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How do you manage families where one (or both) of the parents is a teacher and as a result do not require care for their children over the summer? Do you require them to pay the full monthly fee seeing as they want the space held till they return to work in Sept? I just met with a prospective new family and they asked this but obviously I still need income for those months. What do you tell them?
Thanks! Cora
They can take their chances and withdraw, hoping the spot is still there in September, or they can pay some fee to hold the spot, or they can use it part-time to keep the spot open.
I ask for a 2 week non-refundable deposit(goes towards last 2 weeks of care) as well as 2 weeks per month holding fees if they're not using it.
If they want to use it, I have a 3 day a week minimum they must pay for both months.
Don't give away the spot for free for 2 months.
You could also try to fill it with school age kids while they're gone, and if you can't, then they must pay the holding fees.
I guess it depends on what demand is like in your area. I don't offer any discount because, frankly, there are others who will happily take the spot and pay the whole shebang. I'm not willing to subsidize someone else's summer vacation. That's money that stays in their pocket, not mine and maybe means I can't take a vacation of my own this year. Forget that! Like you said, bills still need to be paid. Some offer a discount such as a minimum number of days or something along those lines.
I charge regular fees for the summer, they pay for the spot no matter how much they use it. I have one teacher family right now, but she is a single parent that still sends her kids almost full time so that she can have some respite after a very busy school year. I have another teacher family starting soon and they have accepted that they have to pay for the spot, not the days used. That is the standard where I live.
I'd be charging full fees and they can chose if and when to send their child. I have enough calls for a space that I could fill it and get full money so I would not be willing to lose pay for another family to save some money.
That said, if I wasn't able to easily fill the spot then I would consider holding fees etc. Also, if it was an amazing family and I risked losing them while the market is slow then again I may consider a holding fee of some sort.
I would not take on a school age child. Not worth my effort to transition in an older child for 2 months so another family can save money. It just messes things up on my end. I have all wee little ones and no before/after care so that would just not be an option.
I offer a few choices.
Choice A...they pay for their spot and if they send child it's full fee's, if child stays home they pay holiday fee
Choice B...they pull child and risk losing their spot if I don't have one open come September
Choice C...if I can fill the spot with a summer only child, they get the summer off fee free and have a spot come September
I do the same as 5LM. I have 1 family who takes the summer off and I have another family who needs care for their school aged child for summer so it works out for everyone. The teacher knows though that if for some reason her spot cannot be filled that she has to pay for the summer.
What is your holiday fee? I don't want to get overly complicated and do not wish to fill the space with a school ages child either so just figuring out the wording for the new clause in my contract. :)
My regular fee is $30 a day. My holiday fee is $25 a day but that is ONLY given if I get 1 month's notice of time off. I think of it as still being paid for my time but not getting paid for the food I am not having to provide. I think 5LM charges $20 for her holiday fee (don't quote me on it).
I charge $10 less per day so right now that works out to be $22. It's an approximate cost of food and art supplies that I am not supplying to their child. It's a big enough decrease for them to keep child home when they can and a small enough decrease that my wallet doesn't feel it too badly.
I don't get overly complicated in the contract over it either as most parents only use it here and there or with the occasional week or 2 in the summer. I explain it in person to those who would need it over the summer months though. (ie. teachers, EA's, professors etc)