Do You Offer A Sibling Discount?

[GotKids]

Is it a flat dollar amount or percentage? How does it work for you with families of 3-4 kids?

[Unregistered]

10% discount

Our center gives a 10% discount off of the second child IF the first child is attending full time. If the first and second children are attending part time, there is no discount.

As far as a third child, again you would have to have at least 2 of the 4 children attending full time to get the discount.

[dEHmom]

no one HAS to give a discount. but if it's something you'd like to do, just do a portion of the rate for each additional child. You need to factor in your costs for food, overhead etc.

I honestly would not take a family of that many children (3-4) because that will be VERY hard to fill should they decide to leave. IF I did take a large family on, they would have to have a VERY large deposit at full rate, not the discounted rate.

So as an example, if there were 4 kids each kids regular rate is 25/day, and 4 weeks notice on contract that's a $1000 deposit (25/day, 5/week, 2 wks deposit). They would pay the first 2 weeks of the last month, and you'd have the deposit for the last 2 weeks.

If you do a discount that's AFTER the deposit. Deposit is based on the slots. Rate could be 22.5/kid for kids 2, 3 and 4. kwim? But first child would be full price.

[SilverSabre25]

I do not offer a sibling discount. I was going to, until I did the math on how much money that cost me each month and each year...even a 10% discount adds up to a rather large amount of money.

[Blackcat31]

no discounted care=no discounted rates

[dEHmom]

I do not offer a sibling discount. I was going to, until I did the math on how much money that cost me each month and each year...even a 10% discount adds up to a rather large amount of money.

yep i do agree. Depends of the family for me though. I mean how much risk are they, how much do the children require in terms of food, attention, etc.

25/day for 4 kids would be 2000/month. I don't know how many people truly could afford that.

[Cat Herder]

I do, it works out to $45 a week for two kids, no discounts after that. I also will not enroll a family with more than two.

My discount offsets the fact that I do not allow attendance separately. If one is sick, they both stay out. If one has an appointment, they both stay out. No exceptions.

I don't like the drama and extra requests any other way presents. Learned from experience.

[laundrymom]

I don't, however the way I explain it seem like I do. I don't raise rates on families. I just raise my rates on new families. When someone has baby I say, well my current rate is 125, but I will give you a break and charge the same rate for both kids as a sibling rate, so 115.

[cheerfuldom]

I don't offer any discounts

[jojosmommy]

No sib discount here.

I agree with the previous poster who said you should actually do the reverse and watch out for big family sib discounts as they control so much of your needed income. I have a family with 4 kids here who are leaving soon and who have gone back and forth about mom staying home with the kids for about 6 months now. Their income is most of my money so when they pay late or try to say they don't have to pay for holidays it is a lot more of my income lost/up for discussion. I am not going to take another family this large in the future b/c it presents too many issues. Also, when one is sick or has a dr appt they still want to send the others which can really cause issues.

[Pammie]

No sibling discounts here either.

[afmama]

I only do drop in care, and I offer a 50% off for the 2nd sibling.
Siblings under 12 months don't receive the discount. Families of 3 and more are contracted on a case by case basis.

I figure I charge premium rates for one child and if I doubled that then business probably wouldn't be as good.

[CheekyChick]

I give a 5% discount to each sibling.

[melissa ann]

I do not offer sibling discounts

[Meeko]

Why would I cut my income and still work just as hard?

Bottom line...I love my job and I love my day care kids...but I love my own more. I do this to support MY children. Every dollar I would give back to a day care parent, is a dollar less in MY kids college fund.

I am really not sure why so many parents expect a discount. Would they happily give up some of their paycheck every single week because their boss doesn't budget his? I'm guessing not.

I have volunteered a discount on occasion when I know a parent is truly financially hurting and/or falls on hard times (buying a house too expensive for their budget is not falling on hard times). But it is offered as a temporary gesture.

It annoys me that some folks EXPECT me to give up my income for them.

Just my opinion.