Accommodating teachers' schedules

[DCMom]

Hi,

I have just started my daycare and am open to having children of teachers (and have advertised this), though will be open during the summer.

How do you handle this, in particular:
- they would not pay during the summer, but what about the 2 weeks during Christmas (usually I would just take one week off) and March Break?
- since I do have a year-round DCK, I would offer for these children to be here occasionally during the summer for a daily rate (i.e. if parent needs to go into school to prepare for the year ahead)
- any other considerations?

Thanks!

[Bookworm]

It really depends on what you feel comfortable doing. I personally would charge a fee for over the summer and March break and Christmas. My daycare is open and therefore they need to hold their space. I haven't had any teachers inquire about care, but that it what I would do. I don't want to have to budget any more than I do already to cover summer's off.

[Dreamalittledream]

I take only teacher's children myself; my husband is a teacher & this is awesome for our family to have the same schedule. I do ask for a 2 day a week commitment from each family over the summer, it makes it so much easier for them in Sept. I do not charge for any other time off. Hope that helps:)

[fruitloop]

I get a lot of teachers in my daycare too. I charge normal rates for all breaks (because everyone pays for their holidays) but for the summer months I charge half fees to hold their spot over the summer. I allow them 6 days/month to bring their kids so they can go and do whatever and to help keep the kids in my routine.

[Allybearcare]

I would charge a fee. Ijust got screwed, because I didn't. Was expecting someone to return end of summer, was called the Thursday before school was to start, the next Tuesday, that they would not be returning.

[Play and Learn]

To answer your questions:

Any days that I'm open, they pay. If I'm closed, they don't pay (unless it's on a Stat).

Now, for the teacher families that I've had in the past, and they didn't want to come over the summer: I've offered them the time off without pay BUT they had to pay a non-refundable 2-week deposit to keep their spot. I've also let them go from f/t to p/t for the summer, knowing full well that they're coming back f/t.

I'm closed for 2 weeks over Christmas holidays and the week of March Break. I'm also closed maybe 2-3 weeks with random days here and there over the 2 month summer break. I try to find families with great family support systems or teachers. I do have providers in the area that are willing to take my clients if they wish when I'm on holidays.

I don't mind, and we're not hurting for the income (although it's nice to have extra to do special things). Hubby is a teacher, and I choose to have 5-10 weeks off from my daycare to be at home with my hubby.

[gcj]

it depends on YOUR daycare. If you have a daycare open year round, then I'd say if they want a spot, why should you be out $$$ and work around their schedule. But, if you WANT that time off, or reduced work load (having less kids) then it's your choice to cater to that, as you're both getting something out of it.
Personally, I'm like dreamalittledream and ONLY take teacher's kids. I"m closed all the same time's as them ,but don't charge. It's my choice to work that way. My husband is also a teacher, and neither of us want a house full of kids when he's off! But , again, it's my choice, and I advertise as a daycare that's closed all summer, every summer...