Would you consider this full-time or part-time?

[3kids&adaycare]

I have a 4 year old daycare boy who has been with me full-time for 2 years and the family is great. This school year, he will be attending a local preschool Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am-12pm and then coming to my daycare from approximately 12:30pm-4pm on those days. On Tuesdays & Thursday, he will be at my daycare all day.

Would you consider this schedule full-time or part-time? My weekly rate for him has been $200/week, which is my full-time rate, but I am debating whether it should be a lower rate since there will be 3 days where he will only be at my daycare for 3.5 hours.

Thanks!

[Patches]

I would consider it full time. He's coming 5 days a week, so taking up a full time slot.

[coolconfidentme]

My handbook says 25+ hours is considered full time. I mirror the state voucher program with that one.

[DaveA]

To me that's a full time spot. He's there all 5 days.

[taylorw1210]

Full time. I have 2 kids that are missing for about 4 hours out of the day, 5 days a week, for pre-k and charge them as full-time.

[NeedaVaca]

Full time. I have 2 kids that are missing for about 4 hours out of the day, 5 days a week, for pre-k and charge them as full-time.

Same here, full time rate. It's not like you can fill the time with other kids with that schedule. Plus I'm betting mom will want to bring them full days on school breaks.

[craftymissbeth]

Well, do you think you'd be able to fill those 3.5 hours 3x a week with another child to make up for the loss of income?

IMO, it's full time. Why should *you* take a loss of income just because his parents are sending him to preschool 3x a week?

[SSWonders]

For me the defining factor would be whether or not I could get a paying client in for the time that he isn't there. If not, and he needs that spot for after school, then he pays for that spot. If I could get someone for that time then I would give them a break.

[MotherNature]

I charge by days used, not hours. 2-3 days is pt, 4-5 days is ft. Kid is full time. You'd expect to be paid if they picked up early for a doc appt, so get paid for him being there in a spot. It wasn't your decision to pull him early on certain days.

[KSDC]

Another vote for full time. My families pay a fee for the spot. Not by the hour.

[MarinaVanessa]

That's FT for me as well. I had a preschool age child who would get dropped off at 7am then would go to PS for 3 hours and then return then would get picked up again at 5:30 for the day. That was still FT and they got no discount for the time that he was not here.

Unless you can find a client that can take the opening that the child doesn't use then I would charge FT.

[Blackcat31]

I bill by the day.

If a child comes for all 5 days, they are full time.

I do not count hours.

A child can attend M-F for 9 minutes a day or 9 hours per day M-F and the rate is the same.

I used to try and fill the empty space when the child was at preschool or where ever but then there were no school days to manage as well as when the fill in kid decided to dropout of care, then I was back to not being paid for the empty space.

Now I just bill for the day and leave the sorting, juggling and managing costs up to each family.

[CraftyMom]

I also say full time

I word it as full week or part week. If they come all week they are full week

[itlw8]

full time they want and need 5 days. IF they want p/t for me it is 3 set days so they would need to NOT bring the child 2 or the other preschool days. And If I had a child going to an outside preschool I would make sure my BEST preschool activities were on the days he was gone because it is one less ya know to get it done with. And make sure the family SEEs what you do in your preschool program