What would you do? (Re: negotiating hours and cost)

[Sarah]

I received an email from a possible parent. The parent asked for 6h30 to 5h30 which is 11 hours and my normal day is 8h30 to 5h30 but I would not care 7h30 to 5h30. My preference will go to 9 hours day care but...

I ask for 50$ a day. So I thought to myself, 11 hours I would charge her more. So I quoted her for 2 hours extra so 70$ a day.

She bargained it, saying that no one charges that in my area. Not being opened yet, I took her advise and lowered my fee to 50$. But I do not want to have her kid 11 hrs a day, it's too much for a kid and for me. I'm not her parent!

So she returned email telling me she found some centers at that price, would I lower my price since I'm a home daycare?

Soubleicely told her that I was happy if she found a center at 50$ but that I had already lowered my price for her and that I would NOT go lower than this for 11 hrs of care.

She thanked me and I thought it was over. Frankly, I was quite happy she didn't want it. I told my husband that she would be too much trouble.

But she called me! She really nice. But I don't want her. I feel she will be trouble.

What would you do? Am I being too difficult for my first client? And I thing 50$ is not enough for 11 hrs of care when it is 50$ in my area for 9-10 hrs max...

Please help!!!

Sarah.:o

[Sandbox Sally]

Sarah - my day is 9 hours, no more. I was just on daycarebear last week asking about a mother who was trying to negotiate with me, and all these wonderful providers told me NO NEGOTIATIONS - PERIOD. If she wants anything over 9 hours, charge her. In my opinion, an extra $5-8 dollars per hour would be standard for our area ( I know where you are ;))

[playfelt]

I agree it is at least $5 an hour extra above your daily rate which is what I would charge for late hours if it was prenegotiated such as a teacher with a parent meeting. I would also charge the lady a flat fee for the week that is non-negotiable if she wants less than $70 a day so for instance $60 x 5 is $300. She pays that amount for the week just because she booked you early. Otherwise you will likely find there are some days that she comes later and will then argue she doens't have to pay the extra even though you got up as scheduled. I know you want to get your first family into care and I don't know what it is like in your area in terms of you may find that commuters require those kind of hours but it wouldn't be wrong to say no to the woman and to hold out a bit longer of if you do take her and a few months from now you find you just can't do those hours to ask her to find a different placement for January. The biggest concern is are you going to be able to go to bed early enough each evening to get enough sleep to do that early a wake up each day and how will the late pickup time effect family time - basically you will only have a few hours and that is it between pickup and bedtime.

[mamaof4]

Honestly, I would not keep a kid regularly for 11 hours. That is a LONG day! Additionally, $50 is really really reasonable. In Chicago I was paying twice that per day... (for 8 hrs).

[Sarah]

Thanks to you all for your answers!!!!!

I will write her a polite email telling her that I will not have her as a customer.

And for the future requests, I will NOT negociate MY prices and my hours!!!!! I am flexible, but no I would not be able to sleep enough to have someone at 6h30, I'm a night person!!!!!!

Mamaof4, I'm from QC and here, in my area, it is about 20$ per day. So it's hard for me to really be confident when asking 50$ even knowing that it is the price in that area!

And you really thing Alphaghetti that 5 to 8 $ an hour when past my business hours is the price in TO??? I thought more like 10$ an hour.

Let me know what you guys charge please???!!!

Sarah

[Emilys4Guppies]

I don't go past my hours. 11 hours is a long day. Too long for me! Yes, I expect that as a daycare provider I would work longer than an average work day...but I draw the line at 10 hours. Otherwise I'd go out of my mind. I don't compromise on my hours or my pay for just anyone. If a client, who is a GOOD client, needs an extra 15-30 minutes *on occasion* then I will charge them my hourly rate for a FULL load of children: $19/hr.
That is, after all, my time that I bank on to spend with my own children, my husband, cleaning, cooking, ect.

[Spixie33]

Personall..(for me)...11 hours would be out of the question no matter what the cost is. Getting up to be ready by 6:30 means you are up probbaly around 5:30 to get ready, get the home ready, do breakfast for your own kids, etc
And anyone staying to 5:30 really does cut into your family time and activity time.
This is not just for 1 month or two month but potentially for 3 years that you would have to keep these long hours.
Stick with your guns and what you feel comfortable with. The reason you are doing home daycare is partly because you can DECIDE what YOU are comfortable with and if it doesn't sit well with you then don't get into the situation to begin with :yes::yes:
I think 8-10 hours is much more manageable.

The thing with homedaycare is that our day does NOT end when the children go home. Once the dck leave we have about an hour of vacuuming, cleaning, cooking, etc plus then chores for our own kids so it makes a reaaaaallllllly long and draining day sometimes.

[Judy Trickett]

Why should YOU negotiate?? Seriously?? Why is it always US, the providers, who are supposed to get the short end of the stick??

This is CHILD care.....really, do you really want to haggle with the person who CARES FOR YOUR CHILD??? That always astounds me to levels I can not even articulate.:cursing:

My other thought is this...........if a parent is working an 11 hour day then they certainly are earning a salary that warrants an eleven hour day. So WHY should YOU not earn a salary that warrants an 11 hour day too??

CONTRACTS ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE. PERIOD.

[playfelt]

It is actually quite common here in Ottawa for employers to allow a worker to work 9 hours a day instead of 8 and then have every other Friday or other designated day off. We work the extra time and of course they never keep the child home on their day off. That is why they are charged for the extra time.

[fruitloop]

Why should YOU negotiate?? Seriously?? Why is it always US, the providers, who are supposed to get the short end of the stick??

This is CHILD care.....really, do you really want to haggle with the person who CARES FOR YOUR CHILD??? That always astounds me to levels I can not even articulate.:cursing:

My other thought is this...........if a parent is working an 11 hour day then they certainly are earning a salary that warrants an eleven hour day. So WHY should YOU not earn a salary that warrants an 11 hour day too??

CONTRACTS ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE. PERIOD.

Ditto to what Judy said. I will not work past 5pm and my official opening time is 7:30 so that is a 9.5 hour day. If they want me to open earlier then they have to pay me the money to do so. I don't negotiate my rates or my hours (well none of my contract is negotiable) ...I will open up 30 minutes early but the 1 family I do open up early for pays me extra to open early.

[mom-in-alberta]

Nope, 11 hours is way too long for me. Parents forget sometimes that we don't get coffee breaks or lunch breaks, sometimes not even bathroom breaks! :P
When I first opened, I was kind of railroaded into taking a child half an hour earlier than I officially opened. I said sure, and didn't even charge extra (how nice was I? lol)
These same parents then showed up late consistently, rarely paid fees on time, and so on. I am not saying that all parents who ask you for a break in some way are like that, but it is a warning sign for me. I could not wait for this family to leave!
Many parents in my area arrange for mom to drop off and dad to pick up, or something like that. Why would you WANT your child in care for so long, anyway? Ugh. I couldn't stomach that idea. Hey, I think I am a great provider, but I wouldn't want my kids under someone else's care for that length of time everyday!! Not to mention, what happens in the dead of winter? When mom's commute takes twice as long due to weather? That means a 12 or more hour day for you!! NO WAY.

[Play and Learn]

Like Judy, I don't negotiate - AT ALL. I don't change my hours - 7:30-5 p.m. Hell I would love to work 8-5, but in my area, if you want clients, you need to open 7-7:30 (for those parents who are traveling into Ottawa).

I don't negotiate hours OR Price. This is MY business, and I do what I need to do.

[mamaof4]

Why should YOU negotiate?? Seriously?? Why is it always US, the providers, who are supposed to get the short end of the stick??

This is CHILD care.....really, do you really want to haggle with the person who CARES FOR YOUR CHILD??? That always astounds me to levels I can not even articulate.:cursing:

My other thought is this...........if a parent is working an 11 hour day then they certainly are earning a salary that warrants an eleven hour day. So WHY should YOU not earn a salary that warrants an 11 hour day too??

CONTRACTS ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE. PERIOD.


While I agree on the whole- I do believe there are some exceptions. My spouse for example was a fireman and he worked crazy hours-- but was paid a pittance.
---
I do not believe that an across the board answer is always right. Shades of gray.. there always are shades of gray.

If I had a childcare provider who was not willing to take circumstances in to consideration I- as a parent- would be unwilling to work her.

[Sarah]

Hey wow, lots of answers!!!

Really great to see how you would yourselves react!

As per myself, I really do not mind to accomodate people and start earlier. 6h30 is a little bit too early though! But if she would pay for that, I might be interested.

What scares me the most into getting into a work relationship with this mom is the feeling that she will always be negotiating, finding it too much, she's already discussing the prices, already asking to discuss her next maternity, already not wanting to pay her vacation (which is like 5 weeks a year)...etc...

Conclusion: Why would I start with someone that I would always feel like begging for what is due to me??? And in a negotiation, there should be a good part for me and for her. But now she's negotiating only for her. I didn't ask anything for me!

Sarah

[Sunflower]

Sarah. I am also in quebec, so I know where you are coming from.
I think you are doing the right this by not negotiating personally. When things start off like that , where do you draw the line ?

My contact is very black and white . Nothing is negotiable.
I value my family time and am not willing to work 1 min past my 10 hrs.
That being said, I know if some providers who have no problem being flexible with their hrs.

I am , however will never be one of them .


Keep us posted

[playfelt]

Wonder how that mom would feel if she suddenly took off for her 5 weeks of vacation and didn't pay and you filled her space while she was gone assuming since she hadn't paid that she had abandoned the contract.

[Sunflower]

Wonder how that mom would feel if she suddenly took off for her 5 weeks of vacation and didn't pay and you filled her space while she was gone assuming since she hadn't paid that she had abandoned the contract.

HAHAHA where is the " like " button when you need one !

[Sarah]

Hahaha!

Yeah I imagine her coming back from vacation NOT having a daycare!

Would be harder for her then just pating for care!

[clep]

I have had people try to change my hours or fees. I set the boundary that my fees and hours are not negotiable. If they complained or tried to convince me of why my boundaries are somehow flawed, I politely wished them well in their search for care.

[LeeAnne]

I have just re-opened after moving and a bit of a break. My hours are 730-5. I have had a lot of inquiries from shift workers like nurses, and I've decided that if they request a 630 start it's okay with me as long as they understand that I charge $10/hr extra after 4pm. So they pay for the same number of hours as the later starters. If they need later then they pay for it. I'm not just extending hours for nothing.That's not fair to me or the other parents who stick to my posted hours!
After reading another string about part time kids, I also decided that if the schedule is erratic because parents works shifts then their fee is $50/day. A lot of time they will only be coming for 10-12 days per month so that helps cover the days I may not be able to fill. So I charge $40/day for 5 days, and ten dollars more for less than 5 days. I think I'm okay with that....for now. :rolleyes: