Full time to part time? How to determine rate or days?

[Sassygirl]

Hi there,
One of my dcm is going to be taking a position with the school board next month. They have been a fabulous family to work with. Always on board with whatever issue dcg may be having, always courteous and respectful and very accomodating. I have NOT increased my rate and kept my same daily rate whether its 3 or 5 days dcg is here out of loyalty to them.
Mom has been unemployed since Sept and was initially working with a temp agency. I had said that since she is dropping from full time to potentially on call I can't accomodate that. I need the income. I asked her to keep dcg minimum 3 days a week or I would have to fill the spot. Things have been going great with that. Some weeks she is here only 3 days and others depending on her temp work she is here 5 days. I have a guaranteed minimum income.
My question is... Mom has gotten a full time position with the school board now starting in January. Obviously she will be off in summers. I wondering how to approach that with her. Should I still say dcg should be here min 3 days a week in the summer or have her leave a deposit for over the summer to hold her spot?
Thanks in advance!

[cfred]

That's a tough one. Sometimes we make accommodations for certain families. Myself, I would probably insist on the 3 days per week for the summer and just grandfather her in in that regard. I have a family too, who is taking over a full time spot for their second child (not the one attending currently). She came in at my old rate of $40/day. New spots are going for $45 and NO special breaks for teachers. However, for this golden client, I'm willing to bend. I can see your conundrum. Well, you know what I'd do. I'm sure lots would be tougher than me and might have better insight.

[Crayola kiddies]

I have a teacher family and my deal with them was they pay full time from sept to June and 3 days min per week for July and aug at my part time rate which is $5/day more... Gives me a lighter load in the summer when my three are home.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I have always had at least one teacher's child in my dc. I actually prefer them as their hours tend to be shorter, they take off the full 2 week's at xmas and 1 week at spring break and they have all kept their child at home because I charge them the holiday fee which is $10 less per day.

For summer's, they are allowed the option of sending child and paying, not sending child and paying the holiday fee or if I can find a summer replacement than they get the summer off free of charge and start back up in September.

[gravy_train]

You have a bit of time to figure it out so maybe ask her what her plans are for the summer to start the conversation off? Maybe right off the bat she will tell you that she still wants to bring her child to daycare days a week?

[gravy_train]

PS - I have friends who are teachers and continue to pay full-rate throughout the summer and some pay 50% of their full-time rate.

[Sassygirl]

Thanks! I am leaning towards keeping up the 3 days a week minimum agreement.

I will ask soon at pick up one day... can be hard to do, its amazing how its like a light switch when parents arrive and dck behaviour changes.

They live right across the street so this arrangement can be a long term one if i was interested in doing B/A care for them as well so I don't want to lose them. Also don't want to bend over backwards for them either.

[mickyc]

Any teacher's I have pay full-time from Sept - June. I usually fill the spot in summer with another child so the parent doesn't have to pay but in the event I can't fill July/August then the parent is required to pay full-time even if their child is away.

Also when I had kindergarten children who were here every 2nd day (and were paying a minimum of 5 days in a 2 week cycle) the families were required to pay full-time for summer.

Now that mom is full-time I would switch her back to full-time. If she is off during the summer then she should still pay for a full-time spot unless you can fill it with another child.

I think sometimes we get caught up doing favours for people but in the end we are the one's who do without. I say you gave her a break and now she needs to get on board like the rest of the full-times.

[playfelt]

I charge a higher rate to teachers from Sept to June but then they are allowed to bring their child one day a week in the summer at no cost. If they don't well I have been paid anyways. I also ask for a deposit every June towards the first two weeks of care in Sept and if they change their minds over the summer and don't come back they lose it.

In your case there are other circumstances too being they are neighbours and what you have been charging them up until now. I would probably do full time pay from Jan to June and then either a 2 day or 3 day charge in the summer. What you don't want to run into is no fee and then child comes over to "play" with your child constantly all summer meaning you have expenses anyways.

I also find for the 8 weeks teachers are off that what some like is to leave the child for the first week of July and take the time to get house organized that they didn't do all year and then they are back to work anyways for some the last week of August so that only leaves 6 weeks in the middle and toss in vacation weeks and there really isn't that much to the summer anyways although it seems like a lot longer some years.