Business is business!!!!

[littlemisssunshine]

Grrrr why do DCP think they don't have to pay if their child doesn't attend childcare!!!! I'm sorry but they have to pay for the space !!! Why don't they get this?! Man I'm extra grouchy today

[Willow]

Because some daycares don't choose to operate that way.

Nothing wrong with either route a provider goes, it's just all in how you want to run your business.


I sympathize with you though if you're dealing with parents who contracted for care under your rules and are now causing you troubles to the contrary. That's never a fun thing to deal with

[cheerfuldom]

From their point of view, why pay if you are not using the service? They dont see the similarity to say, cable service. You still pay for the full month, whether you turn the TV on or not. It is a monthly/weekly service that is provided, not a daily/hourly service like renting a bounce house for two hours.

Parents usually get it a little bit more if I explain it and compare to cable charge for the month.

Others just want to see it their way and nothing you say is ever going to make them feel that they are getting a fair price and a reasonable service.

[Country Kids]

I do have this rule but charge hourly and have started having parents abuse that. They are coming and going when they want. This is one reason I'm thinking of going to a daily rate.

[mrsp'slilpeeps]

Haha. Welcome to my world honey. Going through the exact same thing.

And thanks to these ladies and my hubby for helping me pull my back bone out of my arse and use it, I have stood my ground.

May lose 2 kids out of it but the headache is not worth it anymore.

Stand your ground cause we are worth every penny.

[Blackcat31]

An "clip" from a really good article about why child care is expensive:

"A lot of parents want to know why they still pay if their child is absent.
The program's cost of operating the CHILD CARE does not decrease when one or more children are absent. Unless at least half of the children are absent or the ratio demand is less then what is needed for two providers , the same number of staffs has to be present to ensure the health and safety of the children in a large capacity child care. The fees collected from parents are used to pay the care giving staff and those costs do not decrease because of the absence of a few children. Even in a small child care, the child care is still open whether one child comes for the day or all the children. The only cost decrease is less meals are served that day. Keep in mind, you have to pay your mortgage or car note even when you are on vacation and away from the house and not using it. Your car still gets paid even if it sits in the driveway un driven...Child care is the same way. It's still paid even if you're not using it for a few days.
Child care is based on enrollment not attendance


Child care is an expensive service to purchase because it is labor intensive. Children need to be supervised and cared for and it takes a provider to be there to do these things in order for the parents to report into work without worrying about their children."

[grandmom]

That's why I charge monthly, in advance.

[wahmof3]

An "clip" from a really good article about why child care is expensive:

"A lot of parents want to know why they still pay if their child is absent.
The program's cost of operating the CHILD CARE does not decrease when one or more children are absent. Unless at least half of the children are absent or the ratio demand is less then what is needed for two providers , the same number of staffs has to be present to ensure the health and safety of the children in a large capacity child care. The fees collected from parents are used to pay the care giving staff and those costs do not decrease because of the absence of a few children. Even in a small child care, the child care is still open whether one child comes for the day or all the children. The only cost decrease is less meals are served that day. Keep in mind, you have to pay your mortgage or car note even when you are on vacation and away from the house and not using it. Your car still gets paid even if it sits in the driveway un driven...Child care is the same way. It's still paid even if you're not using it for a few days.
Child care is based on enrollment not attendance


Child care is an expensive service to purchase because it is labor intensive. Children need to be supervised and cared for and it takes a provider to be there to do these things in order for the parents to report into work without worrying about their children."

Here is the whole article if anyone is interested

GREAT article!!! Thank you!!

[Kiki]

An "clip" from a really good article about why child care is expensive:

"A lot of parents want to know why they still pay if their child is absent.
The program's cost of operating the CHILD CARE does not decrease when one or more children are absent. Unless at least half of the children are absent or the ratio demand is less then what is needed for two providers , the same number of staffs has to be present to ensure the health and safety of the children in a large capacity child care. The fees collected from parents are used to pay the care giving staff and those costs do not decrease because of the absence of a few children. Even in a small child care, the child care is still open whether one child comes for the day or all the children. The only cost decrease is less meals are served that day. Keep in mind, you have to pay your mortgage or car note even when you are on vacation and away from the house and not using it. Your car still gets paid even if it sits in the driveway un driven...Child care is the same way. It's still paid even if you're not using it for a few days.
Child care is based on enrollment not attendance


Child care is an expensive service to purchase because it is labor intensive. Children need to be supervised and cared for and it takes a provider to be there to do these things in order for the parents to report into work without worrying about their children."

Here is the whole article if anyone is interested

I might have to put some of this into my new contract with credit to the writer, thanks for the share!

[momma2girls]

I do have this rule but charge hourly and have started having parents abuse that. They are coming and going when they want. This is one reason I'm thinking of going to a daily rate.

I would definately go to a daily rate. That is crazy!!!!