I lost one of my 3 dck recently when mom had to take medical leave until January. She can't afford to pay me, so I told her I would have to fill her spot. We both hated it, but she understands.

In the space of 24 hours last week, one of the kids I termed this spring (for overcrowding-too many kids when the new baby arrived) wants to come back one day a week. When mom was here for a dck birthday party and saw how far along my dcg was, she wanted to bring her dd back. Then, a friend of current dcm wants me to keep her grandson, but it's only 2 days every other week. Then, the mom who lost her spot wanted to know how much I would charge for her daughter to come 2 days a week so that she could keep the spot. Now, I can't make it on 2 days a week, but if these other part timers work out, I would actually be a bit ahead. It would only work until January when dck returns full time. But, with my other parent's schedules and a bit of juggling, I could possibly make it work long term.

So here is my question. Current dcm usually only works 3 days a week, but she is on call and I don't know until the night before if she's working. How can I let the other parents know about an opening at the last minute and have them claim it?

I was thinking of a face book page locked down to just the parents, and they could check it and post when they need care. But, fb pages aren't editable, so I couldn't adjust the spaces.

I don't have a web page, but it wouldn't be editable either. Can you set a google calendar to be shared so that they could add in their needs? Anyone know of something workable? I don't have a smart phone or web page.

Thanks!

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I don't necessarily know how to juggle all those schedules but what I do for part timers is charge one rate for 3 set days per week and another slightly higher rate for someone who needs only 3 days but a different 3 days each week.

You could do the same for only two days too.

I take drop ins in the summer time because I have teacher families who take a reduced schedule during that time and honestly what I do is have everyone call in the morning and I let them know if I have space available. First come first served.

I don't think it would be too much for you to ask them for schedules at least a couple days in advance. Do alot of them actually NOT know what they will be working until the night before or are they simply trying to coordinate days with other kids?

If that is the case, then I would tell them that they can have xx and xx day and don't leave them with such a variety of choices for attendance.

Does that help or did I miss the mark altogether about what you have going on?

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I was trying to avoid phone calls in the evening, but it may come to that.

One mom has 6 days a week reserved because she is a sub and on call until 9 am. So, she gets first choice all 6 days, although she usually only uses 3 or 4.

DCM2 only wants to come on Monday.

DCM3 wants every other Fri and Sat.

The mom on leave is willing to take whatever is available.

This works fine until the mom on leave comes back full time. The easy answer would be to term the 2 new ones, but I'd like the extra income. I was hoping for some online program that would allow them to sign up for spots.

The rate part is easy. The one holding a spot has to pay for 2 days, the others pay for what they use. Thanks for trying though. If I was an app designer, I'd just design one--right after I bought and figured out how to use a smart phone.

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the only way that I can juggle P/T sch, is by making FT a priority and only offering this schedule..

Also, PT rates are $5.00 more per day

2 days week-Tue & Thursday
3 days week- Monday, Wednesday & Friday

I found this the easiest way possible to do it..

or if I have a family that really wants to enroll with different days and I have the space, I will allow them but they understand that if another family comes in with a FT schedule, that they must either go full time, or take whatever other days are open if any...Worst case, they drop from care...

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I charge hourly, and, barring a true emergency, you must contact me (by text message) 24 hours ahead. First come, first serve.

So, if at the beginning of the week, you say, Johnny will be here Mon, Wed and Friday, from 8-4, you have a spot. Anyone texting after that does not get a spot.
Regulars get fullest access. Someone who is ALWAYS here Mon, Tue and Thurs gets first spot. Make sense?

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So the mom who needs to have you avail 6 days only pays for 4 and uses you 3. She doesnt know until the night before she is working right?

What days does the gma need (you said 2 days but didnt say when)?

And the other two are flexible?


For the mom on leave who just wants to send the kid 1 day per week I would charge her a drop in rate and tell her you will call or text IF You have a spot during the week. Explain that some weeks you might have 2 or 3 days avail and others you may have none based on other kids schedules but you would love for her kid to come when she can. If the mom knows that it might not always be 1 day per week she may be more flexible.

For the rest I would say as soon as you know of an opening you will send an email to all three of them. Whomever responds first gets the spot. Or say every night at 8 I will send an email. If they are interested they will check at 8 and reply quickly. If not then they wont.

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Try Volunteer spot. We use it for Girl Scouts and it is a super easy program to use. I never used it as an administrator, but it shows the spots available and then you reserve the spot and it's no longer available!!! You can customize it too. I'll see if I can find a link

http://www.volunteerspot.com/

Hope that helped. Oh, and it's FREE!!!

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