Do You Do Child Care for Love or Money?
For most family child care providers, the answer is “Both!”
Family child care providers love children. It’s their number one motivating factor. But, earning money is also important.
Unfortunately, in our society we undervalue the work of providers. Federal and state governments drastically under-fund the child care system. Many parents can’t afford the true cost of child care. As a result, providers are often forced to subsidize the system with low wages.
Yet some parents assume providers should be happy to do their work without regard for money.
This comes up when a parent complains about paying a late pickup fee, leaves without giving a two-week notice, or objects to a provider enforcing her contract or policies. If a provider tries to enforce her rules, the parent sometimes acts offended, and might say, “You’re just in it for the money.”
This attitude is an attempt to shame providers into not enforcing their rules. But, it’s also a reflection of how society views caregivers of young children as less worthy citizens. It’s like saying, “You don’t deserve to be paid for your work.”
It’s also a statement about the undervaluing of work primarily done by women.
The irony is that parents who think, “This provider only cares about money” don’t realize that providers as a group don’t make a lot of money! In fact, most parents probably make more money than most providers!
So, how should you respond to parents who complain about your fees? First, for parents who want high quality care, the cost of child care can be a real barrier. Child care is expensive for many. But the same can be said for the cost of college, a mortgage, and many other items. So, you can acknowledge this fact.
Second, don't apologize for the rates you charge. Not all parents can afford you. Unless your goal is to serve only low income families, it's okay to run your business so that not everyone can afford it.
Third, if providing child care is a career for you, you want to be in business for many years and support your own family financially. If you don't charge a reasonable fee, it's less likely you will be able to accomplish this goal.
Running a successful business while loving the children in your care is not a contradiction. You can do both.
The problem of the high cost of child care can't be solved by providers lowering their rates, or parents paying a lot more than they currently do. Although some parents can pay a lot more!
Ultimately, there needs to be more government support for both parents and providers to make high quality care more affordable and accessible, while offering a living wage to providers.
Tom Copeland - www.tomcopelandblog.com
Image credit: https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/living-here/region-of-waterloo-home-child-care.aspx
