Looking For Some Input Please :)

[Angelsj]

I agree with what others have said about the child taking up a full day even if
she is not there .

I have had huge problems when charging by the hour . Parents claiming they were 2 minutes short and therefore did not have to pay for the hour . Or one dcm who wanted to add up minutes weekly and pay that way . Hourly was just a pain and not worth the trouble and loss of income if you have a child who could take the full time spot .

I do charge hourly, and I would not put up with this at all. No matter how you choose to run your business, YOU, not the parents, get to set the rules.

[cheerfuldom]

Exactly! Why should you have someone paying less than 7 other people are willing and waiting to pay!?

[originalkat]

I don't discount if they send the child to preschool 1/2 day. That child still takes a spot that you cannot fill. Many times you are responsible for transporting that child back and forth.

Yep

[Oss_cc]

When I first started, I offered one of my DCMs a half day deal where I would charge a reduced rate if under 5 hours and my full day rate for anything over 5 hours (I'm open 10 hours a day). I did this only because I was not close to being full and didn't have a waiting list.

What ended up happening is that she showed up at 5 hours and 45 minutes and wrote me a check for the reduced rate. I let it slide the first time because I was new to this, but after she did it again the next day I told her no more reduced rate.

In your situation, I would just say no way since you have a long waiting list. Full time tuition or on to the next kiddo.

[TwinKristi]

I do offer a PT rate, but it's not very much less and has to be less than 4 hours. If it's more than 4 hours it's not PT!