Parents don't think I am worth $3... what would you do?

[5 Little Monkeys]

I'm the same as you crafty, I only increase my fees for new families. It's just what I find fair and works for me. I do have a mom who going on mat leave and will be sending the baby after that. They have had 4 years at their current fee but when baby starts, it will be the new, higher fee and they knew this months ago and had the option to say no

[bright sparks]

I think it is great for a parent to be able to budget for the duration of their child's enrollment at daycare knowing that the rate won't increase. This is more than fair to the parent and at the caregivers expense in my opinion. Cost of living increases, minimum wage increases, so it's not "fair" on a parent that the cost of childcare doesn't increase, because the cost of providing childcare DOES increase and that means we make less money. Someone who quabbles at $3 a day needs to check themselves. I understand living on the breadline, but having done daycare in Halton for a number of years, she is also getting childcare at an absolute steal as it is. Good luck finding quality care for less than $45 a day in Burlington or Oakville. Even more the closer you get to Toronto. Each to their own, but I think for the most part, home daycare providers sell themselves short, make a number of self sacrifices in the name of fairness to parents, and in turn are the only ones who suffer. They are looking after their best interests and so should we.

Kudos to you for sticking to your guns. I would interview to fill the spot to be honest. I know you said she was a great parent because she pays on time, but you actually said there have been a number of issues aside from this that you have had to deal with and I don't think that just paying on time constitutes as a good parent. She should do that anyway. This is supposed to be a collaborative agreement and it doesn't quite sound like that from the little info you have given. If you can replace this child then I would do so.

[5 Little Monkeys]

For myself, the max time a child would be with me is 4 years. If they have another child in that time than I'd consider raising it for the next child if need be to match the highest fee I am charging others. However, just like in any other profession, you eventually cap out and reach your maximum wage. For my area, I'm there already so I don't see an increase in my fee anytime soon.

However, this provider in her area, sounds like she still has some leeway for a raise!

[bright sparks]

For myself, the max time a child would be with me is 4 years. If they have another child in that time than I'd consider raising it for the next child if need be to match the highest fee I am charging others. However, just like in any other profession, you eventually cap out and reach your maximum wage. For my area, I'm there already so I don't see an increase in my fee anytime soon.

However, this provider in her area, sounds like she still has some leeway for a raise!

I don't think home daycare rates can be compared to all professions incomes. Inflation drives those rates up on an annual basis, even minimum wage jobs. Home daycares cost has to stay competative within the area and needs to be maintained within a window of affordability as it is a daily living cost. Majority but obviously not all other professions tend to be in industries where you have the choice of hiring those services or purchasing that product, or at the very least they are occasional expenses versus home daycare being an almost daily cost like a mortgage and utilities. Even those go up annually with the exception of a fixed rate mortgage. I don't think there are actually very many professions that cap out if you look into it. It's just that some will have a much slower rate of increase than others depending on the many variables. How many other professions can you actually think of who have not had a rate increase in the last 5 to 10 years? 3-5 years or even 1-3 years? I am racking my brain and I can't think of any.

[5 Little Monkeys]

Yes, I know quite a few that have capped already. Some capped quite young even. Lots of trades (plumbers, electricians, welders etc), teachers, ECE's, retail and service industries(managemen t positions, not min wage positions). When I worked healthcare, quite a few of those positions, especially management were at the top of their pay scale as well. After awhile, raises became less often and for many, eventually stop.

I'm sure different companies, especially private, are different though. Some offer more benefits instead of raises for example. I can't speak from first hand knowledge on all these positions but only from what friends and family have mentioned. Maximum wages definitely happen though!

[bright sparks]

Yes, I know quite a few that have capped already. Some capped quite young even. Lots of trades (plumbers, electricians, welders etc), teachers, ECE's, retail and service industries. When I worked healthcare, quite a few of those positions, especially management were at the top of their pay scale as well. After awhile, raises became less often and for many, eventually stop.

I'm sure different companies, especially private, are different though. Some offer more benefits instead of raises for example. I can't speak from first hand knowledge on all these positions but only from what friends and family have mentioned. Maximum wages definitely happen though!

That's interesting. I think it might differ depending on province though. My husband is a trade and journeys person in Ontario but covers North America. His industry across the country have not capped...unless they are smaller business' but that's always the case generally where income level is lower. We know so many trades people...it's an immigration thing and again, most are actually paid above labour market value as a result of a huge shortage of trades people in this country. Retail at least in Ontario, is nearly always minimum wage, so there is always a rate increase as the government increases it. I worked healthcare too and annual pay rises occurred across the board, both in public and private sector. The more qualified, the greater the pay increase. Again, I am sure it differs in different provinces but I can speak for sure about trades as I know multiple people who have come to Ontario, SK, NS, AB and Vancouver, unless your talking about the minority being in remote/rural areas or in over saturated areas so then it is relative. Statistically, pay increases occur in average across the board, very few positions/industries have reached their maximum without any increase incentive for years like some daycare providers. Yes that manager may not make more than his 80K a year, but may instead receive an increase in car allowance or bonus. Not always dollars per hour, but still an increase of earnings somewhere along the line. If I can't put my rate up by $3 an hour because I price myself out of the areas going rate, then I can't take little incentives such is paid vacation in it's place because if it was the norm for my area I would already be doing it.

[5 Little Monkeys]

Yup, some will cap and some won't. It's not black and white across the board.

I think hdc's cap quickly because most start out at the higher end, to keep competitive with others in their area. A few will start out $5 less to get clients but I'd say within 1-3 years, they raise the fee with experience. Childcare is just something that rarely changes and that's well known. If someone needs/wants raises often, than Childcare definitely wouldn't be an option for them IMO.

There are ways we can help alleviate our income (paid vacation, paid sick days, cut out lunch programs, parents pay for anything extra etc) but I don't think a raise, even every 5 years, is a reasonable expectation for most areas