Considering An Overnight Family... Need Help! Please And Thank You!

[lflick]

Hello! I hope the forum isn't idle on a Saturday evening as I am in need of some insight.... I live in a community that has a lot of factories so many families are seeking care outside regular daycare hours. I have recently been asked to do overnight care and I am seriously considering it but before I commit to anything I had a few questions.. The family has two children who are old enough to sleep through the night. I would only be doing this likely through the summer months as they are young SA. My regular daily rate is $25.

1. Do any of you have experience in this area? Comments?
2. How much should I charge? (I am not sure if I should charge slightly more than my daily rate, as overnight care is hard to find.)
3. Am I crazy?

Any additional comments or input would be greatly appreciated!

[Cradle2crayons]

Hello! I hope the forum isn't idle on a Saturday evening as I am in need of some insight.... I live in a community that has a lot of factories so many families are seeking care outside regular daycare hours. I have recently been asked to do overnight care and I am seriously considering it but before I commit to anything I had a few questions.. The family has two children who are old enough to sleep through the night. I would only be doing this likely through the summer months as they are young SA. My regular daily rate is $25.

1. Do any of you have experience in this area? Comments?
2. How much should I charge? (I am not sure if I should charge slightly more than my daily rate, as overnight care is hard to find.)
3. Am I crazy?

Any additional comments or input would be greatly appreciated!

Yes I do overnights all the time. Right now I have only drop in overnights but I used to have three overnight full time. I love overnight full times and drop ins.

I actually charge five bucks more for overnight than drop in days. That's because I include baths, teeth brushing, etc.

For full time overnights I charge about ten bucks a week total more than day rates.

Some charge the same or a little less for overnights but I don't. Mainly because I do bath time etc and I don't do that during day stays.

No you aren't crazy at all. I love overnights because if they are children who sleep good, it's so much easier than day time hours!! I wish I could do all overnights!!!

[lflick]

Yes I do overnights all the time. Right now I have only drop in overnights but I used to have three overnight full time. I love overnight full times and drop ins.

I actually charge five much more for overnight than drop in days. That's because I include baths, teeth brushing, etc.

For full time overnights I charge about ten bucks a week total more than day rates.

Some charge the same or a little less for overnights but I don't. Mainly because I do bath time etc and I don't do that during day stays.

No you aren't crazy at all. I love overnights because if they are children who sleep good, it's so much easier than day time hours!! I wish I could do all overnights!!!

Thank you very much for this! I was thinking of charging $30, which is $5 more than my regular daily rate yet $5 less than my drop in rate... I was considering it because it would be a great way to help generate some more income until all my day spots are full.... I sleep at night.. they sleep at night.... pretty straight forward haha. I was not willing to consider any kids that do not sleep through the night as I do need that rest. I was also not willing to consider any late hours except complete overnight as I do not want to be having people stop over for pick up at like midnite (I am asleep!)

[Cradle2crayons]

Thank you very much for this! I was thinking of charging $30, which is $5 more than my regular daily rate yet $5 less than my drop in rate... I was considering it because it would be a great way to help generate some more income until all my day spots are full.... I sleep at night.. they sleep at night.... pretty straight forward haha. I was not willing to consider any kids that do not sleep through the night as I do need that rest. I was also not willing to consider any late hours except complete overnight as I do not want to be having people stop over for pick up at like midnite (I am asleep!)

Yep. I agree on all fronts. The only thing that makes it chaotic is bath time because I have two kids of my own that need baths too.

But yes, they sleep, you sleep, potential for easy. I've had nothing but great results with it. That's why I'd do inky over it care if I could

Yes of course you are just as responsible whether they are awake or asleep.

However, your talking two hours or so of awake time at night one or so in the morning before pick up. So three hours of awake time. Heck yes

I do a drop in contract and everything is treated just like they are day shift. Parents have to send their tooth brushes, tooth paste, etc.

[JoseyJo]

Kansas recently changed the law on overnight daycare and now the provider must be awake for the whole shift, children must be checked on visually every 15 minutes, just like at nap. It would be impossible to do 3 shifts and very hard to do 2 fulls shifts here now.

I still see some providers offering overnights in addition to their daycare hours so they are either not enforcing the new law, or these providers just haven't gotten in enough trouble to stop yet!

[lolaland]

My state (MA) limits the amount of hours per day that is permitted by law to operate a home daycare. Overnight hours are included in that total... Just one more thing to have in consideration while you're making a decision

[nannyde]

Be careful about school agers wanting to stay up late on non school nights. They can tell time and the parents have a huge interest in having them sleep in in the mornings. Also be careful about making them sleep in the same room. They may not be able to settle down and go to sleep at your bedtime.

Definitely no bath on your watch. I would never agree to that or offer that. It's too intimate and robs the parent and child from having that special time together every day.

[Cradle2crayons]

Be careful about school agers wanting to stay up late on non school nights. They can tell time and the parents have a huge interest in having them sleep in in the mornings. Also be careful about making them sleep in the same room. They may not be able to settle down and go to sleep at your bedtime.

Definitely no bath on your watch. I would never agree to that or offer that. It's too intimate and robs the parent and child from having that special time together every day.

Yes, the sleep arrangements are important. I've been lucky in this department with my overnights.

I have no issues doing bath times. In my full times generally I split that with parents if its full time. If its an overnight drop in, I don't feel like one night of parents not giving a bath and I do it instead will rob them of anything.

It's no more intimate to me than diaper changing. But that's just my opinion.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

In ohio you have to be off for a certain number of hours every day.

[AfterSchoolMom]

I would do it on a 1-2 week trial period, and give yourself an immediate out if the kids don't sleep, wake early, won't go to bed, or anything else that robs you of much needed nighttime rest. I don't play when it comes to sleep.

[Cradle2crayons]

I would do it on a 1-2 week trial period, and give yourself an immediate out if the kids don't sleep, wake early, won't go to bed, or anything else that robs you of much needed nighttime rest. I don't play when it comes to sleep.

Great idea!! And I tell parents the same thing. My full time overnights always started with a few drop ins to test the waters. And then a trial.

[Blackcat31]

Hello! I hope the forum isn't idle on a Saturday evening as I am in need of some insight.... I live in a community that has a lot of factories so many families are seeking care outside regular daycare hours. I have recently been asked to do overnight care and I am seriously considering it but before I commit to anything I had a few questions.. The family has two children who are old enough to sleep through the night. I would only be doing this likely through the summer months as they are young SA. My regular daily rate is $25.

1. Do any of you have experience in this area? Comments?
2. How much should I charge? (I am not sure if I should charge slightly more than my daily rate, as overnight care is hard to find.)
3. Am I crazy?

Any additional comments or input would be greatly appreciated!

In my state anything outside of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. is considered NON-standard care hours. Those hours are usually billed at 1.5 times the normal regular rates.

I have never offered overnight care and would never consider it but I am definitely not saying it isn't acceptable or ok for you to do it. I just prefer to have work hours and personal hours that are very concrete and separate.

If you do plan on doing it, I would do it on a trial basis and would really consider a few of the things the other ladies mentioned.

I would also check with your state and make sure there are no specific rules that you have to follow being that it is evening or over night care.

How old are the children? Boys or girls?

[craftymissbeth]

Kansas recently changed the law on overnight daycare and now the provider must be awake for the whole shift, children must be checked on visually every 15 minutes, just like at nap. It would be impossible to do 3 shifts and very hard to do 2 fulls shifts here now.

I still see some providers offering overnights in addition to their daycare hours so they are either not enforcing the new law, or these providers just haven't gotten in enough trouble to stop yet!

Plus we can only work a total of 18 hours per day.. that includes all jobs, not just our daycare. In my county, we really only have one licensor who does everything... so I'm seeing how these people are slipping through the cracks.