Dilemma !!!!!!!

[bellacat]

I am currently looking after 4 children. 1 is a schooly, 1 is mon - thurs 9-6.00 and the other 2 do different hours every month. My problem is that these two children only come to me maybe 6 or 7 times a month. Their days are different every week. The mums work shift hours and give me a list of their hours at the beginning of the month. I like to think that i can be flexible but i am realising that they are taking up valuable space that could be filled by a full timer. My only full timer is due to start school in Sept, and i am expected to collect him from school. This wouldn't be a problem if i lived within walking distance but i don't and i only have limited space in my car. I have had a call today from someone who wants mon, wed and fri, all day, and to start asap. Now i either have to give notice to one of my part timers or try and juggle the hours to suit, which i don't think will work.

i feel really rotten about giving notice to a child, so that i can take on another one that pays more. also when my full timer starts school i will need someone to take his place so how do i decide who to give notice to. My full timer has been with me since he was 3 months old and i've had my schooly for over 4 years. I've been minding for 5 years now and i haven't had to do this before and i don't like it. :(

what would you do? i probably need to toughen up and stop being so nice, think about myself and not other people for a change.

[Minstrel]

Do the just pay for the hours they attend then?

I would approach them and say your are going to have to start charging a minmum fee per week (enough that you would be happy with) or you will have to let them go as you simply cannot afford to keep this arrangment going.

I appreciate it is not nice to give notice to earn more money but it is your career and you need to earn sufficently to pay your bills.

[aly]

i have 1 4yo who is still in nursery, he is shift worker so sometimes i only get him very little, july last year only had him 1 day.
i also have a 2 yo who is here 3-5
my problem is as i can only have 2 under 5 {my dd is in nursery too} so if i take on another under 5 full time i'd be over my numbers, but i have taken on 2 under 5's on a rota type thing.....when at interview with these 2 mindees i told them days I wouldnt be able to do or days where i could but they would have to be collected by 3 {due to the 3-5 mindee} and they were fine with that...
it's what works for you really, but yes you would lose out, dont feel guilty unless you could ask for either a variation or shift people around a bit?