Part Timers

[gracepatiencelove]

I just got hit with this ridiculous issue and I'm not sure if my solution I just thought up is too out there.

I have a weekend family + one open weekend spot. A MWF kid, a F kid, a MWF baby, and another drop in kid.

Well, a MWF baby wants to drop to MW some weeks to save on money. I get it! We all want to save money!

Would it be unreasonable to ask all of these part timers to commit to their days and pay by their first day in attendance for the full month? The only ones it would be an issue for are the state people, and I can't make them pay up front and reimburse them, anyway.

For example, friday kid. He has been missing for TWO MONTHS and just started back. I can't deal with that uncertainty (they would commit and then text and call him off). I feel like if they are paying for the spot, they will just bring him. So if they pay for all of January's fridays that they want on the third of Jan., I can contact my drop in people about the open fridays, and we all win.

Same for baby. If I know that far in advance **AND** it's not that first friday she wants off, then I could probably fill the spots with drop ins (almost certainly, actually). The state kids are still a problem because of the two families, one is on variable schedule and that's hard but... maybe I'll have another burst of inspiration.


so am I crazy? Could that work? Any things you see that would hinder it? (Please forgive me if I sound nutty... I had to deal with diarrhea this AM and a friend with a minor crises this evening.)

[Annalee]

I just got hit with this ridiculous issue and I'm not sure if my solution I just thought up is too out there.

I have a weekend family + one open weekend spot. A MWF kid, a F kid, a MWF baby, and another drop in kid.

Well, a MWF baby wants to drop to MW some weeks to save on money. I get it! We all want to save money!

Would it be unreasonable to ask all of these part timers to commit to their days and pay by their first day in attendance for the full month? The only ones it would be an issue for are the state people, and I can't make them pay up front and reimburse them, anyway.

For example, friday kid. He has been missing for TWO MONTHS and just started back. I can't deal with that uncertainty (they would commit and then text and call him off). I feel like if they are paying for the spot, they will just bring him. So if they pay for all of January's fridays that they want on the third of Jan., I can contact my drop in people about the open fridays, and we all win.

Same for baby. If I know that far in advance **AND** it's not that first friday she wants off, then I could probably fill the spots with drop ins (almost certainly, actually). The state kids are still a problem because of the two families, one is on variable schedule and that's hard but... maybe I'll have another burst of inspiration.


so am I crazy? Could that work? Any things you see that would hinder it? (Please forgive me if I sound nutty... I had to deal with diarrhea this AM and a friend with a minor crises this evening.)

I am a big believer in accountability/responsibility for all....dcp need to commit to your policy/contract.....Issues like these, however, are why all dcp in my program pay one flat rate....My dcp pay for spot, not attendance...

[cheerfuldom]

absolutely. I would not work with a family that could not give me a schedule in advance. otherwise you are stuck with families that are scheduling all the days they need and then scrambling for free care each week and only using you the bare minimum. It is completely common to insist on a schedule in advance and/or require payment regardless of attendance. don't feel like you are doing something insane by asking parents to commit to a spot and regular payment. That is what almost any professional home daycare or center would require.

[jenn]

My part timers have assigned days with a 3 day per week minimum. If they are signed up for M/W/F, they pay for all 3 of those days. If they don't come on one of those days, they still pay. If I am holding the position for you, you have to pay. Otherwise, it is drop in care, which I no longer do.

[Cradle2crayons]

My part timers have assigned days with a 3 day per week minimum. If they are signed up for M/W/F, they pay for all 3 of those days. If they don't come on one of those days, they still pay. If I am holding the position for you, you have to pay. Otherwise, it is drop in care, which I no longer do.

Exactly.

[gracepatiencelove]

My part timers have assigned days with a 3 day per week minimum. If they are signed up for M/W/F, they pay for all 3 of those days. If they don't come on one of those days, they still pay. If I am holding the position for you, you have to pay. Otherwise, it is drop in care, which I no longer do.

So you would not accept the Friday kid?

If you did, would you want the month (4 [or rarely 5]) fridays paid up in full on teh first friday or just weekly or what?

I'm not even sure if they'll stick with me once I lay it out for them, but it's driving me nuts with the maybe/maybe not and I'm not okay with it.

[Cradle2crayons]

So you would not accept the Friday kid?

If you did, would you want the month (4 [or rarely 5]) fridays paid up in full on teh first friday or just weekly or what?

I'm not even sure if they'll stick with me once I lay it out for them, but it's driving me nuts with the maybe/maybe not and I'm not okay with it.

I would make them pay in advance the Friday before. Say for instance next Friday at arrival they schedule the next Friday. Then they have to pay by pickup for the next Friday. If they don't show up, no refunds. As I explain to my parents. "Payment is based on enrollment not attendance"

[Francine]

Exactly.

This is what I do also. I have one family that has a schedule that changes from week to week, Mom works in surgery at the hospital so cases get added and dropped so the times that she needs me changes. There are also days that she is on call so she might get called in but never knows until the last minute. She pays me Monday-Friday, my full time rate so that I am available when she needs me. There are weeks that she does need all 5 days but there have also been plenty of weeks that she only needs 2-3 days. It's a win win for both of us, she knows that I am always here and I always get paid. This family is unfortunately moving out of state in a month or two so I will be losing them

[Lorri]

They contract for certain days. No changing day and they pay for the day if they are or not. But in my contract they get as many days they contract for off in a year. So if they contract for 3 days they can get 3 days off with out pay to use when ever they want

[gracepatiencelove]

Would you say it's unreasonable to ask for all Friday's paid up since that would only equal a week's tuition, anyway (actually less-than)?

[Annalee]

Would you say it's unreasonable to ask for all Friday's paid up since that would only equal a week's tuition, anyway (actually less-than)?

Your contract/policy is specific to YOU....so NO it is not unreasonable...I would, however, make sure dcp understands that if she doesn't use the "Friday", she doesn't get to move the pay forward for later....

[gracepatiencelove]

Your contract/policy is specific to YOU....so NO it is not unreasonable...I would, however, make sure dcp understands that if she doesn't use the "Friday", she doesn't get to move the pay forward for later....

Okay thanks!

I might just be getting slightly annoyed with them, I will take the night and think on it before I propose the plan.

[Leigh]

I would give them the option of paying my drop-in rate and taking the chance that there will not be space for the kids, or committing to my part-time minimum rate (65% of my full-time minimum). I allow only one part-time spot in my daycare. Any other part-time kids would have to pay my full-time minimum.

[cheerfuldom]

I would require a month of Fridays paid on the first Friday of that month at drop off (or even if they do not attend). Every Friday will be paid for whether they attend or not. There is no crediting to the next week either.