Contracted Hours VS Open/Close Hours

[littlemissmuffet]

I know this topic has been done to death, but I just want to SEE the numbers when it comes to contracted hours vs open/close hours. I switched last year from open/close to contracted hours and recently had a parent comment about how she's never heard of such a thing The majority of private in-home childcare providers I know do contracted hours... and now I know why, since I switched

[littlemissmuffet]

Thanks for the votes so far, ladies!

[littlemissmuffet]

So far, excluding my vote - it's even! Did anyone here start out using regular open/close hours and then swtich to contracted? How did your clients feel about it? TIA!

[pfund2233]

I had open and closed hrs then went to contracted this yr. Parent's were cool with it.

[e.j.]

I do contracted hours but they aren't necessarily just "work hours plus commute time". Parents contract for the hours they need/want for whatever reason. If they use fewer than they contracted for (illness, weather issues, vacation time....), they still pay for those contracted hours. If they need more hours during any given week, they just pay for the extra hours as long as I have availability.

[dave4him]

6-6 though most of the time they get left around 7:30 and picked up by 5ish

[Mary Poppins]

So far, excluding my vote - it's even! Did anyone here start out using regular open/close hours and then swtich to contracted? How did your clients feel about it? TIA!

Yep and they were all very understanding when I explained it was to prevent some from leaving their kids 10-12 hours a day and how that affected both myself and the kids.

I love contracted hours and will never go back!

[saved4always]

When I set up an interview with a new potential family, I always ask what hours they are looking for. If they don't fit into my life, I don't even interview. If the hours work for me, I put those times on thier contract if they decide they want me to provide care for their child. So I guess that would be their "contracted hours". And they all know that I do NOT want to have kids here after 4 p.m. so they are really good about being on time. happyface

[littlemissmuffet]

When I set up an interview with a new potential family, I always ask what hours they are looking for. If they don't fit into my life, I don't even interview. If the hours work for me, I put those times on thier contract if they decide they want me to provide care for their child. So I guess that would be their "contracted hours". And they all know that I do NOT want to have kids here after 4 p.m. so they are really good about being on time. happyface

This is how I started doing things a few months back! I am loving it. All but one of my old families are totally fine with it - but I have one who doesn't seem to understand. Whatever.

Thanks for all the votes and responses!!