Potential parent with 2 kids, what to charge?

[beachgrl]

My normal weekly rate for ft 7:30-5:30 m- f is $125, although I have gone down to $100 for those with less hours or to be more competitive with others in the area. I have a visit w a potential parent tonight whom would need ft care for a 5 mo old and pt sorta care for a three yr old. I planned to charge $80 for pt (2 days or less) and ft being three days or more but haven't hd anyone need pt yet. I'm wondering if that pt rate is too high, and what I should tell her for both of them?

She would need two days per week every other week for the three yr old and three days per week on the other week. He is in an early intervention ec pk class two day a week and mom is off one day a week every other week which is why the days would change every other week. She would also need care 30 min earlier in the am than my reg hours and possibly 30 min later in the evenings all week for the infant.


Should I charge her the ft higher end for the Infant at $125 and the ft $80 rate for the three yr old or cut her a reduced rate of like $50 for the three yr old and allow her to use the three days she en needed but fill the spot w drop in when he isn't coming? I want to be reasonable to parents but also to myself with my rates and since I still only have two, this would be a much needed income boost for me right now. Ideas? Suggestions? Thanks!

My hubby may need to stopmwork in the spring due to his crazy school schedule with him having his last semester he really needs to be able to get all his classes done and where he is working now is costing us $400-500 a mo in gas!

[Meyou]

I would do FT rate for the baby and PT rate for the 3 year old so $205/week. The 3 year old would have to be on a set schedule with no day substitutions and only allowed 5 days every 2 weeks.

[MyAngels]

I charge $125 per week for full time (up to 50 hours) and $100 for part-time (25 or less hours).

Unless you have a lot of drop in kids I wouldn't discount the rate very much for the older child. I suppose you could do a drop in rate for the older child if they are willing to take the chance that you won't have room on a given day.

[beachgrl]

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. I know it can be hard for families with more than one child in daycare but at the same time the pt child would be taking up space that a ft child may fill...should I allow the pt child to be at the pt rate with him coming two days one week and three the next or should I do the ft rate for three days or more each week since they would be using it half the time? I don't want to scare the family off with the pricing so was thinking of just letting them use up to three days at the pt rate but specific ones, so I could maybe fill the other days with another pt or drop in?

[Meyou]

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. I know it can be hard for families with more than one child in daycare but at the same time the pt child would be taking up space that a ft child may fill...should I allow the pt child to be at the pt rate with him coming two days one week and three the next or should I do the ft rate for three days or more each week since they would be using it half the time? I don't want to scare the family off with the pricing so was thinking of just letting them use up to three days at the pt rate but specific ones, so I could maybe fill the other days with another pt or drop in?

Don't base your pricing on the fact they have multiple children in DC. They chose that, not you.

[beachgrl]

Don't base your pricing on the fact they have multiple children in DC. They chose that, not you.

Very true, I guess I'm just looking at the potential to have mire income coming in and not wanting to out price myself.

I'm wondering on if I should give them the pt rate for the three year old but let them use two days one week (my normal pt) and three days the opposite week (normal ft), how do those of you who work with parents that have alternating schedules handle such things?

I know these parents will be going a few min out of their way if they do go with me too.

[3kidzmama]

Personally I don't do part time. But, if I were going to, I would do a 3-day minimum. I would charge the full time rate for the baby and the part time rate for the 3 year old each week, with the requirement that the schedule remain the same. I wouldn't discount for the moms day off - its her choice if she chooses not to bring the child.

[JenNJ]

Look at it this way:

Infant -- full time space with an extra hour per day -- $125 per week PLUS charge for the extra time as needed.

Preschool child -- 5 days every 2 weeks. Charge the child $70 a week (a little over half of full time rate) PLUS charge for the extra time as needed.

So $195 per week base rate NOT INCLUDING the extra morning or evening hours.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Full time rate for BOTH. Period. Yes, the older child will be using the availablity, you NEED to get paid for that, otherwise you may as well flush $ down the toilet.

[beachgrl]

Well after all that, she only ended up needing care for the infant due to ds getting more days in prek program so only needed ftnrate for the dcg..

Dcm left it at she is looking at switching from current provider and why, and told me she would let me know once she talked more w hubby. Didn't mind my location and I am hopeful that I will hear something back...I need more kids!