Recording hours of attendance

[Cookie]

I have a dcg who is picked up anywhere between 3 and 4:30. She's always here for afternoon snack time. Do I have to record her exact hours for tax purposes? I always mark down if someone comes after 8 or leaves before 3 because then they are not getting a meal/snack so then I can count meals accurately. Or am I being detailed?

Thank you!

[mrsplante]

I don't count meals...I didn't realize I was supposed to?! I record hours for liability sake as well as my own interest. I have sign in/out sheets that have the time written right on it and then I transfer that to a yearly attendance sheet.

[Inspired by Reggio]

I track drop off and pick up times myself so that I have back up for claiming shared use of space and meals and so forth as well as just cause it is habit from my centre days to have a child signed in and out daily as per the Day Nursery Act for emergency use and other reasons.

However if a child is 'normally' here for a snack or meal and I planned, shopped and prepared for serving them than I still COUNT them in my budget even if they went home or were absent that day because the food was purchased and often prepared so either it goes to waste OR I just allow the other kids to have 'extra' helpings that day rather than wasting it!

I do my grocery expenses based on 'contracted enrollment' verses 'attendance'.... so if for the week of January 1-5th I have 5 children on enrollment ~ I claim grocery expenses for 5 children if I only have 4 or 3 or whatever I claim for that many and than tally them up!

[playfelt]

Your use of home is based on the time the first child arrives and the last child leaves. Who comes and goes in between doesn't matter other than for your own info. As for meals I do the same as Regio in the sense that I open the package and it makes so many servings and what isn't used that day is waste as in you can't go to the store and buy 3/4 of a package of even if I need 1 1/2 packages to feed the group I would claim for two which is what I had to buy.

[Cookie]

You are all so helpful and explain things so well! Thank you, thank you! I've just been open 6 months so I don't post a lot..... yet:)