Am I Open Too Long? What Are Your Hours?

[midaycare]

I am licensed for 24 hour care but I advertise 7:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m. I only allow for parents to contract for 10 hours per day, or 50 hours per week, or the fees increase. In the case of nurses where they might work 3 12-hour shifts, I would charge a full week for 3 days. We have a hospital nearby .... I haven't had a nurse register with me yet, but I have had one call and was surprised I would charge her for the full week for only 3 days.

[coolconfidentme]

I am licensed for 24 hour care. (I have a staff.) Full time care is considered 25-45 hours, not to exceed 9 hours per day unless contracted otherwise. Daily care is only 9 hours as well.

[NightOwl]

I'm also 7-5:30 but currently most kids are gone by 5. I have one starting next week who will be here til just after 5:30 because her mom gets off at 5:30 but she's very close to my house so it shouldn't be more than 5-10 mins.

In June I have one mom who's wanting to change her hours. Her mom currently picks up her son on W-Th-Fr because she doesn't get off til 8 and works an hour away. But she's moving out so she wants me to do 9am to 9pm on those days now and will pay extra so she can keep her mom out of the pickup equation. I'm not sure... he's been at my daycare the longest but do I REALLY want to give that time up with my kids 3 days a week?? :confused:

Hmmmmm that's a hard one. The money would have to be excellent for me to keep her child until 9pm. And her child would have to mesh really well with my own.

[NightOwl]

My hours are from 6:15am-5:30pm, but most pick up before 5pm, except Tues/Thurs then I have one that stays until 5:45 that I made an exception for. My rate is a flat $55 a day.

Wow $55? That's fantastic! You're making BANK!

[NightOwl]

Also I should mention that I'm located in a rural area outside of city limits. Most parents drive into the city to work, so it's a solid 30-40 minutes or more in drive time one way. I feel like I have to accommodate that so that parents can reach work on time in the mornings and get back before closing. If they can't get to work on time because I don't open early enough, they would definitely term. They wouldn't have a choice.

[LadyK8]

I open at 7 a.m. and close at 5:30 p.m. I felt that those times worked best for me.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

I used to be open 7:30-4:30. It got to the point where I only had one family here at 7:30, so I changed my hours to 8-4:30 and stopped serving breakfast. It was a great change for my family.

I picked my hours, because that's all I want to work. If parents love my program enough, they'll make it work.

My program isn't good for single-parent families, I'll admit. Two-parent families make it work by having one parent drop off, the other pick up.

Dr.'s appointment? They can do what I do; take their kid along.

[spinnymarie]

Those hours would wear on me as well, we are open 7:00 to 5:00, and I feel like that is pushing it Parents can chose 9 hours within that range. I'm also working school year calendar, so off in the summer time.

[daycare_jen]

I am currently only watching for one family (3 kids) from 7:45 (really drop off is around 8) and I allow pick up to be as late as 5:15, usually it is around 5 though. I watch only teachers' kids, so I would contract hours based on the teacher's work day and their commute time. I allow a little cushion to their commute time, because I know teachers can get stuck on phone calls with parents at the end of the day or might have a meeting that begins first thing in the morning. But I won't work more than 9.5 hours, unless they pay an hourly rate for the additional time.

I agree with other posters, if they have an appt. they can take their kid with them or get family or a sitter to help with it. I used to watch my niece for my sister-in-law and her husband (both teachers) and it irked me to no end when they wanted to add days during school breaks (which I close for) so that they could MOW THE LAWN or clean house or something else that my husband and I take care of while we have our children at home...

[Unregistered]

I cannot and will not do it any longer. haha

Would not, could not in a box? Could not, would not in your socks?
Not on a bus? Not if I fuss? Not with a truss? Not if I cuss?

Sorry :: the statement and your name made me think of that ::

[Childminder]

6am-11:30pm Mon-Sat, contracted hours apply. Dh is my assistant and our children are grown.

[taylorw1210]

Right now I am open from 7am - 5:30pm. Most kids are gone by 5:15pm.

I would like to switch to contracted hours (right now my daily rate includes 10 hours) to try to encourage parents to pick up earlier when they are able to, but am unsure of how to go about switching all of my families.

[bklsmum]

I am open from 5 am until 7 pm, Monday through Saturday. I charge more for kids here more than 10 hours or on Saturday. Anything over 4 hours is a full day.

[josie2014]

I am open from 5 am until 7 pm, Monday through Saturday. I charge more for kids here more than 10 hours or on Saturday. Anything over 4 hours is a full day.

That's really long hours and days...

[SSWonders]

I am open from 5 am until 7 pm, Monday through Saturday. I charge more for kids here more than 10 hours or on Saturday. Anything over 4 hours is a full day.

Wow. I couldn't do it. Wish I had your energy!