Would Love Advice On Possible Scheduling Of New Family

[AcornMama]

First, I'll begin with...I'd really like to enroll more clients. I was licensed last month, enrolled two right off the bat, and nothing since. So I'm glad someone has contacted me, but I don't want to jump at the first thing if it's not a good idea.

Family with two kids seeking afternoon care (after the preschool they attend), here's what they want:
5yo: M, T, TH 12:45-4:45
3yo: T, TH 12:45-4:45

I'd really prefer to have them here all day with my preschool program, but that's not what they're looking for.

At this point, I don't mind enrolling part-timers for 2 or 3 days a week. I'd love full time, but I don't have full-timers beating down my door, so I'm willing to take part-timers for the sake of building up word-of-mouth relationships.

Here's the problems I see:
Arrival during lunch time.
The hours they want are more than my half-day hours (before lunch or after lunch but not including lunch...thanks Blackcat for sharing your tuition rates form).
They're looking for afternoon care and playtime after preschool. We have lunch and then rest time, so I'd have to communicate our schedule to them and make sure they know it's not just extended playtime.

Anyway, this is wordy (sorry). I got their email this afternoon and I'm trying to figure out how to reply. Because, basically, this would fall into full-day tuition rates, and if they're already paying for preschool, I don't know how that would go over.

Anything stand out to you guys that I should be considering? Basically, if I just go with my existing tuition rates, they'd pay a daily tuition fee the same as someone arriving at 7:30 in the morning. I know it's my business and I can say yes or no to whomever...ugh, hate being new...feel like I have to try to work it out to get the clients. I'd REALLY like more clients.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

At this point, I don't mind enrolling part-timers for 2 or 3 days a week. I'd love full time, but I don't have full-timers beating down my door, so I'm willing to take part-timers for the sake of building up word-of-mouth relationships.

Here's the problems I see:
Arrival during lunch time.
The hours they want are more than my half-day hours (before lunch or after lunch but not including lunch...thanks Blackcat for sharing your tuition rates form).
They're looking for afternoon care and playtime after preschool. We have lunch and then rest time, so I'd have to communicate our schedule to them and make sure they know it's not just extended playtime.

Anyway, this is wordy (sorry). I got their email this afternoon and I'm trying to figure out how to reply. Because, basically, this would fall into full-day tuition rates, and if they're already paying for preschool, I don't know how that would go over.

Anything stand out to you guys that I should be considering? Basically, if I just go with my existing tuition rates, they'd pay a daily tuition fee the same as someone arriving at 7:30 in the morning. I know it's my business and I can say yes or no to whomever...ugh, hate being new...feel like I have to try to work it out to get the clients. I'd REALLY like more clients.

If you feel like you should take part-timers to fill up now, but it's not what you really want, I'd tell them that. Tell them they may have the space until you're full, and then they can pay for a full-time spot or you can fill their spots with full-time children. Maybe they could pay your after-lunch rate plus an additional hourly rate and the cost of lunch.

Maybe, once they're in, if you do a great job of communicating all the awesome stuff that goes on in the mornings while they're not there, they'll figure out that fewer transitions, more consistency, and your program are better for everyone than shuttling from one place to another. :-)

Oh--now I notice "arrival during lunch." That's crummy. How would they come to you? How involved would you need to be in transitioning them in while everyone's eating? I'd take that into consideration before deciding.

[Unregistered]

Are you being asked to feed them lunch or will they just arrive during lunch time?

So they will arrive and have to go straight to nap, well not right to nap but shortly after arriving?

I understand that you really want more clients but look at it this way, if you take ones now who you allow to bend the rules...they will LOVE you but ONLY because you allowed them to bend the rules.

They will tell everyone else how great you are (because you allowed them to bend the rules) and all the other moms and dads looking for care will call you too. ALL expecting you to bend the rules for them too. See where I am going with this?

If you offer a preschool program and this family still chooses not to use that perk, then that is their choice. Parents need to understand that they can't and shouldn't expect discounts because they choose to enroll their children in something else.

They can't be blind to the fact that you can't really fill the space around them so why is it the provider that is suppose to take the hit financially?

I would stand firm and simply present your rates to them and let them choose whether or not it is something you can work with.

I've taken a child who arrives at lunch time before and I won't do it again. Everything you can think of that says it is a bad idea is probably right.

[AcornMama]

Thanks for the feedback. Still mulling this over in my head trying to figure out how to respond.

[Tdhmom]

This is just my opinion but it would give you something to think about. I love nap time! It is the ONLY time during the day I can really breath. If they don't lay down for nap and can be quiet what's that worth to you? I have newly started 4 yr olds and they are...difficult, very difficult. Basically most of my post are about them it's that difficult.

See if they can do a trial period to see if they would fit into your program well? I wish I would have done that. Toddlers are so much easier to adjust to things as opposed to 4-5 yr olds.

And blackcat told me she charges full day rates if they eat lunch there. I wish I would have done this as well.