What's My Time Worth?

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  • Shell
    Daycare.com Member
    • Jul 2013
    • 1765

    What's My Time Worth?

    I have a wonderful dc family that needs me to increase my closing hours by 30 mins, three times a week due to a new job for dcd.

    I agreed, and still plan on it, but I'm wondering what to charge?

    It's inconvenient because I always have dinner for my kids promptly at closing, and now I can either push it back (not desirable for my own kids), or have dcb eat a snack packed by his mom at the same time as we eat.

    Also, this is a pain because it cuts into my personal and family time. It's supposedly temporary until august, so manageable, but what's fair to charge?

    They pay $50 a day already. Thanks for any help!
  • KSDC
    Daycare.com Member
    • Apr 2013
    • 382

    #2
    I'm not sure I'm the best one to ask. I would have said no. My family time is too important to me.

    I would have to charge enough to make it worth my while - probably $10 a day.

    Comment

    • Kabob
      Daycare.com Member
      • Jun 2013
      • 1106

      #3
      In the past I charged $5 per 15 minutes (or portion of) for time over 10 hours. You could do that for the time past your typical hours. I call it overtime pay.

      Comment

      • Blackcat31
        • Oct 2010
        • 36124

        #4
        Are you on the food program at all? If so, I would consider adding him so that you could just feed him along with your own family and claim him for that. You could also claim your own children if your family meets the requirements since they are eating with a daycare child.

        Honestly, I would not agree to do this either but that's beside the point since you aren't asking what I would do..

        In order to come up with a reasonable rate for after hours care, I would take the daily rate ($50) and break that down by how many hours the child attends. Then I would take his hourly rate and multiply it by 2 or 2.5 since standard rates for overtime is time and a half and/or double time.

        I know it's temporary but the family IS earning money and therefore so should you. I also understand that this is not an extra half day or 5 hours of care and is only 30 minutes BUT it's an important 30 minutes because its 30 minutes you are essentially taking from YOUR family and giving to another family. Whenever that happens, I think we as providers tend to devalue our services or our time and we need to remember that while we offer services to families, we aren't obligated to be at their beck and call.

        We already give up a lot (and take from our own families) so I think that if this DC family truly values you, your services and your wiliness to accommodate their temporary request, then they should pay a premium rate for it.

        HTH

        Comment

        • Shell
          Daycare.com Member
          • Jul 2013
          • 1765

          #5
          Thanks for responding. I really don't want to do this at all, but they are wonderful and having a baby that will eventually come here. They are excellent clients, so it's an exception I'm willing to make- reluctantly.

          BC- they pay somewhere around $6/he give or take. Would you charge $12 for that 30 mins? Is that what you mean?

          Comment

          • Blackcat31
            • Oct 2010
            • 36124

            #6
            Originally posted by Shell
            Thanks for responding. I really don't want to do this at all, but they are wonderful and having a baby that will eventually come here. They are excellent clients, so it's an exception I'm willing to make- reluctantly.

            BC- they pay somewhere around $6/he give or take. Would you charge $12 for that 30 mins? Is that what you mean?
            Yep! Exactly.

            I also wouldn't explain it or try to get them to understand why the rate is so costly other than to say "This is the rate. It's the ONLY way I am willing to take the time away from my family. Let me know if it will work for you and what date you are wanting to begin the new schedule."

            I 100% understand the reluctance AND the willingness to do this....sometimes we have to bend a little in order to strengthen our foundations and giving a little to get a lot in the long run IS a good business move.

            Comment

            • Crazy8
              Daycare.com Member
              • Jun 2011
              • 2769

              #7
              I would charge $10/day for that half hour as it is after your closing time and it is taking time away from your family. I would charge less for the family that bumps from a 3:30 pick up to a 4:00 pick up because it is still within my normal operating hours.

              I would also write it up as a "temporary" change - and make sure that it ends in August!

              Comment

              • Controlled Chaos
                Daycare.com Member
                • Jun 2014
                • 2108

                #8
                Originally posted by Crazy8
                I would charge $10/day for that half hour as it is after your closing time and it is taking time away from your family. I would charge less for the family that bumps from a 3:30 pick up to a 4:00 pick up because it is still within my normal operating hours.

                I would also write it up as a "temporary" change - and make sure that it ends in August!
                This, I would write up a temporary contract with start and end dates. I would charge $10 a day extra.
                Last edited by Blackcat31; 04-16-2015, 08:42 AM.

                Comment

                • daycare
                  Advanced Daycare.com *********
                  • Feb 2011
                  • 16259

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Controlled Chaos

                  This, I would write up a temporary contract with start and end dates. I would charge $10 a day extra.
                  This. Put an end date. I made this mistake a few years back.

                  I opened early what was supposed to be for 3 months and ended up being over a year.
                  So now I make certain that they understand this is a temporary change that has been approved until August 1, 2015. After this date hours of operation will resume to normal business hours of 8am to 5 pm.

                  Comment

                  • Shell
                    Daycare.com Member
                    • Jul 2013
                    • 1765

                    #10
                    Great advice as always! Thank you all for your input

                    Comment

                    • Crystal
                      Advanced Daycare.com Member
                      • Dec 2009
                      • 4002

                      #11
                      I recently had a long term family have the same situation come up. I keep their 2 children 2-3 days per week (sometimes not at all) for about 30 minutes overtime. They pay me $100 per week for my VALUABLE time, whether they use any of the overtime for the week or not. They are happy to pay it, as they have dependable care and they value me as their provider.

                      Comment

                      • missbecky
                        Miss Becky
                        • Apr 2015
                        • 18

                        #12
                        What are your normal overtime rates and are they stated in your contracts? I wouldn't charge them quite that much since you know about it in advance, but I would make it worth my while.

                        The idea of getting a signed contract from them with this change is a definite must! You don't want to leave anything to question or a great family will go to being a bad family because of assumptions.

                        Comment

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