Who pays when you take the dck's for outings?

[smileyface]

Hi all,

For those of you who take children out to museums or other children programs that cost money, who pays? Do you pay out of the daily rate the parents provide, or do you ask the parents to pay the fee? I love taking the children out, but it can add up really fast. $4 or $5 per child definitely takes a hit out of my $40/day. I was just wondering what the rest of you do?

[cfred]

It really depends on what it is. Taking the kids out to a restaurant where 1 or 2 adult meals feeds the lot, I pay. However, when I took them all to a movie, I got parents to pay....too rich for my blood.

[playfelt]

Generally speaking if you are making it part of your program then you pay. However if you can get parents to agree to having the cost passed on to them then great but if you do this you will also have to have a plan in place for a parent that chooses not to pay ie they can just not bring their child the day of the outing and not pay for care that day.

[AmandaKDT]

I can't make parents pay (part of the licensing rules in Manitoba) but I can ask for donations.

I haven't taken them to anything that costs yet, but it probably won't be very often if at all.

[madmom]

I pay for museum memberships, parking or other special treats however I have in my contract that I would like the parents to pay a yearly membership to an indoor playground here in Ottawa. That way we always have something fun to do if the weather is bad, or it isn't feasible to go to a park to play. They are happy to pay for it as they can use it weekends, holidays and on their own vacations.

[Momof4]

Ladies, don't forget to get receipts and deduct all those expenses on your taxes.

[BlueRose]

I pay for museum memberships, parking or other special treats however I have in my contract that I would like the parents to pay a yearly membership to an indoor playground here in Ottawa. That way we always have something fun to do if the weather is bad, or it isn't feasible to go to a park to play. They are happy to pay for it as they can use it weekends, holidays and on their own vacations.

where is this indor playground? I would love to check it out.

[Trace of Angels]

I make the parents pay.........it's expensive and I do lots of field trips and I have had more than enough write offs since I have been open. The parents are fully aware of the cost and I have it stated in my contract that field trips are paid by the parents. I pay my own admission parking food and gas but they pay fully for their own children.

On another note BlueRose.......have you not heard of "Cosmic Adventures" and there is also "Tubes and Jujubes" great indoor playground places and I have taken my daycare kids many times here in Ottawa!!!