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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Fee For Early Drop Off
Kemp 11:59 AM 02-27-2019
I have a new family requesting to drop off 15 min earlier than my current opening time. They would need to do this every day as my current opening time does not work with their work schedule. They have agreed to pick child up 15 min earlier so their contracted hours would remain at 9 hours like all of my current families. I am thinking I should also add a weekly convenience fee to their weekly daycare rate as I am adding 15 min daily to my work day and I also worry I may have other families asking to do the same. What would be an appropriate amount to charge for this?
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Cat Herder 12:02 PM 02-27-2019
A million dollars.

They won't pick up early for long without constant policing and you will grow to resent opening early for one family.

Do you have a waiting list? Interviews scheduled? Why are you considering this family?

My early arrival rate is $1 per minute, with prior approval.
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DaveA 12:08 PM 02-27-2019
15 min/ day equals 1.25 hours/ week. What do you consider your time worth an hour? Since you're offering an "extra" to one family I would charge 25% above what you consider your time worth. If you're going to do it make it worth your while. And make sure DCPs know it is 15 min. Not 16 or 17. 15. Or very soon it will be 20-25
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boy_mom 12:20 PM 02-27-2019
In my experience, this kind of thing never ends well for the provider. 9 times out of 10, the parents will arrive at their original pick up time, other families will try to start dropping off early too and they wont understand why they cant just pay extra for early drop off.

I think you should stick to your original hours, 15 everyday is a lot of time to give up!!
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LittleExplorers 02:03 PM 02-27-2019
It depends what makes it worth it to you. You are still extending your hours every day even if they stay at 9 hours. What happens when they show up 20 min early? If they are strapped for time already, it will likely happen. If the income is worth it to you, do it.

I have a family I love. They needed 10 min earlier 1 day a week. For them, it has only been the 10 min and they show and tell me they appreciate it all the time.
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Kemp 02:42 PM 02-27-2019
Thanks for responses so far. I have done daycare for over 23 years...well aware of the challenges that can come from changing a policy for one family. I am also well aware on how to enforce my policies. I have a waitlist and have never advertised in the 23 yrs I have done childcare. I am very choosy who I let in! I take only families that have been referred to me. I have been treated with respect by all of my families over the years. I only provide daycare for teachers and have set my hours to their contracted times so my situation is a little different. My opening time is only 15 min before some teachers in our district have to report. This teacher is at a school that is further than a 15 min drive from my home. Her husband travels for work and can not help with drop off. The other teachers I provide care for who have this earlier report time have a spouse that helps with drop off and they pick up at end ofbday. So this situation has not come up before. I won't have a problem enforcing the regular opening time for my other families, they know when garage door is up, daycare is open and they can't come in before. I am not at all worried of being taken advantage of either at drop off or pick up. This family understand it is the only way I will agree to take them. I know how to handle issues with policies respectfully when and if they arise. My question was what would be a fair fee for this. Was hoping other providers had been in a similar situation.
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Cat Herder 02:46 PM 02-27-2019
We don't have crystal balls, here. This was your first post.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
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Snowmom 03:23 PM 02-27-2019
Crystal ball....



I have done 15 minutes for one family before. I really don't mind doing earlier for a fee.... you could never get me to do later though.

I typically charge $1 per minute if they drop off before opening. But, since it was contracted ahead of time, I cut the fee in half. So, I ended up charging an extra $37.50 to their weekly fee.
Honestly, they NEVER came on time anyway but I was paid for the extra time and I was usually prepping during that 15 minutes anyway, so I didn't care. But when they left, I realized how much I missed that quiet time. I don't think I'll ever do that again.
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