Switching to Contracted Hours Questions

[MommaB3]

So I've done the daily rate...didn't like it because parents would leave their kids here the whole time I'm open even if they were at home because 'they were paying for it.'
I've done the hourly rate...didn't like that because I don't like figuring up the hours and you can't depend on how much you will make.

I'm currently back to the daily rate but one family is here from open to close (and sometimes up to 15 minutes past closing because of the long commute) M-F which I don't mind if they are actually WORKING which this woman was. This week she started a new job 8-5 so her hours would be 7:30-5:30 instead of 7-5:45 and on Friday's she's off at 3 so I planned on 3:30. She informs me today that she is so excited to go shopping after work and look for new clothes and just hang around at Target, etc. This just burns me! All my other kids are gone by 4 at the latest on Friday's and today they are all gone by 12:30 so I was super excited to be done by 3:30 since it typically has been 5:45. After this I am done being open certain hours so mom's can have 'me' time and go hang out at Target and whatnot. This person is a friend of mine and she lives right next door so obviously I don't want this is become a huge issue since I will see her daily.

So my question...How do you switch from hours of operation to contracted hours? I don't even want hours of operation because I feel like she would just contract the entire day. Any other advice for contracted hours? I don't want to seem like a B about this but I'm sick of feeling taken advantage of!

Sorry, just frustrated right now!

[Blackcat31]

My handbook says:

"I do not have standard operating hours. I work on contracted hours and provide care on week days only. Available hours are dependent on each individual family's needs.

Care will only be available for your family during your contracted times.
Care hours will not be before 7:00 AM nor after 5:00 PM without prior approval. Additional fees will apply."

I don't check up on parents or require a copy of their work schedules but I make it VERY clear that I am available to care for their child while they are working or in school.

If a parent said to me that they were looking forward to shopping after work, I would have taken that opportunity to say to them that they will need to pick up their child first because I am not a babysitter for when parents run errands. They can hire the teenager that lives down the block for that.

When mom told you her shopping plans this morning, that would have been the perfect opportunity to let her know you don't appreciate that.

I switched to contracted hours with a graduated rate scale for THAT exact reason.

[Tdhmom]

I actually posted something similar yesterday or the day before. I have a potential dcm that does this exact thing only every day. I put it at her like this "it's xx amount for 9.5 hrs a day. After the 9.5 hours it's $5 an hour/kid" thanks to all the wonderful advice I got she started calling around to other places. Which is fine by me. I would end up being upset with her everyday at pick up because I knew she was at home having her 'me' time. While I was with her children for the last hour and a half AFTER my only other kids left. Oh and I told her my closing time is 4:30. And I would extend it only if she gave me advance notice and I approved it, and of course, she didn't go over the 9.5 ::

[melilley]

I do contracted hours for up to 10 hours a day. Anything over 10 hours is an extra charge. Of course, no one goes over that and only one child is here for the whole 10 hours (this is the same one who is here every day mom has off).

[colorboxdaycare]

A. Hours
a. I do not have operating hours.
b. I am providing a service to parents during their working hours ONLY.
c. You are contracted for the hours you need. If you are in need of additional time on any given day you must contact me immediately and IF it is possible I will accommodate your request at an ADDITIONAL charge to be paid immediately. The additional rate will be at $5/hour per child.
This is what I just put in my handbook. Thanks to some of your ideas. This is a change from the original posted hours of 6:45-5:00pm. My families do contracts. I feel removing ALL acknowledgement of any type of posted hours prior to the contract signing will eliminate a parent trying to contract for hours longer than needed. I will set hours with each parent at our meeting and they do not need to know any other families hours. In the meeting I will not suggest operating hours I will let them tell me their work hours and what hours of childcare they are looking for. Does this sound like a good idea?

[TaylorTots]

I'm weird as I am pretty lax compared to a lot of CCPs here.

I require contracted hours but as I have communicated to parents in person and through my handbook, consistency is more important to me. If you pick up at 4pm everyday and on Friday you decide to go shopping - I may be able to watch your child until close at 5:30. However, you have to call and ask or I will charge you a late fee. Though open till 5:30 I rarely have children past 5. I may easily have plans or an appointment.

[Scribbles]

I'm weird as I am pretty lax compared to a lot of CCPs here.

I require contracted hours but as I have communicated to parents in person and through my handbook, consistency is more important to me. If you pick up at 4pm everyday and on Friday you decide to go shopping - I may be able to watch your child until close at 5:30. However, you have to call and ask or I will charge you a late fee. Though open till 5:30 I rarely have children past 5. I may easily have plans or an appointment.

I used to be really lax about it too.

But after 10 yrs of business... I am tired of parents who leave their kid from open to close everyday.

Most providers who have less than 10 years experience (or haven't had a parent take advantage yet) are pretty lax about this rule.

I remember first hearing about contracted hours and thinking "wow! Those providers are strict and nit picky" but now in hind-site... I get it.