When The Kids Start School, What Do You Do?

[Josiegirl]

Do you expect them to move on to some place else? Or do you accept them as vacation days, etc., only?
I have a dilemma. So many of my dcks have moved onto Kindergarten and up. But these parents still need care during vacation time and especially during the summer. If I can get an assistant in here during the summer then I could have 12 dcks. This past summer worked out that way. But I cannot always promise that.
I have a situation that just came up where a dcm needs to know if I can take her ds next summer. I have her little girl and if she has to pull her ds she'll pull her dd too.
Ideally I need to find one more ft without even losing her ds afterschool. Right now she is going to have to let him go to an afterschool program due to transportation issues. She's been paying me $25 a week for him to come afterschool for 1 1/2 hours a day. Is it okay for me to ask her to pay me $25 a week to hold his spot for next summer?
I'm torn because I already have others who will probably need care next summer too. In the meantime, I need to think about my own income and be able to survive year round.
Any advice? If you even can decipher all my gobbledegook?

[butterfly]

I personally wouldn't hold their spot - unless you really wanted to. It's going to cost you more to have an assistant too. If things work out (for you and them) for them to come in the summer - great, but if not, I wouldn't loose sleep over it.

I'd rather fill with a more consistent child = more consistent money.

In my area, there are so many cheap options for school age kids, it's rare for a daycare to even have school age kids.

:hug:

[Maria2013]

I used to do before and after school but it got very stressful for everyone, not just the running to make the bus, I've always had issues with school kids, they don't think the rules apply to them anymore, they are pushy with the younger kids, they bring in all the bad they learn in school and nothing I give them is good enough so they are always bored etc....who needs that!::

now when I lose kids to school, I just start over with infants (that no one around here wants) and life is so much more relaxed

[Josiegirl]

Well, this past summer it was my 21 yo dd I had working with me so we kinda cut a deal, between paying her and feeding/housing her. I also had the opportunity to have an over 18 yo work with me, paid for completely by the state(if my dd hadn't come home for the summer).
I realize she has to think about her family first but I honestly don't have a clue what's going to happen in the next 8-9 months? They've been very stable dcps for the past 3 years. Then their oldest had to go and turn kindergarten age.

[itlw8]

You need to think of your family first. If you charge her the $25 aa week then you HAVE to save it for him. I would just tell her you need to think of your family first. You need to feed and clothe them. If you have the opening when it nears summer you would be glad to have her child fill it for the summer. Tell her you will even put him first on the waiting list. But unless she would want to pay the f/t rate during the school year , if a new client comes along you will fill it. Say lets check back about this in Early April to see if there will be an opening. Again Your family comes first. Threatening you that she will pull the younger child gives her no extra points in my book.

[daycarediva]

I keep SA year round but I am selective. I offer the space based on the child. I have 1 SA currently, and am not offering the space to anyone in my current group. Parents KNOW that I am selective about SA kids and LIKE that I won't keep mean/rude/rowdy kids around their littles.

I would pass and replace the family if they pull. I do find it odd that she is pushing you for summer care, it's FALL!

[Moppetland]

I used to do before and after school but it got very stressful for everyone, not just the running to make the bus, I've always had issues with school kids, they don't think the rules apply to them anymore, they are pushy with the younger kids, they bring in all the bad they learn in school and nothing I give them is good enough so they are always bored etc....who needs that!::

now when I lose kids to school, I just start over with infants (that no one around here wants) and life is so much more relaxed

I had the same issue as you. Bigger kids bossing around the younger kids. Not following house rules, etc. So, I no longer take school age kids. Once they go to school, then that's the end of their care with me. If it's siblings, and one of them become school age, then they have to go elsewhere before and after school. There may be the possibility of the other sibling being pulled, but I don't think I'll have any problems pulling in younger children to replace those.

Less stress, the better. Money is not worth poor health.

[Blackcat31]

Do you expect them to move on to some place else? Or do you accept them as vacation days, etc., only?
I have a dilemma. So many of my dcks have moved onto Kindergarten and up. But these parents still need care during vacation time and especially during the summer. If I can get an assistant in here during the summer then I could have 12 dcks. This past summer worked out that way. But I cannot always promise that.
I have a situation that just came up where a dcm needs to know if I can take her ds next summer. I have her little girl and if she has to pull her ds she'll pull her dd too.
Ideally I need to find one more ft without even losing her ds afterschool. Right now she is going to have to let him go to an afterschool program due to transportation issues. She's been paying me $25 a week for him to come afterschool for 1 1/2 hours a day. Is it okay for me to ask her to pay me $25 a week to hold his spot for next summer?
I'm torn because I already have others who will probably need care next summer too. In the meantime, I need to think about my own income and be able to survive year round.
Any advice? If you even can decipher all my gobbledegook?

I usually kept them through their kindergarten year.

After that I would take them on off school days and during the summer.

Those needing the most hours got priority in scheduling.

Those with siblings still in care full time also got priority in scheduling

If they needed only a few hours and didn't have any siblings in care, then it was simply first come, first served.

Now, once they attend Kindy the first day, they are no longer enrolled here and no longer accepted into care FOR ANY REASON.

I have found that even taking SA kids on off school days and/or summers is just NOT something I enjoy.

NO SA kids for me. ever.

[Leigh]

I don't take SA unless I happen to have a drop in opening (and I don't at this time). Honestly, I wouldn't consider holding a spot for $25 a week. I guess if a parent REALLY wanted me to hold a spot, they would pay my full-time minimum for that, because I could easily fill it (no one is going to pay my minimum to have me hold a spot, I'm sure, but that is the only way I would do it).

I'd hate to see a family pull their child over it, but I'd rather see them pull than to basically give away the opportunity to make a full time wage for one of them. My current families that have SA have other arrangements for their children outside of school hours.

[Josiegirl]

"You need to think of your family first. If you charge her the $25 aa week then you HAVE to save it for him. I would just tell her you need to think of your family first. You need to feed and clothe them. If you have the opening when it nears summer you would be glad to have her child fill it for the summer. Tell her you will even put him first on the waiting list. But unless she would want to pay the f/t rate during the school year , if a new client comes along you will fill it. Say lets check back about this in Early April to see if there will be an opening. Again Your family comes first. Threatening you that she will pull the younger child gives her no extra points in my book."


Thanks everybody. I think I will ask her if we can revisit this early next spring. I'm sure giving her a couple months plus would be enough time to find new care if she had to. The only reason she said she'd need to pull her dd from my dc is because I offer a sib discount and she said she couldn't afford to pay for 2 kids going to separate dcs and not get the discount. I'll also tell her if I have openings then, her ds will be first on the list. Who knows what will happen during this school year? I would love to have 6 ft dcks and not give discounts, so I could get full paid rate but I don't even have 6 ft kids right now. Also, 2 of my dcks are teachers' kids so chances are they won't need me next summer either. One has already said she won't.

[DaisyMamma]

I used to do before and after school but it got very stressful for everyone, not just the running to make the bus, I've always had issues with school kids, they don't think the rules apply to them anymore, they are pushy with the younger kids, they bring in all the bad they learn in school and nothing I give them is good enough so they are always bored etc....who needs that!::

now when I lose kids to school, I just start over with infants (that no one around here wants) and life is so much more relaxed

Same.