May Need To Change Some Things

[CraftyMom]

I really dislike the unpredictability of daycare. You can go from full to nearly empty just like that!

Not too long ago I was full with a waiting list. Now I've had an open spot for 2 weeks (could be worse I know). I have another one leaving in 3 weeks. I have one that I want to let go. I have another that I just have a gut feeling will go because her parents just split and the hours don't work anymore. Plus a part time child told me last week (don't know how true it is) that he got a new back pack for when school starts. So that will leave me with one full timer if all those things happen.

I'm starting to freak out. Mostly because we have an expensive vacation coming up at the end of September that isn't quite paid for yet.

The 3 on my wait list have moved on since it has been nearly a year. I'm getting lots of calls but for infants. I had sworn off infants but I may have to take one to fill a spot.

When I do get a call for a 2 and up child my hours don't work for them.

I really don't want to change things to fill spots but I may have to. My hours are 8:30 - 4:30. I get my kids off to school first before the kids arrive. I will not change that. I will go to 8:15 but that's it. The bus comes between 8:00 and 8:10.

It was way too stressful when I used to open before my kids left. I just had a taste of that again for the last 3 weeks. My kids went to camp for 3 weeks, but left at 9:00. Yup I quickly remembered why I get them off to school first!

I may have to extend my hours to 5:00 for those that need it. I close at 4:30 because my kids have activities that we need to get to. 5:00 will be pushing it some days, but it is manageable. Just hectic.

I don't really want to change things, but change can be good, right?

[BumbleBee]

It's always a tough decision, especially when it comes to hours. Currently my first child arrives at 7:15 and my last child leaves at 5:45. I would LOVE to shorten my hours but the reality is I'd lose most of my dck's if I did that.

Best of luck to you with whatever you decide.

[cheerfuldom]

yeah I cant imagine who can even manage those hours unless it was two parents on odd schedules to accommodate the late dropoff and early pickup. I hope things work out for you though.

[Leigh]

I just lost a child (well, it's not really a "loss"), and was thinking that it couldn't have come at a worse time, since we have a lot of work going on at our house to pay for, along with a huge, unexpected medical bill. Within minutes of getting notice for the child that was leaving, I had a call from someone with a child right in the age range I was hoping for (I can't take an infant right now). I didn't plan on taking more kids after that (I'm licensed for 12, but try not to take over 6 DCK's because I have 3 of my own ages 1, 3.5, 3.5). I have an interview for a 4 year old this week, too. By the first of the year, I'm going to be at 11 kids again (with infant twins starting in January). I'm grateful for the extra kids right now, though, because I see other daycare providers in my town closing up shop and looking for work because they have had NO kids for so long. My neighbor has been trying to fill 3 slots for the last year without success. I'm going to use that extra income to finally hire a part-time assistant, a bookkeeper, and a house cleaner! Here's to hoping for some luck for you in filling up again soon!

[nanglgrl]

I was in the same position as you last September. My operating hours were 7:30-3:30 (just happened on accident after being open 7-5:30 for years) for a few years and I loved it but after having a few kids leave because of moving, preschool and mom deciding to stay at home I was left with only a couple of dcks and, like you, I don't take infants. I thought about going back to 7:30-5:30 but just knew it was impossible for me, I thought about taking infants and that was not something I wanted to do. What I decided to do was take infants older than 6 months and stay open until 4:15 and I filled up fast. My children get off of the bus at 4:10. I knew I wanted them to come home to their house and not daycare but was willing, if the right family came along or if I was in dire need to stay open later.
I advertise as a 7:30-5:30 facility but changed my pay scale similar to Nanny Dee's so that every half-hour after 3:30 my price goes up $5-10 per day. I posted lots of pictures of my space and activities because I knew those were areas that a lot of parents would love. I advertised like crazy. I did not advertise how my rates work. Whenever I got an inquiry about childcare I sent an email with links to my website and business facebook page before answering questions and told parents that if they were interested after seeing my sites to call and set up an interview. The only questions I asked them were how old their child was and what hours they needed, the only way I answered rate questions was with "my rates are based on hours, days and age and can be anywhere between $90-160". I would guess about 85% of people called to set up an interview after seeing my webpage.
Probably a good 90% of people who I interviewed came in saying they needed 7:30-5:30 care but when I explained my rates were able to pick up earlier for the lower rate. At the end of every interview I said that I had a few more interviews lined up for the spot and that I would let them know by x date if I was offering them the spot. I noticed that saying this is definitely helpful. For one it lets parents know I'm the boss and this is my business before they start and also that I'm in high demand (even if I had no other interviews to do), it was also an easy out for me for families that wanted a spot, wanted later hours, had younger infants or sent up red flags.
There were of course some families that had to pick up later and instead of throwing it out into the world that I didn't want to stay open until 5:30 I turned them down after the interview but did it gently so that if I ever did need to have longer hours I wasn't burning bridges. I've had at least 2 of those families call back months later saying that they've now found a way to do earlier pick up and asking if I had an opening.
Getting the email address of everyone that calls has also been very helpful, now when I do have an opening I can send a mass email to everyone that has ever inquired about care with me stating what hours/days/ages I have an opening for.
There has been a great benefit to the shorter hours in that I get a lot of part timers that pay more per hour so currently I have 4 full time children and 6 part timers but no more than 8 here at once and am making more than I would with 6 full time plus two part time which is all I'm licensed for, get off at 4:15 and only have 3 children on Fridays which has been awesome and has made it so this July I've had three 3 day weekends. It also means that if a client leaves it doesn't hurt my pocketbook as much as a full timer leaving and this makes it easier for me to find the best fit.
I don't know how long I will be able to keep this going but I have my fingers crossed. I wish you luck, for many years I was open all shifts and I know that for me to go back to 10 hour days at this point would be incredibly difficult. There was a lot of stress and sometimes there still is. When I have a call for someone that needs shorter hours and has a toddler I try to find a way to fit them in, even if it means asking aother family to switch their days (I've found that grandmas are usually watching my part timers on their off days) because having the shorter hours means there are less clients out there for me so I need to "get" them in while they're looking.

[Josiegirl]

I was down 1 for a whole year. Now I've got twin 1 yo's starting when summer is over and 3 of my dcms are pregnant. Yep, feast or famine in daycare.
I have to agree that those hours would be hard to work around for working parents. I have been drooling eversince I came to know dcps that work 4 days a week. I want that schedule soooo badly. But have yet to come across enough dcfs that could work around it.

[BumbleBee]

I was thinking on this last night and was going to suggest a graduated rate scale where the earlier they pick up the cheaper it is. I see nan above has responded with that idea happyface

Again, best of luck to you in whatever you decide. This business is feast or famine for sure!

Twice since I've been open I've had 1 or 2 kids and it's hard on the pocket book, now I'm having to apply for a bigger license because of all the kids. How long that will last is anyone's guess though!

[midaycare]

I tried to go down to that schedule, but very few of my dcf's can do that.

I'm sorry about having trouble filling right now. But you are getting calls - that's a good sign!

[Crazy8]

Getting kids is like pulling teeth around here so I know what you are going through!! This is the first September that I am not in a panic because I took a baby in late May for just a few weeks and he will come back in Sept to fill the spot of my kid leaving.

Unfortunately not taking infants and your hours are probably making it tougher. Can you maybe advertise more as a "preschool"? Maybe even offer half day or shortened day schedules for SAHM's? It may not bring in the same income as FT kids but its better than nothing and works well with your hours. I do a 9-3 schedule for a SAHM for just a few dollars less than my regular rate.

I really want to go down to the 4:30 closing time and have 4 out of my 5 kids at that time now, but my other family needs the 5pm so I am sticking it out and hoping to replace with a 4:30 family. I open at 7:30 though so its still a 9 hour day.

Also, how old are your own kids? As they get older maybe you will find its not so chaotic to be open before they leave for school? My youngest is 9 now and is pretty self sufficient in the morning. All I do for him is get his breakfast and remind him when its 5 min. before the bus comes!

[mommyneedsadayoff]

I really dislike the unpredictability of daycare. You can go from full to nearly empty just like that!

Not too long ago I was full with a waiting list. Now I've had an open spot for 2 weeks (could be worse I know). I have another one leaving in 3 weeks. I have one that I want to let go. I have another that I just have a gut feeling will go because her parents just split and the hours don't work anymore. Plus a part time child told me last week (don't know how true it is) that he got a new back pack for when school starts. So that will leave me with one full timer if all those things happen.

I'm starting to freak out. Mostly because we have an expensive vacation coming up at the end of September that isn't quite paid for yet.

The 3 on my wait list have moved on since it has been nearly a year. I'm getting lots of calls but for infants. I had sworn off infants but I may have to take one to fill a spot.

When I do get a call for a 2 and up child my hours don't work for them.

I really don't want to change things to fill spots but I may have to. My hours are 8:30 - 4:30. I get my kids off to school first before the kids arrive. I will not change that. I will go to 8:15 but that's it. The bus comes between 8:00 and 8:10.

It was way too stressful when I used to open before my kids left. I just had a taste of that again for the last 3 weeks. My kids went to camp for 3 weeks, but left at 9:00. Yup I quickly remembered why I get them off to school first!

I may have to extend my hours to 5:00 for those that need it. I close at 4:30 because my kids have activities that we need to get to. 5:00 will be pushing it some days, but it is manageable. Just hectic.

I don't really want to change things, but change can be good, right?

Change can be good, but don't compromise too much on a plan that works for you! I am thinking of reducing my hours for the school year, so I can be with my own kids without daycare kids a bit more. It will be a tough transition, though, so if you have already made that step, I wouldn't go too far in making changes you may regret later.

[CraftyMom]

These hours have worked for 2 years. It's worked out that the parents have different work hours, where one goes in later and the other gets out earlier. When I was open longer hours I had kids here just because I was open, not because they needed to be here. So I want to avoid that. I like the pay scale idea. Staying open later for one or two kids that need it as opposed to just because I'm open.

Also, I forgot to mention that my son will be starting preschool and I'll have to drive him in the morning. I don't mind bringing an extra kid along, but I definitely do not want to bring 6 extra kids, so that is another thing I have to consider. I have no one else to drive him there.

[CraftyMom]

Change can be good, but don't compromise too much on a plan that works for you! I am thinking of reducing my hours for the school year, so I can be with my own kids without daycare kids a bit more. It will be a tough transition, though, so if you have already made that step, I wouldn't go too far in making changes you may regret later.

That's what I'm worried about. I did it this way because it works for ME. It was so hectic before. I don't want to end up regretting my decisions. I think I can be more flexible about my closing time than my opening time. I will take one child earlier, maybe 7:30. But not a full load of kids. If I do stay open later I'll have to make sure my husband is home on the days my kids have activities so he can bring them, or at least drop them off.

My kids are 4, 7 and 14. The oldest pretty much gets herself out the door.

[Blackcat31]

Over the course of my time in this line of work I have changed my hours/days etc to meet the needs of current clients.

"You gotta go with the flow if you want to stay in this business" ~ That was advice given to me by the provider who mentored me when I first opened.

She said some years she was able to take half days off on Fridays, other years she took the whole Friday off. Some years she opened at 7 and other years she didn't open until 7:30/8:00. Some years she closed as early as 4:00 while other times she remained open until 5:30.

It honestly was dependent on the clients she had at the time.

It's what I do now. I set times I am simply unwilling to work before and after and then adjust accordingly.

Right now, I work half days on Fridays. I don't think I'll be able to continue doing that though once the school year starts as I have a full time family where the mom got a new job with a later start time therefore a later pick up time and she is no longer off at noon on Fridays. I also have 3 FT and 1 PT kid going to Kindergarten so the families I have lined up to take their places have slightly different schedules compared to the kids leaving.

All the changes are within my "will not work before or after" timeframe but it's still an adjustment as you do get comfortable with things but IME, it seems to cycle every 3-4 years and as long as I can be somewhat flexible about things WHILE maintaining my own needs etc, I "go with the flow".

In the child care world (at least in my child care world) things have a weird way of working themselves out.

[Controlled Chaos]

Over the course of my time in this line of work I have changed my hours/days etc to meet the needs of current clients.

"You gotta go with the flow if you want to stay in this business" ~ That was advice given to me by the provider who mentored me when I first opened.

She said some years she was able to take half days off on Fridays, other years she took the whole Friday off. Some years she opened at 7 and other years she didn't open until 7:30/8:00. Some years she closed as early as 4:00 while other times she remained open until 5:30.

It honestly was dependent on the clients she had at the time.

It's what I do now. I set times I am simply unwilling to work before and after and then adjust accordingly.

Right now, I work half days on Fridays. I don't think I'll be able to continue doing that though once the school year starts as I have a full time family where the mom got a new job with a later start time therefore a later pick up time and she is no longer off at noon on Fridays. I also have 3 FT and 1 PT kid going to Kindergarten so the families I have lined up to take their places have slightly different schedules compared to the kids leaving.

All the changes are within my "will not work before or after" timeframe but it's still an adjustment as you do get comfortable with things but IME, it seems to cycle every 3-4 years and as long as I can be somewhat flexible about things WHILE maintaining my own needs etc, I "go with the flow".

In the child care world (at least in my child care world) things have a weird way of working themselves out.

I noticed recently that my hours of operation are becoming more fluid. I advertise as open 7am-5pm, but most families come 8-4:30. I don't think I could get families advertising those hours though. Parents want a little flexibility I think. I do have parents who make my 5pm close work when a 5:30 would be more convenient. I am honest with why I close at that time "my kids burn out at 5pm, they can't share me more than 10 hours a day right now". Parents get that. I would take a child before 7am if I needed to fill the spot but not after 5pm. That is my current limit. I may eventually shift more towards 6am-4pm when my kids get into after school activities (they are 1,3,5 right now) who know...

[mommyneedsadayoff]

I noticed recently that my hours of operation are becoming more fluid. I advertise as open 7am-5pm, but most families come 8-4:30. I don't think I could get families advertising those hours though. Parents want a little flexibility I think. I do have parents who make my 5pm close work when a 5:30 would be more convenient. I am honest with why I close at that time "my kids burn out at 5pm, they can't share me more than 10 hours a day right now". Parents get that. I would take a child before 7am if I needed to fill the spot but not after 5pm. That is my current limit. I may eventually shift more towards 6am-4pm when my kids get into after school activities (they are 1,3,5 right now) who know...

I love that! That is totally true for my kids too. They (and me) are ready for daycare kids to go home and get some one on one time! I never realized just how much my daycare affects my kids and my husband until we get a little vacation from it. It makes me understand why setting limits on my hours is so important.