Part-time vs Full-time rates

scrappingcat

I work 2-3 days during the week (remainder on the weekends) so typically only need care 3 days/week for my 4.5 year old son.  He is at an in-home daycare that is structured like a pre-school and the provider is a former kindergarten teacher.  He loves it there and is really doing great!  Her part-time rate is for 1-3 days of care then it is $50 more for 4-5 days of care.  I do send him 4 days once in awhile so I can go to appointments and things but would love to send him regularly 4x/week.  I'm having a hard time justifying an extra $200 for 4 days of care.  Any thoughts or insight?

Our previous provider charged us a base rate and $30/day for extra days that he attended beyond the scheduled 3.

djm31012

Agree with PP that you are paying for convenience. sometimes you will do 4 days and sometimes you wont, but its nice to have that option. I think it depends what your budget can swing. If the extra $200/mo is not going to work right now...maybe keep 3 days enrollment and hire a sitter 2x a month to go to appts etc. That way you are only paying on an as needed basis, and it will likely be cheaper each month.

snicksnack

Our daycare also has part and full time care.  We only need care 3 days a week, M W F, but they only had Monday and Wednesday open for my 3-year old until summer when she can switch rooms and hopefully there will be an opening.  Every other wed I take off and keep both kids home with me so while but am paying for my son he is not going it sucks but it is worth it for him to have a spot.  Basically I am paying for them to hold is spot they could be making money from someone else.  They do have a drop in rate as long as they are not at ratio it is more than the normal rate but overall less if I did not need care on a regular basis.  Ask her if she is open to drop in my guess is yes if she is not full because it allows her to make extra money.

Iblamethebeer

well, if you *did* keep him at 3 days and hire a sitter four times per month to go to appointments, would it cost less than $200? 

Because around here even on the cheap end a sitter is $10/hour, so $10 would only buy you 4 five-hour days of care.

I think you're getting a good deal here, especially since it comes with the free option to send your son for a fifth day if you need to catch up on errands or sanity.

scrappingcat

I should clarify that I do take him occasionally (1 week/month, occasionally 2) and am fine paying more those times.  I've just been thinking that with him starting school next year that it would be beneficial for him to have more "preschool" time to get used to being out of the house and busy on a more regular basis.  I'm just not sure that it is beneficial enough to warrant an extra $200 since it's not nearly as scheduled as a normal school day would be.  

Typically on one of the days that I am home with him we go to the library/zoo/science museum and the other day is our "lazy day."