I have a friend that contacted me about daycare for her daughter for the school year. She will come Monday-Friday from 10:45 am - 1:30 pm. Occasionally she gets asked to work 7 am - 1 pm also. I charge daily so I consider full time to be 4-5 days per week. Normally I would charge my regular rate but because it's such short hours I feel bad charging her the full rate but I don't want to short change myself either. Just wondering what any of you would do in this situation?

Reply

Some providers do part time and full time by total number of hours. When I provided part time care, and it seemed like small hours, I did it by hours instead of days.

For instance, part time for me is less than 25 hours a week. Anything more than that is full time. However, if they are here my minimum four days a week, regardless of hours, they are taking up a full time spot and likely you can't fill in those empty times with another child.

However, if she picks up by 230 pm at the latest, I would likely not charge her my max full time price. So if my full time rate were $125 I would likely charge her $90 a week for e schedule yu presented. But that's only if you don't mind having a full time spot taken up for less an full time pay.

Reply

Do what you need to so you feel like your getting paid fairly.
One thing to think of is that although she is your friend you won't be working less for her child -kwim?

Reply

First consider that working with a friend might not be a good idea. If you're ok with it then charge your regular rate as you would charge anyone else. Otherwise you might end up feeling cheated and resentful.
Personally I would charge a half time rate for those hours. My full day rate is $40 and my half day rate is $25. I would charge $25 per day and no extra for the days with the longer hours.
Bottom line is that she is only there 3 hours but she does take up a space.

Reply

You want to discount because the hours are short but you can't fill the space around her so YOU would be taking the loss due to HER needs....

When you say yes to others, make sure you aren't saying no to yourself.

This mom will not be losing out on anything. She will NOT be taking a loss on money due to any of this. She isn't going to get discounted care or anything like that so why should you be the one who "gives" in this situation? What's in it for YOU?

Reply

I don't take children of family, friends or neighbors... but if I did, I would still charge my usual full-time monthly rate. I do not provide part-time rates - and if I did, I would not provide a part time rate for a varying shift... how would you ever fill the "other half" of the space when the shift changes?

This child is taking a full time space, DCM should be charged for a full time space.

Reply

I charge everyone hourly, but perhaps charge her for a half day (not necessarily exactly half, but like another poster said, $25 rather than the $40 standard)

Maybe give her an hourly rate that does similar? So 10:30 - 1:30 would be say... $5 an hour, and if she has longer days, you get paid more.
My thoughts would be, what if it turned into 2 or 3? What if she starts working all the time at 7am? Are you ok with pickup in the middle of what might be naptime?

Reply

I would say. I still need to charge you for the f/t rate because she will be taking up 5 days. Coming right before lunch she will most of the fun and learning activities. How about you plan on bringing her by 8:45 each day and pick up after rest time at 3. Otherwise she misses the best part of the day and is not tired at rest time either.

Reply

I agree.

Although, I feel nervous for you taking on a friend as a client. Will this friend expect you to be accommodating when her child gets sick? Will she be offended if you charge her a late fee? Will she get upset when you say no to a request because it isn't a part of your routine?

Reply

If I took her, I would charge a full day. It would be too hard to find someone to "fill" the hours she isn't there, therefore she is taking up a full time slot.

Reply

I don't believe in taking friends as clients, UNLESS you are a no nonsense, upfront, don't hide behind your smile person. The reality is that this friendship may end if that the business relationship gets tension. Tip: listen to her as she talks, how does she talk about people who've wronged her? How does she treat waitresses? That will let you know how shell be treating you in your business relationship. How someone is at a restaurant says volumes about their overall personality. Hope this helps.

FYI, I have two friends as clients but I am very upfront, a little too much as im told

Also, charge what YOU feel comfortable with....NOT what THEY would be comfortable with..

Reply

a spot is a spot in my opinion. You have operating hours and if she wants the spot she can have access to those hours for that fee.

I have done favours in the past when starting out and in almost every circumstance it bit me in the butt. Friends who thought nothing of taking my special rates but then going on several great vacations etc.

Now I do flat rate 06h30-16h30- you use the hours you want but you pay me 35$ a day.

Reply

Keep in mind when you do the rate, that while most days will be short hours, you are being asked to be available from 6:30am-1:30pm (7hrs) at any given time. So that limits even filling in the spot in with BA care. If you give her a part time rate, I would make sure to charge her a little more on those longer days (she's getting paid more that day too), and it's possible those occasional days could turn into much more often if where she works gets busier. If you give her those days free, or don't spell out exactly how many she's allowed, she will continue to expect it for no extra cost if the longer days increase.

Reply

One of my oldest friends uses me for childcare. She only needed very part time. Her child is here one day every other week and two days the next week, sometimes a day extra or for a few hours while she goes somewhere unchild friendly. My normal pt rate would've been $90 per week when she asked. I charge her $275 a month, I could not charge her the full pt rate for her to only use maybe 2 1/2 full weeks a month when you add up all days. It works for me. She pays me on time weekly and I do not regret it. I picked a bill that her child would basically cover and came up with her rate that way and am happy with our arrangment. HTH

Reply