Sorry I posted earlier on this but thought if I reposted without the huge story connected to it, I might get some more info from center workers or former center workers.

If a DCM wants only 1.5 hours at the end of the work day for 4 days. BUT might need a few hours more here or there. AND does some holiday seasonal work which would put her at needing full days during those weeks, (I think the standard cost for daycare here is between 20.00 and 25.00 per day.)

How and how much would a center charge for this?

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Personally, if she is wanting full time at any time I would require her to pay for full time. If she needs a few hours here or there then she can pay the drop in rate for the day or an hourly rate (minimum of 2 hours), but needs to understand this space is not a guarantee. If the mom wants a guaranteed space then I would require her to pay the full time rate. If she's only needing two or three days ( the same days) then I would charge a part time rate. Hope that helps.

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Sounds kind of like Aftercare, which we charge $60/week (that's 3pm to 6pm). On no school/holiday days its full day care which is an additional $15/per day on top of the $60.

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Luvnmykidz : Ok. So if your full time rate is 20 a day for 5 days, would you then be charging her 20 a day for 4 days (even for just those 1.5 hours a day) if she didn't need 5 days, but still wanted a guaranteed spot? Or would it be slightly higher per day than your full time 5 days a week since it's hard for you to find someone else that just wants one day?

Would you not just consider her after care? Or would after care not be the case since she is only 16 months and would then mess with your toddler numbers?

I guess the answer is that a center would not work with her on her seasonal job unless she secured a full time time spot. Meaning she would have to risk them or a daycare provider not having a spot open for her drop in situation for the seasonal job?

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Mslisa: It does sound a lot like after care except that she only needs 4 days a week. And the seasonal thing would likely be about a month in feb and a month before Christmas.

Would a center work with her on that type of schedule? Or would she just have to take the hit and sign up for full time in order to be guaranteed the seasonal full time? I wasn't sure how much of a sure thing drop in care would be at a center. Can you give me a better idea if the fulltime rate is 20 a day? That is how much they would charge for fulltime or after care or drop in?

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Three days or less is considered part time here. So her needing 4 days will still require her to pay for all 5 days. If the child was at least 2 I would offer her the after care rate for full time. Since the child is under 24 months it would affect my infant ratio so I would charge the full time rate unless she wanted to do drop in with the understanding about it not being a guarantee. My reason for not charging a lesser rate is, I can see the low rate causing the hours to quickly increase. Also I think a center would charge a flat rate for full time .

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Rates vary A LOT by area. You really can't go by what someone in another state or even another city would charge for the same type of care. I would take what is an average rate for your area and come up with an hourly rate from that. Some centers offer drop in, others do not. Some always have availability, others have wait lists!

If it fit in my schedule and didn't mess with my numbers for other children I would take her on a set weekly rate for the 4 days/1.5 hours. Probably around $40-48/week for me ($10-12/day). I would not guarantee the availability for full days the 1-2 months out of the year she needs it, but if I had it available it would be at my drop in rate ($45/day for me).

ETA: I see your local daily rates are about half of what mine would be, so I would use that as your guide but honestly, her finding the type of care she needs in a center would be tough - so I would charge at least a half day rate for the 1.5 hours and still would not guarantee the space for when her seasonal job starts.

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I posted this response twice since I posted twice about this. Sorry about the redundancy.

I think my plan is going to be either:

A. to keep it at 20.00 per day whether 10 hours or 1.5. This will allow her to drop her off at 3:30pm or at 8:30am depending on whether she needs a full day during the extra seasonal job or if she just needs to drop early for an appt. or what ever she might have going on.

B. to drop the rate to 15.00. The reason I would not consider the 10.00 is because I watch NO OTHER dck. Just hers. So having the drop off/pick up in the middle of the day pins me to the house until evening. Sure I can leave in the am to do something, BUT, I would constantly being checking my watch in order to get back home in time for drop off. BUT if she needs an earlier drop than that, say 1:30, then it would go back up to 20.00. If it were an earlier drop off/pick up then I would go to 10.00 because I would have the rest of the day to be away from the house if I wanted/needed to.

Thanks all for all your advice and help! It is very MUCH appreciated!

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As a former owner of a center, I wouldn't do this. You would have to count that child in your ratios, therefore he would occupy a full time spot without paying for it. If this is your only child, I still wouldn't do it. You are committing part of your day for very little benefit to you.

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I would charge $12.50/day for the "after care" and for days she was there more than 2 hours I would charge $30/day (which was my full time rate for a single day). With that said, no way would I have actually entered into this arrangement with a child so young.

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