter the schedule for an additional premium.

To me, part time will always have issues adjusting when they are only here a handful of days a week. So, in that regard, I don't think it matters if it's consecutive days or not. Whatever works best for YOUR schedule is best.

Filling unused days- always tough. That's why we charge more for part time!
Yes that's me! I have an in-home preschool for kids 2-5 years and I love PT families.

Right now I have a M/W/F group and a T/TH group (parents can enroll in both for a 5-day program but none have done that). They can come 1/2 day until after lunch or extended day until after nap time. This works for me in terms of maxing my income potential. Income wise I like that with 6 spots I have the potential to earn income from 12 families. (That said, I do notice my 2-day enrollments fill slower and the children have a tougher time adjusting.)

I'm in a happy place with my offerings right now but am working toward enrollment for Fall 2018 and so I am updating my contract / policies, creating marketing items, updating my site, etc. so naturally I am brainstorming areas that can be strengthened.

I recently stumbled upon two programs similar to my own but they are 4-days per week, no partial enrollments. One is M-TH 8:30 - 12:30 the other is Tu-F from 9-1. I think I would eventually want my program to grow into something like that but I need to established myself more first.
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CityGarden 03:19 PM 01-10-2018
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
I love part time. I don't have any issues filling in gaps as I find the demand for my services are high (UPK in my area charges, and then parents would have to pay for wrap around care, so I am a significant savings)

I charge one flat rate for FT or rotating/flex schedules
higher daily rates for 1-4 days.

I currently have 3 kids sharing one space. 120/3 days. 100/2 days. 55/1 day.

$100 MORE than my weekly rate for one space. Even without the 1 day/week kiddo (which are tricky to find that adjust well), it would still be 45/more.
Yes I do love PT! Just wanted to check to see if my approach to PT makes the most sense or check if there is a better way.
So I'm curious

How do you have 3 children sharing one space like outlined above? Are you open 6 days?
Reply
CityGarden 03:24 PM 01-10-2018
Originally Posted by Ariana:
I provide only part time and agree that consecutive days are best. The kids will never fully adjust because they are part time but with consecutive days it gives them a bit of a chance. Part timers tend to take about 6 months to adjust fully. I have done it all and this is what works for me. Currently I give care Wednesday, thursday and friday and I don’t try and fill the other two days at all. I advertise that these are the days available, either full days or half days. I generally do not like half day kids because they take up a full day spot at less $$ . I enjoy some time off especially because my own kids are young. I charge a bit more than other providers but not by much. There is a provider on every corner in my neighbourhood so I can’t charge big “premiums”. As it is I am competing with illegally run daycares that charge next to nothing!

When I first started out I just catered to what the parents needed and I ended up working 4-5 days a week but making less $$ so I switched to fixed days. If I can get all of the kids those 3 days I make more money and work less.
Wow are you closed on Mondays and Tuesday or do you have 5-day clients on those days?

I am hoping to eventually grow to a 4-day program with no partial enrollments. All the same drop off and pick up time. Or maybe a nap program for parents who want that. I am a year or two away from this though.
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CityGarden 03:29 PM 01-10-2018
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I offer

5 days (M-F)
4 days (any)
3 days (any but same each week)
3 days (any but varying each week)

I will fill the empty spots in between but only if I have the space and the ability to do so. I don't mind the spaces that don't get filled because I charge a higher amount (broken down per day) for anything less than 5 days.

So the family that brings their child 3 set days a week darn near pays what a family enrolled at 5 days a week does and the difference in rates is satisfactory to me to have a quieter day or just a day without that child...kwim?
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa:
I offer
M-F (4 or 5 days)
Any 2 days (same schedule each week)
Any 3 days (same schedule each week)
Fluctuating schedules pay full time because they take up a full-time spot.

I charge a higher price for the less days clients are here so like BC I don't feel like I have to fill the slots if I have part-timers but the way I charge and have it set up benefits me and not my clients. I kind of want to steer clear of PT care but when I do accept a PTer then at least I feel adequately compensated. Typically and currently I only have FT clients.
Originally Posted by AmyKidsCo:
I do the same as MarinaVanessa, and also charge more for fewer days.
Thanks for sharing these it is really helpful!!! Even though I market M/W/F and T/TH I have allowed families to pick different set days that fit their needs best so I ended up doing something similar to MV and BC.

That said, the group dynamic changes so much and curriculum wise it would be easier on me to have a M/W/F group and T/TH group so going forward I am really going to encourage that.
Reply
Ariana 04:56 PM 01-10-2018
Originally Posted by CityGarden:
Wow are you closed on Mondays and Tuesday or do you have 5-day clients on those days?

I am hoping to eventually grow to a 4-day program with no partial enrollments. All the same drop off and pick up time. Or maybe a nap program for parents who want that. I am a year or two away from this though.
I am closed Monday and Tuesday at the moment . I just started this in September because I had a bunch of part time kids but was working 5 days a week. I basically bunched them all into the last 3 days of the week for the same amount of $$. Luckily most part timers are flexible on days.
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CityGarden 02:01 PM 02-05-2018
Originally Posted by Ariana:
I am closed Monday and Tuesday at the moment . I just started this in September because I had a bunch of part time kids but was working 5 days a week. I basically bunched them all into the last 3 days of the week for the same amount of $$. Luckily most part timers are flexible on days.
This makes perfect sense. I may make some changes..... it's a good time.
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hwichlaz 08:52 AM 02-06-2018
I don't have set schedules for part-timers because I don't really allow them, officially. I have one part-time preschooler and her school-aged sister. I've had them both since they were newborns and I tend to make new policies for new families only if that makes sense. So currently, I'll only accept a part-timer if they need the days that this family doesn't need. Otherwise, I only have full-time spots.
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CityGarden 09:03 AM 02-09-2018
Originally Posted by hwichlaz:
I don't have set schedules for part-timers because I don't really allow them, officially. I have one part-time preschooler and her school-aged sister. I've had them both since they were newborns and I tend to make new policies for new families only if that makes sense. So currently, I'll only accept a part-timer if they need the days that this family doesn't need. Otherwise, I only have full-time spots.

Eventually I would like to grow my in home program to a Monday - Thursday program with all children attending full time which would be all 4 days so having one set group. If not that then I want it out my home in a commercial space that feels like a home.
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Tags:part time care, schedule - part time
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