Payment pickle over playgroup sessions!! HELP

[maryp0ppins]

Right boys and girls.

Please bare in mind parent often gets her own way in many a situations.

I charge whilst lo's go to playgroup/school sessions as I've been the one dropping & then picking up.

This lo doesn't live in my village & won't go to school near me either.

I had said^ lo 3 full days per week, then parent recently got lo into playgroup 1 full session 9-3 on one day & (i now have him 3-6,)but I didn't charge as someone else were doing the drop off & pick up.
Now I've been informed lo is going half day on one of my other contracted days with him therefore my wages has been cut in half from 3 full days to just 1&half days per week BUT parents need the full 3 days still during all school holidays!!

I could really do with filling these empty spots been as I'm not getting paid So my questions is

Should a approach the subject about them paying half fee whilst lo isn't here so secure his space in holidays OR just get on with it & enjoy the peace whilst he isn't here cuz he's a monkey!!

[Tealady]

If they want to hold the space then I charge half fee, regardless of who drops off and collects. However if somebody wanted TT only for those hours I would take them on and waiver the retainer.

[Koala]

Well, it's up to you.

MY philosophy is - This is my business and this is my job which I get paid for and I have to do things I don't always want to (i.e. looking after little monkeys) and just suck it up.

Therefore, If a parents wants the space, they have to pay because this is my business and this is my job.

Your first mistake (in my opinion) was not charging when he went to playgroup, I would have charged for the full day because you a still saving a place for part of that day, no matter who drops off and picks up. Although I can quite understand that you took this as a little luxury that you only had to have him 3 hours that day and forfeiting the money was initially ok, but that doesn't pay the bills, does it?

Maybe this is time to bid farewell to this family and fill the space with another family? :thumbsup: one more suitable :thumbsup: nudge nudge wink wink :D

[wendywu]

Well, it's up to you.

MY philosophy is - This is my business and this is my job which I get paid for and I have to do things I don't always want to (i.e. looking after little monkeys) and just suck it up.

Therefore, If a parents wants the space, they have to pay because this is my business and this is my job.

Your first mistake (in my opinion) was not charging when he went to playgroup, I would have charged for the full day because you a still saving a place for part of that day, no matter who drops off and picks up. Although I can quite understand that you took this as a little luxury that you only had to have him 3 hours that day and forfeiting the money was initially ok, but that doesn't pay the bills, does it?

Maybe this is time to bid farewell to this family and fill the space with another family? :thumbsup: one more suitable :thumbsup: nudge nudge wink wink :D

I agree with this, start again and with new rules this time :thumbsup:

[funemnx]

The way I would see it is that parents wants to change contracted hours and wouldn't charge a retainer for lost hours as it would be up to me to either accept the changes or not :thumbsup:

[karen m]

I always look to see if the hours are suitable I have never asked for a retainer , if those hours are not suitable for me I don't have the child in other words if I can t/ don't want those hours I wait till I find a family wanting hours suitable for us both

[Jenna]

If the hours worked for me then I'd do it otherwise if I knew I couldn't fill the spaces around this child and they still wanted the space in holidays I'd be incline to charge full fees. It depends what the demand for child care is like in your area

[tulip0803]

I have a policy for children that attend meithrin/playgroup which says that I charge for all contracted hours if I drop and collect OR if the place is required during school holidays.

If parents don't want to pay then they can look elsewhere (other childminders here do the same and there are no nurseries :rolleyes:)

[maryp0ppins]

Update


Ok so parent intends to send lo to me 1 day 8-6, playgroup 2 days 9-3-then dropped to me 3-6

I said as I'd wavered the Friday & charge nothing I couldn't afford to loose another full days pay so options were -:

1 - Pay me half retainer for Thursday so lo has secure spot term time/out of term time (waver the Friday still)

2 - Do the same as Friday but I advertise & if I get full timer lo has no secure space out of term.

Parent went for option 1 :-) therefore I don't feel like I'm a total fool & lost 2 full days fee's

LESSON LEARNT TODAY!!!!

Thanks everyone xx