What are your hours?

[Daycare123]

All my waiting list families all need 8-5 as well

[superfun]

I'm 730 - 430, but I don't start worrying about late pickups until 445. My kids all leave around 4:15 to 4:20.

[ttremble88]

6am - 6pm. I live in a HUGE commuting area, and most people have at least an hour commute one way.

[Judy Trickett]

I work a nine hour day. 7:30am to 4:30pm. When I first started it was a 10 hour day but I shortened it in my second year when I realized all my dckids COULD have been picked up by 4:30pm but were still here at 5:30pm. So I shortened my day by an hour and never lost a client. I have never looked back and stayed at my 9 hour day.

[cfred]

Like ttremble88, I live in a commuting area. I'm actually a stone's throw from the main route into Toronto, so I'm open 6am-6pm. Have been for 13 years. However, my first client drops at 7am and the last to leave is usually around 5 (once my part timer who leaves at 6 finishes up here in April). I've never found it a problem having them till 6pm. The parents are fine with the fact that I'm well into cooking dinner for my family when the come to pick up....usually with an entourage of wee ones looking to sample

[momofnerds]

my hours are 7 to 5pm i have one family that comes 5 minutes to 7 or sometimes 10 min. which isn't a big deal because i'm up and my odd has to go to highschool. And I have one family who comes lates and usually picks up 5:10 which really isn't a big deal. Also, I have on occasion have had a child later than that, like this week, my after school kid (she's my ydd bff) her dad had to work till 6pm (rare) so it wasnt a big deal she came at 415pm and was here till 6pm, I didn't see the girls the whole time, they are so funny at the age of 9.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I commend you ladies who are open 12 hours! There is for sure a need for some parents and especially if you live in an area where parents have to commute. I don't know if I could do 12 hours but I guess it would be easier to do it at home than in a workplace out of the home. I'm sure your parents appreciate the hours you put in to look after their children!!

I'm not even open 8 hours some days and I still sometimes am cooking supper or baking with the last child here lol.

I charge per day but I do ask that they don't wait until closing time if they don't need too. I have never had anyone abuse this unless they were working. Every time a late child has left, I have shortened my hours and thankfully have found parents who don't need long days.

[Spixie33]

I started off advertising for 7 am - 5:30 but I got lucky because everyone seemed to need 7:30 - 5. Working 9.5 hours was manageable and just right.

I soon changed my "advertised" hours from 7:15- 5:15

I was desperate to sign someone this fall and agreed to take a family from 7:15 - 5:30. I never thought that 15 minutes could make so much difference but I regret it most days.

Those extra 15 minutes for just 1 child feel like a lifetime and make my evenings feel so much shorter.

I wish I could do shorter hours but I live in an area where most people are commuting.

[Reana]

I am opened from 7:30 to 5:30, but my dck's get picked up between 430-5. I usually give the extra half an hour to parents who commute in the winter.

[Daycare123]

I work a nine hour day. 7:30am to 4:30pm. When I first started it was a 10 hour day but I shortened it in my second year when I realized all my dckids COULD have been picked up by 4:30pm but were still here at 5:30pm. So I shortened my day by an hour and never lost a client. I have never looked back and stayed at my 9 hour day.

Judy- it is true families will generally take whatever extra hours are available, so I decided to shorten mine.