Rates question

[dodge__driver11]

Ive considered changing that for my next contract year.

[dodge__driver11]

Ive worked in centre care and its what I was used to but I very well may change it...its something I am pondering.

[Inspired by Reggio]

I am assuming that dayhomes started charging more for infants because centers do. Centers charge more for infants because of the higher number of staff required for infants.

Yup ~ in 'regulated care' not just centre care but even in home childcare's care who are with licensed agencies when caring for infants and toddlers under TWO the age group is RESTRICTED on how many children you can care for of this age group and combine that with that this is in the highest demand providers can be sitting with 'empty spots' because they have met their allotment of children 2 and under ~ aka it COSTS MORE to care for this age group so they charge extra for this age group to make up for that restriction on their income!

I also charge more for this age group for similar reasons even though I am 'private' now I still choose to follow this rule and therefore I charge a 'premium' for that lower infant ratio so clients know that their wee babe is the 'only' babe in care and than I have the next oldest child being over 18 months.

[fruitloop]

Yup ~ in 'regulated care' not just centre care but even in home childcare's care who are with licensed agencies when caring for infants and toddlers under TWO the age group is RESTRICTED on how many children you can care for of this age group and combine that with that this is in the highest demand providers can be sitting with 'empty spots' because they have met their allotment of children 2 and under ~ aka it COSTS MORE to care for this age group so they charge extra for this age group to make up for that restriction on their income!

I also charge more for this age group for similar reasons even though I am 'private' now I still choose to follow this rule and therefore I charge a 'premium' for that lower infant ratio so clients know that their wee babe is the 'only' babe in care and than I have the next oldest child being over 18 months.

Ah, ok...gotcha! Just another reason why I'm glad I'm private

[Momof4]

I don't understand why people think it is more expensive to take care of a baby. For me it is less expensive because the parents send all the food and bottles and milk until the children learn to eat table food just before their first birthday usually. But still, their portions are so small that I'm still saving money. I charge the same amount for all ages.

[kidlove]

But dont you think that babies kind of run the show. older kids you can schedule quite easy. meals, play, snacks, naps. but babies, eat sleep and poop on their own time. that can get in the way of the rest of the days plans, therefor, making babies "more work" = more money.

[kidlove]

dont you think your time is worth something too? babies require much more of your time than an older child who can rely on other children.

[Momof4]

No kidlove, maybe it's just me, but I feel exactly the opposite. You don't have to craft with babies and take them places and entertain them. I call it 'assembly line daycare' when I have all 5 children under age 2. Feed them, change them, let them play, let them sleep and that's all done in 2 rooms so not much work. I find it kind of boring, but I like to take children in as babies so they learn my daycare rules and routines as they grow. They learn etiquette at the table and naptime routines and what I expect in their behaviour.

Last year I had my favourite group, all ages 3 & 4 and we had so much fun in my home and wherever we went. I'll admit that. I find 2 and up to be much harder work. I do find it more interesting, but harder work. I teach them and let them craft and create and take them lots of places which I LOVE, but so many times I'm cooking or cleaning up after the meal and they are standing in the doorway looking at me instead of playing. I'm not here to entertain them all the time, you know? All children have different personalities and as the groups change this problem changes of course. But crafting and travelling costs money too.

So I still think I make more profit with babies, but it would most likely depend on how you run your daycare.

[playfelt]

I think babies are less work too and especially when they nap morning and afternoon and some do right up to 18 months old. Their play needs are minimal and stuff around the house works. They eat very little even if I provide - as in last nights dab of left overs is enough to feed three babies so food that might have gone to waste now doesn't - like eating for free. No craft or outing expenses. The extra fees charged go towards the equipment like playpens and high chairs, exersaucers etc. But over time you have many babies using them before they need replaced.

It is also one of those things where since centres and licensed agencies do it and parents accept that we can charge a premium too without it being questioned. I used to charge extra when we got kids into care at 4-6 months old and then they went to the toddler rate once they were at least a year old, feeding themselves (finger or spoon) and walking unaided. When we went to the one year mat leave it just seemed silly to keep it in for a couple months so went to a straight rate across the board.

[Inspired by Reggio]

.... I call it 'assembly line daycare' when I have all 5 children under age 2....

But this is why you can set your budget to pay for the space regardless of age and not charge 'extra' because you are able and willing to have ALL your kids be this age group and fill an open space with any age child that comes along and you are not 'feeding' that age group and so forth. I agree that I would not charge 'different' fees if this was the case in my program either cause I would not have an 'argument' for it when discussing fees with clients in this model.

Premium space aside ~ my program I do not 'save' money serving infants because I feed them still cause I do not want to deal with parents sending 'jarred foods' well past when I think solids are acceptable and so forth and they often eat as much or more than preschoolers cause 'pureed' food tends to take more to get a 'serving' ~ takes me 3 apples to get 2 servings of pureed applesauce but not many preschoolers eat 1 and a 1/2 apples each at a snack and 5 oz chicken purees down into 1 serving meat but most 'preschoolers' you'd be lucky to get in 2 oz of solid chicken cause they are too busy to chew that long ... another reason why I like to make my own food because I can get them quickly OFF pureed food and onto solids verses dealing with 'jarred foods' being sent at 18 months!

Also my infants still get to do creative explorations, sensory and all the things that cost $$ that older kids do so I am not saving money on the 'program' expenses here the budget is the same for program supplies regardless of age plus maintaining their strollers, highchairs, pack n plays and so forth are major expenses where as a kid over 2 can eat at the table, can walk, they can rest on a mat on the floor or a couch if need be their only equipment expense is the 'some toys' which cost way less than highchairs / strollers / cribs and so forth cause my older crew seems to have the most fun with recycling verses 'toys'?

Ultimately like anything in your fees setting it is what you feel you can 'justify' to your client set ~ just like some people charge more for their service over all because they serve an all organic menu or they charge more because they choose to never have more than 3 kids in care regardless of their 'age' and so forth .... we all have varied reasons for why we charge what we charge and it is the clients job to 'research' and find out what they are 'getting' or 'not getting' depending on your point of view for the fee being asked.