Special Circumstance: Should I Drop A Rate?

[Lori's Family Daycare]

I am a small certified daycare provider. I can only have 3 under age of 7 and 3 over 7. As of this week I have one dcf with 2 children. One is full time 0-2 yrs. dcb(1)and the other is after school dcb(2). I lost other dcf due to dcp getting let go from her job. Current family has been with me since the beginning (3yrs). I decreased my rate for the dcb2 abt a yr ago as dcp was active in military and overseas. Dcp has since returned. My afterschool rate is $50 a week for 0-15 hours of care per week, per agreement. The Dcp's are wanting to reduce hrs but wanting to save money as well for the dcb2. They figured since $50 breaks down to $10.00 a day that they could just pay that for the days that dcb2 comes to daycare. Last week dcp stated that dcb2 would be coming less and I agreed that it would be ok, but did not discuss rate as I assumed they would be paying regular rate. I have not had issues with this family not paying and so explained that reducing hours is fine that it still falls under the 0-15 hours in the agreed $50.00. Dcp texted and told me that if they could not pay the $10.00 per day then they would pull dcb2 completely.

Help! Unsure what to do. Especially in this economy when I do not have calls readily coming in for care.

[canadiancare]

I wouldn't bend on this. Do they expect access to all 5 days? 10$ a day for child care is very reasonable.

I'd also start looking now so that if they pull him out you have some back up.

[Michael]

I am a small certified daycare provider. I can only have 3 under age of 7 and 3 over 7. As of this week I have one dcf with 2 children. One is full time 0-2 yrs. dcb(1)and the other is after school dcb(2). I lost other dcf due to dcp getting let go from her job. Current family has been with me since the beginning (3yrs). I decreased my rate for the dcb2 abt a yr ago as dcp was active in military and overseas. Dcp has since returned. My afterschool rate is $50 a week for 0-15 hours of care per week, per agreement. The Dcp's are wanting to reduce hrs but wanting to save money as well for the dcb2. They figured since $50 breaks down to $10.00 a day that they could just pay that for the days that dcb2 comes to daycare. Last week dcp stated that dcb2 would be coming less and I agreed that it would be ok, but did not discuss rate as I assumed they would be paying regular rate. I have not had issues with this family not paying and so explained that reducing hours is fine that it still falls under the 0-15 hours in the agreed $50.00. Dcp texted and told me that if they could not pay the $10.00 per day then they would pull dcb2 completely.

Help! Unsure what to do. Especially in this economy when I do not have calls readily coming in for care.

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[Lori's Family Daycare]

Thank you!

[Willow]

I am a small certified daycare provider. I can only have 3 under age of 7 and 3 over 7. As of this week I have one dcf with 2 children. One is full time 0-2 yrs. dcb(1)and the other is after school dcb(2). I lost other dcf due to dcp getting let go from her job. Current family has been with me since the beginning (3yrs). I decreased my rate for the dcb2 abt a yr ago as dcp was active in military and overseas. Dcp has since returned. My afterschool rate is $50 a week for 0-15 hours of care per week, per agreement. The Dcp's are wanting to reduce hrs but wanting to save money as well for the dcb2. They figured since $50 breaks down to $10.00 a day that they could just pay that for the days that dcb2 comes to daycare. Last week dcp stated that dcb2 would be coming less and I agreed that it would be ok, but did not discuss rate as I assumed they would be paying regular rate. I have not had issues with this family not paying and so explained that reducing hours is fine that it still falls under the 0-15 hours in the agreed $50.00. Dcp texted and told me that if they could not pay the $10.00 per day then they would pull dcb2 completely.

Help! Unsure what to do. Especially in this economy when I do not have calls readily coming in for care.

I would state your rate again and then let them know there will be no hard feelings if they feel your daycare is no longer a good fit. Let them know they have until such and such a date to give you their decision.

Start advertising and interviewing new clients. If I were you and you were nervous about the economy fish only for full time families. Part timers will often times try to bargain like this because they can. Find those who need and will utilize your services regularly, you'll have far less turn over long term and your income will remain more stable.

[Lori's Family Daycare]

I wouldn't bend on this. Do they expect access to all 5 days? 10$ a day for child care is very reasonable.

I'd also start looking now so that if they pull him out you have some back up.

I have dcb2 schedule of days he would be needing care from now until the end of school and there aren't any weeks that he is here all 5 days, sporadic from 1-4 days a week depending on week.
I just don't want to create a riff and possibly lose dcb1, too.

I know, this is a business, my business. I get that.

[canadiancare]

The funny thing is that part-timers don't seem to realise that they are also eating up a spot. Here it is 5 kids under the age of 10. I don't take any before and afters because I'd prefer to receive the full rate for my 5 spots. Also it is a lot of work to do bus drop off and pickups with babies to dress esp. in our colder winter months.

[Lori's Family Daycare]

The funny thing is that part-timers don't seem to realise that they are also eating up a spot. Here it is 5 kids under the age of 10. I don't take any before and afters because I'd prefer to receive the full rate for my 5 spots. Also it is a lot of work to do bus drop off and pickups with babies to dress esp. in our colder winter months.

I have that a little easier as the bus picks up and drops off right in front of the house. Standard here if you are an in home provider with school age kids.
DCF also has a full timer 16 mos.

I thank you for your input. Can I ask how you advertise?

Thanks

[Lori's Family Daycare]

I would state your rate again and then let them know there will be no hard feelings if they feel your daycare is no longer a good fit. Let them know they have until such and such a date to give you their decision.

Start advertising and interviewing new clients. If I were you and you were nervous about the economy fish only for full time families. Part timers will often times try to bargain like this because they can. Find those who need and will utilize your services regularly, you'll have far less turn over long term and your income will remain more stable.

Thank you for your reply, could I ask how you advertise?

Thanks!

[canadiancare]

I have that a little easier as the bus picks up and drops off right in front of the house. Standard here if you are an in home provider with school age kids.
DCF also has a full timer 16 mos.

I thank you for your input. Can I ask how you advertise?

Thanks

There is a resource network here that I was registered with when I first started. After that it has been word of mouth only and I have never been empty.

I would call all the local schools and see if they keep a waiting list for parents looking for neighbourhood care.

I, too would worry about filling my Full-time spots first because 3 kids @50$ a week doesn't help much- I don't know about where you are but here it wouldn't even cover a week's groceries.

[Nickel]

I think a lot of posters missed that she can only have 3 under 7 and 3 additional schoolagers. Personally i would try to work with the family. At least for now. Are all your other spots full? I have had 2 dcks that part time schedules lined up nicely. It could happen. If you do findanother pt schoolager and the schedule conflucts oncertain days maybe you could just tell them you cant watch him on that day. I would also switch from $10/day full time sa rate to $12/day. This saves them some money but you dont losr too nuch. Sorry for the typos im on my phone! I normally wouldnt drop the rate but as you dont want to lose dcb1 i would at least try to work it out now until you can replace 1 or both

[Unregistered]

Where I am, times are tough, our town has desinegrated down to nothing. I used to do daycare when my kids were young (1992-1997) and ran a VERY successful business being licensed for 12 kids.
Now, I have been licensed for exactly one year and finding it sooooo difficult to get kids enrolled. EVERYONE is trying to cut costs any way they can.
I think with the economy as it is, I would cut their rates some in order to ensure they will stay...if it was only the one child, I'd let them go, but since you have a full time child from the same family I would hang onto them.
Personally, I only charge $25.00 per week for after school care. That would be based on 2 hours daily.
My motto...some money is better than NO money.
I also understand the not giving in point, but you'd probably be hurting yourself more than you'd be benefiting and I think sometimes we have to look at the big picture when making decisions such as this.

[kitykids3]

If you need both dcb1 and dcb2 financially and you think it would be hard to replace both, then I would work with them, for NOW. In the meantime, immediately start looking for new replacements. Then you can tell the parents that their $10 per day deal no longer works for you.
If you are ok financially if you do happen to lose both, then no, don't bend on it. Especially if each week can vary from 1-4 days, they ARE essentially taking a full week spot. You can't fill their off days with someone else.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

If you need both dcb1 and dcb2 financially and you think it would be hard to replace both, then I would work with them, for NOW. In the meantime, immediately start looking for new replacements. Then you can tell the parents that their $10 per day deal no longer works for you.
If you are ok financially if you do happen to lose both, then no, don't bend on it. Especially if each week can vary from 1-4 days, they ARE essentially taking a full week spot. You can't fill their off days with someone else.

I agree.

[Lori's Family Daycare]

I think a lot of posters missed that she can only have 3 under 7 and 3 additional schoolagers. Personally i would try to work with the family. At least for now. Are all your other spots full? I have had 2 dcks that part time schedules lined up nicely. It could happen. If you do findanother pt schoolager and the schedule conflucts oncertain days maybe you could just tell them you cant watch him on that day. I would also switch from $10/day full time sa rate to $12/day. This saves them some money but you dont losr too nuch. Sorry for the typos im on my phone! I normally wouldnt drop the rate but as you dont want to lose dcb1 i would at least try to work it out now until you can replace 1 or both

Thank you so much for the reply..yes I do need to keep dcb1 at least for now as I have only gotten maybe 2-3 calls in the last 3 weeks. Need to get my website up and running hoping that it will help generate more calls.