Questions About SA Program

[Binkybobo]

I am in the process of restarting my childcare as a SA only program. I figured the Summer would be the perfect time to get kids in fast.
I plan to have a quality, fun learning environment. I want them to explore the world,experiment, stay active, and enjoy their time off school. With that being said, I don't want to sell myself short. I am afraid that people aren't willing to spend a lot of money on SA childcare. Naturally, I am a get up and go person, so I would end up running a very hands on program no matter what I was being paid. I just don't want to feel like I am working for pennies like at my previous Home daycare. For those of you who don't mind sharing. Could you tell me what you charge for SA Summer, holiday, Before and After school care etc. Do you have any advice, or must haves that you would like to share? Where are you located? How is your program run? What schedules work best? Rest time?
Thanks in advance

[snbauser]

No suggestions but wanted to wish you good luck. I could never handle a school aged program. School agers are definately not my thing.

[DaisyMamma]

If you are equipped for SA I think it will be great!

Another member once suggested doing a flat weekly rate, regardless of vacation days, snow days, etc. So that you get the same pay year round. Something like this would ideally start with the start of the school year so that you don't get people taking advantage of your rate for summer vacation and then dissapearing.

For example, you could charge $100/week per kid. You would get this pay even in the summer, though, you would have more work in the summer. But you would also get it in the fall, when they are only there a few hours in the afternoon and maybe in the morning.

[Binkybobo]

Lol @snbauser. Thanks. I used to steer clear of SA kids as well. I had a few job experiences as a children's cooking instructor and Theater instructor that softened my heart to them. After doing Home daycare with preschoolers for a year I found that I now prefer kids that can measure, cook, cut, paste, and go the restroom on their own.

@Daisymama- Thank you so much for this idea. This really sounds like something that I may do! I just need to find out the going rate in this area.

I am thinking that school age children will be easier to tolerate if they are the only age group in my care.

[DaisyMamma]

Lol @snbauser. Thanks. I used to steer clear of SA kids as well. I had a few job experiences as a children's cooking instructor and Theater instructor that softened my heart to them. After doing Home daycare with preschoolers for a year I found that I now prefer kids that can measure, cook, cut, paste, and go the restroom on their own.

@Daisymama- Thank you so much for this idea. This really sounds like something that I may do! I just need to find out the going rate in this area.

I am thinking that school age children will be easier to tolerate if they are the only age group in my care.

Find out the going rate for both before and after care as well as fulltime summercare. Then figure out how many school days there are verses how many vaca days in a full year. Figure out how much a SA child would bring in per year using those rates and then divide it by 52(weeks) and you have your rate.

And yes, if the whole group is SA it will make a huge difference.

[mom2many]

I am in the process of restarting my childcare as a SA only program. I figured the Summer would be the perfect time to get kids in fast.
I plan to have a quality, fun learning environment. I want them to explore the world,experiment, stay active, and enjoy their time off school. With that being said, I don't want to sell myself short. I am afraid that people aren't willing to spend a lot of money on SA childcare. Naturally, I am a get up and go person, so I would end up running a very hands on program no matter what I was being paid. I just don't want to feel like I am working for pennies like at my previous Home daycare. For those of you who don't mind sharing. Could you tell me what you charge for SA Summer, holiday, Before and After school care etc. Do you have any advice, or must haves that you would like to share? Where are you located? How is your program run? What schedules work best? Rest time?
Thanks in advance

Ten years ago, I did a S/A only program for about 3 years, when my own kids were younger. I told the parents in May that I was restructuring my program and was no longer going to watch the younger kids...this meant, I had to let 3 kids go. I gave them 6 weeks to find a new daycare.

I made the change, so I could take field trips and not be tied down to a nap schedule. I knew my time was limited with my own kids and wanted to make the most out the summer vacations and days off from school and cater to their age group alone.

I ran it like a day camp and we had activities daily. We went to the beach, park, zoo, museums. They rode scooters, went on scavenger hunts, played ball, went on hikes, swam and did arts & crafts.

Many afternoons around 3, they would take a nap for an hour when we got home...not because I told them too, but simply because they were worn out! ::

It was one of the very best decisions I have ever made, even though it meant taking a small financial cut in pay! The memories and fun times we had were so worth it!!!!

I charged $10 less for S/A, so it wasn't a huge loss replacing an older child for the younger age. I had no problem selling my program. Day camps are pricey in my area (I live in CA in SF Bay area), so $150/week was a deal!

My rates for S/A stay the same whether they are in school or not, because they are taking a spot and it worked out best to have some consistency. I charge a little more for before and after school care, so when they are off, it all averages out.

Feel free to pm me if you have any questions!

Best of luck to you!

[Binkybobo]

Ten years ago, I did a S/A only program for about 3 years, when my own kids were younger. I told the parents in May that I was restructuring my program and was no longer going to watch the younger kids...this meant, I had to let 3 kids go. I gave them 6 weeks to find a new daycare.

I made the change, so I could take field trips and not be tied down to a nap schedule. I knew my time was limited with my own kids and wanted to make the most out the summer vacations and days off from school and cater to their age group alone.

I ran it like a day camp and we had activities daily. We went to the beach, park, zoo, museums. They rode scooters, went on scavenger hunts, played ball, went on hikes, swam and did arts & crafts.

Many afternoons around 3, they would take a nap for an hour when we got home...not because I told them too, but simply because they were worn out! ::

It was one of the very best decisions I have ever made, even though it meant taking a small financial cut in pay! The memories and fun times we had were so worth it!!!!

I charged $10 less for S/A, so it wasn't a huge loss replacing an older child for the younger age. I had no problem selling my program. Day camps are pricey in my area (I live in CA in SF Bay area), so $150/week was a deal!

My rates for S/A stay the same whether they are in school or not, because they are taking a spot and it worked out best to have some consistency. I charge a little more for before and after school care, so when they are off, it all averages out.

Feel free to pm me if you have any questions!

Best of luck to you!

This sounds like so much fun! Now I can't wait. How did you explain to parents why the rate would be the same year round? What were their reactions? I plan to run it pretty much exactly as you described your program.

[mom2many]

This sounds like so much fun! Now I can't wait. How did you explain to parents why the rate would be the same year round? What were their reactions? I plan to run it pretty much exactly as you described your program.

We don't have "snow days", but the S/A have quite a few inservice and vacation days off from school, so it was easier to just keep a consistent rate. The parents never question it at all. I just explain that they are paying me for a "spot" and they are sold on not having to pay more for days off from school and the activities their child would be doing.

The kids love the activities, so boredom is never an issue. I had one dcb who stopped coming once he was in kindy, because his school was 5 mi away, but he comes back every summer!