Am I Charging Too Little For My Time?

[originalkat]

For Arizona I would think you could charge $25 per day easily. I am in Wichita, Kansas and charge a flat weekly fee of $125.

[Chickenhauler]

I had one family go to another daycare that offered their daycare for $10.00 less a month. Here to find out that daycare had tons of children, and then about 3 weeks later that family called me back, and explained that the daycare had 12 children there one day at pick up. I said sorry, but I filled the spot, but I did place them on my waiting list!! I guess they are still looking 6 months later!!!! Can you believe that????

Making a change that significant over $10 per month? WOW.

I believe the phrase is "Stepping over dollars to pick up pennies".

[momma2girls]

Making a change that significant over $10 per month? WOW.

I believe the phrase is "Stepping over dollars to pick up pennies".

OOPS sorry $10.00 per week.

[momma2girls]

This family actually even knew my husbands family thru his family and where he grew up, can you believe would choose another daycare and not knowing them at all, instead of coming to someone he knew for $10.00 less a week!!! I couldn't believe it!!!

[gbcc]

About a month ago I told a family that I could no longer do part time care and that I had a waiting list with full time clients. I explained the economy is rough and I need to make my most earning potential. They had first choice to be full time. They said no, they wouldn't pay if they didn't need it. I gave them 2 weeks to find another sitter but warned them many providers did not allow part time care. She only wanted to pay for days she was here, even if the child was scheduled and was sick or she could go on a play date she didn't want to pay. So 2 wks came and my new family started. Their last day was a wk and half ago. Today she called me to tell me she would take the full time spot. I told her I filled it as soon as she said she would be pulling her child and finding a provider who does part time. I also put them on my waiting list!!

[momma2girls]

About a month ago I told a family that I could no longer do part time care and that I had a waiting list with full time clients. I explained the economy is rough and I need to make my most earning potential. They had first choice to be full time. They said no, they wouldn't pay if they didn't need it. I gave them 2 weeks to find another sitter but warned them many providers did not allow part time care. She only wanted to pay for days she was here, even if the child was scheduled and was sick or she could go on a play date she didn't want to pay. So 2 wks came and my new family started. Their last day was a wk and half ago. Today she called me to tell me she would take the full time spot. I told her I filled it as soon as she said she would be pulling her child and finding a provider who does part time. I also put them on my waiting list!!

That is way too funny!!!!

[gbcc]

I thought so! I shouldn't laugh at their expense but parents are so quick to screw us that I do love a little justice!!

[Persephone]

About a month ago I told a family that I could no longer do part time care and that I had a waiting list with full time clients. I explained the economy is rough and I need to make my most earning potential. They had first choice to be full time. They said no, they wouldn't pay if they didn't need it. I gave them 2 weeks to find another sitter but warned them many providers did not allow part time care. She only wanted to pay for days she was here, even if the child was scheduled and was sick or she could go on a play date she didn't want to pay. So 2 wks came and my new family started. Their last day was a wk and half ago. Today she called me to tell me she would take the full time spot. I told her I filled it as soon as she said she would be pulling her child and finding a provider who does part time. I also put them on my waiting list!!

****s to be them! I can't believe that after you said you had a waiting list that she would come back to ask for the spot.

[MarinaVanessa]

I have found out others' prices by calling ads that I see & pretending to be a prospective client or just calling local centers & doing the same.

I don't know why I never thought of this. This is a great idea! I'm telling you, sometimes I don't think of the obvious. I'll call around and just see what the rates are for people in my area.

[Chickenhauler]

I thought so! I shouldn't laugh at their expense but parents are so quick to screw us that I do love a little justice!!

I wouldn't say they wanted to "screw you"....they didn't want to pay for 5 days care when they only needed two.

Would you be happy paying for 500 cell minutes per month when month after month, you only use 200?

[Lucy]

As the others said, it depends on the prevailing rate for your area. Look through the classifieds and call a few of the providers as if you were looking for care for your children. That way you can find out what others are charging. Sneaky, I know, but you need to know what others are charging.

That said, at $30/day, you are higher than what providers in my area are getting. I'm in a town of 15,000 that is a mix of urban & rural and is south of Portland, Oregon. We're about $25/day.

[Elena's Family Childcare]

How would I go about telling my parents that I am going to raise my daycare price? And how many weeks in advance give them? Also how would I go about doing siblings?

[gbcc]

How would I go about telling my parents that I am going to raise my daycare price? And how many weeks in advance give them? Also how would I go about doing siblings?

My contracts say that I will provide 30 day notice. To be professional you really should give at least 2 weeks notice. This way if parents don't like your increase they have the time to look elsewhere. You always have to be prepared for this. I raised mine recently for school agers. They were a lot more work then I was getting paid for! I did have a family call around, other daycare providers told me, but I was still cheaper so they stayed. I only raise rates or change my contracts in September when I have parents update contracts and releases. Some providers do it for January.

[momma2girls]

How would I go about telling my parents that I am going to raise my daycare price? And how many weeks in advance give them? Also how would I go about doing siblings?

If I was going to raise my rates at all, I haven't done this for many yrs. though, although, I have actually thought about it- If I was going to raise them, I would do it at the start of the yr. and new contract for the upcoming yr. to come.

[Persephone]

I know when I had my son at a sitter she raised her rates (shortly after she just started doing child care) and she just sent home a note and also just told the parents that she needed to raise her rates and as of *** this date it would go into effect. Our rate was not raised because we were at a part time rate already.