Daycare holding fee

[Anonymous]

I’m currently pregnant and we have started our daycare search. We will not need care until November. We found a home daycare that we like, but she is charging us $500 a month to hold the spot. I understand from a business standpoint that she can’t use up that spot, but it seems crazy to spend around $5,000 that doesn’t get applied to future tuition. We are new to this, so I’m wondering if this is the norm?

[Anonymous]

It's normal to charge you full price to hold a spot. You are holding a spot longer than most do, but she is actually cutting you a break. (She also probably knows an existing kid will leave around when you need it so she probably doesn't have an open spot and if she did she would presumably want you to pay full price.)

It is hard to get the dates to line up perfectly, so it isn't uncommon to pay for some time not used, or to use it part of the time towards the end of leave.

[Anonymous]

I think if you're open to a home daycare, you don't need to pay to hold a spot. They tend to open up more easily than do centers, although you may not get the exact one you want.

From your calculations, it sounds like you're very early in pregnancy. There is NO way I'd pay tuition for 10 months before I needed care. NO way. There plenty of places around, and you have plenty of time to find care. It's not common to pay to hold a spot, but for a month, maybe. Not 10 months.

[Anonymous]

I would see if there is anywhere else that you like that can get on the wait list. It is a lot to pay 5k just to hold a spot. A lot of places have waitlists but only charge you a onetime waitlist fee, and that's like $50-100.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would see if there is anywhere else that you like that can get on the wait list. It is a lot to pay 5k just to hold a spot. A lot of places have waitlists but only charge you a onetime waitlist fee, and that's like $50-100.

I paid almost $5k to save a spot at a center, but that was only for two months. Unless there is something you must have about this place, you can probably take your chances with waiting.

[Anonymous]

Agree that she is being really reasonable if she is holding a spot open for you for ten months. Also agree that in Hines are easier to find a spot in, so you do not need to do this unless there are special religious/language considerations or something else unique about this particular place.

[Anonymous]

Wow!!! No way I would pay that much to hold that spot. Look again in a few months

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think if you're open to a home daycare, you don't need to pay to hold a spot. They tend to open up more easily than do centers, although you may not get the exact one you want.

From your calculations, it sounds like you're very early in pregnancy. There is NO way I'd pay tuition for 10 months before I needed care. NO way. There plenty of places around, and you have plenty of time to find care. It's not common to pay to hold a spot, but for a month, maybe. Not 10 months.

[u]

Some do and some don’t. If you find a home daycare that you like and they have an open spot that you want then you start paying when you sign the contract. Standard practice.

[Anonymous]

Don’t do this! You will find something else. It’s a lot to hold for 10 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think if you're open to a home daycare, you don't need to pay to hold a spot. They tend to open up more easily than do centers, although you may not get the exact one you want.

From your calculations, it sounds like you're very early in pregnancy. There is NO way I'd pay tuition for 10 months before I needed care. NO way. There plenty of places around, and you have plenty of time to find care. It's not common to pay to hold a spot, but for a month, maybe. Not 10 months.

[u]

Some do and some don’t. If you find a home daycare that you like and they have an open spot that you want then you start paying when you sign the contract. Standard practice.

I meant there are enough home daycares that OP can almost certainly find one with an opening when she needs it. Not that they don't require payment--but I wasn't clear on re-reading.

I just can't fathom paying that much money, for that long, for a home daycare when there are so many out there.

[Anonymous]

I would tell her to fill the spot, and to call you if one comes available in September (it likely will, as the older kids start preschool or kindergarten).

At that point, paying $500 to hold the spot isn’t outrageous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would tell her to fill the spot, and to call you if one comes available in September (it likely will, as the older kids start preschool or kindergarten).

At that point, paying $500 to hold the spot isn’t outrageous.

It at that point OP may have to pay full price to hold a spot, which could be the same cost.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone. We really liked this home daycare, but I think we will keep looking. We are visiting a few that will have openings in September. Even if I have to pay full price to hold a spot at one of those, it will still be less money. We’ve also found a center that told us we can enroll as late as June and we won’t pay to hold the spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone. We really liked this home daycare, but I think we will keep looking. We are visiting a few that will have openings in September. Even if I have to pay full price to hold a spot at one of those, it will still be less money. We’ve also found a center that told us we can enroll as late as June and we won’t pay to hold the spot.

Is their spot currently open? If so then I think $500 a month is reasonable. What is their normal weekly tuition? 250? so you were paying a fraction of the price to have that spot held for you because they can fill it at full price, especially if it is an infant spot .

[Anonymous]

It’s normal to pay to hold a spot - but you are holding a spot WAY longer than normal. Doesn’t she have kids that will leave in September to start preschool? It only makes sense to hold a spot for 1-3 months. Most in home daycares don’t even promise a spot until they are 2-4 months our from when you need a spot.

Center daycare you plan ahead 12-18mo
In home daycare you plan ahead 3-4 mo
Nanny 6-8 weeks