What was your experience moving to tuition based on pick up times?

[Baby Beluga]

I have read that a few of you moved from tuition prices based on hours in care, to tuition prices based on pick up times.

What influenced you to make that change? Did it help with children being picked up at a reasonable time? Where any of your parents angry/upset at the change?

Currently I max children's hours at 10, although all of my families do not need 10 hours. They use all 10 hours, but do not need them.

Since I will be raising rates for all children toward the end of the year I have given some thought to changing to a pick up time based system at the same time. That way - if parents don't like the increased rate they can pick up at an earlier time - which is what I would prefer anyway.

[laundrymom]

I have added it to my policies effective for families enrolled after October 1.
I didn't "notify" the current families but it is in my policies for every new client going forward from here. (I guess it's my way of not rocking the boat. Weeny way out of it but how I've always implemented new policies)

If anyone ever noticed or comments or whatever, I'll just mention that families are grandfathered in to policies the same as rates.
But no ones ever noticed, or if they have, they've not said anything.
I try to be consistent and remain fair, while creating a happy situation for me too.

[daycare]

I did it last year and I wish i would have done it sooner. it is about the way you present it.

i told the parents that it let them control the amount they would want to pay.

my hours went from 7am to 530 to 744 to 500 and most of my kids are all gone by 430.

I can show you my contract, it's hard to type it here.

none of the parents bat an eyelash at all. it makes sense to all of them. you use it less, you pay less, you use it more, you pay more.

[Blackcat31]

I have read that a few of you moved from tuition prices based on hours in care, to tuition prices based on pick up times.

What influenced you to make that change?
I got tired of kids here from open to close.


Did it help with children being picked up at a reasonable time?

YES! I used to have kids here right up until 4:59. It also never failed that my early pick ups would be late pick ups ONLY on the days that my later pick ups picked up early. ALWAYS stuck here right until 5:00.

I now work LESS hours and earn MORE income and I know EXACTLY what time I will be done working each day. In other words, I can schedule/plan things outside of my job since most of us DO have lives outside of child care.

Where any of your parents angry/upset at the change?

My parents LOVED it!

*of course, that might have had a little bit to do with how I "sold" it to them. Like many other fields, marketing plays a HUGE role in your business or lack of business..*

Currently I max children's hours at 10, although all of my families do not need 10 hours.

They use all 10 hours, but do not need them. (See above)

Since I will be raising rates for all children toward the end of the year I have given some thought to changing to a pick up time based system at the same time. That way - if parents don't like the increased rate they can pick up at an earlier time - which is what I would prefer anyway.

I replied in bold.

I do NOT care what time a parent drops off in the morning provided its after I open :: and provided it was scheduled so I am aware of it and can plan accordingly. I require schedules on Fridays for the upcoming weeks so parents have plenty of leeway when planning their weeks.

[nanglgrl]

I termed/made them term on their own a family with 3 children that was in daycare until 5:30, they were my only state pay clients but of course we're here longer than my private pay and I was paid less for them. After that I was left with a group of clients that all only needed care until 3:30 and after 2 years of that I knew I couldn't go back to a 5:30 closing. Then that group all pretty much left at the same time because of school, having another baby or they were moving.
After that I just presented it to new clients. If things had been different it would have depended on my current clients. If I knew my current families needed care until 5:30 I would have only started the new rates with new families, if I knew my current clients were just keeping them here because they felt they wanted to get what they were paying for I would have implemented it across the board.
It worked out splendidly though. I work less (am off by 4pm every day and 3:30 at least one day a week), I get paid more (my base rate was what my old full time rate was) and I have way better clientele.

[Baby Beluga]

I did it last year and I wish i would have done it sooner. it is about the way you present it.

i told the parents that it let them control the amount they would want to pay.

my hours went from 7am to 530 to 744 to 500 and most of my kids are all gone by 430.

I can show you my contract, it's hard to type it here.

none of the parents bat an eyelash at all. it makes sense to all of them. you use it less, you pay less, you use it more, you pay more.

Please, I would love to see an example.

for those that made the switch, how did you sell it to your parents? As BC said, marketing is everything and well - I stink at selling

[childcaremom]

Please, I would love to see an example.

for those that made the switch, how did you sell it to your parents? As BC said, marketing is everything and well - I stink at selling

[Blackcat31]

Please, I would love to see an example.

for those that made the switch, how did you sell it to your parents? As BC said, marketing is everything and well - I stink at selling

I PM'ed you.

[daycare]

Please, I would love to see an example.

for those that made the switch, how did you sell it to your parents? As BC said, marketing is everything and well - I stink at selling

i dont recall what i wrote word for word at the time that I made the changes for the existing clients.

i said something along the lines of, you can be in control of your daycare fees and decide your own rate.

it is a win, win situation for all. Parents save money, kids get to see their parents more and provider gets to spend more time with her family.

[daycare]

Please, I would love to see an example.

for those that made the switch, how did you sell it to your parents? As BC said, marketing is everything and well - I stink at selling

if you pm me I can email you mine.

[LysesKids]

if you pm me I can email you mine.

Me too pretty please, I'm PMing

[childcaremom]

Me too pretty please, I'm PMing

I just pm'd as well

[Baby Beluga]

Daycare and Blackcat, I just PM'd you both. Thank you so much for your help with this!

[spud912]

My biggest issue when I made the switch this last year were the earlier pick-ups trying to pick up late...frequently. None of them actually switched their hours or changed anything on their own, just designated an earlier time to pay less. Since I started issuing late fees, even for a few minutes late, I can tell parents have a ton more anxiety about pick up time. I keep telling them that they can adjust their pick up time so they don't have to rush, but apparently that $5 extra per week for 30 minutes more time is enough of a deterrent . I can't wait for this year when my fees will be increased by $5 per week for COLA ::.

[Play Care]

My biggest issue when I made the switch this last year were the earlier pick-ups trying to pick up late...frequently. None of them actually switched their hours or changed anything on their own, just designated an earlier time to pay less. Since I started issuing late fees, even for a few minutes late, I can tell parents have a ton more anxiety about pick up time. I keep telling them that they can adjust their pick up time so they don't have to rush, but apparently that $5 extra per week for 30 minutes more time is enough of a deterrent . I can't wait for this year when my fees will be increased by $5 per week for COLA ::.

See, I think this would be my issue. Parents here don't get the whole "just because I have kids doesn't mean your kid can be here" line of thinking. Even if they're not paying for it