Sibling Discount?

[ATK]

I have a mommy that is debating staying home or teaching next year. I currently have her 1.5 year old who I adore and she's due with twin girls end of April. She would not return till fall. Number wise I can do it bc license exempt I can have 5 kids or less. I would have my 3 daycare kiddos and my daughter (all 2 in the fall) and then the twins would be 5-6 months. I wasn't planning on filling anymore than 3 spots next year So the twins are just extra ontop of what I already planned.

Currently I charge $200 till 3 and $190 after that till 5. What would you charge this family with 3 kids here! We are in the DC metro Area. Some people around do it for $150 a week which is questionable, and most do $225 or above especially for infants. I am middle of the road for the area home daycare wise, but I also have a curriculum and a lot of perks. Specifically that I cater to teachers and I don't charge for Winter break, Spring break, days around Thanksgiving, and summer break. So my parents pay 39 weeks out of a year. I am closed during breaks. Centers are $315 per infant and go down to $286 for pre K.

I was thinking $170 or $175 a week per kiddo but am I screwing myself?

I love love love the family AND their hours fit with the kids I have now obviously since they are with me now. The mom and I have gotten really close and her little girl is just the best. They are also always picking up early if dad is off or keeping home when dad is off.

Thanks for any input!

[Ariana]

A kid is a kid so they count as work. I wouldn't offer a discount personally unless for some reason the child is not as much work as the others. When they decided to have children they must have known daycare would cost a lot so it's not your job to budget and discount for them....at least unless they ask. If she asks and says she will need to pull her kids then you can decide.

Thats my 2 cents

[laundrymom]

I never raise a families rates. Once they start, they can have 8 kids and their tuition never goes up, even if other families pay more. Each of my families pay my rate at time of enrollment for the duration of their time with me. So, in effect, their "discount" is the difference between the rate I charged with the first, and the rate I'm currently charging.
For example
I have one family, with me over 7 years, who pay $25 less per week than the child I enrolled recently.

When they ask about rates for second or third children, I always say, my rate for new families is $135 a week, but I offer a discount for families already enrolled so you would still pay $120 a week for each of your children.

[Annalee]

I would not offer a discount....I know your trying to help but that will get old really quick...plus if they ever decided to take their kids out, that is 3 spots to fill....I have had families with 3 kids but it is rough if they all leave at once. Just something to think about!

[Shell]

I do think you are short changing yourself. I am also the type to feel badly for parents and their circumstances, and try to offer a discount.
It has backfired every time!
What kind of opened my eyes about this was a dcg I had since birth. When they were expecting their second, dcm told me she couldn't possibly pay my rates for two, would I give a discount (said in almost a "if you say no, we'll go elsewhere).
Well, I was going to give a discount, and fortunately they moved.
Interestingly enough, their kids now attend a center that is more for one child than my non- discounted rate for two!
Funny how they could find the funds when necessary.

If you are doing to discount, maybe make it $5 or something really small- so you're not losing out.

[Controlled Chaos]

I am currently offering a 5% discount for families with multiple children in my care. That is because I am trying to fill lots of spots fast. I will discontinue this discount in the future. I agree with each spot is worth the same.

[Unregistered]

I would not offer a discount....I know your trying to help but that will get old really quick...plus if they ever decided to take their kids out, that is 3 spots to fill....I have had families with 3 kids but it is rough if they all leave at once. Just something to think about!

I totally see this point. LUCKILY I only wanted to have 3 spots filled anyway (the twins make it 5 spots) so I would only have to fill 1 if they left but I totally get what you are saying. UGH!!

Shell- Were you close with this mom? Like did you never think shed do that

[ATK]

Opps it logged me out!

[Unregistered]

I do think you are short changing yourself. I am also the type to feel badly for parents and their circumstances, and try to offer a discount.
It has backfired every time!
What kind of opened my eyes about this was a dcg I had since birth. When they were expecting their second, dcm told me she couldn't possibly pay my rates for two, would I give a discount (said in almost a "if you say no, we'll go elsewhere).
Well, I was going to give a discount, and fortunately they moved.
Interestingly enough, their kids now attend a center that is more for one child than my non- discounted rate for two!
Funny how they could find the funds when necessary.

If you are doing to discount, maybe make it $5 or something really small- so you're not losing out.

This happened to me, as well, AND they built a house that was almost 4 times the cost of mine
to add salt to my bitter, bitter wound. (The ones who truly could have used it, never asked.)

[deliberateliterate]

I have two sibling sets.

1 - Both full time. I'm giving them a $3/day/child discount. It amounts to about $120 less per month. In addition, I open 15 minutes early for no charge.

2 - 1 full time, 1 after school. I am also giving them a $3/day discount (just for one).

But full time kids are really hard to find in my area, and their hours fit within mine (I close at 430, and it's harder to fill), so it was beneficial to me to do it.

[Meeko]

Bottom line...


Dear Daycare Provider,

We have chosen to have another baby! Yay us!

In order to make life easier for US, we want to take money out of YOUR pocket to help us out financially. We will call it a discount. You don't mind helping raise this baby both physically AND financially do you?????

If you don't like the idea of giving YOUR money to US....we will get upset and look elsewhere.

[Thriftylady]

I offer a discount to the family I have right now, but they are my first two kiddos. I am just getting started again. It really depends on what you want to do and can afford to do. We have to be careful though not to burn ourselves out.

[Controlled Chaos]

Bottom line...


Dear Daycare Provider,

We have chosen to have another baby! Yay us!

In order to make life easier for US, we want to take money out of YOUR pocket to help us out financially. We will call it a discount. You don't mind helping raise this baby both physically AND financially do you?????

If you don't like the idea of giving YOUR money to US....we will get upset and look elsewhere.

Amazing - this

I thought long and hard before offering my current discount and once I fill two more spots in May (I have 2 kiddos moving end of April) I am getting rid of the sibling discount.

[Unregistered]

I don't offer a family discount out of my 7 dcks I have 3 sets of siblings. I don't offer a discount to any of them. As it stands right now I am 3$ a day less for infants, 3$ a day less for toddler and $2 a day less for preschool and $5 a day for before and after. So right now my families save around $25-$50 a week by sending them here vrs a center.