Reduced Rate for Teachers during the summer months....

[Monday 2 Friday Mama]

Good morninng ladies,

Just a quick question - I am chatting with a prospective client via e-mail. She is a teacher, and she would like her daughter to attend daycare full time during the school year, but (there's always a but in this industry...) she is planning on only bringing her once a week during the summer months. Sigh.... I have worked with teachers before, and they all seem to want a reduced rate for those summer months. I'd welcome some of your thoughts and opinions. I'm not averse to having a lighter load during the summer (my own three children are home so those are the hardest months of the year for me) and I am willing to offer a "slightly" reduced rate for the summer. I guess I'm wondering what other caregivers offer as their "reduced" rate. The last teacher I had I let her pay 100 dollars a week for two days of care. She paid for the month of July, and then when her August dues were due she let me know that she would be moving her daughter to a liscenced centre - so she got deeply reduced childcare for the month, and I was left in the lurch since I fully expected that I would have her daughter in my care that fall. I'm thinking that this time I would offer a monthly rate of 600 dollars (to hold the spot - 3 days a week of care) (regular dues are 900 month) Does this sound too steep or too aggressive ? Any thoughts and feedback would be greatly appreciated - we'll be chatting later this evening after my daycare babes head home for the night !

[BrightEyes]

I would go with the $600. This way she would be less likely to run out on you like the one before. She is welcome to use all three days or just the one day like she has stated. That's what I would do anyways!

[Inspired by Reggio]

My formal policy is a space is a space in my program - if you are not paying for it than I will enroll someone who is ... aka you withdrawal or drop down in summer your full time space might not be there come SEPT

I have peers who charge teachers more each week September to June and keep a deposit over summer to return in September - if they bail they loose the deposit but the provider got premium fees from Sept to June to cover no fees for July and August and they had benefit of quieter days to boot...some of them are teacher only programs so they are actually closed July and August and others are normal programs who just offer this option.

I empathize with teachers child care challenges however I am not taking a hit in pay for the pleasure of serving them when there is a demand for other needing full time care.

[sunnydays]

Exactly what Reggio said. I don't offer any discount. But, if you are happy to have a lighter load then I would go with the three days per week as you mentioned.

[bright sparks]

Everytime I have cared for a teachers child I have charged a 50% retainer upfront. The last day of care before the summer break, the parent has to pay me the 50% for the entire Summer and I must have post dated cheques for the first day of regular care in September in hand. Nobody has ever had a problem with this condition. If I were you, regardless of what you decide to charge, I would get the money for the whole summer break as one payment at the start to prevent being screwed over.

[playfelt]

I charge teachers a higher rate during the school year and then they have the option to bring their child one day a week during the summer. Here is what it says in my contract. Only ever had one teacher actually do it but she understood why I was doing it. It was to prevent what had happened to me by the friend (fellow teacher) that had referred her to me in that she had said oh yes child would stay for the summer then come June changed her mind and of course wanted care again in Sept. Ok so it didn't copy and paste correctly spaced but you get the idea. It does look a lot neater on my fee handout page.

September-June Care $225.00 all ages (5 days per week, maximum 10 hrs per day)
(Teachers – weekly) Applies to school year including school breaks and PD days.
During the summer, child may come for one day of care per
week (day of my choice). Additional days will be regular $40 fee.
Space will be held over the summer with a non-refundable retainer fee, paid in June, which is equal to two weeks of care ($450). Fee will be applied to the first two weeks of care for the following September.

[BlueRose]

I only do b&a school during the school year, I don't want older kids over the summer. I am perfect for teachers this way. But I charge $25/day, but you pay for the whole week no matter how many days your here. This helps to cover cost for full days like P.A. Days, Snow Days and if the school is on strike.

if they want their kids here over the summer its $35/day (but you pay for the whole week no matter how many days your here.)

If they want there spot back the next year they pay their non-refundable deposit in June for the next Sept.

I also do not pick up kids. They must be old enough to walk to and from school (one across the street) or bus stop. Next year my oldest will be going to the school across the street so I can drop off and pick up from that school at that time.

[3xbluemom]

My policy is that if your child is absent for over 2 weeks, you pay 1/2 your normal fee to hold the spot. (Under 2 weeks, you're still paying the full rate.) So this would apply to teachers as well if they pulled their kids out or went down to part-time over the summer.

[Monday 2 Friday Mama]

Thanks ladies - I really appreciate all of your feedback. =) Now I'll just have to sit tight and see if she wants me as a caregiver.....