10.5 hr days for a 12 month old?

[bright sparks]

I am open 7:30 to 5 but most of my kids arrive after 8 am. I like my days like that. I once had a boy who was here 6:30-5:30 and that was way too much. For me AND for the kid. But obviously others have found a way to make it work...don't know how you do it!

I did early drop off 3 days a week for a family 6:30 and they were collected by 3 but I still worked till 5 and it was a long day for me. It didn't last too long before I stopped it.

[Samantha33]

I too have 9.5 hr. contracted days. I work 7:30-4:45 right now and will make it 5 if I get a "new" client who reguires the time. If someone needs more time, I charge for the extra time. I've never had anyone need more time once they know this. Although I have had some clients pay for an extra 15 min. once in a while. I choose parents who can work in this time frame. I just don't want to work longer than my hrs. I have appt. scheduled for 5 most days after work.

[momofnerds]

I wouldn't. You have to look also if this is going to effect your family life. Also, I know parents work long hours but I find it odd that both would work at the same time with the same hours. Also, because I have done it, after a while I started to resent having a child here for so long. I felt like I was raising them and all the parents had to do was put them to bed and had them on the weekends. And another thing I found (maybe not everyone) was when the parent had a day off the child would still come because the parent didn't know what to do with the child, because they didn't spend any time with them.

[nschildcare]

I wouldn't. You have to look also if this is going to effect your family life. Also, I know parents work long hours but I find it odd that both would work at the same time with the same hours. Also, because I have done it, after a while I started to resent having a child here for so long. I felt like I was raising them and all the parents had to do was put them to bed and had them on the weekends. And another thing I found (maybe not everyone) was when the parent had a day off the child would still come because the parent didn't know what to do with the child, because they didn't spend any time with them.

I agree with a lot of this. I have one who comes for that long and have had her since 13 months. They are long days. She is fine but they are long days for me because yes, I feel like I am parenting her. My family and I love her to death but I wish in hindsight that I hadn't agreed to the long days. And in my case as well, this child is here every single day no matter what. From her start time to finish time. I don't care that she comes while mom isn't working but does she need to be here for that long of a day?

I limit new clients to 10 hours a day and always give preference to those with shorter days. I will never take another child for that long of a day.

[mickyc]

It would be a long day but kids adjust and sometimes it has to be. I open at 7:30 and close at 5. My new boy (11.5 months old) is dropped off at 7:30 on the nose and his mom gets here at 4:50.

Sigh....maybe someday I will have shorter days lol.

[AcornsFalling]

I would not take a child who needed such a long day. I want time in the morning and evening to be with my own children when they are young. You will find a new child eventually whose hours will fit better with your schedule.

[5 Little Monkeys]

Sorry, I'm a little confused. Is this family needing care out of your open hours or just the full length that you are open?

[ttremble88]

Sorry, I'm a little confused. Is this family needing care out of your open hours or just the full length that you are open?

I think that that she is open during the hours that the parents need, although it seems like she has a contracted amount of hours and they need more then that. That is what I understand.

I am different. I am open from 6am-6pm and what you pay per day, is for care from open to close. But I know that some offer a limited amount of hours per day, even if they are open longer.

[Other Mummy]

So DCM called yesterday during nap and really, really wanted the spot. She is negotiating her hours at work so that she will drop off after 7:15am and pick up no later than 5:30pm. She dropped the 4 day week and is going back to a 5 day week so that her daughter is not at daycare for 11 hours. So her hours that she needs know are all within my opening hours.

And the little girl is very easy going and a lovely personality. We will be transitioning her for 2 weeks prior to mom going back to work.

[Rachael]

I've never heard of restricting a child's attendance to a max number of hours within core business hours. Surely if you open at a given time and close at a given time, if someone is paying for a full day it makes no odds who is present for the whole day and who is present for part of it.

I officially open at 7.30am but have two who are military who drop at 7am due to the hours the base works. I close at 4.30pm and don't extend that. But when my hours were longer, as long as nobody arrived before I opened and all were gone at closing time, then I was open for business.