Daycare providers that follow the school schedule

I didn't want to hijack Lou's thread anymore so started a new one! :)

I'm considering switching my year round schedule to one that follows the school schedule a bit more. I'm wondering if anyone does this or has done it and could answer some of questions...

* do you close all PD days, Christmas break, spring break and all summer? I was thinking I would stay open on PD days, both breaks but close summer. Do you find parents send their children during the breaks? Do they need you to open a week or 2 before summer ends so they can get their classroom ready?

* do you charge a higher daily rate than others near you to compensate for having summers off? I charge $32 right now but was thinking I'd charge $35 (which a few near me charge already) and get rid of my holiday fee. It would be $700/month but I'd still be closed my stats. The only time I wouldn't charge is if I'm sick and close.

* do you find it sometimes takes longer to fill a spot because you need to find a teachers child or someone who has alternate summer care?

* do you still claim things all summer? Cable, cell etc or do you stop for 2 months? I buy all my groceries together and claim half so was thinking that for July and August I would just not claim those food bills.

Any other tips or advice you have would be appreciated!!

* Oh and another...do you ever open during times you are normally closed? I was thinking if it was a week or 2 that we had nothing planned or needed some extra money, I could open as a "babysitter" or like a day camp and do that?

Once in a while I'll have a teacher send their kid during the break, but it's only when they have a doctor appointment, etc. And during the summer, they start coming back 2 or 3 weeks early.
You'll probably never be waiting to fill a spot. I've noticed that's it's almost all referrals from colleagues.

I can't remember what you are open superfun...you have all teachers kids but open the summer with summer only children right?

Do the teachers pay for all the days except for summer?

I'm not a "teachers only" daycare, but always seem to have several teacher families. They are always the ones who send the kids in for full days when they are off on school breaks or holidays. I'm thinking about going "teacher friendly" to have my breaks/summers off. I will probably charge a higher daily rate, and they will pay for the entire year, except summers.

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Originally Posted by 5 Little Monkeys

I didn't want to hijack Lou's thread anymore so started a new one! :)

I'm considering switching my year round schedule to one that follows the school schedule a bit more. I'm wondering if anyone does this or has done it and could answer some of questions...

* do you close all PD days, Christmas break, spring break and all summer? I was thinking I would stay open on PD days, both breaks but close summer. Do you find parents send their children during the breaks? Do they need you to open a week or 2 before summer ends so they can get their classroom ready?

* do you charge a higher daily rate than others near you to compensate for having summers off? I charge $32 right now but was thinking I'd charge $35 (which a few near me charge already) and get rid of my holiday fee. It would be $700/month but I'd still be closed my stats. The only time I wouldn't charge is if I'm sick and close.

* do you find it sometimes takes longer to fill a spot because you need to find a teachers child or someone who has alternate summer care?

* do you still claim things all summer? Cable, cell etc or do you stop for 2 months? I buy all my groceries together and claim half so was thinking that for July and August I would just not claim those food bills.

Any other tips or advice you have would be appreciated!!

* Oh and another...do you ever open during times you are normally closed? I was thinking if it was a week or 2 that we had nothing planned or needed some extra money, I could open as a "babysitter" or like a day camp and do that?

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My friend does school board children only because she closes summer. These are her answer not mine.

She not take school age children, she take school board employees children. This mean they get summer off, Christmas off and March Breaks off and so she close her day care. But she open on PD days because the teacher is a worker and not off on PD day. If storm day, then she get extra day off but parent pay still for storm day. Teacher get paid and have day off last minute notice, provider get paid and have day off too.

She not have problem with parent wanting care in break time but she only take school board parent so she know they are off too. She does open for one week before school begin in September for parent to get ready for new class but this is booking only. Parent who need this have to tell her by end of June that they want early return so she knows not to be away.

She have grown up children in other country and province and she visit them in Summer time so if she not booked for early start week before school she book all her summer travels and not always be back before September so they snooze they lose.

She not charge higher rate in term time but she do charge retainer over summer to keep place reserved for returning child. Retainer is 25%.

She not find hard to fill places but she live near school and school board office and also she just take 4 children no more. She has wait list for other teachers because here, if teachers go to dayhomes, normal they pay all summer even if they don't use place. So teacher like just pay little in Summer to keep their spot.

She not claim for expenses because she out of country. Really not allowed to because not open means no expense. The formula to figure out expenses is 5/7 if open 5 days and it's 10/24 if open 10 hours so how can claim expense if not open at all? In closed Summer week, all expense is household not business. That would not be honest to claim expense. You not buying grocery but also you not using power/cable/anything for business if business not open.

She not open in normal closed weeks. She say she wanted teachers so not to work in Summer so make no sense for her to then open with kids she not know and client she not know. They might be late pick up or mess her around so no, she doesn't do openings in school holiday.

Thanks Suzie! The retainer fee is a good idea and one I hadn't thought about!

The reason I asked about claiming is because I don't use the formula. Half my home is daycare only so I am able to claim 50% on most things. Using the internet for example for dc purposes (art ideas, emailing about dc, activity ideas etc) is something I would still do all summer. I am thinking I will have to deduct some over the 6 weeks I'd be closed. I will talk to my accountant this year about that :)

You will likely still claim most of your expenses over the summer. Because you have a dedicated space for daycare even when closed it still costs money to insure, heat etc. just like any business. Even if closed it still has to pay those things. You can't claim the things that aren't being used like food and craft stuff etc. double check with your accountant but pretty sure that's what she'll tell you.

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Originally Posted by 5 Little Monkeys

I can't remember what you are open superfun...you have all teachers kids but open the summer with summer only children right?

Do the teachers pay for all the days except for summer?

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Yes,I try to take summer kids. The long term plan will be to take summers off, but we're not there yet.
I thought about giving them the breaks unpaid too, but I actually gave them 2 weeks off per year to use when they want. If they want to use them both over Christmas then I'm paid for spring break. Last year one family took two weeks off around spring break so they paid for Christmas.

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Originally Posted by mickyc

You will likely still claim most of your expenses over the summer. Because you have a dedicated space for daycare even when closed it still costs money to insure, heat etc. just like any business. Even if closed it still has to pay those things. You can't claim the things that aren't being used like food and craft stuff etc. double check with your accountant but pretty sure that's what she'll tell you.

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This is what I thought too but I'm not sure. I won't be using any water or electricity in my dc space for example. My cable won't be used for dc for those 6 weeks. Things like that are what I'm unsure about. My art supplies would be covered though since I buy those and claim 100%, I don't have a daily price for that.