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 In
our child care, you pay per "position", which means that the position is
held just for your child and is not based on attendance. What does this
include?
*Unconditional love & nurturing of your child - priceless.
*Dependability, always available when you arrive.
*Family environment, small ratio, family atmosphere, pets etc.
*Craft supplies: crayons, tape, scissors, glue, paint, markers, paper, pipe
cleaners, etc.
*Daily reports on how your child is doing, what they ate, things learned etc.
*Nutritious meals & snacks according to the Child Care Food Program (and you
know the price of groceries nowadays).
*Treats: pizza, candy, and other things not included on a normal basis.
*Toys, games, puzzles, books, chalkboards, movies, sand tables, upkeep of
outdoor play equipment, riding toys, cribs, and bedding.
*Training for provider & assistants, CPR, nutrition classes, safety classes,
safety abuse training, etc.
*Birthday & Christmas party supplies & gifts, as well as parties for other
holidays.
*Sanitation of toys, extra dishes, etc.
*An extra load in the washer/dryer for blankets, clothing towels and wash
clothes for the children.
*Utilities: electricity, gas, water, oil, cable, phone, garbage etc.
*Furniture wear & tear, cleaning, replacing, repairing rips & tears, etc.
*Cleaning supplies for floors, dishes, laundry, toys, furniture, vacuum bags
etc.
*And the list goes on........
*Do
you pay for a whole month of cable-even if you only watch it 24 days a month?
*Do you pay full price for your VCR if you only use it twice a week?
*Do you pay full price for your meal even if you don't finish it?
*Do you pay the same rent/mortgage even when you are at work 5 days a week?
You
are guaranteed a spot for your child with your paid fees. If it is not paid, we
will fill it with someone else.
We
do not have a problem getting clients who are willing to pay as they need our
services. We are paid for 52 weeks per year.
We
want to be child care providers and in order to continue doing this, all clients
must pay the fees.
 Many
parents assume teachers & child care providers are well paid since child care
seems so expensive. However, the reality is that
salaries are terribly inadequate for most child care providers. Licensed child
care homes reported earnings (before costs) of approximately $15,000.00 or less
per year. Such salaries are extremely low even compared to those of other
female dominated occupations. Good, dependable child care is not cheap. The
number of children per adult must be limited, because young children need close
adult attention in order to thrive.
Breaking the expenses down by category on a per day basis & using the time/space
allocation from the IRS, the average expenses total approximately $75.00/day for
all children in attendance. In this example, if 8 children are in care, this
breaks down to $9.37/day/child. At a daily rate of $19.00/day this leaves
$9.63/day for the provider and assistants. breaking this figure down further,
the provider's time is at or near poverty level. The price of quality, care,
trust, responsibility & dependability is not as expensive as it could be.
It
sounds like child care is a lot of work & it would be easier to just get a job
on the outside. Yes, some days we all wonder ourselves. Usually we need a
vacation & it is taken without pay, but we are all humans, so please respect us
for recognizing the need for a break & taking it. Just like any other job, it
has its ups & downs. The only thing we ask of parents is to respect our
policies as a commitment & not just a set of rules that they must comply with.
And by committing to our policies that we are in turn committing to them also by
choosing to stay home so that they can go to work each day. And when payday
comes & it is time to pay your provider, take a few minutes to assess in your
own mind where each dollar is going, even if it includes the days your child was
absent. Remember if it weren't for your child care, many parents would not be
receiving their paycheck.
And
in closing, please remember this...
Please
be considerate
please be kind
please remember to pay us on time
this is a real job
we have bills that are due
when we get paid late
our bills are late too
to defray the charges
that we may accrue
a $10.00/day late charge
will be passed on to you
when it comes to your children
we are caring, thoughtful, helpful & true
we just ask for the same respect
and
consideration from you.
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