10.5 Hours

[MommyMuffin]

I have a family looking for care from 6:45 - 5:30. I'm not sure if I want to take this on or wait until a family that needs care in my time that I'm open 6-4:30.
Do you charge extra for long hours?

[Unregistered]

Honestly,I would wait for another family. I used to be open 7am-4:30pm Monday-Friday, and burnt out fast. I finally changed my hours to Monday-Thursday 7am-4pm and am much happier. It took me a while to fill my spaces again, but my current families figured out a way for them to adjust to my changes. If you do end up enrolling this child, you should charge a much higher rate.

[AuntTami]

I have a family looking for care from 6:45 - 5:30. I'm not sure if I want to take this on or wait until a family that needs care in my time that I'm open 6-4:30.
Do you charge extra for long hours?

I have this kid and it makes me want to scream. Everyone else is gone by 4:30 and he's one so he can't play by himself. I wouldn't do it again without extra compensation. It's a long day for me and for him.

[Thriftylady]

I would do it, because I need clients. But I would charge a little more than my normal rate for it. If I didn't need the income, probably not.

[Sunchimes]

I have 2 families that signed up for 7:15-6:00. I charge them $10 a week more. Neither family actually uses the full time, but since they work out of town, they want a cushion in case of traffic.

[daycare]

BTDT no way..... In my years of experience, kids that stay that long normally just lose the ability to behave and control their emotions for that long. some kids can, I found out the hard way that most can not.

PLUS the less face time a child has with a parent, normally the worse the behavior of the child is.

[LysesKids]

I charge extra for anything over 10 hrs daily regardless of reason... yep even if it's just 10-15 minutes, they pay $5 hour more. Not my problem if you need to drop early or work late; you don't get that time if I am not asked in advance - if I am not asked (and approve) it's $1 per minute after your contracted pick up time

[MommyMuffin]

Thanks ladies. I would really like to fill my infant spot but....we don't need the income. Maybe I will just wait for the right parent. Thanks!

[TXhomedaycare]

Honestly,I would wait for another family. I used to be open 7am-4:30pm Monday-Friday, and burnt out fast. I finally changed my hours to Monday-Thursday 7am-4pm and am much happier. It took me a while to fill my spaces again, but my current families figured out a way for them to adjust to my changes. If you do end up enrolling this child, you should charge a much higher rate.

exactly what I was going to say. I extended my hours when my enrollment got low last fall and regretted it terribly. I don't suggest you do it. I am just now able to fix my hours back to what I I originally wanted and life is so much better now. Wait for the right family.

[tntsmom]

Loooonnnngggg Hours

Okay, so I live in a small town and do not have trouble staying full and have been very flexible with my parents, because, it pays off in the long run. I open at 6 and do not get done until 5:30, attend grad school and am a wife and a mother. I chose what I do in order to be able to be home with my own children and working outside the home would not give me this opportunity to be with them. I save time, money and gas not commuting and still get the benefits as if I was employed outside the home, holiday pay, sick days, appt flexibility and paid vacations. Working a little extra here and there goes a long way. I have been in childcare 13 years and I have found that scratching their back also scratches yours and not nickle and diming your parents you will reap this in many other ways.

[KidGrind]

I wouldn’t do it unless I was being compensated. They would have to pay at least $25 more each week for an extra half an hour.

You know you better than any of us.

So, if you know the longer hours EVEN WITH PAY would irritate you, then don’t take them on as clients.

[Play Care]

Okay, so I live in a small town and do not have trouble staying full and have been very flexible with my parents, because, it pays off in the long run. I open at 6 and do not get done until 5:30, attend grad school and am a wife and a mother. I chose what I do in order to be able to be home with my own children and working outside the home would not give me this opportunity to be with them. I save time, money and gas not commuting and still get the benefits as if I was employed outside the home, holiday pay, sick days, appt flexibility and paid vacations. Working a little extra here and there goes a long way. I have been in childcare 13 years and I have found that scratching their back also scratches yours and not nickle and diming your parents you will reap this in many other ways.

I've found it to be just the opposite - you do more, they expect it. And when you can't do it, they complain. They don't see it as a "favor" or "backscratching" they view it as a service that you are providing and that they feel is their due

Too often I've kept kids after hours as a "Favor" only to have parents be late the few times I've needed them here *on time*

Too often I've opened early for families as a "favor" because they swore they couldn't manage any other way - only to have them bring early well after they no longer needed to. Or they would agree to early pick ups in lieu of payment and they'd be late for that time and claim they didn't remember the agreement...

Too often I've realized that when the parents sign their kids up for outside activities they can somehow manage to get here early to make sure their kids get to their lessons/camps/sports, but when I ask for *on time* pick up the back scratching doesn't seem to extend my way...

In addition to all that, my licensing regulations are pretty strict about what I can and can't do with dc kids present - for instance I'm not even supposed to go upstairs during dc as I have to be on the same level as my dck's... This means that even during rest time when all kids are sleeping, I can't really get any other things done (putting away some laundry or cleaning a bathroom). I'm only allowed to use my Sub so much so I have to be careful about my and my kids appointments to make sure I'm not over. This means I make as many of our appointments as possible for after work hours. Per regulations I can't really attend to person business during day care - even during quiet time....so I need kids gone by my posted closing time. I refuse to not sleep or ignore my own personal health and well being for a job.

And honestly, my family prefers the kids are gone by a decent time so we can have our family time.

[Blackcat31]

I wouldn’t do it unless I was being compensated. They would have to pay at least $25 more each week for an extra half an hour.

You know you better than any of us.

So, if you know the longer hours EVEN WITH PAY would irritate you, then don’t take them on as clients.

This ^^ If you do take them, just make sure you are compensated for the hours you work.

BTDT no way..... In my years of experience, kids that stay that long normally just lose the ability to behave and control their emotions for that long. some kids can, I found out the hard way that most can not.

PLUS the less face time a child has with a parent, normally the worse the behavior of the child is.

I've had the opposite experiences over the last 2 decades. The kids that are here the longest are the best behaved for me. I think it's the regular routine that they are comfortable with.

I would like to see a child spend more face time with their parent but depending on the parenting style and the environment at home it may or may not be what's best for the child.

[CraftyMom]

I've found it to be just the opposite - you do more, they expect it. And when you can't do it, they complain. They don't see it as a "favor" or "backscratching" they view it as a service that you are providing and that they feel is their due

Too often I've kept kids after hours as a "Favor" only to have parents be late the few times I've needed them here *on time*

Too often I've opened early for families as a "favor" because they swore they couldn't manage any other way - only to have them bring early well after they no longer needed to. Or they would agree to early pick ups in lieu of payment and they'd be late for that time and claim they didn't remember the agreement...

Too often I've realized that when the parents sign their kids up for outside activities they can somehow manage to get here early to make sure their kids get to their lessons/camps/sports, but when I ask for *on time* pick up the back scratching doesn't seem to extend my way...

This has been my experience. The more you do the more they expect.

[Magic]

a fe years ago my numbers where very low
and i took on a little girl for 11 hour days
i got paid for every min
the beginning was hard for her ..some funny behavour ( wouldnt eat at all for over month here and some screaming )
but had her alone a lot so got through it
it is now over 2 1/2 years and she is my right hand gal
moms hours changed and now is working from home
the girl goes to school this year and I am going to miss her dearly we have a special bond
some times it works