Do You Offer Part Time / Day Rates?

[DancingQueen]

I have not offered part time in the past. I am only allowed a certain # of daycare kids, and if I take part time kids I risk losing full time pay unless I can find kids to take the time a part time kid isn't here.

I've had a parent in the past ask for 4 days and I said it was fine but you'll be charged the full rate. I had a child recently ask for 3 days and I said that they would still be charged the full rate.

My full time rate is currently 140 (although I considering raising it effective 1/1 to 160).
I recently lost several kids to due to unforseen circumstances. All left on great terms and offer amazing references (2 families, 3 kids)
I am having trouble filling these spots and I've gotten only TWO calls.
one wants 3 days per week and is a teacher that will have summer's and vacation days off
the other is looking for 2 days per week for 2 kids.

I could easily have the 3 & 2 buffer eachother and make it ONE spot and then I'd have her other child for 2 days per week.

I NEED daycare kids. Desperately. I'm recently single mom of 4 kids. If my income doesn't increase (and FAST) I'm going to lose everything.

I don't want to turn them away. I don't want to scare them away with my full time rates. But both families have admitted that no other providers in my area will do part time.
WWYD?

If you DO offer day rates - what are they? Compared to your full time rate?

[Meyou]

I don't do pt but I have a provider friend that does. She charges $160 ($32/day) a week for fulltime or $38/day for pt with a min of 3 days per week. She also only allows 1 pt spot at a time.

[daysofelijah]

Very few providers around here will do part time. My dcmom is finding that out as she looks for new care since I am closing. I charged my weekly rate divided by four, per day and would only take three days a week (or more). 4-5 days pay full rate. So if I charged 140 a week, I would charge $35/day for part time. I think seeing the lack of available care I could have charged more though!

[SilverSabre25]

I offer part-time, but it's more expensive. I charge about $25/day for full time (4 or 5 days count as full-time) and $35/day for part-time. You want part-time? You're gonna pay for it. I charge the higher rate even if the kids buffer each other and fill the spot. The annoyance of dealing with part-timers is worth the extra $$.

Something to consider: kids that aren't in your care full-time will have a harder time with routine, rules, adjusting, etc. It can be frustrating.

[wdmmom]

I have 1 part time girl. She's here 23 hours a week during the prime hours that we do activities, etc. I'm charging $5.00 an hour and the parent's never flinched at the rate.

[nannyde]

I don't have any part time kids now but I would consider a minimum of three fixed scheduled days per week at 25 percent of the weekly rate for the rate dictated by arrivals and departures NOT to exceed 9 hours per day. If the parent wants rotating days that are not fixed then it is 30 percent of the weekly rate per day. A kid attending three days would pay 90 percent of my weekly fee for that option.

[Meeko]

I can understand how frustrating it must be for parents who want part-time. I can tell from phone calls I receive that they are having a hard time. But I am in business. The object is to make money for my family. Yes I love the kids. Yes I love my job. But it's my JOB and I need to support my family.

Therefore....one rate per spot in the day care. I would go crazy if I had to figure out one rate for Suzie and another for Fred and another for Billy!!!

I once had a call from a very irrate woman who asked why day care providers were so "anal" about taking part-timers. She felt it was personal.

I asked her if she was offered a position with a company and was asked "Do you want $15 an hour for harder job A..... or $20 an hour for the easier job B?" Which would she take? Of course it's a no brainer.

I explained that we are no different. Why take part-time pay when part-time kids often mean MORE work (because they often don't blend into the routine as well as full time kids), a more uneven work schedule, more bookwork etc etc.

I do have a few part-time kids. But they pay full rates. That was there parents choice and they like the idea they can be flexible with their hours. They may finish work at 2PM...but can get in a dentist check up or do some errands before picking up their kids and it doesn't cost them extra.

Your situation is hard (hugs to you) and I hope it gets easier for you. If you can hold out for full-timers, I think you will be happier in the long-run. Maybe take the part-timers on the understanding that it is temporary until you fill up with full timers?

I don't know if your situations allows for it...but maybe take all shifts temporarily? Anything to get some dollars coming in. Parents would have to understand it was temporary until you filled up...but some shift workers will take whatever they can get and temporary is better than nothing. Just a thought.

[Crazy8]

I do take part time kids and get more calls for part time than I do for full time. Full time daycare around here is just expensive - people look for ways to cut the cost so sometimes it means gma watches the kid one day, etc. I would not last if I charged my full time rate for part time care. Even the big daycare centers do part time rates around here.

That said, I like the part timers - I actually make more money that way since my part time daily rate is higher than my full time rate. And I like that some days I'll have a lighter load than other days too. For instance, my f/t rate is $185/week - that's only $37/day, my 4 day/week rate comes to $39/day and my 3 day/week rate is $45/day. So you pay only $50 less to come 3 days instead of 5. So its almost like I get paid an extra day in there. Sounds confusing, I know - but really it works fine. My requirements for part time are set full days (I won't get into hourly, etc.) and you pay the weekly fee for your # of days whether you come or not. Switching days is at my discretion. Adding days is at my daily part time rate of $45/day.

So, all that said, if your area doesn't have many options for part time care you may find that to be what sets you apart and gets you more kids. I would advertise it as that - "not paying for days you don't need", etc. Just keep a little grid chart (I have one) that you can use to track what days you have open/available at a glance. I laminated one so I can just use a dry erase marker on it.

[Crazy8]

I can understand how frustrating it must be for parents who want part-time. I can tell from phone calls I receive that they are having a hard time. But I am in business. The object is to make money for my family. Yes I love the kids. Yes I love my job. But it's my JOB and I need to support my family.

Therefore....one rate per spot in the day care. I would go crazy if I had to figure out one rate for Suzie and another for Fred and another for Billy!!!

I once had a call from a very irrate woman who asked why day care providers were so "anal" about taking part-timers. She felt it was personal.

I asked her if she was offered a position with a company and was asked "Do you want $15 an hour for harder job A..... or $20 an hour for the easier job B?" Which would she take? Of course it's a no brainer.

I explained that we are no different. Why take part-time pay when part-time kids often mean MORE work (because they often don't blend into the routine as well as full time kids), a more uneven work schedule, more bookwork etc etc.

I do have a few part-time kids. But they pay full rates. That was there parents choice and they like the idea they can be flexible with their hours. They may finish work at 2PM...but can get in a dentist check up or do some errands before picking up their kids and it doesn't cost them extra.

Your situation is hard (hugs to you) and I hope it gets easier for you. If you can hold out for full-timers, I think you will be happier in the long-run. Maybe take the part-timers on the understanding that it is temporary until you fill up with full timers?

I don't know if your situations allows for it...but maybe take all shifts temporarily? Anything to get some dollars coming in. Parents would have to understand it was temporary until you filled up...but some shift workers will take whatever they can get and temporary is better than nothing. Just a thought.

LOL, read this after I posted and its funny how we have the exact opposite outlook on this. Goes to show there is no right/wrong - its all a matter of what works for different people!!!

[sharlan]

I've taken school aged kids for after school care in the past and charged a daily rate. I will be taking a SA boy next month. I will only have him 30 mins, 4 days a week. I have to walk him across the street to school. Mom will pick him up from school.

I did turn down a baby for 1 hr a day, 3 days a week because I felt that she wouldn't adjust.

[JaydensMommy]

I do have a part time rate. My full-time rate is $125/week, my part-time rate is $90/week. My part-time rate would apply to a full week of half-days or less that 3 days a week of care. 4 or more days would be charged the full-time rate.

[MarinaVanessa]

I do PT. I charge $108 a week for 30 hours a week, fixed days, no more than 10 hours a day, with a contract. This comes out to be $36 a day.

I also do a daily rate. Thats called drop-in. For that I charge $40 a day, no more than 10 hours a day, no contract. That means that I can fill the spot and your spot is not guaranteed.

If you want drop-in less than a full 10 hours then that's $5 an hour.

The less time you spend here the more you pay. My regular FT rate is $160 a week, 50 hours a week, no more than 10 hours a day, with a contract, at $160 a week and that ends up being $32 a day.

[Country Kids]

I'm always so confused on flat rate charges. How does everyone figure it out! I have some parents who are here the same amount of time everyday then I have some parents who's schedules may fluxuate a bit. Some days 9/10 hours then the next day mayb 6 and so forth. They aren't here from 7;00-5:00 everyday. How do you charge for them? What happens if one week they are here for your full time rate but the next week they are only there enough hours for a part-time rate, what happens then?

[SandeeAR]

I charge $25 a day for 4/5 days. Part time is $30 per day with a 3 day a week minimum. Drop in (if available) is $30 per day. I do a contract on ALL kids, even if it is for one day. (I have a shortened version for this). That way if anything happens, my insurance will still cover.

[Meeko]

LOL, read this after I posted and its funny how we have the exact opposite outlook on this. Goes to show there is no right/wrong - its all a matter of what works for different people!!!

Dont't ya love it! That's why parents need to shop around too....so they find that perfect match! One size doesn't fit all! ::