They Want A Discount

[Springdaze]

and I LOVE "they can be your helper!"

[AfterSchoolMom]

It looks like you've made your decision, but in case you're on the fence - DON'T DO IT! I watch SA's exclusively (minus a drop in little now and then), and I would never, ever, ever in a million years do full day SA care in the summer.

[nannyde]

and I LOVE "they can be your helper!"

I know that's just words. I don't know many seasoned providers who have had much success integrating school agers into their under 5crowd where the school ager has successfully become an asset to the care of the kids. If you look at this forums archives you can see a pattern of really unhappy providers about three weeks into the summer and a bunch of happy providers the day school starts back up.

[providerandmomof4]

Parents of schoolagers with young sibs use the placement of the younger child to bully providers into keeping the older kid and they almost always want it for cheap because they believe the older one is easy. They say stuff luke "I can't afford two" or I dont have time to drop off two etc. Wht they are really saying is "if you want the money on the baby you have to take the sibling. All or nothing.

This scam is what lands a lot of providers to do off school hr school agers. They do work they don't want to do to protect the money of the younger child.

School agers are the most difficult children to care for imho. They don't nap and most require a level of supervision that exceeds that of any age group. They are also can cause a ton of parent provider conflict. If you aren't allowed to send them outside WITHOUT an adult outside with them you will have a very very hard job ahead of you. The way to solve it is to set the school age rate so high that the camps she says she can't afford are cheap.

Exactly! Wrote a post about this last week! I know that I am being blackmailed......by the dcp, and know in my rational mind that I will be miserable if I take on my sibling sab...but I really need the money, and then to possibly lose the younger one! I keep telling myself not to do it, but I know that if I don't fill my open spots.....I probably will Soooo working hard on filling my spots...Really like the idea of raising the SA rate, but it wouldn't really work with SA that you currently have on school days out and before and after care...would it?

[Mom&Provider]

I know that's just words. I don't know many seasoned providers who have had much success integrating school agers into their under 5crowd where the school ager has successfully become an asset to the care of the kids. If you look at this forums archives you can see a pattern of really unhappy providers about three weeks into the summer and a bunch of happy providers the day school starts back up.

I agree with this!

I had taken on a couple of SA too last summer and had been told all the usual stuff like 'they will help you', 'look after themselves' etc. etc. totally not true and caused far more issues then it did help for me! I was stressed and unhappy and will not do that again!

I think you are wise to advise DCM sorry, but you've given it thought and can't take/aren't equipped for SA's. Period. Don't let her push you into it and never offer a discount!! That's one thing I've read on here a million times, 'does the parent want discounted care for their discounted rate!?'

[laundrymom]

I started telling them 'of course' I have room. I charge $12 per hour but since they are a current family I'll give them a break of $1 per hour.

None have signed up.

I wonder why? Hmmmmmm