Spaces for kinders

[Goldilocks]

Being licensed in Manitoba three of my spaces can be for children going to kindergarten. Where I live kinders go all day, every second day. I don't have any kinder spaces filled yet. I do advertise only full time spots. How does anyone else deal with these kinder spots? Do you charge the parents for a full time spot, which then they are guaranteed a spot. Or do you share that spot with a kinder that goes on opposite days, which doesn't guarantee a spot for someone? In the fall I will have two going into kindergarten. I'd like to have this figured out by then.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I'm in MB but private. I thought those 3 spaces were for school aged kids, before and after school and on breaks. Is it just that you want kindergarten only or am I misunderstanding?

I have 2 kids going off to kindergarten this Fall too. However, one will be attending a school that is full day everyday and the other will have a mom on mat leave. It's made me start to wonder what I will do in the future though. I have a 2.5 year old whose dad asked me what I can offer when she goes to school as they'd like to stay here instead of trying to get into a Y program. I'm glad that they're happy here but I don't think I can offer anything other than a full time spot being that I am private. It's tough though to see them go :(

[Lee-Bee]

I think this would depend on the families. Do the kids need before and after school care on the days they are in school? If so, they would need to pay you full time and use you full days on their off days and before/after on their school days.

If you have 2 families that only need care on their off days they could share a spot. If you don't have 2 kids to share a spot I would lean charging for the full time spot even though they won't use it full time. But, this would really depend on what works in your area, how many other spaces are available in your area and what your demand is.

My hometown in Ontario has been doing it this way for many years. Junior Kindergarten is 2 full days a week and senior kindergarten is 3 full days a week. It took a good while for the local daycares to get a system down pat to accommodate it.

[superfun]

I would probably try to fit two kinders into one spot, if they have alternate days. But then only one gets the inservice days, they could take turns?
I'm not so lucky. My closest school is only half day kinder, and it seems like the before and after school program is big enough for all the kids needing care.

[Goldilocks]

The three spaces I have left could be used for before and after school for grades 1 and up. I can also use them for kinders because they are still considered school aged. Our school offers a before and after school program already so there's no real interest. I will use my three spots for kinders. I was just wondering what everyone else was doing when it came to kinders. If I do share a spot I'd rather the parents figure out who gets to use the daycare spot, not me. If they want a guaranteed spot they could pay for full time I guess. I don't want the hassle of figuring things out for parents.