Can you change your contract?

I thought I had a great contract but there more I read and learn from others there are things I was too afraid to ask for or put in there that should be in there.

Currently I have no vacation time, no "sick days", and I do not charge for stats. I never knew what to charge people so my rates are all over the place. =(

I have some parents paying $30, or $35 per day. I got a little more courage to charge the $35 and it worked, but I can't exactly as the parents who have been here 18 months to pay more, right?

The parents that just had two of their children start asked me if I took vacation days and I said "no", this was just in October, so how can I suddenly say "hey I have a new contract and I DO charge for those days!"

I also need a better plan for my day. I am trying but I think I am failing here.

The parents drop the kids off all at different times, *sigh* it's annoying. So it goes like this:

Kid 1 - anywhere between 7:30am-8:15am
Kids 2 and 3 (siblings) - anywhere between 7:45am-8ish (once it was 9am withou calling!)
Kid 4 - sometime between 8am-8:45am and sometimes later! (no calls either)
Kid 5 - Usually right around 9am

Pick up times are the same

Kid 1 - Pick up between 4pm-4:45pm (parent is a teacher, does that make a difference?)
Kids 2 and 3 (siblings) - anywhere from 4:45pm-5:30pm (I end at 5pm but said 5:30pm was okay) *sigh* I regret that now.
Kid 4 - about 4:45pm and her mom does call if she's later
Kid 5 - about 4:30-4:45pm

It makes it hard to get the kids ready to go, and the parents usually end up crowding the door, and talking and omg I just dread pick up and drop off. Maybe I am over reacting. Everything just feels like I have no control or organization.

So should I explain myself (and NOT sound unprofessional) and change the contract, or suck it up?

Oh, I need help =(

First off, having a family in care 18 months is a LONG time these days. And, yes, you can still increase their fees. I increase my fees every year. EVERY year. The cost of living goes up - shouldn't your fees??

I felt like it might make me look like I cant make up my mind. How much more should I charge and what if they get angry? I dont want to lose anyone, its very very hard to find families for childcare where I live.
I didnt realize 18 months was long! Wow.

Any advice on the pick up and drop off times, are those unreasonable or am I over reacting?

Are you wanting parents to pick up and drop off at the same time? In my contract I state that the families need to contact me if there child is going to be later then 9am. If I do not hear from them I carry on with my day and assume they are not coming (it only takes one or two times for them to realize that if they want there child in care they should be there on time or they might miss us as we are heading out the door to the park :) ). Does any of that help?

That does help.
I just thought it would be easier if everyone came at the same time, or if I at least KNEW when they were coming, know what I mean? I have asked in the journals at least 3 times and no reply or they state a time and it doesnt happen.

Also - 3 of my 5 kids parents are teachers so they do not come in the summer. I made them pay for at least one day or attend at least one day, but I lost A LOT of money in those 2 months being 3 kids short - in the case, would you advertise for summer spots (again hard in this area) or charge for the 2 months in full?

I have a range of pick up and drop off times too and it is pretty consistent so the kids even know who usually comes and goes first. In the morning tv is available for the first couple kids since there is 45 minute window (6:30-7:15) but then as we go to answer the door I turn the TV off and they have freeplay till all arrive. I plan my program to run from 9-3:30 which is roughly the same as the school day. The time before and after that when all the comings and goings happens is freeplay within the limits I have set out - mostly blocks, fisherprice type stuff, cars, books, nothing messy. In summer we are outside at pickup.

That makes sense.
I think maybe I had un real expectations then.

My dck's come at all different times too. I do free play until 9am because of this. Once the last kid is here, then we start our routine. It says in my contract that if they show up past 9 am without prior notice, I will not accept them into care that day. Pick up is annoying for me too - can't help with that!

I seriously don't think that increasing your fees is unreasonable at all. As far as asking for holiday pay etc, I would draft up an addendum to my contract, and write a little blurb to attach to the addendum, something along the lines of:

now that I have been providing child care for a while, I have realized that vacation time would be mutually beneficial to all of us, and as such, I will from hereon in be taking X amount of vacation time per year, along with X amount of personal days as paid. I do hope that everyone is understanding of this, as I am sure all of you are paid for your holidays, and is the norm for our area. ?? Dunno, something like that?

Mine all come and go at different times too and personally, I wouldn't want them to all come and go at the same time or pick-up drop-off would be too chaotic! They arrive within an hour in the morning and leave within an hour in the afternoon...I don't plan activities during those times and it works out well. Parents keep it brief as they know I have to be with the other kids and cannot stand at the door chatting (I can see my playroom from my front entrance, but the kids often cry when I go up to see someone off, so it keeps it short.)
As for changing your contract, I would change it in increments. I don't think it is reasonable to suddenly add a bunch of vacation, sick days, etc plus a pay increase all at once. Maybe you could up the pay by a dollar or two and add stat holidays to start with. Then next year, increase again. Any new families, start out with what you want...chances are they will accept it as long as it is within the norms of what is happening in your area.

Thank you, that is very helpful. And perhaps something about saying I get paid for stat holidays now as well?

If I was charging $30 should I up it to just $32 or $33?

Do you all charge different rates for different ages? Do you go by the day or say the week?

I charge per day, and the same for all kids regardless of age. If they don't come, I charge anyway. If I am closed, they are not charged for that day.

I would up it to $33. You can get up to $35 by next year. This isn't a lot for most parents, and if they like your services (which they clearly do, as they're all still there), then $15 a wk shouldn't send them running. :)

Okay! Thanks!

35$ a day is a very good price. Is this the norm in your area? Are you you somewhere rural? I think most larger cities the going rate is 40-50$ a day.

I agree. I am in Toronto, and I charge 50-65 a day.

I am in a small town of about 15,000 people. The "going rate" around here is $25-$32 per day. At least that's my best guess.