sigh, I know this happens to a lot of people on here and it has become the norm but it's still so bothersome. Had 2 inquires from parents that are not willing to pay for daycare. it's so frustrating. how much are they willing to pay anyways? 50 cent an hour? my rate is only 3.5 an hour and 5 part time and I'm having people tell me it's too much... really? Are they serious? Not only that they want me to extend my hours and want saturday as well!!!!! no way. These people are driving me nuts.

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good for you for standing your ground. I have never had anyone tell me I charge too much, but I have been asked what their payments cover and once they hear that, they realize that I am not pocketing all of the money they say ok.

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Oh, I have had parents tell me how expensive I was! That was way back when I charged $$2.00/2.25 an hour. They were with me for several years and when the next baby was born it was enrolled at a center. I couldn't believe it!

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Yeah, I told them that this will cover breakfast, am and pm snack, and also lunch. I am not a babysitting service. I am licensed and I have a curriculum I followed and apparently it is not appreciated by these parent who feel like they should not be paying for daycare. This one parent was like " you know other places charge x amount...but they are not license. and like i don't want to pay too cheap because that mean the quality of the care suck." and yet my is the average rate and she is complaining that it is way too much? I am so dumbfounded...seriously lady you may excuse yourself off my property now. NEXT...

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Oh my goodness. The lady that I spoke to was considering another place for a grand! and yet she is complaining about my place! I'm sorry she has to pay a lot for daycare, but she has two kids so go figure! it's not my fault that she has two kids... and all she can do is come here and complain about how expensive child care is...

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My standard response is, "If you are looking for the cheapest child care you can find, I am not the right fit for your family. If you are looking to pay for quality child care for your child, then you get what you pay for here." Shuts them up every single time.

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There used to be a REALLY awful daycare just down the road from me - NEVER (and I truly mean NEVER) go outside; hot dogs, ramen noodles or kraft dinner every single day for lunch; she has 10 kids (plus three of her own) almost all of whom are under age 3; she smokes (on the step, with the front door open) and she's open from 6am to 9pm. She charges something like $10/day! I used to send everyone who told me I'm "too pricey" or "I cannot afford THAT!" to her.... for some reason, they all would end up calling me back. LOL!

I just don't care or react to comments like that any more, I just say "That's fine, good luck in your search" and carry on. I find a lot of people who complain about prices are expecting us to negotiage because when I end the conversation so non-chalant, many seem to change their minds immediately and say "Ok, well MAYBE I can swing it afterall"... but I don't play games like that.

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I charge 35$ a day and am open for 10 hours (6 30- 4 30). Do you know that I have families who have weekly cleaning ladies who they pay 30$ an hour to?

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and they don't think twice about it!!!

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Try telling the people, I'll call and negotiate with the electric company and cable company and if they'll negotiate my monthly rate to a lower amount, then I'll give you lower daycare cost. Hmm, don't think that will happen. I don't negotiate. My rates are what my rates are.

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Normal center rates here are 25$ a day

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I don't know where you're located so maybe your prices are average or even low for your city....and of course you have the right to set them how you see fit.

But in my area, the best (great reviews/high ratings, clean, bright, healthy food provided, preschool program, great toys and art time, etc.) centers charge $160-$195/week. Centers have a lot of advantages to parents: open 10-12 hours so no more stressing about traffic/being late, backup teachers so no stress of missing work/finding backup care if your provider is unavailable, most offer remote access webcams so you can check on your kiddo at work, etc.

You're pricing yourself right in the middle of them at $3.5/hour for full time care (for most parents, that'd be about $175/week).

That being said, we have our daughter with a fantastic home provider for $120/week (3 days at 9.5 hrs/day so about $4.20/hr) and couldn't be happier. But it's only affordable for us because the other two days a family member watches her just for the cost of gas so our total OOP is just $145/week.

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DCmama, when you told them about what their fees cover, you left out a laundry list of things. One of the big ones for me is insurance. both for the daycare and for my auto. Together they run me about $600.00

Also, there are a lot of home DC that are just babysitters because this is what they offer, which is fine. You really have to pep up your program and sell yourself.

LIke. I offer a preschool program for all ages from 9am -1pm with extended care. Then add in all your bells and whistles. What makes you different than other providers in your area. Do you offer field trips? special lessons? Do you transport kids? Do you specialize in anything? Really get descriptive and sell yourself the best you can. Once you have defined a title for your daycare/preschool you will have no problem selling your program. I won't say that I am the most expensive, but I charge more than most home daycares in my area because of the type of program that I offer.

Also, do you have a website?

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I would like to think that i am different but perhaps you can give me pointers. I have a b.a. In child development, worked in a child devleopment center for 5 years, got infant/toddler unit, licensed, offer 2 to 8 kids, field trips, transportation, after school care, homework help and kinder prep for children who will start kinder soon. And yes i have a website. You know i just dont think this woman trust me because of my age. When i told her i do field trips she was like," are you sure you can take care of all of them by yourself?" I told her of course and it would still be by regulation because regulation call for 1 to 8 unless they are infants. Overall she just not the right fit for me and i am not for her. I dont like how she cant make up her mine and feel a little disrespected by her additude. She really underestimate me because I'm asian andnis younger than her. She was like yeah the other place with white people does this and that and is expensive. Asian people usually charge cheaper why are you not at the same rate as them? My kids are easy. Just because you are licensedz
...blah blah. Im like i think we are done here. You clearly dont see the value in what i offer. Its okay, i still have other people i am meeting with so we should both think about it. End of story. Its just annoying. I think she just want someone to watch her children for cheap and not care about the program itself. I told her i document children progress and take pictures and take observations but she was like "oh thats too much i dont need that" omg okay but thats my program...so thats what i do miss...

Sorry typing on ipad is a little hard

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she was commenting on race? oh goodness...yeah that interview would end right there. you know she was expecting you to be stupid or be a slave just because of your ethnicity. if anyone EVER referenced me not be white, they would be gone immediately!

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It was disrespectful to do that in someone house. Its werid she is the same race at me so at the same time its like she's dissing herself. Oh well her son is cute but not cute enough for me to have to deal with this type of abuse. Next--

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