Deposits

[Ariana]

I have a woman who is looking for care for her 1 yr old starting in May full time. I have never had anyone contact me so far in advance and I am wondering what other providers do in terms of holding a spot for someone. My contract simply says that if there is more than one month a mutually agreed upon fee will apply.

She is an acquaintance so I trust she won't back out on me and we went to college together so she is very happy about the fact that I have a space for her child. It is beneficial for me because her baby is super low maintenance and is a great napper!!

[daycare]

I have a woman who is looking for care for her 1 yr old starting in May full time. I have never had anyone contact me so far in advance and I am wondering what other providers do in terms of holding a spot for someone. My contract simply says that if there is more than one month a mutually agreed upon fee will apply.

She is an acquaintance so I trust she won't back out on me and we went to college together so she is very happy about the fact that I have a space for her child. It is beneficial for me because her baby is super low maintenance and is a great napper!!

First word of advice, doing business withe friends is dangerous....

Friend or not, you are running a business. You have to do what is best for you, just as your client will.

I never hold a spot longer than 2 weeks and do require a deposit.

Sooooo much can change in 1 month. Even if she did pay you, it would never be enough money for you to hold that spot for her.

I would tell her, while I am excited that you are looking forward to come in May, lets get together a few weeks before you would like her to start and go from there.

I always find that the parents end up getting grannie or other family to watch the kids (FREE) as soon as grannie finds out that they are getting replaces with a dcp. Grannie offers to watch the kids and takes the gig, a few months down the road Grannie says, Wow I forgot how hard this is and now you have the parents looking for a new person to watch the kid.

[daycarediva]

First word of advice, doing business withe friends is dangerous....

Friend or not, you are running a business. You have to do what is best for you, just as your client will.

I never hold a spot longer than 2 weeks and do require a deposit.

Sooooo much can change in 1 month. Even if she did pay you, it would never be enough money for you to hold that spot for her.

I would tell her, while I am excited that you are looking forward to come in May, lets get together a few weeks before you would like her to start and go from there.

I always find that the parents end up getting grannie or other family to watch the kids (FREE) as soon as grannie finds out that they are getting replaces with a dcp. Grannie offers to watch the kids and takes the gig, a few months down the road Grannie says, Wow I forgot how hard this is and now you have the parents looking for a new person to watch the kid.

The only time I accept clients that far out is if they pay my deposit AND the first two weeks of care up front AND it's for a future opening (eg. someone leaving for Kindy). Otherwise, I won't ever hold a space for free, and never for less than what the actual space costs.

[KSDC]

Do you have an opening now? Will you be going with an empty spot waiting for May?

If you are holding an empty spot, I would definitely charge. But, I don't charge if the spot is full. For instance, I have a baby that is scheduled to start in May. But, they are taking a spot that is coming empty because one of my children is leaving care at the end of the school year. So, I am not charging them a holding fee for the spot.

Now, I personally don't do the deposits. I have never needed them. My town has such a shortage of daycare, I never have a hard time filling spots. But, if I had a hard time getting children, I would probably change that position.

[Ariana]

I have cared for friends and family before and it's never been a problem! She is not a friend anyway...we went to college together as we are both ECE's. She has explicitly told me she does not want grannie to take care of her as she wants someone educated in the field.

I don't mind waiting until May. I keep low ratios and I like to fill 2 spots slowly so that my own daughter can adjust to the changes as well. I am just wondering if I should charge a lump sum PLUS the 2 week deposit or charge a monthly fee PLUS the 2 week deposit. My 2 week deposit is due at the signing of the contract and is applied to the last 2 weeks of care. I feel she should pay me something over and above this to hold the spot.

Most people in my area are looking for care for their 1 yr olds (I am in Canada) and I really prefer older kids because most moms don't prepare their infants for group care. This mom gets it because she works in an infant room at a centre and her kid is daycare ready! It's part of the reason I am willing to wait instead of taking a difficult infant right now...kwim?

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

Why wouldn't she keep her own child at her center? That is strange. I don't see this as ending up very long term, so I would be a little leary of holding a spot unpaid for such a long time.

When I do hold a spot for an extended period (which has always been for a newborn), if the timing doesn't coincide with another child moving on very closely, I charge a slightly higher weekly rate than what I normally charge until the child is a certain age to recover the lost income. I collect the last 2-weeks payment at enrollment as a deposit, like you, which is never refundable. This is all in my contract.

In your situation, I think you have to ask yourself if you'd be angry if she left after a short time, or didn't even end up coming at all, after you held the spot for free or just a small fee. If the answer is yes, then I would say to her what Daycare suggested.

[Blackcat31]

I don't hold spots. If they are open, I require payment.

My fee are based on enrollment and not on attendance so if they want the space before they need it and it's available, it's THEIR issue to figure out.

If I don't have a space available, I wont agree to hold it but I will agree to let them know if it becomes available and/or if someone else becomes interested in the space

I have zero issues taking family and/or friends as I am VERY clear on business is business during business hours and friendship/family comes first ONLY during my off hours.

[Ariana]

Ok thanks everyone it looks like I am the only childcare owner that holds spots for people! I would be ticked if she didn't go with me after holding the spot which is why I want to charge for holding it. I don't really do daycare for the money (its a definite plus of course and it's a legit business) but holding the spot isn't going to make or break my family, maybe this is the difference? I don't know. I was just on a local FB page where daycare's and parents advertise spots and one mom is looking for September and some providers were saying that some owners will hold spots for a fee so I got the impression it was the norm....maybe not.

She is not taking her child to her centre because it costs $1400 a month for infants. She did tell me she will be taking her there at 2.5 when the price drops to $800 which I am perfectly ok with.

Anyway thanks everyone