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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Much For Earlier Pick Up?
Crazy8 04:27 AM 07-25-2012
***Ok, don't think I can change the title when I edit but I should not have used the word "DISCOUNT". I am referring to having a SET WEEKLY CONTRACTED rate for each different CONTRACTED pick up time (4, 4:30, 5, etc.). Parents would have to commit to a pick up time - but a 4pm pick up time would be less than a 5pm pick up time. Drop off time does not affect the rate so it has nothing to do with actual hours in attendance!!

I know some of you charge less if pick up is earlier than your max closing time. I have been thinking of doing that. My fees are weekly. How much less per week do you charge for each half hour?? I saw one that was like $5 less a week but I'm not sure that is enough to encourage anyone to do the earlier pick up. Most of my clients are, I wouldn't say wealthy, but they are not really struggling financially either - just normal 2 income families for the most part. I don't take subsidy and honestly, very rarely get a call for someone who is on it - that just isn't really the clientele in my town. So, that said, I think if the rate was say $175 for 4pm pick up and $185 for 5pm pick up they would just pay the $185 to get that extra hour even if they only used it a few times a week, iykwim.

So, for anyone who charges that way - can you tell me the difference in your rates and do clients ever just go with the later time even when they don't need it???
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countrymom 04:52 AM 07-25-2012
don't do "special". I don't think anyone does less for early pick up.
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DBug 05:06 AM 07-25-2012
Doesn't Nannyde do that? If I actually knew how to do a search I'd look it up, but I know it's here on the forum somewhere ...

I agree, my parents would spend the extra 10 bucks a week for 5 extra hours of care. Can you afford to make the price difference bigger? What about charging $3 or $4 for that last hour, making the difference $15 or $20? Would that be enough to tip the scales and still be fair?
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Lilbutterflie 05:43 AM 07-25-2012
I have only full time spots; I can't afford to give them a discount for early pick up. They pay weekly for the full time spot. However, their full time spot only covers them for 10 hours. If they need 11 hrs of care, it's $5 extra per day for that hour. It brings their total weekly up to $25 extra for the 11th hr. But I do it so high to discourage anything over 10 hours.

I think $10-$15/week is about right to charge for an extra hour each day.
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texascare 05:47 AM 07-25-2012
Why would you want to lower your income? I charge by the week and if they pick up early so be it but i don't give them a discount for it. I think it would get confused on who was coming at what time and if they were past that time then I had to remember to charge them the higher rate. I just have set hours and a set rate but each of us are different!
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cheerfuldom 05:47 AM 07-25-2012
I dont do that....but you can search "contracted hours" to see how that is set up.
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momma2girls 06:25 AM 07-25-2012
Nanny de does it and there are others on here that do it as well. I actually thought about doing that, $5.00 per 1/2 an hr. early pick up charge. I was thinking about it though, and decided not to go there. I am afraid mine would say they were always going to pick up at a certain time, but I know they wouldn't do it everyday. Then I have to figure it out everyday, they have late pick up.
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Country Kids 07:03 AM 07-25-2012
I think its based on contracted hours. The way I pictured it when I saw it was parents that went in to their jobs earlier and where able to pick up at an earlier time.

Example:

6-3=150
7-4=160
8-5=170


I think one of them even did it to the 1/2 an hour route also. I would be afraid of them picking up late then you have to figure that all into it also. Also you have to ask yourself will you be willing to take kids earlier?
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Former Teacher 07:10 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by momma2girls:
Nanny de does it and there are others on here that do it as well. I actually thought about doing that, $5.00 per 1/2 an hr. early pick up charge. I was thinking about it though, and decided not to go there. I am afraid mine would say they were always going to pick up at a certain time, but I know they wouldn't do it everyday. Then I have to figure it out everyday, they have late pick up.
Exactly! Number one rule in daycare...never trust a parent.
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Crazy8 07:45 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by momma2girls:
Nanny de does it and there are others on here that do it as well. I actually thought about doing that, $5.00 per 1/2 an hr. early pick up charge. I was thinking about it though, and decided not to go there. I am afraid mine would say they were always going to pick up at a certain time, but I know they wouldn't do it everyday. Then I have to figure it out everyday, they have late pick up.
No, there would be NO late pick ups - If you are contracted till 4pm you pick up at 4pm. I would just like to know what time I am done for a day. I do already have contracted hours but EVERYONE contracts till 5 because that is the latest I will go. Many pick up at 4-4:30 every day but I just never know when they are going to need the 5pm and you know it would be a day I make a 5pm appointment, you know??

I don't think its doing "special" - I'm doing it for ME, not for them. I don't mind the decrease in pay if it means KNOWING when I will be done for a day.

My other option is to just go to giving rates out as a 4:30 end time and then will add the extra half hour for a fee if they absolutely need it.
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Blackcat31 08:01 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by Crazy8:
I know some of you charge less if pick up is earlier than your max closing time. I have been thinking of doing that. My fees are weekly. How much less per week do you charge for each half hour?? I saw one that was like $5 less a week but I'm not sure that is enough to encourage anyone to do the earlier pick up. Most of my clients are, I wouldn't say wealthy, but they are not really struggling financially either - just normal 2 income families for the most part. I don't take subsidy and honestly, very rarely get a call for someone who is on it - that just isn't really the clientele in my town. So, that said, I think if the rate was say $175 for 4pm pick up and $185 for 5pm pick up they would just pay the $185 to get that extra hour even if they only used it a few times a week, iykwim.

So, for anyone who charges that way - can you tell me the difference in your rates and do clients ever just go with the later time even when they don't need it???
I bill that way. I don't bill for hours per day so I could care less when they drop off and never assign a rate based on 8 or 9 hours a day. Instead what I do is take my base weekly rate which is $140.

I assigned my parents who pick up at 3:30 the $140 rate.

Parents who pick up at 4:30 pay me $160 per week (which is $20 more per week) and

the parents who pick up at 5:30 pay me $185 per week (which is $45 more per week)

The additional hour after 3:30 until 4:30 is billed at $4 and the hour between 4:30-5:30 is $5

Before I went this route, I had ALL my dck's ALL day every day but now I am done by 4:30 a couple times a week and still make the base pay ($140) per week that I need to have as income. I don't allow parents to pick and choose different days every week, they have to choose a pick up time and stick with it.

If they want extra hours of care here and there, they need to ok it first with me and put it in writing. I usually allow it, but I feel I have more control over it when they have to formally request it and I also feel it gives parents the option of making their daycare costs cheaper if they choose to do so. That way none of that lies on my shoulders.

Hope that helps.
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MaritimeMummy 08:14 AM 07-25-2012
I couldn't justify doing that. The way I see it, they expect you to be there for a certain number of hours during the day. Those are the hours I provide care. I am not giving a reduced rate if they show up early. It's not my choice that they want to cut their hours short.

I used to offer a full day and half day rate but I had one parent take advantage of it and call me at 9am when her daughter should have been here, and said she wouldn't be bringing her until after lunch, and she wanted the half day rate. My policy is that you pay for days as they are booked. So if you booked a full day, you are paying for a full day. If you booked a half day, you can increase to a full day if I have the space but once you book a full day, you are committed to that day. So I was expecting income that wouldn't end up happening and was having issues with budgeting and so forth. I had to eliminate the half day rate just because of that one mother. So no, I would never offer a reduced rate for early pick up. A child being picked up early is not a factor I can control, it is the parent's decision to do that, and they should not be offered a reduced rate because of it.
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Blackcat31 08:25 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by KHiltz:
I couldn't justify doing that. The way I see it, they expect you to be there for a certain number of hours during the day. Those are the hours I provide care. I am not giving a reduced rate if they show up early. It's not my choice that they want to cut their hours short.

I used to offer a full day and half day rate but I had one parent take advantage of it and call me at 9am when her daughter should have been here, and said she wouldn't be bringing her until after lunch, and she wanted the half day rate. My policy is that you pay for days as they are booked. So if you booked a full day, you are paying for a full day. If you booked a half day, you can increase to a full day if I have the space but once you book a full day, you are committed to that day. So I was expecting income that wouldn't end up happening and was having issues with budgeting and so forth. I had to eliminate the half day rate just because of that one mother. So no, I would never offer a reduced rate for early pick up. A child being picked up early is not a factor I can control, it is the parent's decision to do that, and they should not be offered a reduced rate because of it.
I am not giving a reduced rate if they show up early. I am charging a base rate and they are being charged MORE for over time. So it is a erspective from a different angle.

I get my base weekly rate but receive over time pay for anything over a normal work day. I can still expect my base income and am "rewarded" (more money) for any extra time I need to put in.

I also do not offer half day rates. I ONLY bill weekly.

A child being picked up early isn't something I can control either but the parents sure can.....and do when there are additional fees attached.

So like I said, don't look at it as giving a reduced rate, look at it as getting additional pay for longer hours. Puts it all back on the parents.
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Country Kids 08:39 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I am not giving a reduced rate if they show up early. I am charging a base rate and they are being charged MORE for over time. So it is a erspective from a different angle.

I get my base weekly rate but receive over time pay for anything over a normal work day. I can still expect my base income and am "rewarded" (more money) for any extra time I need to put in.

I also do not offer half day rates. I ONLY bill weekly.

A child being picked up early isn't something I can control either but the parents sure can.....and do when there are additional fees attached.

So like I said, don't look at it as giving a reduced rate, look at it as getting additional pay for longer hours. Puts it all back on the parents.
Just my opinion so Please don't flame me! You say "put it all back on the parents". In my eyes your punishing the parents for having a 8-5 job and then making them pay more for it. I personally would not like to have to pay more because my job is the hours it is.

If a provider wants to be off earlier then just take clients with that shift. I have clients that go to work anywhere from 7-9 and get off anywhere from 4-5. How I figure it is I'm getting paid per client not what hours they work (if that makes sense). Why should someone get to pay less for working 8 hours but gets off earlier and make someone pay more for also working 8 hours but getting off later. It just doesnt make sense to me.
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Crazy8 08:44 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by KHiltz:
I couldn't justify doing that. The way I see it, they expect you to be there for a certain number of hours during the day. Those are the hours I provide care. I am not giving a reduced rate if they show up early. It's not my choice that they want to cut their hours short.

I used to offer a full day and half day rate but I had one parent take advantage of it and call me at 9am when her daughter should have been here, and said she wouldn't be bringing her until after lunch, and she wanted the half day rate. My policy is that you pay for days as they are booked. So if you booked a full day, you are paying for a full day. If you booked a half day, you can increase to a full day if I have the space but once you book a full day, you are committed to that day. So I was expecting income that wouldn't end up happening and was having issues with budgeting and so forth. I had to eliminate the half day rate just because of that one mother. So no, I would never offer a reduced rate for early pick up. A child being picked up early is not a factor I can control, it is the parent's decision to do that, and they should not be offered a reduced rate because of it.
I am not talking about the occasional early pick up. Its been discussed a million times how some do open-close hours and others do contracted - there are pros/cons to each way and each provider does what works for them. Personally, I'd never do open-close hours, it just doesn't work for me.

What I am talking about though is completely different - I already run on contracted hours and will keep it that way BUT I am considering changing my rate structure so that contracting for a later pick up time would result in a higher rate - its not based on how many hours you use a day, etc. just an overall rate difference.

I think my biggest mistake was referring to it as a "discount" in my title - it wouldn't really be a discount - it would just be less to contract for an earlier pick up time. Right now my full time rate is $175, like blackcat did I would start from there (actually, I'd be willing to go a little lower for like a 3:30 pick up but that's my choice!).
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Crazy8 08:51 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by Country Kids:
Just my opinion so Please don't flame me! You say "put it all back on the parents". In my eyes your punishing the parents for having a 8-5 job and then making them pay more for it. I personally would not like to have to pay more because my job is the hours it is.

If a provider wants to be off earlier then just take clients with that shift. I have clients that go to work anywhere from 7-9 and get off anywhere from 4-5. How I figure it is I'm getting paid per client not what hours they work (if that makes sense). Why should someone get to pay less for working 8 hours but gets off earlier and make someone pay more for also working 8 hours but getting off later. It just doesnt make sense to me.
its the same thing as having a shift differential in a job - you work the "less desirable" hours some jobs pay you more for it. You take a job working nights and weekends you will probably be paid more than the one who wants the M-F 9-3 job. Its a fact of life. I wouldn't be "punishing" anyone - it would be the rate if you require a later pick up time. Its just like charging late fees really - and I think ALL of us do that. And mine wouldn't have anything to do with drop off time so it would often be less hours that gets the "break". 7-4 pays less than 7-5.... but it does also mean 8-5 pays less than 7-4 - again, you are paying for that extra hour at the end of the day. If I could find all clients till just 4-4:30 I'd absolutely take them - but I think it would be more unfair to let a 5pm client go just so I can take a 4pm'er.
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Blackcat31 09:04 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by Country Kids:
Just my opinion so Please don't flame me! You say "put it all back on the parents". In my eyes your punishing the parents for having a 8-5 job and then making them pay more for it. I personally would not like to have to pay more because my job is the hours it is.

If a provider wants to be off earlier then just take clients with that shift. I have clients that go to work anywhere from 7-9 and get off anywhere from 4-5. How I figure it is I'm getting paid per client not what hours they work (if that makes sense). Why should someone get to pay less for working 8 hours but gets off earlier and make someone pay more for also working 8 hours but getting off later. It just doesnt make sense to me.
I wouldn't flame you!! Well, I see it like this: All the parents I have do work a pretty normal 8 hour day. They get their lunch breaks and breaks through out the day so I base my day on the same 8 hours. If they work more than 8 hours they get over time so I do as well. I also have almost all two parent families so there is always another parent that can pick up so the days don't have to be 9 or 10 hours long.

Plus, my rate for the full day until 5:30 ($185) is pretty normal for regular daycare providers around here so NONE of my parents feel like I am punishing them or over charging them becuase if they went else where for care, they would be paying the $185 per week either way even if they did only work an 8 hour day which in my opinion is the root of why daycares have kids all day every day....parents are paying for it so why not use it....kwim?

So I came up with a base rate that I could live with. I based my 8 hour day off that rate (which like I said is cheaper than other cares) and then simply added to it for anything over that time. The rates are still just as competitive as the next care place and the control is now in the parents hands.

You also said "How I figure it is I'm getting paid per client not what hours they work (if that makes sense)." See, but I am getting paid by the time I put in NOT per client.

and "Why should someone get to pay less for working 8 hours but gets off earlier and make someone pay more for also working 8 hours but getting off later. It just doesnt make sense to me" Because someone who works the same 8 hour shift but later in the day usually has a spouse that works the earlier 8 hour shift and can easily pick up the child themselves rather than go home and leave the child for the later working parent to pick up.

None of the businesses here in my community have shifts that start any later than 9 at the very latest and that is kind of rare since most jobs in this area begin at 8 or even at 7 am and since I am not open until 7:30, the parent who went to work at 7 can pick up while the parent who is going in after 7:30 when I open does the dropping off.

It has worked wonderfully for me and I will keep doing it. If I hit a snag, I will deal then but so far, there has been no issues with current parents and no complaints from new ones. As a matter of fact, it is very rare for a family to take me up on the longer hours and ALL find ways to cut their costs and love that I give them the ability to do so. IMHO, it only works because my base rate ($140) is the minimum I will take so win-win for everyone.

Does that make more sense?
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daycare 09:07 AM 07-25-2012
I like blackcat's billing..

I am thinking about doing this too and here is why...

I have kids that attend 9.5 hours and some that are only here for 6 hours and they all have to pay the same rate. is that fair?? I don't think so.

The way she is doing it (in my eyes) is much like you would do if they were being charged hourly, except setting it at a base rate instead of having to figure hours each day. Wouldn't those parents that worked longer pay more than those that did not if they paid by the hour???
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My3cents 09:31 AM 07-25-2012
you will end up knowing when they are picking up but you won't be able to plan your money because some weeks will be one rate and other weeks will be another depending on how the parent wants to pay you. I am not for it. I feel you should charge a base rate- then if they go over that time charge more. I always find out what the needs are, what the hours they work- I am open from 7-5 but if you work at 9 and get done at 3- come and get your kid. Your child should be with you if able. That time is important to a child and families. Now- if you tell me ahead of time- I can decide if I want to go over 3 till 5 or extend my hours on either side. Contracted hours with a base rate is the best way to go- In my contract it says that if you are late plan to come with cash in hand and call me, and don't put me in a place to have to ask for it. I am also forgiving for the occasional late honest parent. I also tell my parents don't ever rush to get to daycare- I want no one having a car accident or accident because they are scared of late fees or my closing time. I don't want that on my shoulders for life- I stress respect. I have learned a lot of that here :-)

Above has given me respect- and both sides feel good about the arrangement. My parents love that if they need "babysitting" beyond daycare hours that unless I have something going I usually am willing to do this for them and they treat me well for it.

One more thing- I only have so many slots available to take up. I need to make a good wage. I work darn hard!!!

best-
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Country Kids 09:43 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by daycare:
I like blackcat's billing..

I am thinking about doing this too and here is why...

I have kids that attend 9.5 hours and some that are only here for 6 hours and they all have to pay the same rate. is that fair?? I don't think so.

The way she is doing it (in my eyes) is much like you would do if they were being charged hourly, except setting it at a base rate instead of having to figure hours each day. Wouldn't those parents that worked longer pay more than those that did not if they paid by the hour???
I see what your saying but all my families that are here 8 hours pay the same no matter what time they pick up, same with the ones that work 9 hours. Some may pick up at 4 some pick up at 5 but they pay the same because the rate is the same for 9 hours no matter what time they pick up. Its the hourly rate x the hours=amount. So my 6-3 would pay the same as my 8-5 as they are both 9 hours, one just leaves earlier.
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MaritimeMummy 09:52 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I bill that way. I don't bill for hours per day so I could care less when they drop off and never assign a rate based on 8 or 9 hours a day. Instead what I do is take my base weekly rate which is $140.

I assigned my parents who pick up at 3:30 the $140 rate.

Parents who pick up at 4:30 pay me $160 per week (which is $20 more per week) and

the parents who pick up at 5:30 pay me $185 per week (which is $45 more per week)

The additional hour after 3:30 until 4:30 is billed at $4 and the hour between 4:30-5:30 is $5

Before I went this route, I had ALL my dck's ALL day every day but now I am done by 4:30 a couple times a week and still make the base pay ($140) per week that I need to have as income. I don't allow parents to pick and choose different days every week, they have to choose a pick up time and stick with it.

If they want extra hours of care here and there, they need to ok it first with me and put it in writing. I usually allow it, but I feel I have more control over it when they have to formally request it and I also feel it gives parents the option of making their daycare costs cheaper if they choose to do so. That way none of that lies on my shoulders.

Hope that helps.
Just wondering how you would handle part time children? I have 4 childcare spaces and only one of them is full time. Then one comes 2 days a week and another comes 3 days a week, and the 4th child's mom gives me a schedule of her shift works and books what days she needs me per week based on that. So I could have that child anywhere from 1 to 4 days a week. She chose me for child care based on my flexibility, it would be unfair to start charging on a weekly basis. I like your method but I don't think it would work for me. :-(
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Blackcat31 10:36 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by KHiltz:
Just wondering how you would handle part time children? I have 4 childcare spaces and only one of them is full time. Then one comes 2 days a week and another comes 3 days a week, and the 4th child's mom gives me a schedule of her shift works and books what days she needs me per week based on that. So I could have that child anywhere from 1 to 4 days a week. She chose me for child care based on my flexibility, it would be unfair to start charging on a weekly basis. I like your method but I don't think it would work for me. :-(
I completely see where you are coming from as far as not feeling it would be fair, to start billing by the week as I too used to really base my business on being flexible but after nearly two decades of doing this, I am no longer as flexible as I once was.

ALL my families pay a weekly rate. Even if they only need three days. Their rate would be a bit cheaper as I do like having quieter days but they still take up a whole spot. Plus, over the years, I have learned that my stress came from managing the part timers and flexible schedules so I decided to stop doing that and simply offer spaces per week. I used to have 20 kids enrolled and I had to spend a good deal of time working around one parent's day off and fitting another part timer in but then only to have the first mom come back and want to switch days up.....waaaaay too much work.

Now I look at it this way: I am licensed for 10-12 kids. I have 10-12 spaces period. Each child gets ONE space and the parent gets access to the whole week. No juggling for me and no worries if their schedules change. I do the flat $140 for families who maybe only need 3 days per week but need different days each week because it is still tough to juggle that and work other kids around there off days and still maintain an income I can budget with.

For the families who want flexibility, they understand that if they pay for the whole week, then they don't have to worry about space not being available. I would probably work out a rate that is fair to both myself and to them if they only came 3 days a week but wanted 10 hour days for those 3 days. Having 2 quieter days (where the kid doesn't attend) would be a fair trade to having a kid here for 10 hours per day as long as it is only 3 days.

All my families also have to give me their schedule including times so I still know what time I will be off for the day.

I use my basic billing as a standard format but that isn't meaning I won't work out arrangements to meet everyone's needs. I am a child care provider so I do understand the need to at least compromise. I just don't want to be dealing with so much change and differing hours and days for part time families so I now charge per child per week. Simplifies it in my opinion for not only me but the parents as well.....and is much easier on my personal budget and paycheck.

I honestly don't deal with too many part time families as good daycare is not too easy to find around here so parents know full well that they need to make sure they have space available to them when they need it so that means paying too.

I don't normally take kids that don't come a minimum of 3 days per week. If they do want to use me, then that would be drop in care for several reasons: I can't make a good living/income from drop in kids and because the drop in kids are tough to manage when they don't come routinely. My drop in rate is a daily rate and is $45 per day. I have two moms who use it. I see their kids 4 days a week sometimes and only 1 time another week or maybe not at all for a few weeks as it depends so that parent pays a higher cost for a more flexible schedule.

I choose to do things this way so I could budget and know ahead of time what my income will be each week/month. Anything beyond my base rate per week is a bonus.

Hopefully all that makes sense?
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countrymom 11:11 AM 07-25-2012
I would do contract hours, then you have an idea what time they will come. If you give the parent your hours then of course they are going to come and go as they please. By having contract hours gives you some control. I started doing this 2 yrs ago and its amazing, and people pick up on time. But I do charge up to 9 hours, during thier contract hours, anything past their 9 hours is an additional fee. But I do close at 5pm so I don't take clients past 5pm.

by offering early pick up discounts, you are going to have to keep immaculate records, because at the end of the week your going to have to prove that the parent picked up early. Just too much headache.
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Crazy8 11:17 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by My3cents:
you will end up knowing when they are picking up but you won't be able to plan your money because some weeks will be one rate and other weeks will be another depending on how the parent wants to pay you. I am not for it. I feel you should charge a base rate- then if they go over that time charge more. I always find out what the needs are, what the hours they work- I am open from 7-5 but if you work at 9 and get done at 3- come and get your kid. Your child should be with you if able.

best-
I think you are totally missing the idea here - cause we are talking about the exact same thing. It WOULD be a base rate, they'd pay the SAME AMOUNT every single week, I would know exactly how much I'd be making AND I would know the latest a parent would pick up. BUT I would know that time is 4pm, not a possible 5pm.

I guess I haven't been stating this clearly, I think BlackCat is the only one who understands cause its what she does.

The problem has been my parents always contracted to 5pm even though they know they are picking up earlier every day. This isn't even about parents who go home for an hour before picking up their kids - this is about the parent who ALMOST ALWAYS comes right at 3:30 or 4pm or whatever time. The problem is that on that piece of paper it says they COULD pick up as late as 5pm. I want to get rid of that. That is what I mean when I say I want to know what time I am done - I don't want to be held back from making appointments/plans because there is always the chance that they could pick that day to do something till 5pm. Of course if a family needs a later time (till my max) I can do it but I want it to be something they have to request - not just something that is in their contract so they can use "just in case".

Does that make any more sense???
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Crazy8 11:20 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by countrymom:
I would do contract hours, then you have an idea what time they will come. If you give the parent your hours then of course they are going to come and go as they please. By having contract hours gives you some control. I started doing this 2 yrs ago and its amazing, and people pick up on time. But I do charge up to 9 hours, during thier contract hours, anything past their 9 hours is an additional fee. But I do close at 5pm so I don't take clients past 5pm.

by offering early pick up discounts, you are going to have to keep immaculate records, because at the end of the week your going to have to prove that the parent picked up early. Just too much headache.
again, I guess I really worded my first post wrong. I AM talking about doing contracted hours, all paid in advance - not one day you pick up early you get a discount. That wasn't what I was saying at all!!!! I would be doing the exact same thing you are doing BUT if someone contracts 7-4pm they pay $175, if someone contracts 7-5pm they need to pay $185 or 195 or whatever. That is the way it was SUPPOSED to be from the beginning (not the rate difference, but them contracting the hours they need) BUT I always get "well, whats the latest I can contract?" and then they put down 5pm.
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countrymom 11:42 AM 07-25-2012
I get it, they pay extra after lets say 9 hours. so its an extra charge (heck we all do it) but you know what I've been doing, is asking parents what their work schedual is, this way then I know they are not just doing anything. I never blurt out what time I'm open to, I keep asking the parents the hours they need, if they start skirting the question, then I know that they want to dump their kids all day, and it aint happening here.
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Blackcat31 11:54 AM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by Crazy8:
***Ok, don't think I can change the title when I edit but I should not have used the word "DISCOUNT".
I removed the word "discount" from your thread title.

Yes, I do get it. I am available to work until 5:30 but really want to know which days I won't be needed that long so I can make appointments or simply have a shorter day.

If you say you are going to close at 5:30.....parents hear "you can leave your kids here until I close no matter what time you are done work" and then they do.

Even when there are parents who pick up early, you always get that one family who will not show up until the minute you are closing.


~Countrymom.......I do keep immaculate records but only have to work with a max of 10-12 families (usually less as some kids are sibs) and I personally write their drop off and pick up times on the sign in sheet myself and hand them the clip board to sign and date. NO arguements possible.

Easy peasy and literally takes maybe 30 seconds per family and even with 10-12 families that is still only approx 5 minutes per day so not very much hassle at all.
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Crazy8 12:23 PM 07-25-2012
Originally Posted by countrymom:
I get it, they pay extra after lets say 9 hours. so its an extra charge (heck we all do it) but you know what I've been doing, is asking parents what their work schedual is, this way then I know they are not just doing anything. I never blurt out what time I'm open to, I keep asking the parents the hours they need, if they start skirting the question, then I know that they want to dump their kids all day, and it aint happening here.
This is how I always planned my "contracted hours" to be... its why I never "publicize" my rates, etc. but somehow it ended up where they are all contracted till my latest time when many don't need it and don't use it - but I still can't plan something because that will be the one time they do use it!

Blackcat, thanks for fixing the title - I think that one word was throwing some people, LOL!
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Country Kids 12:53 PM 07-25-2012
This is why in a way hourly works wonderful! You get those people that want to have their children there all day long each and every day till they get the bill then they see there is cost involved and it hits them hard.

Thats when they get realistic about their hours with you then!
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