Looking for Backbone!

[awestbrook713]

So all of the problems I have have been self induced. I have no backbone. When I started watching kids I was disorganized I can see now. I thought I had it figured out, but clearly I didn't.
I have 2 sisters and a brother I watch the sisters are mon,wed,thurs, fri anywhere from 5:45am to as late as 5pm. Schedule doesn't vary much just depends on which parent gets the kids that day (parents are seperated). Dad has an 11 yr old son who I watch also, I never really know when I am getting him and its not very often, I am caught keeping a spot open for him and its just not worth it. I don't know how to talk to the dad and tell him that I would like to try and open that spot up for a child that I can depend on not just a whenever you need me kind of thing.
Next I have a brother and sister who come wed, and sometimes friday depends on if dad has to work and they never know until night before. Is it out of line to make them pay for fridays whether kids are here or not since I am keeping two slots in the summer (1 right now during school) open for them?
I have another little girl who is going to have a new baby brother in the next month. I use to get her Mon, tues, thurs but not at all now due to school unless there is an emergency school closing or holiday. I will have the babys 2 days a week for 4 hours and possibly some fridays according to mom. I have a special payment plan worked out with mom since the hours are so weird, and we haven't discussed the fee for infant care I charge $3 an hour for 5 yr old daughter is $4 an hour for an infant that will need constant care too much.
Lastly I have a little girl who comes here mon-fri 10:45 until dad or mom pick her up no later then 4:30. This schedule is no problem since shes guarenteed almost 100% of the time.
During the summer I didn't have an issue because I had atleast 4 kids a day everyday but now that school has started I have a max of 3 kids most days with the exceptions of days like tomorrow when there is a half day and I will have 6 kids. I need ideas of how to set rules on days they need me about whether they need to pay for that slot or not. I don't want to lose who I have but I will not be making enough and with my schedule the way it is I can't add any children without fear of going over my numbers on school vacations, holidays, winter closings. How can I go about talking to my parents and explaining to them they either need to guarentee I have the kids set days and times so I can look for more kids or they need to pay me for the times I am holding open for them. Again I know this falls on me and poor planning, I blame my non existant backbone that didn't help me set good rules from the beginning.

[JaydensMommy]

I would suggest just letting the parents know that you need steady income and the only way you can have that is by offering the spots as full-time spots. They pay for the spot and it is reserved for them the hours they need. That is how I have done it and I let the parents know that from the beginning. Even if they were just looking for part time, I told them they would still have to pay the full time rate and would of course use as many or as little of they days as they wanted or needed to. When I first started I did have two part timers and realized quickly that was not going to work. One I termed because of constant crying, the other I still have from 2-5:30. And luckily I was able to fill the morning spot with a preschooler that comes for our preschool time 8-12. And together they pay more than a full time spot. I really think it would be much easier to just charge a weekly rate for the spots instead of hourly and offer them to the parents first come first serve. Hopefully they will understand that this is your business and this is how you make a living.

[awestbrook713]

I actually charge a daily rate, and half day rate, not hourly. The hourly rate for the one child was something we sat down and worked out. In the long run it works out the same as the daily and half day rates I have but mom doesn't realize this. I'm just afraid at this point to make changes and lose kids. I just had a mom call today looking for a few days of afterschool care for one child, a full time child from 7:15-5 and she wanted me to watch her new born when born in october but I can't since I have a 7 month old and will have the other mothers new born soon.
I really do like the idea of a weekly rate, I wish I had done something like that from the start, I originally tried hourly and got tired of that so then I went to full/ half day rates but I am finding I am just not making the money I deserve. I am thinking about redoing my contract and giving it out 2 weeks before next year, I will just have to deal with the low income for the next few months, that way I can talk to the parents and ease them into the idea. I look at it is if they value me watching their kids they will want to help make me stay in daycare, if I can't make enough income to pay my bills I will have to give it up and they will be without a provider, is this the wrong way to look at it?

[daycare]

Here is my advice to you... I know that I cant really understand your situation 100% and that what works for me may not work for you, but I'll tell you what I do........

First off, do you have contracts signed by each family?

I have in my contract that each family is paying for a "space", not the actual days or time that they use the daycare. Payment obligations are based on the hours that you agree to use the childcare, not on actual attendance. Payment is due whether your child is present or not. This includes sick time and vacation time. Remember, you are paying for a spot for your child as each spot must be secured by your on time payment.



I know that it is worded something like this, just not so confusing..


I also work only on contracted hours. This means that when they sign up, they will decide a schedule that works for them. During the two week trail period, I make sure that it also works for me and gives them the chance to make any changes if needed. After that two weeks, their contracted times are set in stone. So I know every day what time and day each child will be here..... If they find that they need to change their schedule again, I will then require them to submit in writring a two weeks written notice.
Of course if its just going to be here or there that they need to change thier times, I don't always require them to request a change.

Also, not all parents are created equal. You have to chose who you know you can do favors for and will be thankful and appreciate it and then know who will walk all over you.

I have parents I would bend over backwards for and then parents that I don't extend favors anymore, because they have burned that bridge.

[awestbrook713]

I do have contracts for each family. I just keep thinking how I would feel if my babysitter had kept changing things. My biggest problem is I think of the parents as people I know and like not as I guess the word would be clients. I need to seperate my feelings into business and personal and do whats best for my business. I am going to lose kids from time to time but there are always new ones to take their place, maybe even some better fits. I'm starting to think I am not cut out to be a business owner

[daycare]

I do have contracts for each family. I just keep thinking how I would feel if my babysitter had kept changing things. My biggest problem is I think of the parents as people I know and like not as I guess the word would be clients. I need to seperate my feelings into business and personal and do whats best for my business. I am going to lose kids from time to time but there are always new ones to take their place, maybe even some better fits. I'm starting to think I am not cut out to be a business owner

heres the thing.... when you start a business of any kind, someone has to invent the wheel right... How will you run it, what are the policies, procedures, practices and fees that will make the business successful.

When I first started about 8 years ago I was always sending new rules, policies, procedures for the parents to sign left and right. I was learning as I went and was learning that I had to set boundries. It takes time to find what works and when you find it, you have to stick to it and be firm.

I am sure that your paretns will understand if you need to make changes, you have to think about "YOU" and your family first or you will sink before you swim..

be patient and take the time to take a step back and look at what things are wrong. Then find a soultion and fix it one at a time.

[awestbrook713]

thanks daycare, I am thinking at the moment maybe sending home a letter explaining my position to the parents and that in the next few months I will be making some changes and that I want to be up front and give them enough time, and that I understand if they can no longer use my services. Hope this will be a good idea.

[daycare]

thanks daycare, I am thinking at the moment maybe sending home a letter explaining my position to the parents and that in the next few months I will be making some changes and that I want to be up front and give them enough time, and that I understand if they can no longer use my services. Hope this will be a good idea.

of course.... thats what we are all here for... People on here have a lot of great advice and can offer you tons of solutions. Like I said before, I know coming on here to get the right soultion to your problem is sometimes very hard, as we don't really know your situation 100%, but everyone here tries to offer what works for them.

best of luck to you and if you need any more help just let me know..

today is my slow day and only have two kids so this is my day to get my daycare and house back together...

[awestbrook713]

I hear ya. This is my slow day also (since school started most days are slow days) and its nap time, so I am trying to work on stuff that needs to be worked on. I think I will start the letter in the next day or so and once I get it done I will post it on here to get any advice on what else I may need in it.

[daycare]

great idea.,.... good luck and hang in there.... thats the fun part about DC its a roller coaster ride...

[beachgrl]

I am learning as I go too and having to decide on things I hadn't even thought about, be firm and make the changes you need to. I thought I was going ton lose one of my two dcb bc parents were taking advantage, being late, not paying daily bc the other one had a checkbook, asking me to stay open later and telling me they like me and want to use me but this and that reason on why they were late and making it about my location/hours etc...I figured I'd lose them if I stood my ground or I'd getbtired of it all and let them go.

I am happy to say that it's only been a couple weeks but they are still here after a stressful ( for me) phone call and me laying down my guidelines clearly, made a small accommodation for the two days a week on time by cutting late fees slightly and keeping the fees the same if it was more than a cpl days a week, requiring they pay in advance or morning of care and paying any late fees before dcb can come back...so far so good and communication on their end is much better too which was another issue all by itself!

[awestbrook713]

I understand where you are coming from beachgrl. I have those parents too. I had to lay the law down with one of my dcm about 3 weeks ago and let her know termination was possible if she didn't start paying me on time and the right amount. Needless to say no problems since. Setting rates is such a hard thing to do, you want to be fair to them as well as yourself. There are so many things to take into consideration, how many kids they have, how many days they come, should you give a discount for multiple children. I have kids I am not going to have at all except for holidays and school vacations how do you charge for those kids. So much changed in my daycare schedule the last two weeks its hard to take in. Are parents really gonna want to pay for a kids spot that isn't gonna be here that often? AHHHHHH I just feel like screaming so much going through my head I need to sit down and figure it out but I just don't know where to start.