3.5k
Daycare and childcare providers in Winnipeg, Toronto, Vancouver, Ontario etc. in CanadaGarderies à Montréal ou au QuébecFind daycare or childcare providers in the USA
Forum control
+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1

    Full time to part time

    Hi,
    I've recently been asked what I would charge if my hours changed from 8:30-3:30 to 12:30-4:00. These are my 2 full time kids that I currently charge $55 a day. A contract was signed for full time hours. Thoughts?

  2. #2
    Expansive... Play and Learn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    828
    Thanked
    140 Times in 116 Posts
    If they're still getting fed lunch, I wouldn't change my fees.

  3. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Play and Learn For This Useful Post:


  4. #3
    Expansive... Judy Trickett's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    In My Own Little World Of Warped Reality
    Posts
    739
    Thanked
    561 Times in 277 Posts
    Here's the thing...once a parent wants a change then the old contract is basically null and void and you get to write up a new contract with new fees and rules etc.

    Personally, I would NOT move two FT kids down to PT unless I REALLY wanted to and could afford to do it. It always seems okay to do it at first but a few months down the line you will likely grow to resent the loss in income. Remember, this is for TWO kids!! Even IF you only reduced their rates $10 a day PER kid that is $100 a WEEK.

    Are you willing to lose out on $5200 a YEAR in income???

    And, even IF I accepted a change like this they would have to come AFTER lunch. There is no way a half-day kid should be getting lunch (that YOU pay for) for less than full time fees.

    Personally, I would say NO but that's me. I am a firm believer that there is always someone else who is ready and willing to take the spot(s) when a child leaves.

    You need to remember that the parent does know and IS aware that they have leverage over you. The parent assumes you WILL do it because they know that TWO kids is a large income loss and they assume you will let them go PT because you are too desperate to lose out on two full time income spots. This is why I will NOT take siblings. Two kids from the same family is 40% of my income and therefore it is harder to let them go if you NEED that income. And don't be fooled - the parents realize this too and often use it against you to their own advantage.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to Judy Trickett For This Useful Post:


  6. #4
    Thanks Judy. I guess I am worried about getting 2 more full time kids that's why I was debating it. I just recently lost 1 full time kid (learned the hard way not to deal with family). I definitely need the income.

  7. #5
    Expansive... Judy Trickett's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    In My Own Little World Of Warped Reality
    Posts
    739
    Thanked
    561 Times in 277 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Playkids View Post
    Thanks Judy. I guess I am worried about getting 2 more full time kids that's why I was debating it. I just recently lost 1 full time kid (learned the hard way not to deal with family). I definitely need the income.
    I get that you need the income, BUT......if you terminated and went a whole MONTH without filling their spots then that is an income loss of $2200. That is only HALF what you would lose over a year with these kids. So, basically, even if you went TWO months without filling the spot you would lose nothing more than if you kept them.

    The difference is that if you keep them and discount them (and remember, my calculations were ONLY at a decrease of $10 a day per kid - chances are your actual decrease WILL be more than that. Therefore you are likely losing MORE than the $5200 I stated above in a year) then you are earning at least $5000 LESS Every...Single....Ye ar they are in care. If they stay a few years before you know it you have lost ten or fifteen THOUSAND dollars.

    A quick story.....I once did something like this for really nice family who was also my very first daycare family. I had them in care for FIVE years. I had both their kids. Long story short....it all ended nasty when I needed to give them a fee increase after they had FIVE years of SPECIAL and lower fees because they were on a special schedule.

    The end of the story is that I lost $28,000 in income over FIVE years by keeping them.

    Trust me, cut your loses now, fill the spots and move on. Learn by MY mistakes - that's why I am here, on this forum - to teach other providers how to be better business women.

  8. The Following User Says Thank You to Judy Trickett For This Useful Post:


  9. #6
    Shy
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Huntsville Ont
    Posts
    18
    Judy you are amazing !!

  10. #7
    Euphoric !
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Ottawa
    Posts
    2,419
    Thanked
    599 Times in 439 Posts
    [QUOTE=This is why I will NOT take siblings. Two kids from the same family is 40% of my income and therefore it is harder to let them go if you NEED that income. And don't be fooled - the parents realize this too and often use it against you to their own advantage.[/QUOTE]

    I totally get what you are saying, but I am curious...how do you go about not taking siblings? I mean, if you have a child already in your care who has a new baby brother or sister and the parents want to start him/her with you when they go back to work, do you turn them down? How?

  11. #8
    Euphoric !
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Ottawa, Ontario
    Posts
    4,499
    Thanked
    1,469 Times in 1,125 Posts
    I do take siblings but only one set at a time. With one year maternity leaves, the mom needs to leave the older child in care full time ie no loss of income to me to guarantee her the two spaces assuming I know I will have them such as to start over summer when I have one leaving. Also since I only take kids till they start school, by the time mom does the year of mat leave the older child often only has one year left before needing to move on to other care anyways so better to start them at a new home that takes kindergarten kids or mom gives me the baby and puts older child in preschool which then transfers over to the school age program.

  12. #9
    Euphoric !
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Ottawa, Ontario
    Posts
    4,499
    Thanked
    1,469 Times in 1,125 Posts
    What I probably would tell the mom that wants to change her hours is that you are unable to do it because of the loss in income explaining that what they are booking is one of your five spaces in your daycare and how many hours they attend is irrelevant. I would likely give them care from now till January and advertise for new full time kids for January. If mom does change her hours but agrees to the full time fee do not belive that she will stay. She will be looking for something cheaper and will jump ship as soon as she finds it so better to just hang onto them at whatever they will pay till you can fill the spaces yourself.

    If you take kindergarten kids and your area has half day school you might have the option of getting someone needing care in the morning but not the afternoon but unlikely at this point in the year and you really don't want the lunchtime switchover every day.

Similar Threads

  1. Full time and part time rate for Home Care
    By Love&care in forum Managing a daycare
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 10-25-2017, 03:10 PM
  2. Define your Full time and Part time for me please?
    By MsBell in forum Caring for children
    Replies: 19
    Last Post: 06-17-2014, 03:07 PM
  3. Full time to part time? How to determine rate or days?
    By Sassygirl in forum Managing a daycare
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 11-22-2013, 11:34 AM
  4. Another Newbie Question - Part time vs Full time
    By Sandbox Sally in forum Managing a daycare
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 07-24-2012, 12:26 PM
  5. Full time to part time and back again.
    By clep in forum Daycare providers' experiences with parents
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 06-25-2011, 09:59 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts

A few tips...

If you visited or if you're using a childcare provider found on DaycareBear, do not hesitate to leave a review. This will most certainly help other parents!
Did you know?
DaycareBear receives more than 155 700 unique pageviews each month; that's nearly 1.9 million pages per year!
Partner in your
search for a daycare provider