Changing Hours

[Inspired by Reggio]

My contract states 60 days notice be given to any change - so about eight weeks.... I agree that is a fair amount of time to find 'alternate' care if they cannot navigate the changes to the contract!

I use to be open 11 hours with my fees set at anything more than 4 hours was a full day fee and a max full day was 'recommended' to be a 9 hour day cause any longer was hard on kids ... and the longer I was open the more people started leaving their kids longer and longer to the full 'max' who did not NEED it like my SAHM clients for example... and well I got BURN OUT having a full house ALL DAY LONG with no quiet time where ratios might be 1:1 or 1:2 and feeling taken advantage of and well bad for these poor kids who were spending 50 hours a week away from their parents when it was not NEEDED.

So I also changed my hours to 7:30 - 4:30 which is the 'nine hours' in the midst of the day and than offered 'extended hour' care to those who need it at an additional FEE on top of those nine hours I am working cause overtime fees over 'nine hours' seemed FAIR to me like in any other job if you work longer hours and those extra hours only as 'available and contracted' so you cannot just show up LATE and expect it to be ok cause other kids might still be here .... I find that the extra fee really limits people who use the extra care just cause it is THERE and they think it is just 'easier' to leave the kid in care than to take them to run an errand after work and so forth....when I first opened I had clients whose child was here from 7:30 - until 5:30 because mom worked 8-5 and needed transportation time too and from work and so forth and initially I was OPEN so I did not charge anything different. When I changed things to reflect a FEE for that additional hour over the nine I was 'open for program' suddenly it was 'more economical' to invest in a second car seat and have the DAD assist in pick up - so mom dropped off and dad picked up before 4:00 and on the RARE occasion where dad had to work overtime too they 'prearranged' for the longer day and only paid the extended fee for that specific need.... this allowed the wee one to have a good hour and a half at home with dad for some bonding time it was win win for everyone but if I had not FORCED them to make that change by making it CHEAPER for them that child would have stayed here 10 hours a day!

My point is that MOST clients can arrange to be within a shorter time frame ... however to be realistic you will have to accept that you might LOOSE some of your clients who truly CANNOT ... if you have single parents working a fixed 9 hour day and without family to help with pick up and drop off and so forth?

[Shan]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I'm letting my families know tommorow. The suggestion of a document that they need to sign is an excellent idea, I would have never thought of that. I know I will probably lose 1-2 families but I"m okay with that.