How do you manage pay for daycare?

[Inspired by Reggio]

I agree that the EASIEST way to manage to pay for daycare is to make it a priority and budget for it just like you do food and shelter ... those bills get paid first and anything else is 'extra' in the budget!

IMO sibling discounts are an oxi moron in childcare ... unlike buying something in 'bulk' where it is cheaper to make 1000 of something than it is to make 1 it does not cost me any LESS to provide care to two siblings than it does two strangers. PLUS while at the start of the relationship it might seem better to have two spaces filled quickly when those siblings leave my income is suddenly cut by 2/5 until I can fill the spaces verses just 1/5 when a singleton leaves - so it is BETTER to have singletons from a business perspective cause it is easier to fill one space at a time and budget for that 'loss' than it is to budget for 2/5 of a loss!

Also IMO offering a 'discount' sends the message that our fees are 'marked up' to allow for profit ... there is no profit in quality childcare at the end of the day after providing healthy meals and a quality early learning experience it barely pays minimum wage specially if you take into account we work 10+ hours a day .... so in order to offer a 'discount' since we cannot forgo feeding them or sheltering them or providing some sort of program we would take a pay cut for the privilege of serving a sibling set...so ya as cute as your siblings may be I think I will pass on the discount!

Most providers do not do this to make BIG BUCKS but rather to be able to afford to stay home for their own families and find work life balance!