Part time or Drop in ?

[mrsp'slilpeeps]

I have an interview with a mom who needs child care for her 13 mos old.

She only needs care for thursdays and fridays every 2nd week.

Im trying to fill spots, and those 2 days I only have 1-2 kids if im lucky.

Im not sure what to charge her for 4 days a month. I charge $30 a day for drop ins.

But I also charge $400 a month for part time care (2-3 days a week).

What would you consider the care she needs, to be?

[Blackcat31]

I would do one of two things: I would charge her your normal drop in rate and figure that it is HER problem that she has such a limited amount of time she needs for care as she will more thna likely run into the same problem with any caregiver she looks at.

OR

I have one who is similar and what I do with her is I charge her a daily rate that is a bit higher than normal PT rates but not as high as drop in. I also charge her for ALL paid holidays that I take (6 of them per year) and I also make sure she understands that should she schedule on a day that a regularly enrolled family needs, they will have priority over her so she needs good back up care. I also make sure she knows that should it ever arise that she is the only child scheduled, I will be taking the day off and she will again need good back up.

Normally, I would stay open for 1 kid but not if they are a VERY sporadic attendee.

[mrsp'slilpeeps]

Thats my problem! Since I moved to my town a year and a half ago, Not a single person has inquired about full time care.

So I have 9 DCK's, 2 of my own, but they are all part time and all come on different days.

Try and explain that to the parents. :: I tell them I'm never over my limit for the day.

But I need to fill empty spots or close down. I dont want to close, I have a really good group of kids.

[mismatchedsocks]

I would tell her that you would play by ear each month if you have opening for those days. So I would treat this as a drop in. I would charge a (every other week) weekly rate, and let her know if she asks for those days and you ok them she has to pay weekly rate. How many hours will child be there? What is normal rate for you?

add: i have had some awesome part time/drop in kids. Last year one family actually paid me about $4k in drop in daycare costs. I just used this family when I had openings. Every little thing helps! So I try to be flexible, and laid back.