How To Handle Children Who's Parents Work In The School System?

[mamac]

ALL families must submit a written schedule by Friday for the upcoming week.

Some of my teacher families value lots of face time with their kid so I have them on a limited schedule throughout the summer

Other families value the consistency and routine their child has while in care so I have their child as I would regularly have them throughout the school year.

Some families alternate a full week with a partial week. Either way, their schedule must be turned in on Friday before the upcoming week so I can plan meals and activities accordingly. I don't allow additions to the week if it impacts my plans (my parents know AND understand this reasoning...I think because they ARE teachers)

......if I can work it, I will allow it.

I don't mind having a lighter load now and then and I also don't mind having the same kids the same days all year long.

Either way, my paycheck is still the same

After reading about many providers charging for the entire year I decided to change my policy as well. I like knowing exactly what my paycheck will be, as well.

Do you have a specific cut off time to drop off though? Or do you leave that up to the parents as long as their schedule is in by Fri?

[My3cents]

Ditto on what BLACKCAT said..

I had a teacher enroll her son in July of 2011..
She was a single mom.. son was 2 years old.
She began bringing him to care as soon as she had completed the enrollment process.. so that he could begin getting used to being in care.. before school began the following month..
However.. she had taken him to another home care provider.. catered to infants only...and she took the child year round..
Several reasons..
#1.. it's usually better for the kids.. they have the routine.. and their friends...and daycare schedule..
But #2... she had trainings and workshops to attend ...
she also had various other things she was trying to take care of in her summer off time..
not all of which would be 2 year old friendly..
she had her days that she slept in...
brought him at 9 a.m.. instead of 7:15 during school session... (my cut off time for attendance is 9:30 each day)...
she also had other days she would keep him home with her because of out of town company.. or other activities.....
But she understood from DAY 1 of enrollment that I charge tuition 52 weeks per year... regardless of attendance..

It is their choice to enroll in daycare... even if they anticipate they won't need fulltime care during summer break.

double ditto- This also gives the parent's a chance to have daycare during the summer to get things done. I ask for a schedule the week before of when they are coming for the next week. Many teachers keep the child in daycare during the summer even if they are home

[My3cents]

I completely understand charging anyway through out the summer.

But..

No one around here does that. I would lose 4 of my kids if I did. There are a ton of other providers for them to go to where they either won't be charged or will be half charged.

If I could,I would though.

don't be so sure of that. Let them go there then. You want to decrease your income? You can, let it begin with you, if your good they will want to stay with you. I would offer them the chance to come during the summer but just ask for a schedule the week before so you are able to plan. Explain that you have only so many slots you can fill and you need to depend upon your income. Teachers are paid year round-

[My3cents]

I think you are both underestimating yourselves......

There are maybe 2 child cares in my county that charge families year round no matter what they do for a living and I am one of them.

I honestly don't think what other child care's do or don't do has a lot of influence on whether a family chooses you or not for care.

Providers in my area vary so much that there are several who still do allow payment AFTER services or don't charge for any absent days or the providers don't charge late fees, take vacations or do any of the other things we find "normal" on this board.

I think each provider needs to do what works for her and her family and not put so much emphasis on what other providers do or don't do. If a family really connects with you and likes your program, they will find a way to make your rules/policies work for them.

lovethishappyface

[snbauser]

lovethis Oooh! I hadn't thought about doing that! I would love, love, love to have some free time during the summer to spend with my kids. I am used to living on a temporary smaller income as I have had to do that every winter while on unemployment. What a great idea. Since my boys were born I have had to work crazy long hours all spring, summer and fall. I never had any time with them while the weather was nice. I am going to talk to my dh about this tonight!! You are absolutely right about kids growing up way too fast! I want to spend as much time with them as possible.

Btw, do you have only teachers as clients? How does this schedule work for the rest of your clients? Also, how do you charge? Do you just go down to your part time rate for the summer?

Right now I only have teachers kids and when I am ready to fill my last spots I will advertise this schedule so that everyone knows up front. I am looking forward to 4 day weekends during the summer I just took my weekly rate and divided it by 5 days and then multiplied it by 3 to give them a rate for the 3 day week. I know money will be tight but even if it means I can spend the day at our community pool with my kids it will be worth it. I will find whatever free or inexpensive things I can. I know our bowling alley participates in the kids bowl free program for the summer where they kids can bowl 2 free games each day and we have a local $1 movie theater.

[lovemykidstoo]

Right now I only have teachers kids and when I am ready to fill my last spots I will advertise this schedule so that everyone knows up front. I am looking forward to 4 day weekends during the summer I just took my weekly rate and divided it by 5 days and then multiplied it by 3 to give them a rate for the 3 day week. I know money will be tight but even if it means I can spend the day at our community pool with my kids it will be worth it. I will find whatever free or inexpensive things I can. I know our bowling alley participates in the kids bowl free program for the summer where they kids can bowl 2 free games each day and we have a local $1 movie theater.

Reminds me of my schedule. I work Monday-Thursday 7:30-5:30 all year and absolutely love 3 days weekends!

[Blackcat31]

After reading about many providers charging for the entire year I decided to change my policy as well. I like knowing exactly what my paycheck will be, as well.

Do you have a specific cut off time to drop off though? Or do you leave that up to the parents as long as their schedule is in by Fri?

Nope, no cut off time for having to drop off....HOWEVER, I highly discourage drop offs during nap time (to the point of pretty much just saying no) and I don't wait for anyone.

My activities begin at 9:00. If we have plans to leave or have a specific activity, we do it. I wait for no one.

I also make it VERY clear that if the parent allows their child to sleep in and then the child has issues napping while here or is disruptive to the others, I have no qualms about calling the parent and have them pick up their child.

I will NOT allow one child's behavior/schedule/actions to effect the group.

[MarinaVanessa]

I haven't read all of the replies and I'm just thinking out loud here (not even sure if this is crazy and even a real option or not) but if they are teachers would it work to give them a choice much like how they earn their salary and charge them the same way they get paid. As in would it work to give them a choice (I don't know if this is absolute nonsense or not, what do I know .. I don't have teacher's kids):

They get a choice of either spreading it out over the year and paying in 52 week installments (like you would normally charge). As in if your rate $165 a week they pay that each week no matter what. If they didn't want to pay for breaks or summer they can have the option to give you a two weeks notice 2 weeks before school ends and they can hope you still have a spot for them in the fall.

or

Calculate your yearly rate and divide it by weeks that school is in session and charge them that higher rate each week except and they don't pay during breaks or summer school (they still pay for holidays/furlough days like regular clients) and call it your "teacher" rate. As in (2013 year-based on the school calendar in my district) between January and June kids go to school 21 weeks (did not count 1 week of winter or 1 week spring break) and from August to December kids go to school 17 weeks (did not count 10 weeks of summer break, 1 week for fall break and 1 week for winter break) so ... 21+17= 38 weeks of school.

$165 x 52 weeks = $8,580 year so
$8,580/38 weeks = $225/week.

I mean I know they are teachers and all and many teachers claim that they don't make a lot of money and all but in reality they get a salary for a school year and they get a choice of getting paid either during the months they actually work or they can spread it out throughout the year so that they get a paycheck all year long. In essence they get a salary to work about 38 out of 52 weeks out of the year and don't get paid for breaks or for school vacation. In reality a $30,000 a year salary is not really a $576 per week salary ($2,500/month) its actually a $780 a week salary ($7,410/month) right? I mean considering that they (at least in my area) know that they aren't getting paid to work on breaks and summer ... it's like a perk of a job.

And my info btw is coming from friends of mine that are teachers. They know what their salaries are and many of them (4 out of 6) have break, summer or after-school jobs to supplement their income.

Sorry if I'm talking gibberish, just thinking out loud. I personally wouldn't charge a teacher or school employee any less or different than any of my other clients because for me it would mean a loss of income for those breaks and summer.

[lovemykidstoo]

I haven't read all of the replies and I'm just thinking out loud here (not even sure if this is crazy and even a real option or not) but if they are teachers would it work to give them a choice much like how they earn their salary and charge them the same way they get paid. As in would it work to give them a choice (I don't know if this is absolute nonsense or not, what do I know .. I don't have teacher's kids):

They get a choice of either spreading it out over the year and paying in 52 week installments (like you would normally charge). As in if your rate $165 a week they pay that each week no matter what. If they didn't want to pay for breaks or summer they can have the option to give you a two weeks notice 2 weeks before school ends and they can hope you still have a spot for them in the fall.

or

Calculate your yearly rate and divide it by weeks that school is in session and charge them that higher rate each week except and they don't pay during breaks or summer school (they still pay for holidays/furlough days like regular clients) and call it your "teacher" rate. As in (2013 year-based on the school calendar in my district) between January and June kids go to school 21 weeks (did not count 1 week of winter or 1 week spring break) and from August to December kids go to school 17 weeks (did not count 10 weeks of summer break, 1 week for fall break and 1 week for winter break) so ... 21+17= 38 weeks of school.

$165 x 52 weeks = $8,580 year so
$8,580/38 weeks = $225/week.

I mean I know they are teachers and all and many teachers claim that they don't make a lot of money and all but in reality they get a salary for a school year and they get a choice of getting paid either during the months they actually work or they can spread it out throughout the year so that they get a paycheck all year long. In essence they get a salary to work about 38 out of 52 weeks out of the year and don't get paid for breaks or for school vacation. In reality a $30,000 a year salary is not really a $576 per week salary ($2,500/month) its actually a $780 a week salary ($7,410/month) right? I mean considering that they (at least in my area) know that they aren't getting paid to work on breaks and summer ... it's like a perk of a job.

And my info btw is coming from friends of mine that are teachers. They know what their salaries are and many of them (4 out of 6) have break, summer or after-school jobs to supplement their income.

Sorry if I'm talking gibberish, just thinking out loud. I personally wouldn't charge a teacher or school employee any less or different than any of my other clients because for me it would mean a loss of income for those breaks and summer.

That's a great idea. I like that. How would you word that exactly? It irritates me that I'm out about 6 weeks of full pay equaling about $660 for just one family. It's not the full summer because she usually works 1 week after school closes and usually 2 weeks before school starts and then I have 2 weeks vacation in there that they would not pay normally.

[MarinaVanessa]

That's a great idea. I like that. How would you word that exactly? It irritates me that I'm out about 6 weeks of full pay equaling about $660 for just one family. It's not the full summer because she usually works 1 week after school closes and usually 2 weeks before school starts and then I have 2 weeks vacation in there that they would not pay normally.

I would say something like...
Teachers get a choice of either paying the normal weekly rate with no discounts for absences including breaks or summer school or can choose to pay the Teacher rate during the weeks that school is in session. In either case clients that are teachers are still required to pay for absences due to illness, vacations and holidays and no discount is given for furlough days.

Or something along those lines.

[lovemykidstoo]

I would say something like...
Teachers get a choice of either paying the normal weekly rate with no discounts for absences including breaks or summer school or can choose to pay the Teacher rate during the weeks that school is in session. In either case clients that are teachers are still required to pay for absences due to illness, vacations and holidays and no discount is given for furlough days.

Or something along those lines.

Sounds good. One of my teachers will be done next spring as their girls will be going to school in the fall of 2014. The other one is only 2. However, this one instead of coming 4 days a week ($120) during the school year, he will be coming 2 days, but his brother is coming too. So, I will still be getting $120 from them a week it's just that it will be 2 less days with 1 more child. That works fine for me. For future reference though I will be redoing the whole teacher pay thing. It really isn't fair that I'm short for those months just because of their occupation.

[mamac]

I would say something like...
Teachers get a choice of either paying the normal weekly rate with no discounts for absences including breaks or summer school or can choose to pay the Teacher rate during the weeks that school is in session. In either case clients that are teachers are still required to pay for absences due to illness, vacations and holidays and no discount is given for furlough days.

Or something along those lines.

I think that's a good idea for teachers that want to have a guaranteed slot available for them when school starts again. It wouldn't seem fair to charge more for those who would want to pay during school, pull their kids for the summer and hope like heck you still have a slot for them when September rolls around again. But I do like this as an option though.

[boysx5]

First time in 17 years I have had a teacher dcg is four and comes part time I told her come summer I would charge by the day. If the child was under 2 I would charge all year as we are only allowed two under two

[rmc20021]

This really hits home with me.... on so many different levels!!! I am the same way- its not the normal in my area to charge for summer and I have mostly teachers kids. But I am one who constantly worries about what everyone else is doing and what my DCParents will think of me. For instance I recently purchased new furniture for my play/living room and a new vehicle. I haven't told my DCP and have "hid" my new vehicle. I am so worried that they will talk about me and the things I have earned (and worked very hard for) behind my back. Why can't I just enjoy my earnings??? Thanks for this-- (sorry to hijack )

Hahah...I once had a dcm come into my home, and look around after having her kids in my care for a few months and she actually said to me, "hmmmm, let's see...what all have I bought you since you began caring for my kids..." and she started naming off things I had acquired since she had begun bringing her kids to me.

Needless to say, she was a dcm I eventually had to take to court for non-payment. It was absolutely none of her business what I did with the income from my business.

[CedarCreek]

Hahah...I once had a dcm come into my home, and look around after having her kids in my care for a few months and she actually said to me, "hmmmm, let's see...what all have I bought you since you began caring for my kids..." and she started naming off things I had acquired since she had begun bringing her kids to me.

Needless to say, she was a dcm I eventually had to take to court for non-payment. It was absolutely none of her business what I did with the income from my business.

I literally flinched back while reading this. There are no words..

..that are not curse words.