Advice please :)

[Heart12]

I received an email today from someone looking for daycare. In the email she said that she needs care from 8:45-5:30 but- a couple times a month will need to drop off at 7:00, on these days she typically picks up early, but sometimes she has to stay late at work & will pick up at 6:00.

Still with me? :: She wants to set up an interview, but before I do that I am trying to figure out how I should explain contracted hours to her & Im also wondering how I should charge her for days that she would go outside of contracted hours? My daycare is open 7am-6pm. Thanks in advance for any feedback!!

[daycare]

I received an email today from someone looking for daycare. In the email she said that she needs care from 8:45-5:30 but- a couple times a month will need to drop off at 7:00, on these days she typically picks up early, but sometimes she has to stay late at work & will pick up at 6:00.

Still with me? :: She wants to set up an interview, but before I do that I am trying to figure out how I should explain contracted hours to her & Im also wondering how I should charge her for days that she would go outside of contracted hours? My daycare is open 7am-6pm. Thanks in advance for any feedback!!

I have core hours.
example:
lowest cost for care covers hours from 8am to 4:30, anything used outside of this is at an extra cost:

4:31-:4:45pm-ADD $4.00
4:45-5:00PM ADD- $4.00 MORE

If they want to drop off before 8am, same thing. add more money in increments of every 15 minutes.

does this make sense?
would this work for you?

[laundrymom]

I do similar to above.
Charge her whatever your rate is and tell her for early or late days there will be a fee per use.

[daycarediva]

$X is my weekly rate for contracted regular hours of 8:45-5:30, the 7-6 days would be billed an additional X dollars per hour or portion of an hour used.

[Blackcat31]

I received an email today from someone looking for daycare. In the email she said that she needs care from 8:45-5:30 but- a couple times a month will need to drop off at 7:00, on these days she typically picks up early, but sometimes she has to stay late at work & will pick up at 6:00.

Still with me? :: She wants to set up an interview, but before I do that I am trying to figure out how I should explain contracted hours to her & Im also wondering how I should charge her for days that she would go outside of contracted hours? My daycare is open 7am-6pm. Thanks in advance for any feedback!!

I set up a weekly rate based on the latest pick up time (within business hours) a parent chooses.
That rate and hours (specified by parent) becomes their contracted time.

ANY time before business hours or after business hours is billed at $5.00 PER 15 minute increment or any part of IF this time is scheduled IN ADVANCE.

If the parent simply shows up prior to or after their contracted times, the late fee is $1 per minute the FIRST time. The second time is double...third time is termination.

So basically schedule in advance or risk your space.

I don't mind offering extra time in the mornings but I value my family time so it's been YEARS since I've approved a request for time AFTER hours care. When 5:00 rolls around, I just want to be done.

[Alwaysgreener]

I have allowed hour changes for the day, as long as it is not any longer than a regular day for the child or later and it is inside my work day hours. And they must and prearrange the day and time with me ahead of time.

In your case if she wants to drop off at 7 she would have to pickup no later than 3:45 pm. Anything past 5:30 on a normal day or 3:45 on a early drop off day would be overtime with a set extra charge, prepaid (or late fees apply if not prearranged) I would spell all this out in the contract including how much notice she would have to give, maybe even attach some fees if not enough notice is given.

[MarinaVanessa]

I do similar to above.
Charge her whatever your rate is and tell her for early or late days there will be a fee per use.

This is how I handle this situation also. My FT rate covers a maximum of 50 hours a week and 10 hours per day. Clients have a contracted schedule with typical hours that they will attend. If they need to extend their contracted hours at any time they can just let me know ahead of time so that I can accommodate and make preparations. For me though if they're still within their 10 hours per day and 50 hours per week I won't charge them extra, but they have to let me know in advance. Anything over 10 hours a day or 50 hours a week is charged extra.

[midaycare]

It would not bother me if it was infrequent and I was well compensated.

[Heart12]

Thanks for all of the advice!

I explained contracted times & that I would need to know if she would be earlier/later in advance & she decided to pass on the interview.

Im fine with that decision & glad that I was upfront about what my expectations are so that I didnt waste time! I even added some new things to my policy.

[daycare]

Thanks for all of the advice!

I explained contracted times & that I would need to know if she would be earlier/later in advance & she decided to pass on the interview.

Im fine with that decision & glad that I was upfront about what my expectations are so that I didnt waste time! I even added some new things to my policy.

I love it when things work themselves out. It's great that you were so up front about it and knew you needed to make certain to point that out. Keeping fingers crossed that you find a new family soon.

[Heart12]

I love it when things work themselves out. It's great that you were so up front about it and knew you needed to make certain to point that out. Keeping fingers crossed that you find a new family soon.

Me too! Thanks to this wonderful forum!!