Daycare Question... - Saint George,UT

Yes, every daycare I have ever used, whether in-home or corporate, has required payment on the first day of the week for that following week. Most have also requested a deposit. This is not unusual at all. Now we pay monthly on the first of the month for the upcoming month. They do it so they are at least a little covered if you vacate and they can't fill the spot right away...

I would not be concerned about the director living across the street - she's always accessible that way, even if she's not on the premises...

I pay by the 25th of each month for the entire next month's daycare fee. I think it's pretty normal.

I also don't think it's too odd that the director lives nearby...I know they mostly don't get paid great and it probably saves her a lot of money.

Good luck.
-M

I guess my daycare is different... Ours is due the 15th of every month, but there is also the first month which is due immediatly I think... I have never had to pay till the 15th!

That pay schedule is fairly standard and I can tell you why....as a former pre-school teacher, kindergarten teacher and a Vice Principal, the school I worked at charged for care the week in advance because sadly enough, we had tons of parents who did not pay us on time and some who skipped out on paying us for care altogether! I know....it's crazy but it is 100% true. We even had people move away and never pay us for the final weeks of care that we provided for their children as they were working or packing up the moving boxes at home! The daycares and schools need to pay their employees...and these people don't make much more than minimum wage most of the time unless you have a pretty big degree or you go into administration as a Principal or VP. It is customary to pay in advance but every daycare has it's own policies, fees, and payment schedules. Daycare is often a very tough and thankless job. Long hours and you are always on the go. You have to love kids immensely and love working with them because the pay is awful. I loved my job and the kids....that's why I worked in this business for a long time before moving on to something else. be good to your daycare providers if you like them and if your children are thriving.....make sure you let the providers know. As for the director that lives across the street, I don't see a big deal there. Does she own the daycare? If so, that's a smart move to be so close. I did not live across the street from the school I worked at but I lived a block away and within walking distance. I loved it! It was very nice to have such a short trip to work and when I worked long hours, I could be home quickly. I wouldn't worry about that.

At my daughter's preschool, we have to pay a month's tuition in advance and they don't accept checks or cash-it must be debited from your account.

All the Daycares I interviewed have you pay in advance and very simply I was told by my homecare facility the reason being is so that if you decide tomorrow to take your child out of the daycare they will ensure they are paid

Absolutely!...... St. Lic. child care...whether it be Family Child Care or Center Based is always paid for in advance. We/they are holding and reserviing a space for your little one. In the meantime we are turning away other potential clients. This is common in the industry. I am a St. Lic FCCP for over 20 years in So. Ca. and also a consultant for parents seeking quality, intentional child care. I also work with providers in many area's of their business.
Good Luck t you and your little one.

Normal pay schedule. And heck, I think most of us would LOVE to be able to have that short of a commute.

i think it is fairly standard to pay in advance, however i have run a home daycare for over 6 years and all my clients pay differently. i try to work with whatever is most convenient for them. i have one who pays for the whole month in advance and on the other side, one client who is consistantly 2 weeks behind. in this economic climate i try to understand and work with their pay schedules. i know this sets me up to be burned but it has yet to happen.
as i said though, i am sure that pay in advance is the norm.

Absolutely! Most you pay Friday for the upcoming week. That way, you have never received care that you haven't paid for.

Cori, As many who have already responded, I also have a home-based preschool & all my families pay in advance. Some pay weekly, some every two weeks, some monthly - whatever works for their schedule. Along with the reasons already listed, it also gives me the opportunity to shop fewer times during the month, saving me time & money. As for the director living across the street - how wonderful! It is a great opportunity for an easy transition for your daughter: "Oh, I know you; you live right by me!" Most of my families live in my neighborhood or very close. It is great to see them at the park, the lake, the supermarket. It is good for everyone to see one another having a life outside of school. Peace, B.

my son goes to a "school" based daycare and I pay for the week in advance.

Hi Cori, I am a Home Daycare provider, I only ask for payment up front if the child is not starting right away, because what happens sometimes parents come fill out the paper work give you a start date and then never show up, which is lost income for the provider, because believe the spot was filled turn other clients away. If they are starting right away then I don't request that and it is optional to the parent. The director living across the street is any big deal. J.

Every daycare we have ever used (and also mine when I ran it) had to pay on mondays for that week. It is the norm. it is also the norm for them to have a registration fee of some sort. and if you enroll her in any extra stuff like computer etc that can run anywhere from $10 a week to $100 a month for different things. some offer extra tumbling classes, computer classes, art stuff , music over and above the regular daytime stuff

Hi Cori-

Yes, I believe most places have you pay in advance. You are basically paying for then to save that spot for your child. If they held that spot and you pulled out at the last minute, they are out the income for your spot.

I don't think it's wierd that the director lives across the street. How nice!!! As long as the children stay in the daycare, and not go across the street, I wouldn't worry about that.

Yes, unfortunately, they usually want their money first!

Yes, you should pay for the whole week on Monday .

Whether you take your child or not, the teacher gets paid the same amount and if your child is not there then you still owe that money.Childcare centers have bills to pay just like you, they have to buy the groceries the will be using that week, they have to pay the staff for that week and make sure they have enough money to cover the checks, they can't do that if they are paying staff on Friday and some people still haven't paid their bill.

This is typical of in home care too. If you have been paying in home providers after the fact you got off lucky. I've been paid in advance for 24 years. It's always been the only way the providers can be sure of getting paid.

Yes, my daughter's daycare has you pay the week in advance. Technically it's due on Monday but they give a grace period until Wednesday am. Unfortunately, I think this policy is in response to situations where families who don't always have the funds to cover childcare if an unexpected job loss happens, etc. Daycare centers get stiffed if the child attends a week and is then pulled out on Monday morning, without advance notice and without a check to cover the previous week. Daycares have to pay employees and make their payroll payments regardless of whether parents pay on time...

I've always paid in advance. Some places may even require 2 weeks to a month in advance.

And, I'm not really sure why you're concerned about where the director lives. Why would this be a problem?

I think that's pretty standard for daycare centers. At least it has been in Massachusetts...I always had to pay a full week in advance.

My son has been in daycare for the past few months and fees are always due on the first of the month for that upcoming month. That is also how my daughter's preschool works, so it seems to be pretty standard.

I think so. At ours, your fees are due on the 1st of the month. You can pay for the full month, or you pay half. If you pay half, then the 2nd half of your fees are due on the 15th of the month.