Charging per hour/per day?

[Beanie]

Hey everyone! Ok so i'm just brainstorming here / wondering if anyone else has gone this route.

I will be changing my price structure as of January 2016 for the new bill. I have contemplated and read that some providers charge per hour of care vs. per day. I'm wondering if anyone does charge per hour. The reason I was thinking of going this route is to illuminate all the nitty gritty in late changes for pick ups ect outside of contracted times, and to be honest to have parents that get off work at 2:30-3:00 come pick up their kids and not keep them here right till closing time at 5:00. I don't know about anyone else but it is very frustrating for me when parents don't want to be parents and even though they only work from 9-3 their children are here from open-close (7-5). My thought precess was that if I charged per hour (i would have a minimum number of hours paid each day to mirror my current daily rate of course) then i could control this "leaving your child here all day" parenting style? I was thinking of $6/hr of care with a minimum of 7hrs ($42) paid each day. This would mean that parents that use all 10 of my open hours would pay a premium of $60/day.

Any thoughts / recommendations?

TIA

[Suzie_Homemaker]

I think there is a danger of pricing yourself like a 12 year old babysitter (hourly) and being treated like a 12 year old babysitter, vs a professional.

[5 Little Monkeys]

Do most of your parents only need 7 hours though? Here, it is common for parents to work 8 hours plus 15 min travel time before and after so most clients need at least 8.5...some need more and some need less but 8.5 hour days are the norm for mine.

I charge per day but in the contract and at the first interview, I mention that pick up shortly after your shift ends is appreciated and if you don't need until closing time please don't wait that long. The odd time they want to run an errand or have an appt, they text me or let me know ahead of time and it's fine. This has worked really well for me and not too many have ever left their child here longer than need be.

[Lee-Bee]

Sounds like a lot of extra paper work on your end. If you charge a set daily rate you know what you are owed, the families know what they owe. Simple. Especially if you charge for care before the weeks of care. If you charge by hour then you have to keep daily logs of who stayed how long and will need to let every family know what they owe each pay period based on whether they stayed longer some days. Which would mean they have to pay after the weeks of care.

I think it's easier to just charge a daily rate and assume each child will be there your full day, if they leave earlier it's a bonus for you. You can shorten your work day if you know they don't actually NEED you open as long each day.

[flowerchild]

I know someone who used to charge by the hour and she said she switched to charging by the day because people got really nit-picky "well, I picked her up at 4:15 on Tuesday, so that's $1.25 for that hour plus the other six..." etc.

If you do it that way, I would suggest setting the hourly fee at a set amount per hour or part there of.

[Beanie]

Thanks for the replies ladies! I will ponder this more....

I see your points tho. It would be a lot of work to have to keep track of. So it sounds like you guys don't have this issue of "making sure i'm getting my money's worth and that my child is there the whole day" deal. I do have some children here who their parents actually need all of my hours, bussing to and from work downtown etc. I would feel bad making them pay so much just to follow the hourly rate so maybe if I brought up in the interview that they respectfully pick up their children when they are off work (I do mention this once they don't come after work a few times). I think its a disrespect feeling I get when they take advantage of the hours like that. I live on my own and have no children of my own. Sometimes I think, that they all think I don't have a life outside of taking care of their children and that I don't/won't mind if they leave them here way after they are done work.

Thanks for hearing me out anyway , feels good to vent sometimes!

[mickyc]

What about a flat daily rate for 8.5 hour day and then an additional fee for those needing more? That way they are sure to stay within their hours?

For myself I charge $30 per day for everyone no matter what. Most of my families have had an 8-430 shift meaning drop off at 730 pickup at 450.

I get what you are saying. I have had my share of "I am paying you therefore my child will be there no matter what!" Attitudes. Luckily I have a great bunch right now and I can't complain too much.

[Suzie_Homemaker]

This view might not be fair but it is what I think so I just going to say it.

It bothers me when provider moan about children there all day when in provider's view, child doesn't need to be. No one know what goes on behind closed doors. No one knows exactly what going on in client lives.

So if they pay full day rate, so what if child in daycare all day. Different if parents always late but it sounds like some provider want to capitalize on parents for using their full day care needlessly! I don't feel it provider place to determine that parent can only use their day care for hours they physically at work. Makes no sense.

My husband was military long time ago when our family young. We have four sons, all grown now. But when my husband away, I could get around the grocery store in less than an hour and spend in budget if boys not with me. If I finish work at 3pm and get chance to grab grocery, so what? As long as I get boys from their carer before close, as long as I pay as promised, what the big deal?

It same as grocery store is open from 8am until 11pm. It open 7 days a week. I normally go on a week day, early evening. I never go at opening time and I never go at closing time. But, what if one day I needed to? Am I not allowed to do that because that not my normal time? Is cashier going to moan that I am there at time not normally there even though store still open?

It make no sense, to me. If someone only at work 6 hours and uses full day they pay for, I just don't see the issue. I'm sure parents not get cut price or refund for unneeded hours so why not use them and have time at home, being wholly focussed on family rather than then trying to do errands.

[5 Little Monkeys]

For me, it's just what I'm used to with having worked in centres before opening my hdc. We always had schedules for the kids so we knew when xxx was coming and going.

For myself, I like to know when to expect kids and parents. It helps me feel organized and helps me plan my day so that the bulk of our "fun" stuff is done when all are here.

Thankfully I have had very little experience with Parents who think they need to get their money's worth from me (if anything, they get more than they pay for! Tooting my own horn, sorry) and they actually enjoy their children and want to spend time with them. I can really only think of 3 parents who left their child here much longer than needed( 2 even said it was because their child tired them out!!), but still within my hours so I of course never said anything. Might not be the way I'd parent but it doesn't make it wrong.

[Wonderwiper]

I think the same as the others....seems like a hassle to keep track of.

I also feel the same as Suzie. This topic comes up every few months. I don't give a rats arse when parents pick up. I am open, come whenever you want. I don't know my clients shifts. Nor do I care. No skin off my back.