What would you do?

[twise]

I have been looking after A since feb of this year..i love her too bits and treat her as one of my own. Her mum is a single parent and from Feb to Sep was on lone parent payments...they paid part of my fees. The payments were always in arrears and sometimes they owed me upto 8 weeks. Obviously i didn't see it as the parents fault and therefore never charged late payment fees. Occassionaly she couldn't pay me on time and again because of her circumstances i allowed her to be a few days late and never charged her the extra.

A's mum started college at the end of September, I had to fill out the childcare cost forms and we agreed I would up my fee by a £1.00 per hour. This would then cover me for holiday pay and also reduced her perdonal fees to me as the student support pays 85% of childcare costs....this basicallly means she only pays me £23 a month instead of £126.

I advised her weeks ago that i am taking 2 weeks off at xmas (the first holiday i have had all year) and expect payment as the college are paying it.

She came to me last night and said that she will only pay me a week from 22 december and the followng week 29 december she has to place child A in the college nursery at a cost of £35 per day and therefore will not be paying me for that week as she cannot aford to pay for 2!!

I was so cross and really didn't want to respond there and then as i think i would of terminated her contract!

Firstly, i didn't think college/uni childcare facilities were open over the christmas break and secondly i am saving her over £100 per month ...£1200 per year so she can afford to pay for the extra childcare .


i really can't think straight at the moment as all i think is the amount of times i have helped her out etc and i feel a bit used to be honest.

what would you do


tracy:mad:

[yummymummy]

Sorry to sound harsh but I have always found "give them an inch and they take a mile"
A reminder of the favour that you are doing her wouldn't go amiss but I suspect she will still give you the sob story.
She will be lucky to find someone else to do this for her so she may well change her mind but it depends on how much you need the money whether you give notice or not but I am getting a bit cynical these days so I probably would!;)

[Spangles]

I would calm down and have another chat with her about this.

It's not your fault if she's got to pay for other childcare while you take your holiday, she's presumably agreed to paying you for your holiday in the contract. I don't charge for my holidays so have no experience of this myself.

I know it's harsh but you've really helped her out. If she doesn't pay you for that week it's like you are paying for her child's care for that time.

I would be angry like you, does she realise what you have done to make it easier for her?

I would definitely chat with her about it again and say that she's signed the contract and agreed to this and explain how you have helped her out financially.

Good luck.

[wendywu]

I dont know about this one as i dont get paid for my holidays just when they go away.

Why is she having to use the nursery, does she still have to go to college then? I thought that they were all closed untill 5th or 6th Jan:panic:

[yummymummy]

Ps Just read again and I agree that uni or college will definitely be closed, nursery may be open though but then that would mean she is sending child when she isn't attending college so is her choice to "pay twice" for childcare.

[twise]

thanks ladies, i am going to have a chat with her tonight and advise that i am not happy and if she doesn't want to pay my holiday pay then fine but i will point out that I need to contact the college to advise i mis- calculated her fee and it needs decreasing by a pound an hour - why should she benefit??..

My husband keeps telling me that this is a business but i find it so difficult to be hard nosed however once bitten.......



tracy

[mandy moo]

I wouldnt prehaps say anything about be unhappy with it all, it might just make things more difficult for you.
You could contact the college anon'msley and ask is the nursery open and is it for staff only or students in over the xmas period and see what they say.
But as in your last post, you could point out you will have to contact the college re the payments being miscalculated as it could be seen as fraud if you dont, (prehaps get the right facts about this 1st tho) and steer conversation that way?
Good luck

[a.lmb]

ALL COLLEGES ARE OFF as i am doing a course i have finished and dont return till 5th of jan so she shouldnt be needed no childcare so therefore she should pay u

[Little Antics]

I wish all childminders would ensure they get some paid hols!! Myself and my colleagues have 4 weeks written into contracts. Most parents have paid hols and it is only right that you take good earned rest. Although most of us see it as a time to tidy up, clean all toys and equipment and complete unfinished documentation!

Also colleges are often on holiday over the Christmas period - ring them and check!

Good luck