How Do You Handle Variable Hrs?

[legomom922]

I am soo frustrated..I have a DCM who is a coach for college, and her hours change every semister depending on what sport is being played. This is my PT DCM that is paying my full day rate of $35/day even though the baby is only here 4 -5 depending on the day. She is a great person, pays ontime, never challanges my policies, bakes me cookies, is very understanding of any emergency time I need off with short notice, etc. the perfect type of parent.

However, her first semister, the baby was here t,th,fr from 1130-4, and the second semister, it was 9-130, m, th, fr. However, her hrs vary, sometime she drops off at 730am and picks up at 12, or drops off at 9 and picks up at 1..it's never the same!!

The problem is that, I had a tooth break on me over the weekend, and I had to get in to see the dentist on mon. I "assumed" I would be calling the dentist asking him to get me in after 130 on mon. Sun she tells me she needs me from 1130-4! Totaly through my schedule out of wack! I also had 2 other appts for mon after 130, because she has been picking up anywhere between 12-130. I was soo mad! She didnt "ask" if this was ok, she merely told me she would be coming at 1130 on mon. So then I told her about my tooth, and basically because I could not get in to my dentist in the am, I had to go in the afternoon before my other 2 appts, and so I said I could not take the baby on mon. I asked her what her hrs will be on thurs, and she said 9-130! I am so confused and I didnt not even talk to her on sun or mon about the hrs, because I was so upset I didnt want to say something I would regret later.

So now her hrs will be changing again in January...I dont how how to handle this anymore. How can I make appy for my off time when everyday her hrs will be different? How can I even get another child when her days also change per semister? And she said there are 2 wks in the coming semister, she will need me all 5 days instead of 3..

I dont know what to say about mon, or her hrs, what should I do?

[momofsix]

I can see why you're frustrated about not knowing her hours, and I broke a tooth last week too BUT, isn't that why she's paying for the full time spot? Unless I'm misunderstanding your agreement with her, it seems she's paying full time b/c of her changing schedule, and this way she is guaranteed the hours she needs? She is paying the full time rate so you don't need to get another child to make up for the times when her child is not there.
I would guess she gives her athletes a schedule of practices at the beginning of each sports season, maybe you could ask for one of those, or at least ask for a minimum amount of notice for schedule changes?
Hope your tooth feels better!

[marniewon]

I don't have any advice how you could possibly get more kids with her crazy schedule, but she needs to pick the hours she needs and give you a schedule in advance, so you can make (and keep!) your appts. If I'm understanding correctly, her schedule changes? It's not just her deciding at the last minute to stay home or go to work? She should know in advance what she will be working. Have her give you a schedule of hours that she needs at least a week in advance. If she doesn't have a schedule (she picks her own hours) tell her she MUST pick her hours and let you know a week in advance. That's just crazy never knowing what time she'll be dropping off or picking up! That would drive me batty!

[DCMomOf3]

I have to agree with momofsix. She is paying for a full slot so you have to assume she could use the full slot if she wanted. I know it's maddening to not know the schedule in advance but I think the way she is paying she has some leeway. I would tell her that you would like her schedule a week in advance, and that you will tell her if you are not available because of appts as a courtesy. It has to go both ways I think.

[MyAngels]

I can see how it would be frustrating, but it sounds like she is paying for a full-time spot so that she can have her schedule change without worrying about whether you can accomodate her. I don't think it would be out of line, though, to ask her to please give you some kind of an idea of what hours she will need at least a few days in advance.

I have a son who is a college athlete and his schedule with the team changes constantly due to several factors including class and finals schedules, the coach's recruiting schedule, etc. so I can see why she has such a crazy schedule, it's not like a normal 9-5 job.

[E Daycare]

UGH I know how you feel but my dcg hours are all screwy cause her parents are all screwy. Make an appt to see a nice "medication" doctor and get some good pills. LOL Im THIS close to doing that as I dont know how else to handle my crazies either.

[legomom922]

She is paying the full time rate so you don't need to get another child to make up for the times when her child is not there.

No she is not paying a full time spot. I charge by the day, no matter how many hrs they are here, 4 or 10, and she is contracted for 3 days a wk. Her hrs are crazy..sometimes I get a text at 1030at night telling me what time she will be here..She hardly knows from one day to the next.

I dont think she can possible think because I charge by the day, that I should be at her beck and call. She did sign a contract and pur hrs on there which they are supposed to be most of the time, but the most of the time hrs, change anyway. So for example, if she put on the contract drop off will be 630am and pick up will be 12pm, what happens is she will text me on sundat night and say she will need me from 9am-1pm instead. So I cant really go by what hrs shje put on the contract.

Last week she told me on wed that she needs me fri 9-130. I already had a appt scheduled for 230. She tells me at 130, that she is picking up at 2 instead. I told her I couldnt that I had a appt 45 min away, and she showed up at 2pm anyway and said she didnt get the text till 155...I had to resch my appt at the last minute..and not only that but the baby was packed up with his snowsuit, in his carrier, ready to go at 130! he had to sit like that for 30 minutes!

See, if she was paying for 5 days and using 3, I know I couldnt fit in another kid, because those would be her days, but her days change per semister, its not always m, th fri, or t, th, fri, and I have a dcg here on t,wed, so I cant really rent out my 2nd spot on tues, in case she needs it next semister..or I would have to charge her the ft rate of 175 to save it for her.

And if she is picking up at 130 everyday, I could still get an afternoon kid from 130-530...so it does mess me as far as squeezing in other kids too.

I told her I need to talk to her on Thurs about her schedule, but I dont know what to say...

[nannyde]

Is 35 dollars a day the cost of one fifth of your full time rate meaning your full time rate is 35 x 5 = 175. Is your full time rate 175 per week?

Of is 35 dollars a week the daily rate you charge per day for part time people?

I'm confused

If you are charging a part time daily rate that is higher than your daily full time rate then you have to make sure that rate compensates you for whatever level of flexibility you are giving them.

If they are fixed days then the rate is lower than if they basically get to pick three days of the five and come any time they want. The more flexibility you give the higher the daily rate.

The time needs to be set also... she can use any of the hours within X to X for that fee. If she comes great... if not then great.

[Blackcat31]

I would personally charge any family with a schedule that difficult the full week rate...that way it isn't my problem how much it changes because ALL the space is theirs and I am not stressing about it...the varying schedule is HER problem NOT yours so I would do full time rate and let her sort out the rest.....As far as appointments go, I have a substitute that comes in for anything I can't schedule before or after childcare hours or on weekends.

[legomom922]

Is 35 dollars a day the cost of one fifth of your full time rate meaning your full time rate is 35 x 5 = 175. Is your full time rate 175 per week?

Of is 35 dollars a week the daily rate you charge per day for part time people?

I'm confused

If you are charging a part time daily rate that is higher than your daily full time rate then you have to make sure that rate compensates you for whatever level of flexibility you are giving them.

If they are fixed days then the rate is lower than if they basically get to pick three days of the five and come any time they want. The more flexibility you give the higher the daily rate.

The time needs to be set also... she can use any of the hours within X to X for that fee. If she comes great... if not then great.

I charge $35/day weather they are PT or FT. If she was FT, it would amount to $175/wk. She comes 3 days for $105/wk

Now I'm confused...Are you saying I should be charging more per day for her because she needs so much flexability?

She knows I'm open from 630-430..However she is the only client I have on M, Th, F, so I make all my appts for after 130pm, because I basically close when she leaves.

[nannyde]

Yes I charge 25 percent more per day for part time kids.

I would raise her rates per day 25 percent and then lock her into a full day time frame AND exact days at least every semester.

Give her a max hours per day she can use in that and an exact pick up time maximum. She can come m w f from eight am to five p.m. or something like that. Whatever hours within that she comes she comes. Anything before or after is overtime.

It sounds like she just gets to do drop in care for a fixed amount a week. Drop in care is EXPENSIVE. If she wants carte blance to your services at any time of any day then she just needs to pay full time and come within your contract hours.

[katie]

If she pays always on time, never complains, and is paying for a full time slot I would deal with the hours. I know it is an incovenience but for me it would be worth it if I had no other probs. Not too many will pay full rate for pt.

[nannyde]

If she pays always on time, never complains, and is paying for a full time slot I would deal with the hours. I know it is an incovenience but for me it would be worth it if I had no other probs. Not too many will pay full rate for pt.

she's not paying full time. She's paying for three days at the rate a full time kid would pay daily. If the provider charged one hundred dollars a week which is twenty dollars a day this client would be paying sixty dollars a week for three days.

Not a good rate for part time.
HORRIBLE rate for part time drop in care on whatever schedule she pleases.

[DBug]

I have crazy schedules like this too, and yes, it's annoying. Especially when you want to do something special with the kids but can't because you're not sure when/if one particular kid will show up!

The only way I've been able to deal with it is to just assume that the child will be there from open til close. If you charge by the day, then you won't be losing any money on the child's scheduled days. Be upfront with the mom and tell her she needs to have specific contracted days, and that you either need to be free to use the leftover days for drop-ins (or for another perm. p/t), or she needs to pay for 5 days/week. If she chooses not to pay f/t, you can reassess the contracted days when her schedule changes again, and see if you have an available spot for her new schedule. If not, she's out of luck. This is the only way I've been able to cope with crazy schedules (both mentally and financially!).

For appointments, schedule them when you have the least amount of kids, and just let the parents know in advance which days you'll be closing early or that you'll have a back-up watching the kids while you're away.

Good luck. I feel your frustration!

[momofboys]

I charge $35/day weather they are PT or FT. If she was FT, it would amount to $175/wk. She comes 3 days for $105/wk

Now I'm confused...Are you saying I should be charging more per day for her because she needs so much flexability?

She knows I'm open from 630-430..However she is the only client I have on M, Th, F, so I make all my appts for after 130pm, because I basically close when she leaves.

I would tell her she needs to give you her hours in advance. Does she not know what time games/practices are? Is there that much of a variation? Then if she does not give you the times you should let her know that you plan appts outside of her contracted hours & if she is not sticking with them she needs to notify you ahead of time (like at least a week or 2). What a pain to deal with.