Why Can't Parents Keep Their Kids Home When They Are Off???

[daycare]

I make $1.78 an hour per child after my insurance, LIC fees, taxes, curriculum, food, house maintenance, extra car insurance, light, water, and so on.

I have a small LIC and I can have only 5 kids because I have one child Of my own that counts towards my capacity. do the math. Its just a little more than minimum wage.

................

[momma2girls]

This. My former provider charged $2.50 an hour and had 12 children in her care. Of course, as with any business, there is overhead, but even then I'm willing to bet she made more than my paltry $12 an hour. So yeah, not a whole lot of sympathy there.

I'm not saying don't deserve a vacation. I'm saying that most business owners don't expect me to pay for it.

I can only have 5 children, inc. my own one child. I usually only run between 2 and 3 children though. I receive about $3.00 per hr. then everything has to come out of that yet. I never really figured this all out. I bet it is $1.00 somthing an hr. per child.

[nannyde]

This. My former provider charged $2.50 an hour and had 12 children in her care. Of course, as with any business, there is overhead, but even then I'm willing to bet she made more than my paltry $12 an hour. So yeah, not a whole lot of sympathy there.

I'm not saying don't deserve a vacation. I'm saying that most business owners don't expect me to pay for it.

Wow 12 kids.

If she had twelve kids at that rate it would only be thirty dollars an hour before expenses. That's not enough money to pay someone to care for that many kids. That's a VERY low salary for that amount of work.

The parents should definitely pay for a lot of vacation time for someone who is capable of doing that well. She's getting such a low amount of money before expenses.

Where in the world do you live that allows twelve kids to be with one adult at a time. I assume that most of these kids were either school aged kids or part time kids. Surely you wouldn't allow your child to be in a home with twelve kids under the age of five full time. It wouldn't be safe no matter who was doing it.

[e.j.]

I'm saying that most business owners don't expect me to pay for it.

Sure they do. It's just not obvious to you because they include that cost in the product/service you pay for.

I don't charge my day care families for my vacation weeks. As a day care parent, I would have paid it but wouldn't have liked it so I don't demand it of my familes. I can understand why other providers do, though. Bottom line is, day care providers set their policies and families have the choice of accepting those terms or finding another provider who doesn't charge for vacation time.

[Unregistered]

Wow 12 kids.

If she had twelve kids at that rate it would only be thirty dollars an hour before expenses. That's not enough money to pay someone to care for that many kids. That's a VERY low salary for that amount of work.

The parents should definitely pay for a lot of vacation time for someone who is capable of doing that well. She's getting such a low amount of money before expenses.

Where in the world do you live that allows twelve kids to be with one adult at a time. I assume that most of these kids were either school aged kids or part time kids. Surely you wouldn't allow your child to be in a home with twelve kids under the age of five full time. It wouldn't be safe no matter who was doing it.

Ha! "Capable of doing that well." This is the person who left my daughter unattended in her car seat in the garage. And also left her unattended in the house with her 12-year-old. I don't call that "doing that well." It's why we left. This site, and the attitude of the providers here, ensures that I will never use a home daycare again.

[Unregistered]

Wow 12 kids.

If she had twelve kids at that rate it would only be thirty dollars an hour before expenses. That's not enough money to pay someone to care for that many kids. That's a VERY low salary for that amount of work.

The parents should definitely pay for a lot of vacation time for someone who is capable of doing that well. She's getting such a low amount of money before expenses.

Where in the world do you live that allows twelve kids to be with one adult at a time. I assume that most of these kids were either school aged kids or part time kids. Surely you wouldn't allow your child to be in a home with twelve kids under the age of five full time. It wouldn't be safe no matter who was doing it.

Also, it's what the law allows in my state (MN). Pretty shocking, isn't it? But it's the norm. I had no idea how terrible it would be. NEVER will I use a home daycare again. BTW, there were only 2-3 school age kids in the bunch, plus the provider's own children! Really absurd.

[cheerfuldom]

If you don't want to pay for a provider's vacation then don't. Any parent is welcome to look for a provider that does not charge for their vacations. If your provider does charge for it and you remain with the daycare, stop complaining and acting like she is taking advantage of you. As with any business, if you don't like the deal then go elsewhere.

[cheerfuldom]

This. My former provider charged $2.50 an hour and had 12 children in her care. Of course, as with any business, there is overhead, but even then I'm willing to bet she made more than my paltry $12 an hour. So yeah, not a whole lot of sympathy there.

I'm not saying don't deserve a vacation. I'm saying that most business owners don't expect me to pay for it.

If you think she is making so much "easy" money then why don't you try and open up your own daycare? I am 99% sure that your comment comes from ignorance. Nobody who is a good provider and able to meet the needs of a house full of children in her own home and deal with the parents day after day would say something so ridiculous.

[QualiTcare]

I make $1.78 an hour per child after my insurance, LIC fees, taxes, curriculum, food, house maintenance, extra car insurance, light, water, and so on.

I have a small LIC and I can have only 5 kids because I have one child that counts towards my capacity. do the math. I make less than minimum wage.

well, the math is:

$1.78 x 5 = $8.90 per hour

minimum wage is $7.25

people who make $7.25 are taxed on that money and then pay their bills with what is left afterward. you are saying you make $8.90 per hour AFTER taxes, lights, water, etc. are paid.

not too shabby.

[MyAngels]

well, the math is:

$1.78 x 5 = $8.90 per hour

minimum wage is $7.25

people who make $7.25 are taxed on that money and then pay their bills with what is left afterward. you are saying you make $8.90 per hour AFTER taxes, lights, water, etc. are paid.

not too shabby.

Actually, I would assume that the net amount stated would be after the business expenses, not personal expenses. Only a percentage of household items and utilities are deductible expenses to the daycare, not the entire amount of household expenses. $8.90 an hour is not a lot of money (at least where I live) - I saw the other day in the paper that a local convenience store is hiring at $10 an hour.

[QualiTcare]

Actually, I would assume that the net amount stated would be after the business expenses, not personal expenses. Only a percentage of household items and utilities are deductible expenses to the daycare, not the entire amount of household expenses. $8.90 an hour is not a lot of money (at least where I live) - I saw the other day in the paper that a local convenience store is hiring at $10 an hour.

i still don't buy the "poor me, i make minimum wage" claim. people who make minimum wage aren't making 6, 7, 800 per week - they're making 4-500 every TWO weeks.

5 kids x $150 per kid = $750 a week

even before expenses that's pretty damn good especially for a job that requires no formal training or education. if you're bringing in that much per week AND have a spouse who works - it's just not that sad, sorry.

[MyAngels]

i still don't buy the "poor me, i make minimum wage" claim. people who make minimum wage aren't making 6, 7, 800 per week - they're making 4-500 every TWO weeks.

5 kids x $150 per kid = $750 a week

even before expenses that's pretty damn good especially for a job that requires no formal training or education. if you're bringing in that much per week AND have a spouse who works - it's just not that sad, sorry.

I don't necessarily disagree with you, and I'm not one to cry poor when it comes to my job. However, there are many people out there who think daycare providers are just raking in the bucks, when that's just not the case. It's a job that, when done right, can pay a decent wage, but it is by no means a high paying job.

[jen]

Ha! "Capable of doing that well." This is the person who left my daughter unattended in her car seat in the garage. And also left her unattended in the house with her 12-year-old. I don't call that "doing that well." It's why we left. This site, and the attitude of the providers here, ensures that I will never use a home daycare again.

OK...so I have a question. I doubt you will answer, but I'm putting it out there anyway....

If you don't like the board and you don't plan on using home daycare ever again, why do you post here?

You are so incredibly anti-provider that your attitude alone alienates anyone who might have been changed by your message...I mean really, what's the point?

[jen]

You are absolutely right - the cost of tuition is a bit higher at the center than at the home daycare we were in. We had wanted to use the center from the start but felt we couldn't afford it. After we weren't happy with the home daycare situation, we started looking at the center again and when we crunched the numbers, we found that with the two free weeks, it was pretty much a wash.

I just think it's a tad silly for providers to complain about parents not keeping their kids at home, yet expect them to pay for days when the kids aren't there.

It's a two way street...I don't charge parent when I'm closed due to illness (2x in 10 years) or I'm on vacation (2 weeks per year). I have to pay the same expenses each and every month to keep daycare running....if I compromise my income, I am compromising the financial health of my business and my family. That doesn't help anyone.

I've had absentee parents in the past and they are without fail the parents who complain about fees. Fortunately, I have a really great group who use daycare as NECESSARY...who truly WANT to be with their kids. Now don't get me wrong, I do have parents that drop off here and there to get stuff done and I applaud them for doing it because the don't ALWAYS do it...they take vacation time with their kids AND take time for themselves. Heck, I keep one kid 15 minutes late so Dad can do golf league...no charge. Of course, they keep dcb home one day a week most weeks because Mom has that day off and she LOVES having the extra time with her child....she doesn't expect me to lower our standard of living to accomodate her work schedule nor does she lower quality time with her child simply because she has to pay daycare tuition.

Truthfully, I think the debate is one of socio-economic differences. Families who are less affluent feel entitled to discounts and are under economic strain, whereas more affluent families are accustomed to paying for high quality services and do so willingly.

[daycare]

Minimum wage is $8.00 in CA
I have everything figured to a T
Yes I get about 700 a week but take everything into consideration that I have to pay to run the dc and taxes, DC insurance, million dollar policy to transport and curriculum are some of my biggest expenses. Let's not forget all the little stuff.
Also I am in a 30% tax bracket. So $200 a week goes straight to uncle sam
When you look at it like you did it looks great, I wish. Lol

Also I live in the SF one of the most expensive places in the united states. No one here could survive off of minimum wage unless you have 10 people living in one house.