No Wonder It's Hard To Find Kids In My Area!

[AfterSchoolMom]

I just finished perusing my local CL ads - and there are at least SIX "childcare needed" ads where parents want you to care for their child(ren) full time for less than $2 per hour - the most ridiculous being one lady who wanted someone to come to HER house for 5 12 hour shifts per week and only wanted to pay $80 per week for it ($1.33 per hour).

If this is what parents are really expecting to pay, it's no wonder that providers here are having such a hard time staying full!

Even I have already started having problems, and I've only just starting looking for the next school year - the very first interview I had went with a friend who would do it for free. I mean, I understand - I'd do the same thing - but I can't compete with that!

ETA: That's six ads just today, not total. Eek!

[SunshineMama]

I just finished perusing my local CL ads - and there are at least SIX "childcare needed" ads where parents want you to care for their child(ren) full time for less than $2 per hour - the most ridiculous being one lady who wanted someone to come to HER house for 5 12 hour shifts per week and only wanted to pay $80 per week for it ($1.33 per hour).

If this is what parents are really expecting to pay, it's no wonder that providers here are having such a hard time staying full!

Even I have already started having problems, and I've only just starting looking for the next school year - the very first interview I had went with a friend who would do it for free. I mean, I understand - I'd do the same thing - but I can't compete with that!

I know what you mean! I found someone advertising $25 per day per child in my area. How can I compete with that? I am $35 per day for full time care. Right now my area is flooded. Once I can actually get the interview I always get the client- it's just hard to get the interview when everyone's first question is, "How much do you charge?"

[cheerfuldom]

When I first started five years ago, the norm was $100 to $125. The higher end slowly crept up to $150 (I charge $140). NOW, there are people offering full time care as low as $85 a week. I havent gone down in my rates but there are A LOT of people out there that just want dirt cheap, no other questions asked. Thats not how I run at all.

[temom]

its the same thing here, i saw someone offering to charge 17$ a day, there are about 20 ads for home child care on a daily bases, what i don't get is, these parents will drive expensive cars, wear designers even their kids will come to dc wearing designers but why do they always cheap out on CC. Shouldn't your kids well being be more important