Bad feeling

[bright sparks]

I honestly think that if I told them $45.00 they will walk away, what would make me happy that they pay me $40.00 x10 days and only bring her for 9 and the 10th days is for the surplus time they are taking.

At the end of the day it is down to what you are comfortable with, but you are short changing yourself. If they are not willing to pay you what you are worth then they aren't the kind of family you need. That being said, it is up to us to set that price and if all you think it is worth is an extra $2 then it doesn't matter what any of us would do, because we each run our business' differently. I understand the needed the money situation, but nearly every bad decision I have made in this business as a result of only doing it because I needed the money, resulted in a bad family entering my daycare. Some were bad left right and centre, and others were great for a time and eventually I felt like I was screwed when in reality I allowed them to use me that way. Be sure to word this agreement in such a way that they are only entitled to 9 days of care not the 10 you are charging them. That is where I think you are going to have problems in the future. If you are charging them for 10 days, you are legally obliged to allow them access to that service for 10 days. It will be fine until they realize this and ask to use it, you say no, they don't like it and leave anyway...that is a possible scenario. Perhaps as others have said, don't put the 9/10 day wording into the contract. Give them their contracted including specified days and hours for the flat fee which is the equivalent of the 10 days @$40 per day. Also I would add a clause that this is a flat rate and should they decide to drop off later or pick up earlier any day for any reason, there will not be a reduction in fees. This is another issue I've faced, like when it is a stat holiday and they don't want to pay for the extended hours when I'm closed with pay but just regular hours pay.