Do i save the place??

[Vikkileeds]

Please help!

I have just registered and have 2 children starting with me in the next few weeks.

I have had another parent ask me to save a place for her child in sept 5 days (the child will attend nursery in the morn 2.5 hours).

I am new so not sure what to do! i know the parent quite well so really want to help her but what do i do about the space until then? Do i take children on & then say i may have to review the place in September as i have reserved a place already? Any suggestions and ways of wording things would be great!!

If i do save the place should i charge her whilst the child is at nursery? The school is atleast a 30minute walk for me.

[Pipsqueak]

Please help!

I have just registered and have 2 children starting with me in the next few weeks.

I have had another parent ask me to save a place for her child in sept 5 days (the child will attend nursery in the morn 2.5 hours).

I am new so not sure what to do! i know the parent quite well so really want to help her but what do i do about the space until then? Do i take children on & then say i may have to review the place in September as i have reserved a place already? Any suggestions and ways of wording things would be great!!

If i do save the place should i charge her whilst the child is at nursery? The school is atleast a 30minute walk for me.


If she wants you to save a place until September then you are going to have to charge a retainer or take a hefty non refundable deposit. 8 months is a long time to hold a space open and potentially be turning away work.

Yes you would charge while the child is at nursery IF you are dropping and picking up. If you are just picking up then I would be charging from WHEN I leave home.
You may want to consider that 30 minute walk - one way i presume - its an hr out of your day - how is that going to impact on going to groups, meal times etc. Is it really a practical thing?

She may be a friend but consider all things very very careful - they say never mix business and pleasure and most of us on here can testify to that!

[~Grasshopper~]

Hiya.

I dont think i would take the child on to be honest. Sept is a long way off and its committing yourself to a long walk with other children, and like pp said working for a friend is never a good idea.

Or you could explain you cant hold the place until sept for free. If she wants it keeping she will have to pay for it - or keep advertising and when you get interest for the space, phone her and offer her first refusal. she pays or looses the place.

xx

[miffy]

I'd consider first whether you would want an hours walk in all weathers (and with other children possibly) every day?

Miffy xx

[Vikkileeds]

Hi thanks for the replies...

I toughened up and gave her 3 options.

1/ take the place now as its available
2/ pay half of the fees monthly until then
3/ Leave it and risk availability nearer the time.

All options suit me so win win x

[newbie]

From personal experience I will never take a retainer for a space again....I held a space for a baby over 8 months over which time the parents paid me half fees every month to hold the space. The baby then started with me and has been a nightmare!!!! But because I took their money for 8 months I feel like I can't give notice and I just can't afford to give the money back either :( . The baby screams from the minute it gets dropped off till pretty much the minute its collected and I'm finding it so draining. It really gets me down. I have now had baby for about 4 months and it has still not settled! In any other situation I would have given notice, but with this one I just can't. So my advice is think very, very carefully before taking on retainers xxx

[~Grasshopper~]

aww newbie. how old is the baby? do you think he/she is missing his mummy or maybe teething. my youngest is 11mths and hasnt been himself for weeks just screaming constantly but then a tooth appeared and he was happy again. but he is now grumpy and back to screaming so im assuming another tooth is on route.

could you talk to mum, im sure she wont want her baby so upset and if you cant fix it maybe she will move him.

xxxx