Daycare Contract

[Beffers]

This is my first time posting on this site...I'm so glad I found you. I run a home daycare and am revamping my 2006 contract and wanted to pick a few brains out there. We live in the midwest and jsut wondered how some of you might manage things. I'm open from 7:30-5:30 but am experienceing a little bit of burnout (I've done this for 5 years, taught school before but do this now so I can stay home). I get very frustrated with partents who dont' come and get their child directly after work. They might go home, mow the yard, get a message, grocery shop while I'm caring for their child. I understand that they pay me a certain fee to watch their child and it should really matter what they are doing during that time slot. Some of my families are great about coming and getting their child right after work....and are here about 8.5 hours a day but pay the same rate as a child that is here 10 hours a day. So, for 2006, I'm making some changes and having various weekly rates depending on how many hours per day a child is here. If you have any insights or thoughts that would be helpful I'd appreciate it

[Linda/NE]

Hi! Welcome!
I own and operate a preschool and daycare center. I charge by the hour because most of my families work by the hour. The state pays for the title XX kids similar to what you do. Anything between 6-9 hrs. is a flat daily rate. Anything over or under that time is billed per hour. It states in their paperwork that they only pay for time the parent is at work and the time it takes to drop the child off and get their to pick them up after work. If parents are doing something else than work, the provider legally cannot charge them for that time and they are charged privately. (Actually getting the money from some of them is another story. )

In my experience, anytime a people are put in a position of a flat rate, it allows for someone to take advantage of it. For example, many people, once put on salary at a job are expected to work longer hours without additional compensation. Much the same way, by having a flat fee you are putting yourself on salary and the parents are milking it for all they can get. It's kind of like, if you have to pay so much for something anyway, you might as well make it worth the money.

So, anyway, it maybe more work but may contract each family based on their work schedule and any time over the hours contracted will be billed at so much per hour.

Personally I don't have a big problem with parents running errands and doing things like mowing the lawn while the kids are in my care, as long as it's on occasion. Mainly because I've been there, done that, trying to accomplish tasks and having kids underfoot. Mowing the lawn, actually is kind of dangerous to be doing with kids if there isn't an adult to supervise them. What bothers me is when parents know I close at 6, they are done with work earlier than that and leave their kids till 6 just because they can. It almost never fails that when they do that my 6 oclock families are gone and I could have been done most of an hour earlier. It also bugs me when it's stormy or a holiday and parents don't stop to consider that I may want to get home early. Those are usually the times that parents are late!

Hope some of the other gals will have some helpful tips for you. Good luck!

[Beffers]

Thanks, Linda, for your insights. I really appreciate it and do see both sides of the issue. My DH and I looked again and talked again last night and I think we have it worked out to where I'll feel happier about it and the families that are here the 8 1/2 hours won't have raised fees in 2006. But, those that are here longer than that will. I know most of my parents can get to and from work and be here within 8 1/2-9 hours a day. It's the ones, like you said, that push it till my closing hours just because they can while they are out doing other things. I agree that mowing the yard is not safe with kids but why can't the do it on the weekend like everyone else does. That's what we have to do. Anyway, I look forward to picking your brain on here and having the support of other childcare workers. I do have a nice support where I live, but I know this site will help even more. I'm anxious to have some more time to browse around on here.

THanks again and have a great day...weeks almost over..yippy!!!

[vea29]

Hi...welcome! I have no real insight on how to handle it...I've worked in Daycare for year and agree that it's fustrating that parents can do this stuff while we watch the children....Like christmas eve when were open half a day so they could shop/ wrap. And I'd have to drive a half hour for the half a day! But it was my JOB!

Anyway just wanted to say welcome.

[Beffers]

Hi...welcome! I have no real insight on how to handle it...I've worked in Daycare for year and agree that it's fustrating that parents can do this stuff while we watch the children....Like christmas eve when were open half a day so they could shop/ wrap. And I'd have to drive a half hour for the half a day! But it was my JOB!

Anyway just wanted to say welcome.

Thank you!!! I love your avatar, by the way.....it's snowing out side here right now and looks so pretty. I'd be happy to share my contract (am giving it to my parents today...so we'll see how it flies) if you are interested. I hope it will work out and be easier to manage...we'll see. It's worth a shot if it helps me from having a full house 10 hours of the day so mom can go get her nails done or whatever. Just PM me with your e-mail if you want to take a peek. It's pretty long (8 pages) but I think it covers just about everything that I've run into in the last 5 years of doing this. I'm sure it's not perfect, as I always make changes to it it seems in Dec for the upcoming year. So, we'll give it a try for this next year and see how it goes.

Thanks for the nice welcome, you guys. I'll definatley be visiting here often and am so glad to have found you!!

[mommy2jacob]

Hello there! Just wondering if anyone has any sample daycare contracts that they would mind sharing?!
Thank You very much!
Chelle

[Beffers]

Hello there! Just wondering if anyone has any sample daycare contracts that they would mind sharing?!
Thank You very much!
Chelle

Hello! I'd love to share mine with you. I reworked it in January but it's like 8 pages long....if you PM me with your e-mail address I'd be happy to send it to you that way. Oh, wait...can you do private messages here? I've not used this forum very much. Let me look around here and see...if not, I can just put my e-mail address here.

[mom2lotofkyds]

I would love to see your contract. I am having the same issues with parents of the children that I give care to.

[jackie8878]

I definitely think you should charge additional fees by hours after the initial 8.5 hours. Since it takes not much extra care and attention for 10 kids than 1 kid, i suggest you do a survey with all the parents, see what the majority parents want, and charge a higher rate to the one or two parents who want 10 or 11 hours daycare.