To Adjust My Hours or Not to Adjust...

[MarinaVanessa]

I am a single mother of a 2 year old. Its just me and her. I love our mommy and Hazel days but I really need the money and I just opened in September. I don't WANT to have to do this, but I know I need to start somewhere and I try to be flexible to meet the needs of my families to an extent. I was highly recommended to this family and I think that is one really positive thing about how I've been conduction my business so far. As of right now I'm not even CLOSE to making my bills and am constantly battling a utility shut off notice. I need this family THAT badly. :/

Because of this right here if I were in your shoes I would definitively be tempted to take this child on while keeping a few things in mind:

• I would make it clear to them in their contract and verbally that this is SPECIAL care that I would ONLY be extending to this ONE family
• I would charge a premium rate for the extra hours before the 7am opening time.
• I would be charging premium for the every other saturday child care
• I would make it clear that I would NOT be opening any earlier for them on any days and that any extra hours that they needed passed their pick-up time would be charged EXTRA and it had to be approved by me first
• I would talk to the family that recommended this family to you and would just make it clear that you appreciate that they are referring families to you but that you wanted to make sure that they knew that if they did refer more families that they told the other families that you OPEN AT 7AM and are closed weekends
• I would keep it in my head that when I reached the ratios that I wanted and if the opportunity arises I would replace this early family with a family that needs child care within my normal business hours (but not before offering the early family the opportunity to switch their hours to those within my business hours, and if they declined then I would replace them)

[Brooksie]

Thanks everyone! I feel better about how to approach this special situation. :hug: You guys rock

[Lyss]

If you really need the income and are willing to do this, just make sure you set really FIRM boundaries so that you aren't being taken advantage of.

I would also let mom know that you are willing to do this FOR NOW and that should your situation change you may have to stop doing it. That way she knows you are doing "special" and "special" won't become the normal expectations later.

I agree If you feel like you have to do this then definitely make sure you set boundaries! They could seem like the greatest parents/clients ever after only a few short meetings (or months even) but as anyone here can tell you things can change very quickly. Or maybe they will be consistently great but over time you fill all your regular schedule weekday spots and begin to feel like this is too much. Either way I hope it works out!


Good luck!