Mom's Who Take Kids to in Home Day Care./ or Providers Suggetions.

Why won't you be paid? You are there, available and expecting to care for her child, if she wants to take the day off GREAT, one less kiddo for you, but she should pay her regular weekly rate.

I give my clients one "fee free" week a year, they can use it for one of my vacation weeks or they can use it another week if they choose, any other time that they are absent due to days off, illness, whatever I am paid.

M.

The parent pays unless it is part of the preagreed upon days off(two weeks at Christmas and two weeks in summer for example).
I have not heard of not paying for deciding to stay home.

When my kids went to an in home daycare, we paid for the whole week even if we didn't send the kids. Basically, you tell your families they're paying for the spot, not the kid showing up. Payment is due on Monday for the upcoming week, or at the beginning of the month for the month. If you charge monthly or weekly, then you're not negotiating each day with a family.

If YOU have to take a sick day, you credit the family back that day's cost.

I agree with everyone. Our day care giver or the day care center, was paid whether we were there or not.

Rules should all be on paper and in their contract, which they signature upon sign up. And updated annually, and again, the parents signature it, in order for you to agree... to take in their kids.
And if there is non-compliance, you have the option of not taking in their kids. ?

Charging by a "flat rate" per month, is often easier.
I charged a flat monthly rate, when I was doing home care.
Paid at the beginning of each month. If not, then I can't take in their kids.
And, if THEY opted, not to bring their kid at any time for whatever reason, it was THEIR CHOICE.
I STILL got paid, for it.
Because, I have to, keep a "slot" open, for THEIR child. Even if they are not, here.
And, I had a wait-list, too.
And if a parent wants to keep their slot for their child, they need to pay.

I cared for a child, whose parents were real flaky. They would come late, or not come due to whatever willy-nilly reason they had at the SPUR of the moment. But, I still got paid. Because, I charged a flat monthly rate.
And it was THEIR choice, that their child was late everyday, or if they did not bring their child. BUT I kept that "spot" open for their child. They paid, monthly. Regardless of attendance or not or sickness or not.
AND, it was in my/their contract. Which they signed.
All my rules, were in the contract. Which a parent has to sign.

I never charged per day or per hour. Its a hassle.

You need a contract. I paid for my kids' preschool, regardless of whether we showed up that day or not. It's the same thing. You are there, every day, providing care, shelter, food, etc. They are paying for their child's guaranteed spot in your daycare, not your time. They need to agree and sign, in writing, EXACTLY what your policies are. If your prices are good and you are good provider, you have no need or reason to put up with flakes.

I did home day care for many years. I now nanny for a family. In both cases it was discussed at the initial interview. My rates are by the week. I get paid on Mondays. If for some reason I have to take a day off for sickness I take that days pay off the next week's fee. If the parent takes a day off to go to the zoo for example then I still get paid I did not take the day off. If a child is sick for an extended amount of time I will work with a family I do not expect them to pay a lot of days when they themselves are not getting paid. The only exception to that rule is for part time families. And they usually pay a higher rate to secure the part time spot.

You should charge them your regular weekly rate.

We pay a set rate for every two weeks. It doesn't matter if we are there or not. We get one week of unpaid vacation every year. We have to take the entire week at one time. Yeah, it sucks paying when we aren't there, but that's the way it is. Everyone I know who has kids in daycare (in home or center) has the same thing.

Whenever my kid has been in daycare, in home or in a center, it was spelled out in the contracts that they get paid whether my kid shows up or not except for 2 weeks worth of vacation that they need at least 2 weeks notice for. (And I didn't/don't have to take consecutively, it can be a day here or there.) I have vacation days at work that I get paid for if I give them notice, so I've always found that to be a reasonable request.

In my experience with both in-home providers and centers, you pay your contracted rate (full time, part-time, before/after, whatever it is) regardless of if the child attends or not.

For example...you have a full time spot that you pay $150 per week for (which equals $30 per day)...your child is sick on Monday so you stay home from work and don't send him or her to daycare. At the end of the week, you still owe $150 because that full time spot belongs to you/your child. It's not like when you called in Monday morning the provider could fill the spot.

Now if your child attends Monday, Wednesday, and Friday ($90 for the week) and you kept your child home on Monday due to sickness you still owe $90 but IF your provider has the room, you MAY be able to still have him or her attend on Tuesday or Thursday so you can go to work and make up your time (but that is typically at the provider's discretion and depended on space availability).

If your contract states that they only pay if/when they attend, then they don't owe you. You should reconsider your agreements.

I have that sort of thing written into the contract in advance.

As others have said, I pay a set weekly rate. If I take a day off or pick my son up early, my provider gets the same pay. When we go on vacation for 2 weeks and I do not use her at all, we still pay. In exceptional circumstances, she has given us a break- for example, when I took maternity leave and only used her a few hours a week for my older child she only charged me the hourly rate and still kept our spot open.
After five years with her, she will also give us some flexibility on our pay schedule as needed, but only because we have proven ourselves reliable!
I would consider a set rate- can you set up auto bill pay, even?
Potty training was explained to me very clearly- we wait until 100% confidence in potty training to go diaper-free. I am sure you wouldn't want another child's poop on the floor that your child is playing on! Valid.

My son is in a licensed home daycare now. Even though he is in 1st grade from 8:20 am - 3 pm everyday, I am still paying for his spot at the daycare. They pick him up from school and take him to the daycare (her mom is a helper and is the one who picks him up from school). Whether or not he is there (at daycare), I am paying for his "spot". I feel it all evens out for when he attends home daycare on days off of school and during the summer. The weekly rate has steadily decreased since he is really only there about 2 1/2 hours a day, but she is someone I trust with my son and I am going to send him there as long as I am able to.

I'm not a provider but have had both of my kids at an in-home care since they were babies. You need to have a contract. This specifies how many vacation/sick days you get. Also if next to no notice is given if a child won't be there then you still get paid. If I didn't have my child a certain day or they were sick I still paid my daycare. It was in the contract. Also specify what you will and won't do in regards to potty training, your hours, late fees and when you expect payment. Also I payed a 2 week deposit when I started and that money was used when I gave her my two weeks and if I were to just up and quit she still got to keep the money. Good luck!

I agree with everyone else. You need a contract that clearly outlines your policies. It should be given and signed at the time of enrollment with all of the other paperwork.
My families pay in advance either monthly or every two weeks. Some people do a weekly rate. Have a set schedule (with minimum hours) for everyone and have a policy that states that parents are agreeing to this schedule and if they choose not to bring their child they are still responsible for payment. You are holding this space for their child and unable to fill it with another child in the case of their absence.
Having a contract of policies like this upfront, not only lets your families know that you are serious about running a business, not a babysitting service, and it cuts down on any confusion about what is ok and not ok. It's awkward to have to explain things like this when you don't have it previously addressed. I'd be happy to share my Parent Information Booklet with you if it would be helpful.
Good luck!
J.

Parents are supposed to pay by the week...period. You are shorting yourself by not doing this. Call around and you'll find that every center and other home situation charges a weekly fee no matter how many days the child is there or not there. Tell them you are changing your policy starting January first 2014. Then stick to it. IF they don't pay Monday morning for the whole week Junior goes back home with them.

D., if you advertise or take kids who get subsidized by the state you'll have a waiting list. Parents who don't value their child care provider and pay their bill in advance don't get to stay working very long, they get fired for missing work once they don't pay their child care bill and they don't have it anymore.

I think you have a kind heart and you don't want to miss the kiddo's you love BUT the parents have to understand that you have to pay the bills regardless of them being there or not. Being open for business means being open.

There are 6-7 legal holidays, New Years, Easter Sunday (if you are open on weekends), Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Friday (if you're only open weekdays), and Christmas Day.

If you close on any other days or take a yearly vacation you need to rethink that. If you use a substitute you still get paid for those days and make money and don't have angry parents who have to find alternative care more days than they should.

You should schedule appointments and days off but provide a substitute caregiver. We have a program that is through a local business. They get a list together of every person who wants to work part time, on an on call sort of way. They have the required 20 hours of training, CPR/First Aid, back ground checks for child care, etc....they have been trained and are certified to work for you. Usually, since a company did this program, there is a set rate for them working such as they must be paid $7.25 per hour. They should be paid cash for the full amount, since they are contract labor and not an actual employee you do not hold taxes or SS from their wages. They are responsible for that just as a plumber or an electrician would also be contract labor.

This way the kids stay where they know everything, this person can come work with you during your regular times so they can learn your routine, and they can get to know the kids so they won't be a shock to them.

Then you can take a doc's appointment and go to lunch if you want. Anything.