Do you require the parents to come at a certain time or since they are paying anyhow do you not mind if they come right at closing time? I have a family who gets off work at 2:30 and has never come a minute before 5:30, which is my closing time. I realize they are paying a flat rate but feel torn about this.

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Place work and commute times only in your contract. Do not place times in at all. Then you will find out what the parents actually need for drop off and pick up, and those hrs. are their contracted times.

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It's unbelievable to me the amount of parents who do this! When I had a job outside of the home, I counted the minutes until I could go pick up my babies!! Parents these days blow my mind... Sorry just a quick vent

I agree only contract commute times.

Why do people have kids if they don't want to be with them??

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I charge a flat weekly rate but the weekly rate they get is based on what time they pick up.

If you know the mom doesn't work as many hours as she is leaving her child in care, then charge a different daily or weekly rate based on the times they pick up.

For me, my weekly rate options are pick up at 3, 4 or 5.

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I agree!! I once had a family with a newborn baby, that gave me a deposit to hold her spot for 10 months. They called me and told me one week, before the baby was to start here" we don't think your times will work for us any longer" they found an in home that was open 12 hrs. per day, and they planned on using all 12 hrs. daily!! OMG!!!!!

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I've taken Nannyde's rate structure and adapted it little. I have a "core" rate, that goes until my closing time of 4:30. I give the parents a discount of $1/15 min that their contracted time is earlier up to 3:30 (ie, if you pick up before this it is the same as paying until 3:30). My core rate begins at 8am, if they want an earlier drop off, it will be an extra $1/15. These charges are per day. This works for me, as I figure 8-3:30 I will always have kids, plus, I want fewer kids before 8 and after 3:30, because that's when my schoolagers get home (3:45). I've found in my few months of doing daycare, as all of the experienced gals(and guys) will say, in the beginning parents will pick up right after work, once they get a taste of child free non work time, FOR FREE, they will use it to their advantage. It doesn't bother me in the least if little Johnny's dad wants to go home after work and play video games for an hour, as long as he knows he is paying to have that "extra" time.

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I have a flat daily rate, but have never really had anyone leave their children here till closing, unless they are working. I guess the way I look at it is they are paying for the spot, they can use it how they want. I have had families on occasion leave their children here because they need to run by the store or pick something up, but as I said, they pay for the spot, so they can use it how they want.
I like the idea of different fees for 3, 4, 5 oclock pick ups.

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I did it that way because I too believe if they are paying for something it is up to them how they use it and I just can't see saying they can't come because they aren't working so I did the 3,4,5 thing and honestly it works awesome!

I get what I need for a weekly rate (with pick up at 3...which is my base rate) and anything after 3, I am compensated for so I never mind having to stay later. To me, it is a win-win for everyone.

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I'm glad you asked this. I'm contenplating going to a flat rate next year but not sure how my parents will react. Right now I'm hourly and its always worked great for me but some months I lose money and some months I gain money. I want it to even out for me so I can figure it more easily for my budget.

I was thinking of $25.00 a day but some of my kids I have here sometimes 10 hour days, so I will actually lose money on them so I'm not sure what to do.

Not trying to highjack, just typing and thinking at the same time.

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Then you set your base rate at $25 per day. Depending on your open time....you put the $25 at an 8 hour day and add around $3.00 per hour ( or whatever amount you want) for anything over the 8 hours. so your families that are there 10 hours would pay you $31 per day.

An 8 hour day for me is a 3:00 pick up time. Make sense?

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I also have a flat rate fee based on pick up time. Similar to NannyDe's schedule but geared towards the price point in my area. Then I don't mind the ones who stay later, cause they pay more...and even though I get paid less for those who go home earlier, at least I get a break towards the end of my day. I love it.

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Oh, it makes sense but I would probably be the highest paid provider in my area and I'm afraid people will leave.We have the highest unemployment in our county for our state so people are very money worried here.

Also, my parents that have the children here 10+ hours are actually working so thats why I'm not sure about how to do it. I don't want to "punish" them for being at work. At least their working and not goofing off.

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I have families that are constantly pushing the closing time. Some work from home, last week a DCM was late because she decided to shower kid free (mind you she works from home and lives 5 minutes away)... came after 5:30 with wet hair. Other family lives across the street, and I see the car in the driveway, for a couple of hours. They do their workout, mow the lawn, get changed out of work clothes, get dinner prepped. During the interview/contract they wrote 4:00 pick-up, now I'm lucky if they get there before 'closing'.

I see a change coming This is a wonderful idea, and appears to be a win win WIN situation, they get a price break, and quality time with their kiddos & I get more quality time with MY kids!

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My per day rate varies depending on departure time. It could be as little as $20 per day (5 hours or less) or as high as $50 per day (my part time daily rate.) My average daily rate is $27-35 per day.

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I am open 6AM to 6PM just like a store. I have parents who drop off at 6AM and pick up by 2PM. I have parents who work until 5:30PM and rush to get here by 6PM.

I am here for 12 hours regardless.

Parents all pay my full rate (even my before and after school kids)

I don't want to stop and figure out who owes what. Everyone pays the exact same amount every Friday.

But pick up after 6PM....and watch the late fees ($1 per minute..no grace period) mount up!!!!!!

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So how does it work if its a varing schedule? I have one that is here 10 hours one day and then 6 or 7 hours the other.

I guess what I'm really wondering is how does this work with Minute Menu? They have the part where you can put in the rate but if it changes constantly what would you put in? That seems to be why hourly works great for me as the parents can see exactly what time they checked in/out and why the amount is what it is. I'm just thinking at least I know what I would be getting every day.

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I so wish I could do what you are doing cat....but the parents I have, money is no object, so the would not care if I charged more money after a certain time.... Ready for this. One of my daycare kids needs 10.5 hours of care each day, which is basically my open to close. I am making $75.00 a day off of this child. I bet if I tried to change it and charged more, the parents would not bat an eyelash.... I only offer 9.5 hours of care....

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Well, at least you are being compensated for the long hours then. I am here 10.5-11 hours a day no matter how many kids are but at least when I do have a kid longer than their parent is working I feel better about the fact that I am getting "over time" pay.

I have a couple who would pay me to keep their kids 24/7 so it isn't always the money but more the principle of it. If you want more than just working hours for care, then there has to be something given in trade...kwim? and since money is the only way to get that compensation, I go that route.

If I had a mom who maybe did hair styling or something, I would consider "trading" with her but all my DCP's are teachers or therapists so.... well you get it...

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lol.... I know exactly what you mean. Most of my kids go home at 4:30, then there is this kid who stays until close. I do get extra $, but it really is not enough to have to stay open for only one kid.

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It would drive me nuts to worry about who should pay more for additional hours. I charge a flat rate and they all have 10 hours to use per day. Some use 7 hours and some use 10 hours. As long as they're paying me, they can do whatever they'd like to do with their day.

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I do have a questions about your pay structure...how do you charge for this? Is is always consistently the same pick up time and drop off time each day?

Do parents have to give you schedules?

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Could you pm me. I have some questions for you since we are close in area by a an hour or so!

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I don't mind them using the hours as they need to.
However, I do mind people being habitually late. Late to pick up, late to pay their bi-weekly payment for the next two weeks...

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I charged a flat rate but I had contracted hours with each family. The parents had to drop off and pick up by thier personal contracted time.

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I have a flat daily rate, but I have parents sign contracts with the times their children will be dropped off and picked up each day. I charge late fees of $1/minute after their contracted time. I close at 5:30 and charge $3/minute for late pick-up after that point. I schedule my out-of-daycare activities around the contracted times of my daycare kids, so just because my hours are until 5:30, doesn't mean that I'm always open until 5:30. I just recently added the late pick-up fee past contracted time, because I would have parents contract to be here until 4:00, so I would make plans for 4:30, but then they wouldn't show up or call me until 5:30. I've had to use the late fees twice this year, but I think once I put it in writing that I have those fees, people pay more attention.

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I will PM you

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I might trade daycare for therapy!!!

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I sure will.

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If they are paying until 5:30, they get until 5:30. Most of mine are students or work swing shifts. They are not coming straight from work. I am paid from 7:00 - 4:30 regardless of when they pick up. Three of mine consistently pick up at the last minute. Yes, it's annoying especially when they tell me in the morning they will be home the whole day (school vacations), but I'm paid for that time so it's fair.

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I charge a flat rate per week per child so that I know what my income is. I charge before and after hours fees as well. Most parents drop off at 8 and are back by 5:00. My hours are 7:30-5:30, but they are paying for the spot so they use it as they see fit. Yes it erks me that they have the day off and send the kids all the time and then gripe when I take a day off becuse they say they have no more time off from work and I just smile and say "i told you not to use all your days playing golf!"....But at least I am guaranteed a certain income per week and i don't have to fool with adding up hourly charges ets. My clients also pay 2 weeks up front.

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I also couldn't care less what they do with the time they have paid me to care for their child. That is not my issue.

I charge a different rate based on pick up times because I don't think it is fair to make EVERYONE pay for the whole 10 hours I am open if they only need to use 8 of those hours.

I like to think that the parents who are picking up right after work are doing so because they want to spend time with their child and feel that when I give them a cheaper rate, it is somewhat of a kick-back for them for being "those kinds of parents"....kwim?

If someone wants to contract with me to pick up at 5, that is their business, but they will pay more for the later pick up time.

It isn't confusing to remember who pays what because I don't offer a dozen diffferent choices (only 3) so there isn't much to worry over.

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I am currently taking a break from childcare, but will probably start back up in Aug. I am going to change my rate to what time the kids will be picked up. I will use what I need to get by for a 3pm pick up, then charge a little more for 4pm and a little more for 5pm. The rates will also depend on how many days per week, 3, 4, or 5. That's for set days. For 3 days that will vary, it will be more than the 3 set days.

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