Would You Do This? SA/Summer Idea

[daycarediva]

There is a park down the street (1 1/2 blocks) that has summer day camp available for summer. It's for kids entering K-8th grade, divided by age. There is a one week gap between the ending of school and start of camp and a one week gap at the end of summer to the start of school. It's through the city and reputable. I was going to enroll my ds's (entering 2nd & entering 5th), and was considering asking the dcp's of my entering K kids AND the parents of my current SA kid (entering 1st) to enroll their children, and I will walk them there and back each day and will only charge them my before/after rate. Basically it will add two short walks to my day (with 6 preschoolers age 2 1/2-5), and entertain my sa for summer.

We would sign a summer contract, they would enroll the child and pay camp separately and list me as pickup/drop off person. If camp was closed for weather they would pay double the daily rate for that day. The camp & my before and after rate are cheaper than my full weekly rate, too.

Anything I'm not seeing as a drawback to this?

[NightOwl]

If you spin it in a positive way, starting with the fact that they're going to save money, I think the parents would be open to it. Why do you want them to do this? It sounds like you would be losing money.

And what if some agree to it but one doesn't? Then you've got a single school age child who is way older than your other kids. Just trying to think of all the possible scenarios.

[Silly Songs]

Do you know the rates at the day camp ? Would the parents end up paying more with the camp and you vs just you having the children all day ? You may want to add an incentive to encourage the parents to sign up for the camp , maybe a discount on before / after care . You want the parents to feel as if they are getting a deal . Also , would you be the emergency contact while the children are at camp, or would it be the parents ? If it rains during the day would you have to go get everyone ? Taking along all the little ones in the rain ? I think those are some of the issues you may have to take into consideration .

[Blackcat31]

There is a park down the street (1 1/2 blocks) that has summer day camp available for summer. It's for kids entering K-8th grade, divided by age. There is a one week gap between the ending of school and start of camp and a one week gap at the end of summer to the start of school. It's through the city and reputable. I was going to enroll my ds's (entering 2nd & entering 5th), and was considering asking the dcp's of my entering K kids AND the parents of my current SA kid (entering 1st) to enroll their children, and I will walk them there and back each day and will only charge them my before/after rate. Basically it will add two short walks to my day (with 6 preschoolers age 2 1/2-5), and entertain my sa for summer.

We would sign a summer contract, they would enroll the child and pay camp separately and list me as pickup/drop off person. If camp was closed for weather they would pay double the daily rate for that day. The camp & my before and after rate are cheaper than my full weekly rate, too.

Anything I'm not seeing as a drawback to this?

This sounds like a great idea IF all the SA kids go.

What happens if one family does not want to go?
Or one child does not want to go?

Then you are stuck trying to "entertain" that kid and they'll have no playmates at your house...which is HARD.

My DS was not cut out for summer camp...they tend to be a little less structured and have LOTS of conflict as the teachers running it always seem to be really young adults or older teens and they have little to no experience with conflict.... what happens if one of the SA DCK's needs to get picked up from camp, due to illness or injury? Does the camp call you or the parent?

What happens if a kid wants to go one week but not another? Does the came stay open in rainy weather etc?

That's a lot of random questions but I'm just tryoig to think out loud and cover everything...

[daycarediva]

The camp + my after care rate IS cheaper for parents.

The parents sign a waiver to the camp and put me as pick up person. THEY are emergency contact.

I want to spin it as 1. Kids their age. 2. Activities at their age level 3. No rest time/quiet time during nap 3. Cost. 4. Being with friends from school/teachers from school-it's run by the district, so familiar teachers and teacher aides.

I will not lose money on it, I would keep my income the same. I wouldn't have the higher summer rate, but it just isn't worth it to me to have SA underfoot all summer long. They WOULD be here two full weeks, and we would plan fun things to do for them during nap on those weeks. I do NOT have a separate room for SA kids during rest times, so it makes that time VERY complicated if the weather doesn't allow SA to play outside during that time frame.

The camp is open in pretty much all weather. There is a sheltered building, bathrooms on site.

I WOULD essentially say "This is what we're doing for summer care for kids in K and 1st. Here are the forms for camp, here is my summer contract for SA care." It would NOT be posed as optional. I am willing to lose clients over it.

One child is entering K/staying on next year as SA and his Mom is the one who works for the city and suggested it, so I know she's on board. The other is my sa kid who is entering 1st. His parents find alternate care on days off/breaks from school now to keep him from being 'bored' all day (grandparents, aunts are home) but she said summer would be tricky. She would need all the time care due to vacation schedules. She would either agree or they would find alternate care.

My own kids are going to give them something to do, too. (entering 2nd/5th) My 13yo with ASD is going to summer school and special needs camp, DD/15 is taking summer classes (graduating early). So it would GREATLY reduce my stress level if it was just a regular work day/no additional kids all day.

[Shell]

Sounds like you've thought of just about every scenario.
I say go for it!

[CraftyMom]

Oh I see, so right now you do not have any of these kids, so your income would stay the same as it is now? I was thinking you would lose the 2 full time spots to become before/after spots.

This TOTALLY makes sense to me! I would want to do it just for the sake of your own kids not being stuck and bored at daycare all day. The most important reason would be NAPTIME!!!

[CraftyMom]

One of my daughters went to a 3 week theater camp last year and it was the best thing! She loved it, kept her busy and kept her out of daycare where she gets bored (she's 7)

She will do it again this year

[spinnymarie]

Sounds like a fabulous idea. *I* would DEFINITELY do it.

[Crazy8]

I would definitely do that if you are ok with not having them paying full rate for summer! I take a SA sibling once in a while during the summer and while she is a great kid it is just so exhausting trying to keep her entertained. I would never want SA'ers all summer long!

[daycarediva]

One of them is going from FT to half day SA rate (entering K). I'm replacing the space, so it's an income gain for me. The other only pays the half day rate now/SA so that would stay the same. The two weeks that they would both be here at the end of the school year and start of the next school year they would pay the full rate and I would be making an additional $350 for the two weeks.