Wow, $18.36/hr. sounds great compared to what I have heard!!
I think the real problem is that in order to afford to pay people well, you have to charge quite a bit, and parents complain that childcare costs too much as it is.
I am an in-home childcare provider licensed for 12 with an assistant. I currently charge 130/week for infants, 100/week once they are potty-trained. Parents gripe that the "pay so much for childcare." I start my employees out at 6/hr. and that I know, is pathetic. The problem is convincing parents that paying more ensures that the caregivers their children know and love stay working here, instead of leaving for a better paying job. Let's face it, running a daycare is not cheap, their are a lot of expenses that go with it--toys alone cost an arm and a leg if you buy the good "educational" ones, like at Discount School Supply, etc. If I owned a center I would want to not only pay well, but offer benefits. It is a lot of work dealing with kids, and the parents don't even have a clue-afterall, their kids spend more time with us than them. Let's not forget that a lot of parents expect you to teach their kids to read and write before they even enter school!! (Which I think is ludicrous--kids need the chance to be kids, and they learn so much more through playing than people even realize!!)
Anyway, I will get off my soap box!
Mary
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