I was just curious what everyone charges for SA. I have a girl who is 9 who comes here on days off, holidays and full weeks when school is out. She is here 50 hours along with her 3 year old brother. They are pretty "high maintenance". She is constantly saying my name and wanting attention to the point where she is starting to drive me crazy!!!
Any ideas of what to do to keep her busy and what you would charge?

Reply

If they are here the full day they pay the full day drop in rate .
A full week then they pay the full time weekly rate .
And I have 1 rate for before and after school only .

Age does not matter if they take up a spot then they pay the same as any other person would .

Reply

This is my philosophy now too. Especially since the older ones do require more attention. The littles can and do all play together but the older ones need to be "entertained" because it's generally only one so they don't have a play mate. So they're really not any easier than a toddler. Plus a space is a soace, doesn't matter if they're 9 weeks or 9 years.

Reply

I would charge the full regular rate also but man, I don't think I could do a 9yo all day everyday unless she was really into babies and directing/leading the other kids in games etc.

Reply

i would charge the same rate if not more for a 9 year old. They require a lot more supervision, can be dangerous around babies, they eat more and are much harder to keep entertained.

I allow first year kinder to stay and that is it.

Reply

I charge the same for all ages.....pay for the spot, not attendance...just easier for me that way. Currently I have no school-agers....by choice

Reply

I am thinking this will be her last year here including the summer. I just don't have things to keep her occupied. I tell her to bring things that will keep her busy but normally she doesn't and I end up entertaining her the whole day. Including my normal break when the others sleep. I thought days were busy before. I keep telling myself only 4 1/2 more days!!

Reply

"Go Play"

That is the only reply she'd get from me if she is bored or not being entertained.

NOT your job to entertain her. If she's bored, it's on her not you.

I would NOT supply her with anything other than a reminder to bring something so she isn't bored.

Otherwise "GO PLAY!"

Rinse and repeat

Reply

I would charge $20-30 more per week than my normal rate. SA need more than littles. More attention. More food. More reminders. More everything.

Reply

Totally my advice as well. I recently dropped my SA families because the "GO PLAY" was constant and rather distracting.

Reply

For a 9 year old?

A million dollars a week.

(.....and I would still hate it)

Reply

^^^^^^^this sums up my thoughts exactly

Reply

Exactly. You can provide "big kid" toys if you want. Here they can close themselves off by a gate and play in the bathroom (huge room, most of which is open floor) or the back hallway and play marbles, little legos, arts and crafts, etc.
But for the most part, I would just tell her that. Go play!

Reply

Haha yep I was thinking "I would charge them all their money. Every penny"

Reply

Also the regular rate as others have posted!

I have toys and activities for school age kids, but I would not entertain her either.

Reply

a million dollars I don't take school age.

*unless they were one of my littles and I know that they will follow my rules and play nicely with the little ones. Every once in a while I get an older sibling that I had as a little one and that is just nice.

I hadn't read the other replies until after I posted!! I guess a lot of us feel the same way about older kids!!!

Reply

What is this 'I don't take SA.'?? I want some of that!!! I do take school aged currently (older siblings of young fulltimers) but would love to stop! Do families complain that you won't watch the older siblings? Especially during the summer? I feel I would get a lot of backlash!

Reply

I've never had a family complain. There are so many reasons SA kids don't belong in mixed aged group care when the majority of your kids are under school age.

It's both beneficial for you, the others and the SA to not attend an in-home family daycare in my opinion.

They require TOO much supervision, guidance and intervention over e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g

I just tell parents their SA'er had outgrown my program and that they would be happier in a program meant for SA'ers.

They can also be a huge liability as they don't always listen to (or push boundaries) with safety rules more than anything. They play ALOT rougher WITH the little (which a potential risk) and with your toys and equipment (I got tired of them "accidentally" breaking everything) and they eat constantly, hate everything they used to love, play for only minutes at a time without getting "bored" and seem to enjoy instigating conflict with others.

We have LOTS of programs in my area geared for SA kids so I make sure parents know from the beginning that as soon as they enter school or finish Kindy (for my long time families) that I am no longer willing to provide care.

Reply

Thanks Blackcat31! I am in the country and unfortunately we don't have a lot of programs for SA in our area. So I think I will get some heat for denying the older kids care. But like most of you say on here, "not my problem!"

Reply

We charge $60/week for just Before or After care. $80/week for both. Add $15 for every full day care (aka no school days). So $95 for a full day.

So much hate for the SA kids! Wow!
I have a room of 18 of them daily...mixed from ages 6 to 11. So send them my way!

Reply

Reply

I would do school age if I only did school age. It is the mix between baby and school age/ my limitations of having one room that makes it hard for me to watch school age kids.

Reply