Chirstmas holiday payment

[Mia]

Hi,

We are a two carer team about to open our doors tomorrow, and as many of you will know its been a very very long tiring hard work process to get here.

Anyway before we even begun to show parents around we had to decide what we would do with regard to payment during holidays. I know this is personal thing for everyone and that many wish not to cause bad feeling between them and clients, but at the end of the day we all have a living to make, and i am of the belief that if there is anything in this world that the price should not be quibbled about its quality care of a child.

This in mind we decided we would charge each and every month regardless of whether the child was away on holiday, ill or if it is a bank holiday. We also then discussed our holidays and decided to be fair that we would only ever shut our doors for one week over xmas, and cover our holidays internally by hiring an assistant further down the line.

We decided this knowing how hard it is for parents to find alternative childcare at any other time of the year, and as almost everyone has holiday for the period between xmas and new year (paid) if working, it would mean that they would not be at a loss financially by paying us if they were not being paid themselves. If we were not to charge at this time, we have the potential to lose up to 8x one weeks payments and that can amount to a great deal.

This information has been passed to all our parents and no one had queried it until recently. One of our Mums said she could find no other nursery or childcarer who charges for the period over xmas.
What i am trying to ask in a long winded way is if anyone else charges for the holiday period over xmas. Or else at any point over the year?
We are obviously not in the position to compare our payment plan to that of a nursery who work on a grander scale and who can afford to pay staff for the time over xmas, but it would be good if we could inform this particular parent that we are not the only childminders who charge full price for a holiday just one week in the whole year!

[berkschick]

If I am open and they choose to take xmas off then I would charge full fee.

If I chse to take the week off then I wouldnt charge anything.

But it is your business so you make your own rules up.

I thought nurseries charged all year around.

Good luck tomorrow, how many do you have starting?

[crazybones]

I charge for Xmas excluding Bank Hols. I have been lucky the last 2 years they have all taken hols so I have been paid and not had to use my own time off.

Annie x

[deeb66]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I charge for Bank Holidays so am paid for Xmas day and Boxing day automatically.

I usually am available for work the day after boxing day so all parents have to pay me regardless of whether or not they intend to use my services on those days....some do use my services and some don't.

If I was not intending to work at all over the Xmas period then I would not charge for them as I do not make any charges for days that I choose not to work.

I hope this helps you a little

Don't forget to pop into the Hello section to say hello and introduce yourselves to all members.

[Mia]

Its a bit of mosaic at the moment to be honest.
We have about 12 children on our books but some coming for one a.m some two, some a full day others 2 and so on...
As you can imagine doing invoices is a great deal of fun.

Still the area we are in requires mostly drop in sessions and this seems to be a niche market we have tapped into. Unfortunately as its such early days this wouldnt be consistant enough to pay the bills.

We are quite positive that we will fill to capacity in a few months judgeing by the positive reaction we have had so fingers crossed.

Thanks for reply.

[sarah707]

I do not charge if I do not work because I have chosen to take time off... :D

[Pipsqueak]

I don't charge for the time I choose to close my doors, if I am open and they choose not to use my service then they get charged.

If you have only had one query it, then perhaps you need to stand firm in how your choose to run your service.
Or perhaps you can revise and charge a standard fee over your closed periods of say xxx rather than full whack fees.

[fionamal]

I only charge if I am available for work. Parents can take holidays at half fee and my hols are free.

I dont think its fair to charge parents when im not working as they have to make other arrangements and pay for other care.

[LittleMissSparkles]

If I am sick or take a holiday day/days then I do not charge BUT christmas is slightly different, for term time only children I charge half fees as they are on school hols and they are contracted to pay 50 % fees during these times regardless of when it is, for full timers I charge full fees for christmas day boxing day nye new years day but do not work them unless required and then at overtime rate if do iyswim

does that help probably not .... lol

Stick to what you have decided if its just the one parent who has queried it and you are doing well i wouldnt worry abut it if she doesnt go with you in the end as you will replace her quickly by the sounds of it xxxx


good luck with everything xxx

[charleyfarley]

I never shut down at xmas, that way I still get paid as it's the parent choosing not to use the setting, sneaky really!!

If I do close for my holiday then I don't charge

Carol xx

[Mia]

Thanks all,

I do think revising prices now after they have been carefully thought through would look unprofessional and a little submissive on our part.

We will be providing a really top quality service and both believe what we offer is well worth the prices charged. If we start to lower our prices now, i feel it suggests we are not confident about this.

So i think we will stand firm and will have to take the chance that a client may choose a cheaper option just for the sake of that one week.

[tulip0803]

I am open all year except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day ( I take holiday but do not charge parents). I do not charge for Xmas and boxing day but charge for all other bank holidays. I specify that I am not open those 2 days as where I used to live was opposite a hospital and I cared for doctors and nurses children, many of whom did not celebrate Christmas. All other days are charged even if they do not attend.

[wendywu]

I thought that Christmas day and boxing day were bank holidays. I always get paid if i am available to work. I dont get paid for my holidays but paid when they take holidays, but not if it is the same time as me of course.

But i get paid all bank holidays.:rolleyes:

[Kelly]

Personally like most I charge for the bank holidays over Christmas but not remainder of any holiday I am taking, if the parents choose to take more holiday then they need to pay.

I think you are right not to back down now though, it is your business if you wish to charge for Christmas holiday then do it. I do have a question about you getting in an assistant to cover your hoilday, are you parents happy that you are choosing the carer? and would they have the choice to have unpaid holiday if they were not? I assume this assistant would also need to be a registered childminder? these questions are asked purely out of curiosity, myself and another childminder would like to run a similar method, but do not think it would work.

[avril]

my main mindee's parents work term time only so I charge half fee for school hols which includes xmas

Avril :laughing:

[wendywu]

Im sure i would have some children with me christmas day if i offered. My husband always says how many are we taking away on holiday with us

:panic:

[oakie dokie]

i charge for bh but i do not work them. i am taking all next christmas, i will charge the

hazelx bh but not the other days i take.

[Mickey Mouse Clubhouse]

Hi

I don't charge for BH as I don't work them and I do not charge for my holidays. It is your business and you have to do what is right for you.

Hope you get it sorted.

Lorraine xx

[Banana]

Hi Mia.

Its your business so your rules.

You charge what you want to and if the parents dont like it then they can choose yto go elsewhere. I dont think you should change your prices now that you have set them. I wish i got paid for my holidays but I dont. I would stick to your original decision

x

[Julia]

Hi

Do your own thing, I charge full price for B/H If I take a hol is 1/2 price if they take a hol stuff em they got to pay me full price! No ones complained yet
:p

[son77]

I think what you are suggesting sounds fair, and anyway, its your business, not theirs.

My sons nursery used to charge for bank hols & when they were closed at xmas.