Holding a spot 12 months in advance

[Marie]

Hi everyone,
I have a mom who will be going on mat leave starting at the end of this month. She has already asked if I would be willing to take both her kids when her mat leave is up and I have agreed. I am currently typing up a new contract for her seeing as she is going from full time to part time. My question is...can I ask her to pay an extra fee every month to hold two full time spots for both boys? I was thinking of asking her to pay an extra $75 extra per month for the entire year she is on mat leave. The going rate in my area is $25 per day so I don't think $75 is unreasonable. What do you think? Thanks!

[Sandbox Sally]

I would never hold a spot for a year, unless I didn't need the income. But, if I didn't need the income, I wouldn't be working. That is a LOT of income to lose for a very long time.

I will hold a spot for 8 weeks max, and if the vacancy is immediate, the parent pays me half fees for these 8 weeks.

[Crayola kiddies]

In my area $40 /day is the average and in my contract I ask for $250 /month (payable on the 1st of every month) to hold a spot for any longer than 3 months. This is just to hold the spot and is non refundable .... So if she is not bringing the older child for the year that would be times two and I would advertise offering a temporary spot(s) for the year and maybe you will be able to fill it at least for part of the time.

[playfelt]

I probably would just charge her the full time rate and let her bring the older child as often as she wants with the idea the unused amounts are to hold the space for the second child.

If the space is open now then say sorry I need to fill it for my income but then expect to lose the older child too.

You could try and find a a school age child to fill the space till June.

You could advertise the space as a drop in space while you wait

Personally unless you have a space coming open just about when she will need it then I would not promise nor hold because too many things change in a year such as what if another of your children leaves care suddenly and you get a chance to take a family of two kids. Are you going to say sorry I'm saving that space?

[jec]

I was that parent who had one in daycare and was having our second ~ we loved our provider so much that we paid full pop for our older daughter although she only came a few hrs every other day for social time and time for our new little one and me to spend just us time. Our provider also had an opening for when I was going to back opening up for our second for when I was due to go back to work. Timing worked out great.
As a provider I wouldn't hold a spot open for a year ~ that is alot of income to miss out on. I agree with playfelt that if your holding a spot you could lose another chance with a great family that would be interested.

[Judy Trickett]

No way I would hold a spot for that long without being paid for it.

[Momof4]

Are you getting her to pay $75/month or $75/month plus something else, because you said 'extra'? I don't know how somebody on mat leave could afford to pay out money for daycare they aren't using for a year and NO I would not hold a space for a year.

[mom-in-alberta]

I wouldn't hold it for free, that's for sure. What if she decides a month away from returning to work that she's going to stay home? Or have Gramma watch the kids, because now that she has done the math on having two kids in care, she is worried?
You have to charge something. Or, fill that space until June. OR, fill the space and IF it's open at the time, then she can have it again.

[Marie]

Thanks for everyone's input! I've decided to charge her the regular full time rate as playfelt suggested. Mom gets topped up from her job so her paying for a spot is not an issue. I truly do believe her when she says she intends on sending both her kids here. In the year they've been with me I haven't had any reason not to trust her or her husband and I do genuinely like them so I am happy that I will have them for quite some time still. I know what kind of parents are out there so I'm happy I have this family!

[Momof4]

Wow, full pay without having to do the work is awesome! Sign me up for one of those please!