Daycare Just For Teachers or Single Parent Students?

[nanglgrl]

I have been in business for about 10 years and have been pretty successful but I can feel myself becoming burnt out and wanting more time for myself and my family. My daycare is located in a college town and about 60% of my clients have been college students who use me for the year and are gone for summer/winter and spring break and then come back until they have completed their degree. I do not charge them to hold a spot during these breaks but I usually end up filling up my free spots until they come back so it doesn't impact me financially.

Lately I have been toying with the idea of re-marketing my daycare with an emphasis on teachers and parents who are also students. My plan is to charge $10 more a week than my current fee (which is on the lower side in the area) and not to charge to hold a spot during breaks. I plan on taking fliers to the school in the next couple of weeks to advertise.

My thinking is that although I will make a little less by being closed a few months out of the year I will make it up with more family time. I was also thinking that if the income loss is too much I could be open on Tue/Thur during summer for parents who need to run errands etc. and charge a higher drop in fee.

Has anyone ever tried something similar to this? Any tips?

[Blackcat31]

Another thread about teacher only daycare https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35342

I have heard success stories with this type of care. If there is a need for it and you can do it, I say go for it!

[nanglgrl]

Thank you!

Thank you Blackcat. I must admit I am scared but I always thought daycare would be something I did until my kids were all in school in school. Now I am starting to realize that it will be something I will most likely do until I can afford not to work so I have to find a way to make it work for me.

[cheerfuldom]

This could be a great option for you. Try to get all teachers/students kids and then IF you have to take any year round kid, make sure it is a child that you really love being around and just tote him/her around with you and the family. Figure out how many you can hold in your car and just take what you have to, if any, of year round kids and make sure parents know that summer, the daycare kids do things as a part of your family. that might be another option. hope it works out! I would charge the year round kids more with the idea that you will need the extra charge for activities in the summer.

[Crazy8]

Thank you Blackcat. I must admit I am scared but I always thought daycare would be something I did until my kids were all in school in school. Now I am starting to realize that it will be something I will most likely do until I can afford not to work so I have to find a way to make it work for me.

this is me exactly. Sending my own youngest to school all day this year and always thought I'd be done soon but now it doesn't look that way. I never marketed myself for teachers, but have had some years where I had more of them than "regular" working parents and I used to complain about the loss of income in the summer (I also don't charge for holding the spot). Now, we aren't struggling as much financially and I WISH I had more free time in the summer - of course this year is the year I ended up with two full timers all summer long!! I hadn't really considered taking only teachers kids, but I did think of going with part timers only so I have at least 1 day off a week. I am struggling with the lack of free time this summer and beginning to hate my job!!

[small_steps]

If I were you I would try it. I've pondered the thought of doing it but right now in my town none of the daycare homes or centers have holding fees for the summer. Teachers can drop out at the end of the school year and usually find a spot easily when school starts up again. I guess until the daycares in our area make them pay holding fees for their spots there will be no need for a program like that in my town because they have so many options already.

But in a college town like yours I bet it would work great.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Crazy8]

If I were you I would try it. I've pondered the thought of doing it but right now in my town none of the daycare homes or centers have holding fees for the summer. Teachers can drop out at the end of the school year and usually find a spot easily when school starts up again. I guess until the daycares in our area make them pay holding fees for their spots there will be no need for a program like that in my town because they have so many options already.

But in a college town like yours I bet it would work great.

Good luck and keep us posted!

I have posted about this in the past too and from the comments it sounded like I was the only one so interesting to see its not just here. But you can still market towards and try to take just teachers kids too. Here they would still pay for school holidays/breaks so giving those off w/no charge might be a selling point.

[momma2girls]

I have all teacher's children. I do not charge anything weekly to hold a spot during the Summer, just a 2 weeks holding fee for the upcoming school yr.
I do charge 1/2 the rate for Winter and Spring breaks. If I charged them the full weekly price, they would be here all break long, while their parents sit at home. They even come at reg. time at drop off and pick up, when their parents are both off!!