so confused, i see trouble ahead :(

[mammumof4]

Hi, i have a difficult parent, hard to get in touch with, never comes for visits when arranged, changing minding hours ect ect. little one came to me all last week and i asked for payment on the monday, no problems at all with that, parent informed me on fri that i wouldnt be looking after LO this week as they ar on holiday (we only have a temp contract untill sh knows her hours at new job) and i think i might be having little boy next week, full contract wil start in a few weeks but mum wont know hours sometimes untill the day before, so my question is how do i invoice for this? i like payment in advance either weekly or monthly, which ever parents prefere.
not sure if this makes sense or not?? in a rush to get to toddler group :laughing:

[Sharon-Marie]

Hi...not sure if this would work out but I would suggest negotiating with mum and agreeing a more than generous guesstimate of hours, which she pays you for in advance...this guarantees that you will be available for the times that she "may" need you, perhaps, have a upper-limit, again guesstimating the maximum no of hours she is likely to need you. Like you, not sure if that makes sense!! but i have a similar situation. Parent who would like me to care 2 days a week for her son, an after schooler, she will sometimes be able to pick him up from school herself at short notice and would almost always collect from me before or by 5pm, but sometimes 5.15 ish. She insisted on paying me for both days a week til 5.30 regardless of whether I have looked after her son or not. This is agreeable to me as I organise my week around those two days so i would not be able to arrange to have other after-schoolers on those days...She sees it as a fallback as I am always available to have her lad should she need the care and I see it as guaranteed payment...hope this helps

[little daisies]

i woild have a contract for a certain amount of hours each week between certain times of the day that way you charge for the amount of hours on contract and more hours if needed

[It's a small world]

Not sure if this helps but I have a mum whose a midwife and doesnt know her shifts until a week before. She knows she will be working three days a week but this could include weekend (ie could be tue/wed/fri or wed/sat/sun) Either way she pays me 6 hours for three days whether or not I have lo this way she knows that I will be able to have lo as keep a space available for a whole week . I know some people might think that I could be losing out on a full time space but then mum loses out as I could have lo one day a week yet still get paid three iyswim?) . to be honest ive gained more so far as she s been given a lot of shifts at the weekend. My only problem is dont have lo alot to do obs etc. But mum hapy to do this.

I would suggest like the others stating so many hours a week and paying you in advance this way you are availble for her when she needs you and you can be sure you can afford to keep a place open for her if she needs you.

Good luck

[mammumof4]

thankyou ladies, that makes sense, will talk to her about it next time i see her :)