Define your Full time and Part time for me please?

Hello everyone!
Just looking for other polices on this. I have been doing day care for almost 8 years now. When I started I had different day rates, one for 5 or more hours and one for less then 5. I also had in my contarct that the full day rate is expected if the child was expected to stay the full day (ie go home sick) Anyway, I found that a few parents really took advantage of this and I decided a few years ago to just have one rate, regardless of the number of hours needed. It has been fine, but now I have a spot to fill, and a lot of parents have commented on this. I find myself getting really annoyed with this, my rate is 35/day, which is still the lower end of my area (35-40 for home care, 45-55 for centres) If your child come just 5 hours, that is still only $6/ hour, is that really too much to ask?
Thanks for your input!
Cheers

I charge full rate regardless of hours. I do charge for half days in the first 2 weeks of transitioning IF the parent asks. This is 4 hours or less.

In my dc, you are paying for the spot, not the hours.

I have one rate. I have a daily rate. If your child attends ANY part of the daycare day they pay the same rate. Period.

Daycare is about spaces. We are legally limited as to how many clients we can have at one time. Therefore clients need to understand that the fee is the fee is the fee. Pay it or go elsewhere. Period.

I'm the same....I have one rate for everyone, regardless of age or hours used.

Me too one rate .... Full time is 5 days and part time is min 3 days at a higher daily rate .

Full time rate is 4 or 5 days per week. Part time rate is $2 more per day and it's no less than three days per week. I try and take only full time children.

My rates are all full day regardless if you use 1 hr. or 9 hrs. Full-time is 4 or 5 days a week, or part time is a minimum of 3 days at $5 more a day(and I don't offer it for the under 2 yrs age group)

My work week is M-Th and I only offer this. Come for 2 days and only half days, you still pay for the 4 full days. Don't like it?, then feel free to go else where. You are paying for the spot not per hour. Now if you want to pay me hourly, then feel free to call me "Babysitter". I have a number of kids channels on cable and love the idea of what I could do with $10 an hour :laugh:

Yup, sounds like I'm similar to most. full time is 4 -5 days a week (I'm actually looking at cutting down to a four day week anyway) and part time is $4 more per day. I also don't take kids less than two days a week (with one exception due to a family situation with one of my clients who was full time and ran into some difficulties). However, I agree with Judy, I may just start charging one flat rate at my year renewal. I mean really- why should we have two different rates? a spot is a spot is a spot.... ;) also considering the new bill that may pass- it will affect a lot of us with how many kiddies we can have. :)

For me, full time is 4 or 5 days.
Part time is 2-3 days, +$5/daily rate
Drop in +$10/daily rate

I don't do half days. So if you only need a few hours, you still pay the daily rate, whatever that is for you (ft, pt or drop in).

As to your question: I don't think that's too much. Don't break it down hourly. Break it down by spot. $35 for a guaranteed spot each day where a child is loved and cared for by a reliable person is a DEAL :)