Infant fee verses toddler fee

[Sandbox Sally]

Do you charge different rates for infant verses toddler?

No. That's what I meant. Everyone pays the same fee regardless of age.

[michellesmunchkins]

My fees are the same regardless of age. I generally don't take kids over the age of 3 unless they have been with me since the beginning.

I do however, think I am going to change my fees according to hours. Right now its the same whether your child is here for 9 hours or 12 hours...I find that now I have families leaving their kids for 11-12 hours just because they can and not because they need it. They are going shopping after work, out for an early dinner, visiting friends etc and then coming to get the kids. not fair to their little ones so for that to stop generally you need to hit the pocketbook!

[jec]

I had to change my contract that anything after 9.5 hrs is considered over time. I had a family do just that, take advantage and leave their little one from 7am until 6pm. I was exhausted!
Yikes - are you working that long every day Michelle?

[Inspired by Reggio]

...I do however, think I am going to change my fees according to hours. ...

Yes - my fees are based on a nine hour day cause that is the 'average' work day for society and only Monday - Friday... I set those nine hours as 7:30 - 4:30 because that is my preferred hours of work and work best for my family ... so if you need me to work OVERTIME before or after that either because you cannot arrange drop off and pick up between you and your spouse or a family member within those nine hours than yes just like any other industry where someone is ask to work more than 45 hours a week or to work evenings or weekends and so forth - you unfortunately compensate those extra hours with an extend hour fee!

And even than I only work a 10 hour day max .... I could not work 12 hours a day and kudos to you who do - by 5pm I am running on fumes!

[Sandbox Sally]

Heck no, I couldn't work a 12 hour day every day, especially without any monetary compensation! My hours are 7-5, and families can pick the 9 hour block that they'd like to attend. Ten hours a day is an extra ten dollars per day.

[playfelt]

I've always included my own kids as part of my numbers in my daycare and always super excited when I was able to bring on another to fill their spot while at school.

Yikes playfelt- your brave I'm not sure I would take them on that young. Your right, that is a lot of work at 4- 6 months.
I've only ever taken them from 1 year - and been crazy busy in winter getting them all dressed but, just did it one at a time and i'd be working up quite the sweat. It was my winter work out!!
I've never taken into consideration the extra work done at times and just considered it part of my job.

You have to remember I started daycare back in 1985. Back then very few moms worked right up until delivery day and only had 6 months off from the time they left work not the time the baby was born. So it was common to have kids come to care at 4 months old. Good thing is mom provided bottles and they slept a lot.

Just for curiosity when did the one year maternity leave start.

In the last few years I have had a few that came to care at 8-9 months because the parents shared the mat leave with the dad taking some of it at the beggining at paternal leave - they can do a total of a year between them.

The biggest advantage of getting the babies was that they were off the bottle, used a cup and fed with a spoon around a year old. Were almost always walking and saying a few words. They were around the other kids all day and my expectations were that they would keep progressing. Enter one year mat leave and is it any wonder kids under age 2 are considered babies.

[michellesmunchkins]

I do physically have kids here from 6am-6pm...some days I have one who doesn't get picked up until 6:20! Its exhausting, both physically and mentally. I'm ok with parents who legit need those hours because they may work 10 hour days plus travel...but...

The ones who are taking advantage are starting to drive me NUTS!!! They tell me that they are just working around the house, doing some cleaning, running some errands as they have the day off yet their child is here at 6:30am (normal drop off time) and picked up at 6:00pm on the nose (normal pick up time). To me, this is taking advantage. Especially on days when they are the last child here and I'm stuck not being able to do what I need to do until he leaves...very frustrating!

I REALLY think its time for some contract changes...sad that I've never had to consider this as I've always had great families who drop off with enough time to get a coffee and get to work and come to pick up right after work...now out of 5 I have 2 that pull this 'extended stay BS'

[Mamma_Mia]

I also keep the same rate regardless of age.....for now. I don't have any school-kids (and don't want to anyways) but when I start that I'm not sure Id change my rates then either...we'll see

The only difference I have is in the number of days they attend. Rates vary if they are 5 days, 3-4 days or 1-2 days.

Just the thought of me having three kids under 3yrs and one 10mos old + a school kid and having to dress them up and walk in the winter to the school gives me the shivers!! no way......jose!! I'm holding off as long as I can!

[Momof4]

My rates are the same for every family too. But I save some money on infants because I don't have to feed them. The parents provide all food, diapers, wipes, etc. until they start on table food.

[jec]

Just for curiosity when did the one year maternity leave start.

I believe that mat leave went to one year aprox. 12 years ago