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DCMama 09:01 PM 09-18-2012
I have some rates debates. I usually have rates for 5 days full time, 3 days, and 2 days part time. A parent would like to acquire care for 5 days for just 4 hours a day. How much should I charge? her son is 18 months. I usually charge 200/week for that age because I am in California and that is the going rate for my area. She explain that this is her child first time so she just want to try it part time for now until he get use to it and she will think about full time.

I am thinking 200/week is 40 dollars a day. she wants only 4 hours so perhaps half of that so it be 100/week? not sure
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nanglgrl 10:10 PM 09-18-2012
First of all you have to do what makes you happy and what will work for you and your family. If it were me I would most likely charge for a full time slot because depending on the hours it could be hard for you to fill up the rest of the day with another child so you would be loosing income. Think about it this way, if someone called and wanted a full time slot from 8 am to 5 but you were full because of this child who only needs four hours of care and is paying half your rate would you want to terminate the part timer to accept the full timer and not loose money? Would you be fine with the current situation or would you be back on the board asking how/if you should term?
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daycare 10:21 PM 09-18-2012
Originally Posted by DCMama:
I have some rates debates. I usually have rates for 5 days full time, 3 days, and 2 days part time. A parent would like to acquire care for 5 days for just 4 hours a day. How much should I charge? her son is 18 months. I usually charge 200/week for that age because I am in California and that is the going rate for my area. She explain that this is her child first time so she just want to try it part time for now until he get use to it and she will think about full time.

I am thinking 200/week is 40 dollars a day. she wants only 4 hours so perhaps half of that so it be 100/week? not sure
I'm in ca too no way $100 for half day full week. Can you fill the rest of his day?
If I really needed the money, I would do it for $150 and no less.

But that's just me
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MarinaVanessa 10:24 PM 09-18-2012
Originally Posted by nanglgrl:
First of all you have to do what makes you happy and what will work for you and your family. If it were me I would most likely charge for a full time slot because depending on the hours it could be hard for you to fill up the rest of the day with another child so you would be loosing income. Think about it this way, if someone called and wanted a full time slot from 8 am to 5 but you were full because of this child who only needs four hours of care and is paying half your rate would you want to terminate the part timer to accept the full timer and not loose money? Would you be fine with the current situation or would you be back on the board asking how/if you should term?
I agree. If it were me I would offer her 2 or 3 days a week instead but still charge her the regular PT rate even if she only wanted a few hours a day. Thet or charge her the regular FT rate. If you don't like that idea and need the extra income maybe you can suggest that you'll be okay with doing it for a few hours a day 5 days a week with the understanding that if you find someone interested in that spot that she will have to choose either to change to the regular FT rate or find alternative childcare so that the other family can have their spot.

Also I think $100 a week is low to fair. I would deffinetely charge her more per hour than normal if only staying a few hours. $40 a day for FT and 9 hour days is something like $4.45 an hour so $5 or $5.50 an hour would make it worth it for me. $100-$110 sounds fair to me.

BTW I am also in CA so to give you an idea these are my rates: $160 week for 50 hours FT (middle in my area , neither the lowest nor the highest) and PT is 30 hours $108 a week.
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DCMama 11:30 AM 09-19-2012
thank you for the reply. those are all good advice. I did give her some choices for hourly rate or daily rate to be fair. And I agree and told them that if I find a full time slot her slot need to be full time or to go find alternative care. I thought she was about to be a no show like all the other people I talked to since she was late. Happy it went okay. Thank you
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