What Are Your Business Hours? Do You Make Exceptions?

[JLH]

What hours are you open? Do you make exceptions? The reason I ask is that I am open from 6am to 5:30pm. I open at 6 for one kid (3 days per week) and no one else comes in until 7. Also, I have one mom who asked to bring her child at 5 am on occasion but it is now turning into an everyday thing. Am I just being whiny or do other providers work 12 to 13 hours per day too? I'm thinking about changing my hours from 7 to 5:30 and terminating my 2 problem families, which are the only 2 that show up so early.

[canadiancare]

06h30-16h30

Weather or traffic accident exceptions, only.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Originally Posted by JLH

What hours are you open? Do you make exceptions? The reason I ask is that I am open from 6am to 5:30pm. I open at 6 for one kid (3 days per week) and no one else comes in until 7. Also, I have one mom who asked to bring her child at 5 am on occasion but it is now turning into an everyday thing. Am I just being whiny or do other providers work 12 to 13 hours per day too? I'm thinking about changing my hours from 7 to 5:30 and terminating my 2 problem families, which are the only 2 that show up so early.

I would absolutely do that!

I opened my business working 8:00-5:00. I then took on a child that needed to come in at 7:00am, subsequently letting other people arrive early if they needed it. I also began closing at 6:00.
I charged nothing extra for an early opening time and charged $1.50/15 minutes in the evening for that extra hour.

I recently switched back to 8:00-5:00 business hours and it has greatly improved my energy levels, mood, and ability to get things done. If I ever had to work 10 hours in the future, I would only offer a 7:00 opening with extra pay.

[AnneCordelia]

My hours are 7-5. I would open as early as 6am for $10/hour but not as a regular thing. I would not stay open past 5pm for any reason ever, not for any amount of money.

[Texasjeepgirl]

I'm open 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
I have a chain link fence enclosing my parking area and entry to my building...
I have told clients that if they make advance arrangements I will unlock the gate at 6:30 a.m... not one minute earlier.....
and only because by then I am showered...and standing in the bathroom that is in the daycare room.. working on hair and face...
My parent handbook has THIS in it:
CLOSING TIME AND LATE PICK UP FEES
My daycare home closes at 5:30 p.m. SHARP.
My closing time IS NOT NEGOTIABLE.
Please remember you have enrolled your child in a home-based childcare. I have a family of my own and I plan family time and activities for after I close. Therefore I charge a late fee of $1 per minute past my closing time. This late fee also applies if I have posted a notice closing earlier than 5:30 p.m. In the past, I have tried to be good natured and understanding, however it does not change the fact that leaving children late DOES inconvenience me. If you have made arrangements with another person to pick up your child, be certain they are aware of my closing time for that day. You will be responsible for late fees if your child is picked up late by another individual.

[nanglgrl]

My hours are 7:30-3:30. Throughout the years I have done all shifts but my regular hours were about 7:30-5:30 for the majority of the time. Over the last few years I've always had one family that needed me until 5:30 and the rest left earlier so I got rid of them and filled the spot with another child that leaves at 3:30. I hope to never go back! I would stay open a little later if it was a once in a while thing (by that I mean once maybe every 6 months) but I would charge for it. Luckily none of my parents need me later.

[melilley]

My hours are 6-6, but the families I have come around 7:30 and leave by 5:30. I do have one starting that will come later, but will stay until 6 sometimes 6:10, and I am not charging. I may regret it later, but I'm home anyways and if it doesn't work out, I'll just have to tell them. We will see!

[BumbleBee]

I generally have kids here from 7:15am-5:45pm. I had open hours from 6:15am-5:45pm but I switched to contracted hours.

One family needs a 6am drop off (p/u @ 3) and they pay time & a 1/2 for that hour btwn 6 & 7am. Ex: Instead of $3 an hour they pay $4.50 for 6-7am then $3 an hour from 7-3.

Another family needs a 7pm p/u one day a week. They also pay time & 1/2 for the last hour between 6 & 7pm.

I usually work 7am-6pm so 11 hours a day.

Every once & awhile I have the 6am drop off AND the 7pm p/u on the same day so it's 13 hours.

I'm doing it for now because my 6am family is my golden family and my 7pm family are moving at the end of the school year. After that I will be 7am-6pm and anything outside of those hours will be at my discretion at a higher rate.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by JLH

What hours are you open?

I open about 15 minutes prior to the first scheduled child. I close when the last kid is scheduled to be picked up.

I will NOT work before 7:30 or after 5:15.

Originally Posted by JLH

Do you make exceptions?

Used to. Now? NEVER.

[HomeMADE]

I open at 5am every day and close at 6pm. 13 hours!!!

My first client was a sibling group 2 days a week 6:30am to 6pm. Then I got a call for a full time infant 5am - 3pm. So I am sucking it up right now. All of my other families leave between 3pm and 4pm. I may have to change but the kids that are here until 6pm are awesome children with awesome parents. The only issue is I can't leave the house at all. By the time my husband gets home with the kids many days I have Cabin Fever.

I feel like I am a slave to the $$$. In about 6 months our sacrifices right now will pay off financially and I won't have to make the crazy sacrifices.

[MarinaVanessa]

Originally Posted by JLH

What hours are you open? Do you make exceptions? The reason I ask is that I am open from 6am to 5:30pm. I open at 6 for one kid (3 days per week) and no one else comes in until 7. Also, I have one mom who asked to bring her child at 5 am on occasion but it is now turning into an everyday thing. Am I just being whiny or do other providers work 12 to 13 hours per day too? I'm thinking about changing my hours from 7 to 5:30 and terminating my 2 problem families, which are the only 2 that show up so early.

My hours are 7am-6pm but i have one client that I have a contract with that comes every other Friday and monday from 6:20am to 4pm. I made an exception because it's only every other week. My next client arrives at 7:30am but I'm up by 6am already to get my DD ready for school so I don't mind.

If I already opened at 6am however and a client wanted to bring a kid at 5am I doubt I'd be okay with that. Especially if the client said "occasionally" and it turned out to be frequently. I'd talk to her about it and point out that it was never supposed to be a regular thing and tell her what your definition of "occasionally" means (once a week, twice a month etc). If she needs more early mornings than you are willing to accommodate then suggest she needs to find a daycare that opens earlier than you do.

[JLH]

Originally Posted by JLH

What hours are you open? Do you make exceptions? The reason I ask is that I am open from 6am to 5:30pm. I open at 6 for one kid (3 days per week) and no one else comes in until 7. Also, I have one mom who asked to bring her child at 5 am on occasion but it is now turning into an everyday thing. Am I just being whiny or do other providers work 12 to 13 hours per day too? I'm thinking about changing my hours from 7 to 5:30 and terminating my 2 problem families, which are the only 2 that show up so early.

Thank you all so much for the advice. I'm so happy to hear that I'm not the only one out there that is a slave to the money! lol I think I am going to wait until I have a couple of new kids to fill the spots and then change my hours to 7 am to 5:30 pm.

[Willow]

7:15am-5:15pm

With the exception of parents needing major emergency surgeries, having severe traffic accidents, birthing another child or meeting an untimely death I don't operate outside of those hours.

[daycarediva]

Originally Posted by Willow

7:15am-5:15pm

With the exception of parents needing major emergency surgeries, having severe traffic accidents, birthing another child or meeting an untimely death I don't operate outside of those hours.

I seriously just laughed SO HARD at this!

I am open from 7:30-6. NO EXCEPTIONS. I also do contracted hours, so even though I am open at 7:30, only one family has contracted for that time and rarely shows up before 7:45, the same with 6, that is only for 1 family and they rarely use/need it.

[MyAngels]

I am open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Not a minute earlier. Not a minute later. Ever.

[Springdaze]

Im open 7-6. from now on I am asking what hours they need and those will be my hours. I would never do 5am because I wouldnt be able to get up!

[bunnyslippers]

7:30-4:00. I do not do earlier or later, unless there is an emergency, weather, etc. And those excuses are not taken unless I know it is true.

[Sunnyyy1]

6:30 to 6:30... No exceptions my day is long enough

[DaisyMamma]

I work 8:30-6:00 and I'm in the process of changing my closing to 5:30.

Whenever I allow for earlier drop offs I regret it, regardless of price, however, I might consider 8:00 opening if I need to make up for the 5:30 closing.

I won't allow for later pickups. I have young kids myself.

[momofboys]

I am open 7-4:45 but my current clients typically don't come until 7:30ish & both pick up between 4:30/4:40ish. Just tested on making exceptions - I used to just think if a parent asked I had to oblige, but that was years ago - used to have a DCM who would make all her personal dr appts for 4:15/4:30 & expect me to keep all 3 of her kids past her 4:45 pick-up time. I had to set her straight on that, "Judy, if you are going to make your appts that late you need to pick your kids up BEFORE heading to the doctor's" - from them on she scheduled them for 3:30 So I used to make exceptions but now if I am asked I just say I am not available after closing & I rarely will make an exception. I am trying to firmly adhere to the premise - DCP's problems are not my problems.

[MarinaVanessa]

Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa

My hours are 7am-6pm but i have one client that I have a contract with that comes every other Friday and monday from 6:20am to 4pm. I made an exception because it's only every other week. My next client arrives at 7:30am but I'm up by 6am already to get my DD ready for school so I don't mind.

If I already opened at 6am however and a client wanted to bring a kid at 5am I doubt I'd be okay with that. Especially if the client said "occasionally" and it turned out to be frequently. I'd talk to her about it and point out that it was never supposed to be a regular thing and tell her what your definition of "occasionally" means (once a week, twice a month etc). If she needs more early mornings than you are willing to accommodate then suggest she needs to find a daycare that opens earlier than you do.

I just realized that I get to change this answer. I'm giving this family a 2 week notice on Monday and will no longer have clients arriving before my opening time

[momofboys]

Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa

I just realized that I get to change this answer. I'm giving this family a 2 week notice on Monday and will no longer have clients arriving before my opening time

, KUP on how they take it!

[sahm1225]

Im open from 7-5:30pm.

I USED to make exceptions for earlier drop offs and pick ups. I don't anymore. Every single one that asked for an exception ended up taking advantage and making it an every day thing - it was ridiculous! I changed my hours permanently from 6:15 to 7am and I can see a HUGE difference in me (I am not as tired or worn out, my energy level and moods increased, etc.)

[Candy]

I was going to do 6-6 but then realized that i'm not that much of a morning person. So probably do from 7:30-5:30

[blandino]

We are open from 7 am - 5:30 pm. No exceptions. Twice in the past year I have had parents need me Pre-arranged for a few hours after we close (and they paid additional fees) but those are the only "exceptions" I can think of.

There was a client we were very much interested in working with, but she needed care until 6:15, and I just honestly wasn't up to adding another 45 min to my work day.

[Lyss]

I'm open 7:30 to 5:30.

I did do an exception for one family and opened early at 6:30 for one DCB but I learned my lesson (especially when DCM assumed that she could change her schedule to an even earlier drop off time and I'd just do it)

[frgsonmysox]

I'm different than most. I'm open 24/7. I have one family that drops off at 3:30 am, and another that picks up at 8:30 pm. I'm basically on duty all the time. I'm totally okay with that. My family is military, we live in a military community, and I cater to the military. Their schedules are weird, hard, and change at a moments notice. Thats the type of people I want in my care. They are my family.

[williams2008]

I have opened earlier and closed later for some dcfs and I wouldn't dare do it again!