I do not have standard open and close hours. I require parents to contract for specific times.

If a parent works from 9-3 I contract with them from 8:30-3:30 and do NOT allow them to use anymore hours than that.

I bill parents according to their contracted pick up times and consider them late (and charge a late fee) if they do not pick up at their contracted pick up time....even if I still have other children in care past 3:30.

Each family MUST tell me the hours of care they need, we contract for that time ONLY and are billed accordingly.

This completely eliminates the child who is here from open to close. If I do have a child that is here all day, they are paying a MUCH higher rate than the others so it is worth it to me.

I also charge more for any time (in 15 minute increments) beyond 9 hours per day.

I know EXACTLY when I need to start work each day and when I will be done each day. Some days, I am done as early as 3:00. I am actually making more money now doing it this way than I did when I was simply open from 6:30-5:30 and had every kid here the whole day every day.

My handbook reads "I do not have standard open to close hours. I operate on contracted hours only. I am not willing to contract for services before 6:30 a.m. or after 5:30 p.m."