Child Care. What Families Need?

[Turlington]

i am trying to provide families in my town with alternatives to child care that meets the needs of the modern family and parents needs.
What child care situation would help you out the most? Part time. Drop in. Extended hours. Other suggestions
What works best in the center you teach at or where your child attends child care?
I'm opening in the fall and want to provide high quality care that meets the needs of families today
Suggestions greatly appreciated!

[mom of 4]

a mom here. I needed pt, and struggled finding it. A lot of parents need pt or before and/or after school care. At least in our area. Infant care also.

[Meeko]

OP.....please know that this reply is meant in a loving way. I love the fact that you want to help others etc. It shows you are a caring and loving person.

If you want to run a charity and never make any money for your family.....then offer the services parents want. Extended hours, low rates, discounts, pay in arrears, part-time, drop-in etc etc. Give them everything they want/ask for.

If you are looking to start a business to help support your family.....do what works best for YOU. If not, you will burn out and be resentful VERY quickly. I have seen it over and over and over again. I have been doing this for nearly three decades now.

I have had numerous women call me over the years and ask how to get started. Some will say how they want to help local mothers etc etc.......all very noble.

They last a few months and then close down. They quickly become aware that parents are not grateful or appreciative of their efforts. They expect more and more "special" that works only for them and do not care if it works for the provider. Why? Because the provider showed them right from the get go that she was "flexible". Then when she isn't willing to bend over backwards...she is "being difficult"

These women then ask how could I have possibly been doing this successfully for so many years???

Because I am a BUSINESS...not a charity or service. I love and adore my daycare kids, but they come a very distant second behind MY husband and kids. I am earning money to support MY family first and foremost.

That means I offer only the services that work for ME. I charge what works for ME. I offer hours that work for ME.

I will never be rich, but I earn a good living. I know EXACTLY what my income is and what my future plans are.

If someone cannot afford my prices.....they move on...(usually to someone who is eager to "help" and then quits on them 6 months later because they can't make a living.)

I wish you all the best. Childcare is rewarding and builds memories and experiences that you cannot find in any other line of work. But it is HARD WORK. You will give of your time and energy (as in any job). But you will also give of your emotions in this job.....probably more than any other job out there. You will bond with little ones in a way that is very special.

Chances are high that all that hard work and emotion and time etc....is not appreciated one tiny bit by the parents who pay you. They will expect special if you hint at offering it and they will see it as normal...not special.

I hate seeing good women taken advantage of and burned out.

Just my 5c worth!

[Meeko]

a mom here. I needed pt, and struggled finding it. A lot of parents need pt or before and/or after school care. At least in our area. Infant care also.

I feel for mom's needing part-time care. Most providers would rather have full-time pay than part-time pay if they have a choice (who wouldn't?!) I have a family to support, bills to pay, and only a certain number of spaces in my daycare. Of course I want to get the most I can for those spots.

In my area, places for babies are very hard to find. I am licensed for 16 children, but only 4 of them can be under two years of age. So I turn away MANY baby inquiries.

Some mom's around here have started babysitting co-op's. They "buy in" to the co-op. They are issued cards/coins/(whatever works). Each card/or coin is worth a certain amount of care. They then "buy" services between themselves and pay with the cards/coins. So one mom who works afternoons will tend someone else's kids in the morning and vice versa. It makes a good option when they don't need full time care. The more moms that buy into the co-op the better of course. They also need to be flexible and willing to give, not just use services.

Maybe that would work for your situation?

[Kelly]

The biggest employer in our city is one of the two local hospitals and a lot of their employees work 12-hour shifts. It is very difficult to find child care for long hours. I have only one dcb at this time. His mom works 8am-8pm so he is here about 12.5 hours a day. But it is only 3 days a week which works out great for me. I'm legally unlicensed and can have up to 3 at a time but I would be picky about taking on any more right now, depending on how their schedule worked out with his.

[Kitten]

Our center is a non profit. We do huge charity events to be able to accommodate homeless children, so parents can get back on their feet. Our fundraising also accommodates the losses of those who need a flexible provider. It's worked for our facility for over 95 years & counting.
There are centers who are more flexible to help our the modern family. As an at home daycare, I would focus on what you can do without losing money. Never assume everyone is good hearted. Their are parents that will abuse the flexibility you give them.
If I was in the same situation, I would do full time, part time, and only drop-ins if you have openings.

[debbiedoeszip]

It would depend on your area. In mine, there is a large military base and several factories. Many people in this area would benefit from evening and overnight care.

In another area with a large number of hospital workers, they would need daycare for 13 or more hours, 4 days per week.

You should be polling the people in your community. Or researching the main employers to find out what their shifts are like.

[Turlington]

Sorry I wasn't clear

I am opening a child care center. The goal is to make money but I also want to provide what families need most. If I offer what families need then they can't take advantage of me...only the services I offer. I live in a military town so part time and drop in are necessary to make money.
Looking for ideas to make my center good for me and the families we serve. Free public pre-school is hurting my bottom line.
Thanks for the other helpful suggestions

[Kitten]

It would depend on your area. In mine, there is a large military base and several factories. Many people in this area would benefit from evening and overnight care.

In another area with a large number of hospital workers, they would need daycare for 13 or more hours, 4 days per week.

You should be polling the people in your community. Or researching the main employers to find out what their shifts are like.

Flashback to my childhood.... My mom is an overnight RN in a hospital by choice & dad was constantly traveling for work. My dcp (in-home) only took care of me at night & ver early morning before my mom picked up. This lady even took care of me, my brother, and sister for a week straight when my mom and dad decided to take a couples vacation. This lady was awesome and made a huge impact on my life. I was not related to her.

I never thought about overnight care in my original post. Since your opening an actual center, not sure how that would work. Great idea though!

[Annalee]

There is a demand for part-time/drop-in here. Thanks to BlackCat, providers and I are working on a plan to make this happen without losing money in our business. Personally, I haven't taken part-time/drop-in yet, but I am mentoring a provider whom has taken 3 part time and has 4 full-time...FCC can have 7 to one provider. We are working to make these parents accountable for certain amounts of time/care without allowing parents to dictate what/when they are going to do/come. We are developing a contract where parents choose a plan but can't change in the middle of a week because grandma wants to keep the kids a day or two. This provider was overwhelmed when I shared BlackCat's info, but slowly is coming to grips with the situation. It can work! She is also going to let parents know that full-time takes preeminence! So point being, I am thankful to BC for sharing because I can see the demands possibly changing but there is a way to continue meeting demand personally and professionally.

[SignMeUp]

There is a demand for part-time/drop-in here. Thanks to BlackCat, providers and I are working on a plan to make this happen without losing money in our business. Personally, I haven't taken part-time/drop-in yet, but I am mentoring a provider whom has taken 3 part time and has 4 full-time...FCC can have 7 to one provider. We are working to make these parents accountable for certain amounts of time/care without allowing parents to dictate what/when they are going to do/come. We are developing a contract where parents choose a plan but can't change in the middle of a week because grandma wants to keep the kids a day or two. This provider was overwhelmed when I shared BlackCat's info, but slowly is coming to grips with the situation. It can work! She is also going to let parents know that full-time takes preeminence! So point being, I am thankful to BC for sharing because I can see the demands possibly changing but there is a way to continue meeting demand personally and professionally.

I have done part-time for decades. I've been exclusively part-time for almost ten years. My contract and pricing reflect this. It's simple.
But I have no full-time preference, clearly. (I provide care only four days per week now.) Didn't have a preference when I had both full-time and part-time either. Neither trumps the other; they are equal.
It does not allow for flexible/changing scheduling however; parents commit to the same schedule each week.
In brief, parents contract for the same days each week. The times can be different each day, though times are also contracted. I will change times (d/o & p/u) mid-contract, but not days (except at my discretion).

My pricing discourages half-days because I do not prefer to make it easier for people who want "regular preschool" half-days and my house half-days.

I don't think I make less; I may make more because so many people are looking for part-time care, which makes it easier to charge a higher daily fee that covers the downfalls of part-time (that not every single space is filled every single day, that paperwork/holiday/projects sometimes cost the same per child, not the same per full-time slot).

[Sunchimes]

I started out trying to fill a niche of needed care. It almost killed me! I'm much smarter now and if I were to go back to niche work, I would handle it differently. The biggest employers here are WalMart and the hospital. I had 3 Walmart workers when I started. Some days went like this: Mom #1, 6 am to noon. Mom #2, 11 am to 4 pm, Mom #3, 6 am to midnight. There were at least a couple of days a week that I worked 18 or 20 hours a day, even if I only had one child at a time. I worked 6 days a week, and at first, I worked Sundays, but I stopped that quickly.

The hospital, nursing homes, and law enforcement worked 12 hour shifts. I've had all of those too. The kids are here a minimum of 12 1/2 hours, but as often as not, there was a crisis and the nurse couldn't get away on time, or the next shift replacement didn't show up on time and CNA mom couldn't leave, or there was a wreck and the police officer was very, very late. It's really hard being a niche center.

I'm not saying I wouldn't do some version of it again if necessary, because it's really hard to get kids here. But, those families would be my last choice.

I guess the biggest need here in our small town is for weekends and evenings.

[NightOwl]

Here, it's part time. And I have found this can be very lucrative for you!

Ex:
Full time, $125
Part time, $35 daily
5 days filled with part time children, $175 weekly, and only one spot in taken!

So 1 child comes 2 days, another comes 3 days, and you make $50 more per week for the exact same amount of work as for a full time child. We can have 6 children here, but I actually have 9 enrolled. Never more than 6 each day, but I'm still making more because of my part time kids.

[Blackcat31]

Here, it's part time. And I have found this can be very lucrative for you!

Ex:
Full time, $125
Part time, $35 daily
5 days filled with part time children, $175 weekly, and only one spot in taken!

So 1 child comes 2 days, another comes 3 days, and you make $50 more per week for the exact same amount of work as for a full time child. We can have 6 children here, but I actually have 9 enrolled. Never more than 6 each day, but I'm still making more because of my part time kids.

That works fantastic if the schedule is the same each time.

But what about the family that wants 3 days a week but every week the three days are different?

The family that wants 2 days a week want Mondays and Thursdays only.

A third family calls and wants 2 days a week and sometimes a 3rd day but all the days are always different each week...


then what?


Working around part timer's that have SET days has never been an issue and has ALWAYS generated more income daily than full timers.

It's the varying schedules that have providers pulling their hair out trying to manage week to week without making a parent upset or not having space for that one day when everyone's schedules overlap.

How do you manage those situations?

[Angelsj]

I charge hourly, and I am open to many hours. I have had overnighters, early morning, kids here for 12 hour shifts, etc.
In general, I listen to what a parent wants, then decide if I am willing or able to accommodate that. It works for me, probably in part because I don't see it as "working" most of the time. I don't change what I do on a daily basis for children. They are part of the family and do what family does. In other words, they help me and each other, they play, they do chores and they learn.

If you are willing to go outside the standards/norms of the basic center to meet some of your community's needs, more power to you.
If I were in your position, I would go out into the community and look for those who are needing care. (call an open house or speak to your licensor.) Listen to what they have to say. Then decide which of those needs you can comfortably meet and which you cannot. Base your style on needs and what works for you.