daycare cost question
 

My youngest (Andrew, 3.5 yrs old) is in daycare/little school at a facility associated with the college that I work for. They are closed the same days we are - 4th of July, Spring Break, Thurs and Fri of Thanksgiving, 2-3 weeks at christmas time, etc.

Apparently waiting in Andrew's folder tomorrow for me will be a notice of raised fees (happens, ok) but on the back of the new fee notice is a little note saying that "parents will be charged for holidays when the little school and college are closed with the exception of spring break and the winter holiday break".

Which means next week on the 4th, they are closed, I'm off work, and I have to pay them to not take care of my kid. I can understand charging me when they are open but I don't bring Andrew in for whatever reason - we're out of town, he's sick, whatever.

Now I know this is weird, but do other child care places charge when they are closed? For example, for Thanksgiving day, do folks get charged a full week?

Yes. I get charged for a week, no matter if there is a holiday in the middle of the week. I pay for July 4th even though both kids will not be there.

As info, I think my son (age 5) cost $172 per week and my daughter (age 3) cost $190 per week.

Michael

3yr old costs $135/wk (was $185 through age 2) and we pay for full weeks just like you do, even on holidays BUT for Christmas break and maybe one other.

my wife is a teacher and, to be honest, we were very happy to find we didn't have to pay for our son's spot through the summer months when he isn't there. many centers here would require it to hold the spot.

in our search for daycare we talked with MANY providers that required you to pay full rate immediately just to HOLD a spot for your yet to be born child.

Yes, one way or the other you are charged. Does your work pay you less the week of Thanksgiving because the business isn't open? Exactly.

Not unusual. The smart ones raise their fees to cover the holiday costs as a hidden charge. Then they can say they don't charge for holidays. An extra $5/week=$260/year equals 6 to 8 holidays/year.

Rates around here (Minneapolis) range from ~$200/week for an infant (6wks-6mos) to ~$120/week for 5yrs.

We have two children in Daycare, 4 year old daughter, and 1 year old son, we are given (I think) 14 days of "vacation" a year. Otherwise the cost is spread out evenly over the remaining 12 months.

Bill