Snow and Picking Up

[helenlc]

Snow is falling heavily here (Kent).

I pick up one of the little ones I have as her start time is 8.30am and I am on the school run near her house at that time, so pick her up. I also pick her up in the holidays - it just saves mum having to get a bus to me and then a bus back into town.

Mum used to come and pick her up in the nicer weather but I have also been dropping her home at 6 - again to save mum coming on the bus to me and then the bus back home in the cold and dark.

There is nothing in our contracts about this and I dont charge extra for this (just claim the mileage in my tax return).

My dilema is that I am not sure I am going to get out in the car to pick her up tomorrow - and I dont really want to risk it either even if it was just about do-able.

But where do I stand re: payment? Mum pays me on a Monday (this evening) in advance for the week ie Mon Tues and Weds.

Do you think it would be ok if I said to her - I am open tomorrow and able to care for T but you will have to get her to me and collect her? I will then still be entitled to full pay whether she comes or not. I am open and can care for her - I just dont think I can collect her and drop her off due to the snow.

My only other option was to suggest taking the next 2 days as holiday - but that would mean half fee. I dont see why I should have to take half money when I am available though.

I have been picking her up for the last 5 months - so I dont think its too much to ask mum to do it once or twice ie tomorrow and wednesday.

Thanks in advance.

[angeldelight]

Will the school be open Helen if the snow is that bad ?

Angel xxx

[helenlc]

The school shut last Friday but I do still pick up in the holidays too - just cos I am nice:D

So basically I dont need to go out for the next 2 days but will be JUST to pick her up.

[angeldelight]

I would explain the situation and if she is nice like you then she will understand

Let us know what she says

Angel xx

[Daftbat]

If you are not contracted or being paid to pick up then its up to the parent to get the child to you. If you are open for work as usual then you shuld charge as normal.

[helenlc]

If you are not contracted or being paid to pick up then its up to the parent to get the child to you. If you are open for work as usual then you shuld charge as normal.

Thank you - this is my feeling but just wanted to get some other opinions too.

I am hoping mum is understanding as I have been picking up and dropping off for 5 months now - I think I can ask a little back in return. I dont want to risk me, my 2 children and another mindee in the car unnecessarily.

I want to be paid also - especially right on top of Xmas. I just wanted to feel confident that I was doing the right thing when I take full fee from parent this evening whilst still offering my services as available/open.

[Hebs]

i do a 30 mile round trip twice a day to pick mindee up,

not sure how bad the weather is in your area but the main roads are ok here

[helenlc]

i do a 30 mile round trip twice a day to pick mindee up,

not sure how bad the weather is in your area but the main roads are ok here

Main roads arent so bad but my road is a bit dodgy as we are on a hill and need to get up it!! Lol. Also mindee's road is a little on the small and dodgy side too.

She is here now and I have to take her home at 6 - even that is scaring me - luckily DH is about so he can drive!!:thumbsup: Although it has stopped a bit now but about 3" fell in about 10 minutes!!:eek:

[Hebs]

if you dont want to do it dont :thumbsup:

just explain to mum i'm sure she'll understand

[LittleMissSparkles]

Im sure she willunderstand Helen and if she doesnt I would politely remind her that you collect and drop off without charging her and you will have to review your contract in the new year perhaps ! :rolleyes:

stay safe on them roads xxx

[atmkids]

I would explain to her that you don't feel happy driving in the snow so although you are open for business as usual you won't be able to offer her child a lift and it will be up to her to arrange alternative travel arrangements. There's no reason why you should have to accept half pay through no fault of your own.

[little chickee]

i would go with telling the parent that you are availiable to work but cannot pick up or drop off - then its her desicion and you can still charge full fee - i definatly would not take it as holiday.

you are not contracted to collect/drop off you do it as a favour so you can decide wheter it is possible or not

[helenlc]

Thank you for all your responses - everyone seems to be saying the same, which is what I thought.

So I shall tell her that I am available to work but not able to pick up and drop off in these snowy conditions.

Will let you know what she says later!

[cowboy]

Could you fib and say that you car is not working? Then you've not offended anyone, I guess today has already gone, hope she got to you ok

Paula

[TheBTeam]

I have just this situation this week, we pick the little one up from a minder friend in the morning at 8am and at 5pm we pick up his mum from work and drive her home with the boy, we have said that we are able to work but in the interests of safety we will not be driving anyone anywhere, the responsibility is on her to get her child to us at all times, but we are open if they can get here and so we still expect to be paid. Any parent would understand that it is safety that is the driving force (or not haha) behind this decision and not laziness etc, this was borne out in our case by no other parent bringing their child walking/driving or otherwise.

[The Juggler]

[QUOTE=helenlc;598822]T I dont want to risk me, my 2 children and another mindee in the car unnecessarily.
/QUOTE]

I think this is what you need to say to her hon. hopefully then she will understand.

[wendywu]

Im behind you on this one Helen. You are being good to her but no way would i risk an accident in my car. :panic:

[helenlc]

Well, if I had any doubts about my decision, it was confirmed on the way to drop her home. It took 40 minutes to do a journey that normally takes 5-10 minutes!!!:eek:

Mum was fine. I just said "I am open tomorrow but I wont be driving in those conditions tomorrow - its up to you if you get her to me". She said she would have to leave it then. I said I would call tomorrow to see how the roads are before making a decision about Wednesday.

She had paid me when I first got there and I half expected her to ask for some back, but she didnt.

It then took another hour :eek: to get home and collect my kids who had gone to the cinema in the next town with a friend and her kids and took an hour and a half to get home from the cinema. Poor babies.

[Twinkles]

I had two of my parents call at around 4pm to say they were going to come and collect early due to the weather.

It took them 2 1/2 hours to travel the three miles. I felt so sorry for them - one of them had a stroppy toddler in the back :panic:

[helenlc]

I had two of my parents call at around 4pm to say they were going to come and collect early due to the weather.

It took them 2 1/2 hours to travel the three miles. I felt so sorry for them - one of them had a stroppy toddler in the back :panic:

My BIL left his house at 4pm to get his wife from work half an hour away - at 7.30pm :eek: they were still only 1/3 of the way back home!!

My other mindee that is due tomorrow only lives down the road, but it depends whether her mum can get into work as to whether she comes - will have to wait and see in the morning.

[miffy]

Glad it was sorted amicably Helen.

She must realise that you've gone out of your way over the last 5 months picking up and dropping off her lo but in these weather conditions it's not fair to expect you to risk it.

If the weather reports are correct it's going to be worse on the roads tomorrow anyway.

Miffy xx

[helenlc]

If the weather reports are correct it's going to be worse on the roads tomorrow anyway.

Exactly!! I wasnt risking everyone's safety to go and pick up one LO.

Neither did I want to be in a position which I thought I was going to be in this afternoon where I have the LO here and no way of getting her home safely!!

[LittleMissSparkles]

im glad she was ok with everything x

[greanan]

ive been in same boat last 2 days

I live on a steep hill and dont drive so have no choice but to walk. i pick 2 siblings up in mornings, drop one at nursery, go to my house with other one and go and pick up from nursery at lunch time. i text mum the night before and explained that the hill was just too slippery to get down with the pram and was worried the pram would end up flying away down! she was excellent about it and even dropped lo up at mine (suppose she is meant to anyway lol) then collected from nursery at lunch time xx

[mumx3]

I had exactly this problem recently as I collect from 3 families and drop off to 1 at lunch time. I crashed my car on the way to the 1st family in the ice! Luckily I one had my own DS in the car and no one was hurt.

I phoned all families and told them I was turning round and going home and it was up to them to get the kids to me. None of them bothered, and I still got paid my daily fees...I dont charge for collections

But had to send out a letter explaining this as some parents werent happy.

Seems doing people a favour can cost you a lot of money....

[helenlc]

I am considering adding something to my policies that says that if I collect then there may be occassions when I am unable to do so. And that in these circumstances, I shall be available to work and so therefore expect to be paid in full and parents are responsible for getting their children to me.

My car broke down last week - luckily husband has fixed it and I was not working last week anyway. BUT it did make me realise that if I had been working, I would not have been able to pick LO up and drop her off.

I dont charge for collection and pick up and there is nothing in my contracts to say I do it. So, therefore, I am not liable for actually doing it. I do it as a favour.

[Heaven Scent]

i do a 30 mile round trip twice a day to pick mindee up,

not sure how bad the weather is in your area but the main roads are ok here

If you are contracted and paid to do it then you need to HenenC isn't so its irrelevant what the main roads are like - she is not her responsibility to ensure that the child arrives at her house - I personally wouln't put myself, my children or other mindees at risk to collect a child whether it be from her home or school especially if I wasn't contracted to do so.

[nokidshere]

I live at the top of a hill - there are two entrances to our street but both hills to get to them.

Often when its bad weather (ice or snow) I dont take the car out at all. Even though the main road might be clear I may be unable to get the car off our cul de sac. However, I do always inform parents of this when they start and tell them that although I am happy to work I will not drive in risky conditions and I will have their children only if they can get them to me. This applies even if I am contracted and paid to collect them.

[twiggy]

I don't drive but have got a bad weather policy which states if the footpaths are really dangerous I will walk the children to school later in the morning when they have thawed.

All my parents agreed this was a good idea as some mornings it has been impossible to stand up because of ice on the pavements.