Holding a space for an infant for 7 months?

[Unregistered]

What do you guys do when you get a call for an infant and the parents want a guaranteed opening 7 months out?

It seems like a lot to charge them full-time rate per week to hold the space, but then again, I only have so many spaces available. What do I do???

[melissa ann]

I charge 1/2 my rate for anything more than 2 weeks that they need me to hold.

[Former Teacher]

This is what my former center did:

Since that is a long time and there are many spots, we would tell the parents that we would take their name and number. Should the spaces fill, then we would require the tuition to hold the space. Many took a gamble and won and some would gamble and lose.

However as we were a center, we could have a 6 month old infant and 7 months later be able to move them up into another classroom.

IMO I think you should do the same. Tell the parents they would have first choice of course when the time comes. You really don't want to have them pay for 7 months because what happens if they decide to change their minds etc? It would be more of a headache haha

[tymaboy]

I too would charge them a holding fee. If any one wants to start more then 2 weeks out then they must pay a holding fee.

[jen]

Personally, I wouldn't hold an infant spot for 7 months. There is a huge demand for infants where I live, and I can fill a spot in days. Now, I have had people call looking for a future spot and been able to accommodate because they were looking to start around the same time my current infant would be turning 1. In that case I charge a 2 week holding fee.

[tymaboy]

Personally, I wouldn't hold an infant spot for 7 months. There is a huge demand for infants where I live, and I can fill a spot in days. Now, I have had people call looking for a future spot and been able to accommodate because they were looking to start around the same time my current infant would be turning 1. In that case I charge a 2 week holding fee.

Infant spots are high in demand here also but they are hard to come by for the parents. If they are expecting they need to start looking for care when they are 4-5 month along (unless they opt to go to a center) When they find a provider they like they have to pay the holding fees if they want that spot that is/will be open.