Ugh Frustrated With DCP and Contract

[mismatchedsocks]

New contract. Effective immediatly! $125 for each the infant and toddler. Then $50 for gas for school age and care in morning. Total they owe per week $300. Take it or leave it. Start advertising, do not low ball yourself, as it will attract families, but you want them to choose you over your program not your rates!!

$170 a week for 3 kids is nuts! AND you bring her child to school!?!? Wow, I dont know how you have done it for so long.
Good luck!

[LittleCrawfishCC]

I know :-( I have made a big oopsie, But I guess its normal for just starting out? I have only really been in business since June. The dad will be here in less than an hour, and I have butterflies. We are going to have to come to some agreement, that works for both of us, but he uses the line "After we pay all our bills and pay you, we have $100 a week left for diapers and food" ugh. Everyone I have talked to has told me that I am absolutely coocoo.

The only problem is, that everyone around here are looking for CHEAP! The childcare market is soooo slow right now, I have advertised on CL, and put fliers out in my neighborhood, and around the stores around here, and barley anything, only 1 family before/after and a drop in.

[Sugar Magnolia]

"After we pay all our bills and pay you, we have $100 a week left for diapers and food"

This statement is a red flag. Their finances are NOT your problem. Don't fall for sob stories. If other providers are getting $125 and have clients, so can you. Lowballing is a totally common mistake for new providers, but now you know. If you ditch this family, you will get others, it just takes time. Taking the older girl to school is HURTING your business. I wouldn't blame potential parents for no
t liking this. There are some GREAT threads on this forum for marketing ideas that are free or cheap. You are WORTH more than $75 a week per child.

[Daycare Diva]

That is their problem. If they can't afford Childcare for three kids, they should start working out of their home as well. I charge 155 for infants and toddlers and that is an affordable rate. Daycares charge over 300.00 for infant and toddlers. Please increase your rates. Put your family first.

[KAWISTA9]

Did you talk to him???

[LittleCrawfishCC]

I did talk to him, and come to find out the wife was clueless. He was just needing questions, and understood that they were my first family, and that sooner or later I would have to change my rates on them, seeing that newer kids are coming in. I will probably let this go on till the first, and then change rates completely, to probably $115 a week per child, and $35 for the before schooler. He also wanted to know around what time I wanted vacation, so they could get theirs too. He was really cool about it, and he said that they didn't want to loose me, no matter the rates, or vacation. I know that their bills are not my problem, and I think I have gotten my backbone, But after christmas I will be putting my rates up! :-)

[PolarCare]

Financial woes

If this family really only has $100 left after bills, they either need to cut spending in other areas (cable, financed vehicles, smart phones, etc) OR if the are already living close to the bone, they qualify for assistance. Either way, not your problem.

[nannyde]

I did talk to him, and come to find out the wife was clueless. He was just needing questions, and understood that they were my first family, and that sooner or later I would have to change my rates on them, seeing that newer kids are coming in. I will probably let this go on till the first, and then change rates completely, to probably $115 a week per child, and $35 for the before schooler. He also wanted to know around what time I wanted vacation, so they could get theirs too. He was really cool about it, and he said that they didn't want to loose me, no matter the rates, or vacation. I know that their bills are not my problem, and I think I have gotten my backbone, But after christmas I will be putting my rates up! :-)

Just tread lightly.

When parents are faced with strict when they have been given permissive they will do what they have to do at that moment to keep their deal going. Saying words like they don't want to loose you may be because they don't have another gig should you decide to lower the boom now.

There is a VERY VERY high chance that they will leave when they get the raise. By giving them a heads up with your contract they will start the process of detaching from your deal. There's a great chance their attachment to you IS because of the free for the older kid and cheap for the littles.

Just have their replacement ready to go before you issue the raise.

[LittleCrawfishCC]

I agree Nanny De, I am hoping at that time that I will be getting more calls! Thanks so much everyone for all of the advice..I promise I will be putting it to good use!!!

[Christian Mother]

I remember not to long ago I advised one of my daycare families to just look around the area at diff. daycares and find out there rates and what they offer. I am really confident in my daycare here and I know that I offer a great rate with low ratio not to mention preschool activities...of course also a Godly atmosphere. She didn't feel she needed to do that but some times I wish they would so they now I am not taking advantage of them. Daycare is not cheap. I guarantee that most daycares in my area charge quite a bit more then me as well as charge even if the child is not in care. Which I think I plan on changing starting in Jan. if my husband has not found a job by then...I'll need you ladies to help me word that in my new phb. The parents are not going to like that change.