Childcare providers' tribe? - Page 2

[angel1895]

thanks wednesday... well a lot of the things I need I actually already have.. just stored away.. like bottles and a small crib/play yard... I was just getting ideas... but I do appreciate you saying that because you do have a valid point as to how much it would eat up my income.

[angel1895]

I do have adult contact... dh works third shift so he is technically home... and he can always work his sleeping time around me... if I need help or whatever... and my nieghbor is home most days because she is working second shift... so if I do want someone to talk to or whatever I'm sure she wouldnt mind.. that and I have mdc

[melissabb]

Originally Posted by angel1895

anyway.. I was wondering what resources you ladies have/use... websites books etc.. the mom said these kids are wild (insert worried face here)
I have some sites that have neat progects I'll share later... and also what would I need for basic supplies... (I know I need bottles, diapers, art supplies...)


thanks ladies.

I do NOT supply diapers. They are expensive and in my city daycare centres do not supply them either. Each family brings their own. You might want to think about that one! A child could use up to $20 worth of diapers in a week and that cuts into your profit margin.

Dollar stores have great arts and crafts supplies and party packs of prizes etc for games like Bingo and stuff. Stickers are cheap there too to use as rewards for listening, sharing etc.

[boobyjuicex3]

You should also see if there is a Daycare Association that you can become a member of. I am with an association, and a referal agency and the only one that I get referals from is the Association. It costs $12 a year and when anyone in the group gets phone calls or even face to face requests for daycare and for whatever reason they can not take the child they post it online and everyone has a chance... I love it.

[Hey Mama!]

I'll be doing this in January. I currently work at an extended care daycare (nights and weekends) but they are closing our program, so I'm trying to get a couple of the kids who attend our center to watch at my home.

[SleepyMamaBear]

the parents of the children i watch provide their diapers one is in cloth the other disposable, there is just one that takes bottles and he drinks the weston price homemade formula, so his mom supplys that too. i dont charge much, and DH wants me either to ask them to bring their food or charge more, because really these kids eat ALOT of food! we go through a few loaves of bread a week, etc. i provide all meals for the times they are here. we do breakfast at 9 when the first one gets here, lunch at 12:30-1 ish, when all are here. and then snacks in between and if anyone stays late enough they eat dinner with us.
but to be honest i dont know how to ask them to either pay more or bring food. i know one mom would rather pay more. and the other one already brings the babys yogurt and snacks, and sometimes special goats milk for her milk allergic child.
i just feel badly asking parents to pay me more or take their time to prepare food to bring.
i am such a pushover.
and i am not watching Drs kids, these are regular working families, with average incomes, so if iw ere to charge more i could be hurting them.
i feel so conflicted. on one hand i dont wanna go broke from feeding everyone. about half my salary goes to food for the kids. but on the other hand, i dont want them to be affected by me needing either more money or food brought.
ACK! conflict. i loathe conflict!

also i second the dollar store for good inexpensive stickers and such. we also do biglots and sometimes they have great deals on fun lil things for the kids to do.

i need a toddler size table they can craft at. cause getting them up and down from the table is such an ordeal no one likes to do it unless its for food. lol.

[memory maker]

addysmama-you might want to check to see if your state has a childcare food program. it really is great. For the 2 children I watch full time I get about $100 a month from the state to feed them. They have certain requirements (like I have to be registered with the state but not licensed) There are certain foods I have to serve at meals and snacks, but usually not a problem. They come and check on me a few times a year to make sure I am doing things "correctly"

I like www.letteroftheweek.com for ideas

[SleepyMamaBear]

we are organic vegetarian, and tho not all the kids are, they are when they are here because meat doesnt come in my house. but the meals are all proper, with a grain a protien and a few fruits and vegetables. if anything the kids might be getting TOO much fruit when here. lol. its our favorite snack around here.

do you think that would pass?
also the whole thing i have with registering, is i have problems with how our state is run. mainly cause i have seen so many abused kids left with their abusers, and so many non abused kids yanked from their loving parents arms. and everything is back asswards. so i would really prefer to keep the state out of my affairs. not that there is anything for me to hide. i am a very loving kind appropriate nurturing care provider, never ever ever having violence in my house (aside from my bully of a two year old that drives me nuts, she is so mean sometimes!) and the kids ar all taken care of properly. but i have seen people investigated for NOTHING but an uptight caseworker getting a bee in her bonnett cause the parents have tattoos or are vegan, etc.
and two of the three kids i watch dont live in my state. we are right on the border, they live in the other state and their parents work in my state close to where i live. so i dont know if i could even get food assistance for them.

wow i am in a mighty negative mood today.

[melissabb]

Originally Posted by AddysMama

i just feel badly asking parents to pay me more or take their time to prepare food to bring.
i am such a pushover.
and i am not watching Drs kids, these are regular working families, with average incomes, so if iw ere to charge more i could be hurting them.
i feel so conflicted. on one hand i dont wanna go broke from feeding everyone. about half my salary goes to food for the kids. but on the other hand, i dont want them to be affected by me needing either more money or food brought.
ACK! conflict. i loathe conflict!

.

addysmama,

I used to feel this way too but then I started to look at things more from a business sense. And, first and foremost this IS your business. That doesn't mean you are any less caring and nurturing. You need to see it from the point of view that YOU need to be happy with the return of your time and resources and expenses. If you aren't happy with the amount of money you are making then everyone suffers - you, your family AND the dcfamiles too. If you aren't happy you will eventually stop doing it and then where will the familes be?? Do you see what I mean?

I refuse to charge less than the value I perceive my services to be. I am not doing this out of the goodness of my heart. This money helps to feed my family and pay my mortgage etc. That is not to say I have never 'helped' out a family in need but for the most part I think you need to charge what you feel comfortable with and right now you don't sound like you think you deserve more.

I would type up a letter stating a rate increase of a few dollars a day effective january first. I will paste a copy of one below that I have used in the past.

The first time I did a rate increase I was hesitant that I would have alot of backlash but you know..not one family complained! And, in my opinion if they do then they do not value you or your care.

Good luck!

Dear Parent(s),

Let me first thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of your child’s formative years. It is with delight that I look forward to many more days ahead. The colder weather and indoor time will provide us with more time to cuddle and read together, create crafts and use manipulative toys such as playdough.

In order to continue to provide your child the best possible care, using the best resources , and to balance the increasing costs of hydro, food and taxes it is necessary to restructure the daily daycare rate. Effective 01 January, 2006 the daily rate will increase to $xx.00 per child. I trust that you find this increase fair and reasonable.

Please sign and return the second page of this document and I will include it in your child’s file. Please keep this copy for your records.

[Yaelita]

great idea!

melissabb, thanks for the idea (the rate increase letter). I also have trouble talking to families about money. After a few years I finally started giving new parents a letter with my terms and conditions; it included all the rates (I started charging more for part-time or night babysitting), as well as the way I keep track of their hrs and such. It seems easier to spell everything upfront than have misunderstandings and feel resentful later on, especially since I am one of those people who has trouble bringing the issues up once I am into the babysitting relationship. Thanks for your sample letter, it's a great idea.
And you are right, this is about business, and we should not undervalue our efforts.

[SleepyMamaBear]

that letter just seems so impersonal to me. these parents are my friends. one mama in particular is a very good friend. so i think they would read the letter and giggle at how NOT me that sounds yanno?
also i do hourly rates. i charge $x.00 an hour for one child and $x.00 -50 cents per child if there are more than one child.
if i were watching children of Drs, lawyers, etc, i would be charging exactly what i think i am worth, which would be at least double what i charge now. but i am not. these are good honest hardworking blue collar people yanno? they CANNOT afford to pay me that much more. if i charged what i was worth they wouldnt be taking home very much, and then what is the point of childcare of the money you take home doesnt pay the bills? its not that they wouldnt see me as worth more, cause i have heard from them all that they would LOVE to pay me MORE if they could, but its not feasable. and it wouldnt be right for me to do that to people i care about.
i am not watching random strangers kids, these are people that are a part of my life, that i care deeply for. we are friends and it IS personal. while me watching their kids IS a business its also helping out people i love. it would feel wrong for me to ask them to pay more.
so there in lies my conflict.
i could use the extra money for food, craft supplies, bills, etc. but i dont feel right asking for more money.

[stellimamo]

addysmama-
The way I look at it at most jobs you get a raise/cost of living increase every year or so. You are a professional too and deserve to get a bit of a raise every once in awhile. At least a cost of living increase. With how much gas has gone up and inturn everything else you should be able to adjust your rates without feeling guilty. If your ratesare the same as in 2002 or 2003 your actually making less per hour now. Anyone that doesn't understand a cost of living increase doesn't truely value you as a care provider. My provider increased by $5 a few moths ago and I was happy to pay it even though things are tight around here because I value her and she is more than worth it.

[NotTheOnlyOne]

hey, I am an in home provider as well... I have 3 two year olds and 3 under 18 months (one of those is mine). I just sent out a letter stating I am increasing my rates by $10 a week for the first time ever. I have been doing busines for over 2 years now and I thinik its time to raise the rates. Only one parent seemed to have a problem with it, but she is going to pay it anyway to keep her daughter here. Just wondering: do any of you have nursing older babes of your own? My ds is nursing (obviously) and I am wonder how we are going to deal with that once he is older and nursing still. The parents dont give me a hard time about it now, but they might later... anyone dealing with this?

Oh and with the letter, as I hand it to them I tell them what it says: "This just says I am raising my rates by $10 a week starting in January and reminding you that I am closed the week between Christmas and Jan. 2nd." I am friends with my parents too, but I like to keep things a bit professional. I have signed contracts, penalties for bounced checks, late fees.... and I am still friends with all of them. I am licensed as well.

[memory maker]

my ds nursed until he was 2 and dd until she was 3 (and through my pregnancy) I never mentioned it to my parents and they never saw me doing it. I think the kids were just used to seeing my kids nurse so never thought anything different of it

[melissabb]

Sorry to ruffle any feathers here by what I am about to say....

JMO but...

Business is business. Your dcparents do not work for less than they think they are worth. They wouldn't stay in a job like that. They also get a raise every year. Just like their cable bill, phone bill, heat bill, car payment etc etc etc daycare is just another expense that is necessary in order for them to go to work and maintain their lifestyle. I am not implying that dcparents live extravagantly etc but it's just a cost that they need to factor into their budget. And just like everything else in life you need to have priorities as to what is most important to you...having the cable package or great daycare. KWIM?

I think for the most part women who say they can't make a living doing daycare aren't approaching it from a business sense. This IS a business. Why would you take precious alone time away from your family to watch other children and provide them with supplies if you were not making adequate money to compensate you for those things? I do not work for free or for less than I deserve for the work I do. That is totally unacceptable to me.

I guess what I am saying is that if you are a provider and are comfortable caring for other children while not making much financially then that is your perogative. However, it is totally another thing to complain about it but not be willing to look at it with a professional view.

And please do not be mistaken that having a business mindeset about daycare makes the provider less caring and nurturing toward the children. One has nothing to do with the other.

[NotTheOnlyOne]

Originally Posted by melissabb

Sorry to ruffle any feathers here by what I am about to say....

JMO but...

Business is business. Your dcparents do not work for less than they think they are worth. They wouldn't stay in a job like that. They also get a raise every year. Just like their cable bill, phone bill, heat bill, car payment etc etc etc daycare is just another expense that is necessary in order for them to go to work and maintain their lifestyle. I am not implying that dcparents live extravagantly etc but it's just a cost that they need to factor into their budget. And just like everything else in life you need to have priorities as to what is most important to you...having the cable package or great daycare. KWIM?

I think for the most part women who say they can't make a living doing daycare aren't approaching it from a business sense. This IS a business. Why would you take precious alone time away from your family to watch other children and provide them with supplies if you were not making adequate money to compensate you for those things? I do not work for free or for less than I deserve for the work I do. That is totally unacceptable to me.

I guess what I am saying is that if you are a provider and are comfortable caring for other children while not making much financially then that is your perogative. However, it is totally another thing to complain about it but not be willing to look at it with a professional view.

And please do not be mistaken that having a business mindeset about daycare makes the provider less caring and nurturing toward the children. One has nothing to do with the other.

I TOTALLY agree with you. I have been doing daycaer for 2+ years now and I make over 35k a year. Not a millionaire, but definately enough to put food on the table. This is my career. Not a side job or something to do with my time. I chose this profession because I LOVE children and it allows me to take care of my own son. Its not the same as being a SAHM and taking care of him in that manner... .but at least I know whats going on in his day and that no one is letting him CIO. (Which I never do for ANY of the kids I care for)

[NotTheOnlyOne]

I also wanted to ask: I have a 2.5 yr old girl who has recently taken to "disciplining" the other kids. She is tattling, yelling "NO" at them. COrrecting things like taking toys away from someone who took them from another child and returning it to the original kid. I am sure she gets some of this from me, as I am just learning about GD and have not always practiced it. How can I gently get her to stop diong these things besides just modeling the new behavior?

[memory maker]

I thought this is interesting. the state that I live in (iowa) is trying to work on getting more quality child care for the kids of our state. They have developed a rating scale for centers and home daycares. You are a level 1 just by being registered with the state. by reaching a level 2-5 you get a money bonus each time you renew, which is every 2 years. I am currently working on getting to a level 2 which will give me $400. If you get a level 5 you get $1000. with the rating system you can also receive money for taking classes, going to conferences and getting grants to improve your rating

you can read more about ithere
I think something like this is a good incentive for great childcare, especially since someone in a town 30 minutes away just got arrested because she would leave her daycare kids home alone while she would go out and do stuff. The day they caught her she was gone for 1 hour.

I would definately say that you must treat your daycare as a business. I think if they are your friends they would understand that you are needing to increase your rate because you think it is important to provide quality food and care for the children.

[OhTheThinks.....]

Hi all,
Are any of you running your businees more like a preschool or a daycare if your have older kids (preschool age).

Also, totally off topic, but what does "Frosted" mean ??????? I am curious as I am seeing this in alot of MDC sig lines and also there was a thread somewhere. Frosted ?????????

[angel1895]

its a chain letter thing.. I'll send ya one

no I'm not running a business btw