New to this forum, but not to daycare

I everyone this is my first post, I have been reading and learning, this is a great forum.

I have a dilema, I have 5 dck kids, 3 full timers and 2 school age. My fees are $35 per day for FT and $20 for the school age. My question: next week the school age kids are off, do I charge the full time rate (35) per day? or $20 per day for the 5 days or $20 for the 2 stat holidays and $35 for the 3 days?

Don't want to create hardship for the parents but it is my income and I am available to do the job. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Stacey:)

I have it in my manual, that if S/A children are here for full days they pay a rate of $40/day.

My regular f/t fees are $35/day, and S/A are $20. It only makes sense to charge more, cause they eat more! lol

Good luck Stacey, and welcome to this forum!

Thank you for your reply Play and Learn, but if they are off for those days, would you charge the full day rate or the S/A rate?

Stacey

full day rate if they intended to be there....

thanks again, I needed another opinion

For the school children I would charge $20 for the stats and $35 for the other days if they are going to be there a whole day for care. I think that would be the most fair

Honestly if you haven't discussed this with the parents before now I think you have a serious issue if the parents are only expecting to pay the 20 its a little late to be telling them they have to pay more now. What happens on the PD days? Are you taking the next week off and still charging them it kinda looks like that is what you are saying?. I have a set monthly fee parents pay me for before and after this includes all PD days one week at Christmas and one week in the Spring. If they pay 35 for PD days then they are most likely expecting to pay that so it shouldn't be a problem

I would charge a full day if the child was with me for the full day. I don't have different rates for different ages. I would charge their regular rate of before/after care for the stats too. However, as momplus6 mentioned, this needs to be addressed before it happens. I am guessing that the parents will likely understand that they won' tbe paying half rates for a full day, though. I would bring it up now.

Good luck, and welcome to the forum! :)

If the kids are not going to be with you, then I would charge the regular $20 that you have been charging (definitely for the stats). If they are going to be with you then you could charge the full day rate, but you are going to need to discuss this with the parents ASAP to make sure they still want to bring them.

Thanks for all your responses. I see that it is all across the board, different opinions. These kids have been with me since babies, the parents fully understand that they are to pay full fees when they come on PD days etc. I will not be taking time off inbetween Christmas and New Years, but they are not coming. The parents never had an issue with paying me for days they don't come. I was just getting a census on what others thought since I want to be fair. It's either they pay full day rate since they would be here or the S/A rate that is all I was trying to get a feel for. I do have a contract which the parents signed and in it it states that I get paid for any and all days the kids are absent but it doesn't clarify for an instance like this, where the kids would be here all day yet are absent, so I was trying to find others views on whether to charge the full rate that I would have received if they were to attend those days or just charge the S/A rate.

I know for a fact that the parents will not leave over this, the oldest one has been with me for 7 years, the youngest for 5, again, I just want to be fair and not come across as taking advantage, but it is my income and the extra cash would have been nice.

Again, thank you all for your replies and the "welcome to the forum"

Stacey

If they are before/after only and not planning to take advantage of any additional hours then they would be charged the $20 b/a rate. Just because the kids are not in school has nothing to do with it. They are under contract for all days at $20 and to pay an additional amount for any day used. If they aren't using any full days then why would they be expected to pay for it. Yes it would have been nice to get the extra money but it is very common for parents to take off days or put kids in camps or whatever and not need extra care but yes they should be paying the regular $20.

Thanks Playfelt, I was torn, but you are absolutely right. Sometimes it takes an objective opinion to clarify it for me and you have.

Take care.

Stacey55

For myself if a child is with me 4 hours or more its a full days fee.