Charging to Hold a Teachers Spot Thru the Summer

[Unregistered]

what?

I said I charge $100 a week to hold there spot if they have already used their vacation time. That only comes out to $400 a mo? Not sure where ya got 1000 a month
When they are here its $150 a week, thats only $600 per month...And yes licensed daycare and Im not sure why I keep showing up as unregistered? I paid for a membership here... What do I do to change that?

[Lucy]

I said I charge $100 a week to hold there spot if they have already used their vacation time. That only comes out to $400 a mo? Not sure where ya got 1000 a month
When they are here its $150 a week, thats only $600 per month...And yes licensed daycare and Im not sure why I keep showing up as unregistered? I paid for a membership here... What do I do to change that?

Paid for a membership???????

Regarding the $1000.... I never said it was PER MONTH. You said you charge $100 per week to hold a spot, right? You said they get 2 weeks vacation time where they don't have to pay, right? Ok, summer is 12 weeks. Take out the 2 weeks they don't have to pay for, and you're left with 10 weeks. $100 X 10 weeks = $1000. So you are receiving $1000 for care you never provided.

[Unregistered]

Do you know how much money a childcare LOSES over a summer for holding a spot? I hold a spot all summer for parents and I charge only one weeks tuition for it. I try to find people who need only summer care but sometimes I don't. In the meantime, I turn away 7 or 8 who call and want to start and continue full time. I charge approx $700/mo per child. If I charge no deposit at all, and I have 5 children who are out all summer and I can't fill their spots, I have lost $10,500 in tuition that I would have gained over the summer. If I charge a measly one week's tuition to hold their spot, I still risk losing over $9,000. It's TOTALLY reasonable to charge a deposit, or a reduced tuition fee, if you ask me!

[mismatchedsocks]

I have one family that is a teacher family. If they want me to "hold" the spot for them for the fall, that can only be done IF i have a school ager to fill the spot. They still need to contact me in August to see if I have room for them in Sept when school starts. Lots can happen in childcare over the summer, and unless the parents are willing to pay full price for all weeks, and bring their child when they want, there is no "holding".

I have been lucky, in all 11 years I have done daycare I have filled the spot with a schoolager, usually sibling of a current daycare child. AND...the teachers child will not come in summer, but they wont have to pay a fee.

[sharlan]

I never charged my teachers during the summer. I liked having the break to spend more time with my kids.

My last teacher family came 2 - 3 days a week during the summer. They paid daily rates during that time. If they took off a week or two, I didn't charge. I also didn't charge during Easter or Christmas break. This family was so perfect, I would have done anything to keep them.

[Unregistered]

Childcare provider

I have a home daycare and I work for mostly teachers. I am not licensed b/c my State does not require me to be with the number of children I care for. 5 not including my own.

I get paid whether the children are in my care or not. The only time I do not get paid is if I take a vacation day or sick day. I get paid holidays, I get paid during all school breaks, and school holidays or snow days. I also charge half the full time rate during the summer months and every teacher I have ever worked for has paid me. They know that a corporate daycare is going to charge full price and paying half, is so much better for them.

I also charge a holding fee of two weeks at full price for a first time family. If they show up I work the first week for free for them. So they really only paid me one week's holding fee. However, if they do not return, that money is non-refundable and I will not consider taking on their child in the future if the care they decided to go with falls through. This has never happened and all of my families have fortunately returned year after year. But, I always go into the agreement with strong, clear boundaries. And when parents come back later, and they sometimes do around Christmas when they are broke or in the summer near vacation time and they want to ask if I could waive a week's fee here or there. It is difficult but important to ask how they would respond if their principal asked for them to give back some money that they had already agreed upon Everyone has a job and everyone needs a paycheck. Not everyone is doing home daycare for extra money. Some people, this is their only source of income and they have a specific budget that requires them to get paid and to know how much. It is definitely a balance between being friends with your parents but also being a business. Parents will in the end respect the clear expectations you have for your daycare. Don't be wishy washy or allow them to see that you are unsure of what to do. When you explain your policy do so with confidence and matter of factness. That this is the decision you have made, other families comply, and this new one will too

I get between 175 and 200 for newborns and infants and then I drop it down to 175 or 150 when they are toddlers. Where I live that is really reasonable. Is there cheaper care? Of course, but when you consider just how much in taxes a home daycare provider has to set aside, the teachers are fortunate to be paying what they are. Good luck!!

[Leaka79]

i could understand requiring a deposit, and i'd have no problem paying one -but there's no way i'd pay full or half price for the whole summer.

if half price was required, i like the idea of being able to bring the child part time - that's fair.

when i was in school getting my teaching degree everyone was always asking why i didn't go for something that paid more. first, i said cus this is what i want to do. then, i reminded them that teachers make less, but they save a lot in childcare costs. if i got a job starting out making 60,000 - by the time i paid for childcare, i'd have 40,000 left over. so, if i'm teaching and not paying for childcare (or in my case NOW - after school care for 2 kids) it's basically the same. teaching is a mother friendly job for the most part. you work when your kids are in school and you're off when they're out of school. it's one of the main benefits.

so, yeah, there's no way i'd pay full price or half price with NO care. that's just MY opinion. i'm not suggesting anyone change their policy or that it's wrong. just answering the OP's question.

I'm a provider and what parents sometimes forget is you expect me to hold a space for and extended amount of time without any form of payment. That's like telling your mortgage company "Hey I'm gonna be on vacation for a couple months so Im not going to pay you" well good luck with that cause you may not have a home to come back to. Same thing applies to childcare. I give my teacher parents two options… 1- They continue on as normally pay the regular rate and can bring the child when they wold like. 2- They terminate their contract and do a drop in basis which they call ahead of time and if space is available they can come and only pay for the days they attend. When fall rolls around if they spot they had is still available they re-sign a new contract and back to normal. However they take the chance of not having it available.

[Maria2013]

I charge a minimum of 3 days whether the child attends or not....they usually attend at least the 3 days

[KSDC]

I charge my teacher parents a holding fee. ($20 a week, normal fee is $90-$115 a week)
There are no drop-ins for that fee. Just a guarantee that the spot will still be there for them when school starts.

[lovemykidstoo]

2 out of my 5 families are teachers. The one dcb normally comes 4 days a week and in the summer he comes 2 days, plus his older brother comes too so I get the same dollar amount per week for that family since I watch 1 child 4 days a week during school year, but summer 2 kids 2 days a week. Fortunate there. The other family has twins and I normally have them 2 days a week during school year, but only 1 day in the summer. I require that they come at least 1/2 of their schedule. Not only keeps them here so I don't have to worry about them coming back in the fall, but keeps the kids in somewhat of a routine. Now during the school year they pay whether they come or not. Only time they don't is if I take a day off for vacation or sick.

[sahm1225]

I have 3 families that are teachers.
One family switches to drop in care (this is my nephew, so I know they will come back!)
One family goes from 5 days to 2 days, pays a slightly higher tuition for those two days and pays regardless of attendance.
The last family goes from 4 days to 2 days.

They all provide the schedule way in advance so I advertise to fill their spots during the summer. So far, it has worked for me. I have families that have left and only come back for the summer so usually we tend to be busier in the summer anyway.

and for the record - 24k for two kids tuition is about average over here. You have to keep in mind that cost of living and incomes are higher too, so no they are not getting caviar and lobster!

[daycare]

I dont have any teachers now, but this is what I offer.

extended leave-

FT- families can pay 1/2 normal weekly rate and attend up to 2 set days per week

We do not offer this to PT families and will not hold a spot for them.

We allow this for up to 8-weeks.

it can be used for:
maternity leave, summer, vacations or illness. It must be approved in advance with the provider.

[daycare]

I dont have any teachers now, but this is what I offer.

extended leave-

FT- families can pay 1/2 normal weekly rate and attend up to 2 set days per week

We do not offer this to PT families and will not hold a spot for them.

We allow this for up to 8-weeks.

it can be used for:
maternity leave, summer, vacations or illness. It must be approved in advance with the provider.

I called all of the local preschools and B/A school centers, their prices are based off the of the school year only, summer program is not included. I almost passed out when they said that the summer program is a pay as you go,only pay for the weeks you attend, but it is $300 a week.

[Annalee]

I'm a provider and what parents sometimes forget is you expect me to hold a space for and extended amount of time without any form of payment. That's like telling your mortgage company "Hey I'm gonna be on vacation for a couple months so Im not going to pay you" well good luck with that cause you may not have a home to come back to. Same thing applies to childcare. I give my teacher parents two options… 1- They continue on as normally pay the regular rate and can bring the child when they wold like. 2- They terminate their contract and do a drop in basis which they call ahead of time and if space is available they can come and only pay for the days they attend. When fall rolls around if they spot they had is still available they re-sign a new contract and back to normal. However they take the chance of not having it available.

I have one client with the school system at this time and she pays all summer, mails me the check each week. I have kept all four of her children and have two right now. I explained that if they took the children out, then the spot may or may not be there in August, but she has never took that chance.

[Blackcat31]

Relevant info but OLD thread....

......just an FYI, in case anyone is answering the original poster.