Dilema...

[lucyD]

Currently I have no mindees. Have 3 enquiries in the pipeline now but not sure what to do as they could all clash. Have a potential enquiry for 5 days a week for a teacher..but she has yet to contact me as its was through a friend of a friend and she is on hol at the moment...I have a lady who wants 1 hr a day (I would charge min 2 hrs) before school & drop off at a school 2 miles away & 8-3 in hols. Now I have an enquiry for siblings aged 4 & 6 from 6am, drop off at 8.50..so 3 hrs each...but its a different school from first....question is I don't know what to do...HELP!!

[The Juggler]

take the one with the most hours :thumbsup:

good luck.

[lucyD]

The 4 & 6 year isn't bad as it would me mean approx £25 a day for 3 hrs work but it may clash with the lady that wants 5 days a week..BUT obviously thats just a MAYBE as she has not got in contact yet so I have no details!! Would it be feasible to say to the lady that I can take them but if I get a full-timer I MAY have to give notice or would you just take them on & cross that bridge when you came to it & not say anything....

[BuggsieMoo]

The 4 & 6 year isn't bad as it would me mean approx £25 a day for 3 hrs work but it may clash with the lady that wants 5 days a week..BUT obviously thats just a MAYBE as she has not got in contact yet so I have no details!! Would it be feasible to say to the lady that I can take them but if I get a full-timer I MAY have to give notice or would you just take them on & cross that bridge when you came to it & not say anything....

Are you only reg'd for one under 5 and 1 over 5 or is it 2 over 5 as the 4 year old if in full time education (and you have it stipulated on your certificate) can be classed in the over 5 range for numbers sake. Really depends on what your cert says.

As for talking about notice at signing contracts and may have to give it - if a parent said that to me, I wouldn't even sign. Cross that bridge if/when you come to it. The full timer may never call......

[sarah707]

I wouldn't take on a child and give notice if a better contract comes along - that is unfair on the child.

Can you delay things until the teacher gets back from hols? :D

[lucyD]

I can have 2 under 5's as I have my own son then 2 more over 5. Can't get my head around it as surely if I take them on I will then be limiting myself for the ones I really want (0-5). I have a 1 yr old starting sept 1/2 day 3 days a week & don't fancy dragging her & my son out on school runs. I would prefer the littlies as think this would be better for my son whois 18mths rather tahn older children. In fact I wouldn't be able to as no room in the car for 4 kids....would have to shuffle the start times about aaarrghhh....Think I am gonna have to turn it down & face the fact its not right for me & HOPE the others work out. Does my head in trying to think of the logistics...also starting at 6 am would be a pain..I could charge to make up for it but I like to be fair!! Feels wrong turning down work as I can do it NOW but in the future it could REALLY tie me down..:(

[cockatoos]

It's difficult when you don't have any mindees - when I started I took on families that I wouldn't take on now because I needed the work. I did regret it though due to the effect on me and the other children in my care. I wouldn't start at 6am and would only pick up from one school (I do two schools at the moment on foot and it's v hard). If you can, hold out for what you really want.

[BuggsieMoo]

I can have 2 under 5's as I have my own son then 2 more over 5. Can't get my head around it as surely if I take them on I will then be limiting myself for the ones I really want (0-5). I have a 1 yr old starting sept 1/2 day 3 days a week & don't fancy dragging her & my son out on school runs. I would prefer the littlies as think this would be better for my son whois 18mths rather tahn older children. In fact I wouldn't be able to as no room in the car for 4 kids....would have to shuffle the start times about aaarrghhh....Think I am gonna have to turn it down & face the fact its not right for me & HOPE the others work out. Does my head in trying to think of the logistics...also starting at 6 am would be a pain..I could charge to make up for it but I like to be fair!! Feels wrong turning down work as I can do it NOW but in the future it could REALLY tie me down..:(

How old is the teachers child?

If you can have 2 under 5 and 2 over 5 - so 4 in total and the ones you have mentioned are 4 and 6. Then they are either 1 under 5 and 1 over 5 (leaving you one of each free to fill iyswim). But if you have the rising 5 clause on your certificate then they can both be classed as over 5 for numbers reasons and therefore take up both of your over 5 spaces leaving you 2 spaces under 5.

Or you could have 4 children in total all over 5, as long as you do not go over you maximum number. HTH x

[miffy]

The 4 & 6 year isn't bad as it would me mean approx £25 a day for 3 hrs work but it may clash with the lady that wants 5 days a week..BUT obviously thats just a MAYBE as she has not got in contact yet so I have no details!! Would it be feasible to say to the lady that I can take them but if I get a full-timer I MAY have to give notice or would you just take them on & cross that bridge when you came to it & not say anything....

I wouldn't do this - if you tell the parent she would probably not use you anyway in case you did give notice.

I don't think it's very professional to take on children thinking that you will give notice if something better comes along - it could easily lead to you getting a bad reputation and isn't fair on the child, plus it can be hard work settling some children in so I wouldn't want to be bothered unless I was sure they were staying.

Perhaps you could delay your decision until the other family are back from holiday but that may come to nothing anyway - you know the saying "a bird in the hand ..................."

Miffy xx

[cat lady at 38]

when i speak to a potential parent i always explain that untill they have paid a deposit and signed contracts that place is not theres and someone else may come along and fill it, im new like you and trying to fill places, i dont like the idea of chasing work but if i had a potential full timer i would ring and ask if they had made adecision if i felt i was missing out on another potential customer taking a place, hope things work out:)

[lucyD]

It's difficult when you don't have any mindees - when I started I took on families that I wouldn't take on now because I needed the work. I did regret it though due to the effect on me and the other children in my care. I wouldn't start at 6am and would only pick up from one school (I do two schools at the moment on foot and it's v hard). If you can, hold out for what you really want.

Thanks, that is what I am going to do. I don't see the point taking work that will be a pain as I will hate it. All the local schools are a car journey away so am limited as to numbers as I only have space for 3 mindees in my car & also not sure I even want to do school runs at the moment. I know some of you will say I am chasing ideal contracts but I just want my boy to be happy & some of the enquiries I am getting just wont work. Thanks for your thoughts.