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snufflepuff
12-05-2011, 07:55 AM
At the moment the earliest I start is 8.30am (and infact the parent is often a bit late)
I have had 3 enquiries recently asking for 7.30am starts. I'm not at all keen on starting that early! My son doesn't tend to wake up until 8-8.30am so i'm already getting up before him to be ready for my current mindee.
But I feel like it's stupid to not even invite them to visit. I need the work really- from next month when my 2 new mindees start I will have 2 EYFS spaces on a Tues and Fri and one EYFS space on a Wed and Thur. (Not that i'm looking to fill all those days, but just some would be nice!)
What would/ do you charge for early starts? Would you charge double time from 7.30-8 or your normal fee?

handeme
12-05-2011, 08:06 AM
I currently start between 7-7.30 and i charge my normal hourly rate. Should anyone want care before 7 my charge would be £5.00 per hour, the same applies for after 6.00pm.

c x

Tina O
12-05-2011, 08:12 AM
I don't think 7.30am is early and I wouldn't class it as needing to be charged for extra because of the time. My two little ones are contracted from 7.30am but one can be as early as 6.45am depending on requirments of mum and when work need her to start. parents know that they have to arrange early drop off and if they are before 7.30am I may not be as ready as after 7.30am but they work with me on that one. If (and it has happend once or twice) mum needs to be at work before 7am then little one stays overnight with me so he isn't dragged out of bed at the crack of dawn.

Early for me would be before 6.30am.... but you need to do to what works for you, good luck xx

breezy
12-05-2011, 08:23 AM
I start at 7.30am and charge normal rate, I finish at 6pm anything outside those hours is double rate!

The idea with being your own boss is you choose your own hours to suit you, so you must do what suits you and your children, at a rate that suits you too.

karen m
12-05-2011, 08:23 AM
I agree that 7.30 is not a early start so normal fees apply,i charge more if i start at 6 which is the normal as i tend to have a lot of shift working parents but then i don't charge more for finishing late some finish at 7 obviously not the ones who start at 6

hayleychildcare
12-05-2011, 08:33 AM
I start at 7am and finish at 6.15pm.

I charge my normal rate,

HELEN10
12-05-2011, 08:34 AM
Anything before 8 and after 6 is classed (or used to be) as unsociable hours.

I charge time and a half before 8 and after 6 (although not sure I would work after 6 now!)

All nurseries in my area charge extra before 8. Opening hours for some of them are only 8 - 5.30 with premium charges if they do outside those hours.

manjay
12-05-2011, 08:45 AM
As a household we need to be up before 7 to get everyone ready to go off to school. I start at 7:30 and don't charge any extra. they way it has worked for me is that the earlier Mum gets to work the earlier she can finish. I much prefer early starts than late finishes and now very rarely work after 5pm.

Obviously if you don't have school age children things are a little different as there is not the necessity to get up so early. However if you have had 3 enquiries for 7:30 starts it sounds like there is a market for it in your area.

snufflepuff
12-05-2011, 09:06 AM
Ok then maybe i'm just a lazy bum. I already wish I could stay in bed until DS wakes, lol!
I don't see it bothering me in the summer but in winter it would be a struggle- getting up at 6.30am will feel like getting up in the middle of the night!

mama2three
12-05-2011, 09:12 AM
Only at first , then youll soon get into the new routine. Im so not a morning person , but am now up at 6 to set up ready for my 7am starts. At the end of the day I needed the business !

AliceK
12-05-2011, 09:13 AM
I used to do 7.30 starts but it was too much for me and my family. I like to have the house ready for when I start work which includes making sure the beds are made and bedrooms tidy, downstairs hoovered and floors mopped etc, toilets cleaned etc every morning. (yes I am a clean freak :blush: ) As well as this I need to get myself ready (45mins) and get my own 2 young children ready. I already get up at 6.15am to get all this done for my start which is now 8am but when I was having to do it all for a 7.30am start it was too much.
Decide what is right for you and what you can realistically manage and stick to your guns or else you're going to really resent having to do it. I decided that 8am until 6pm is enough for myself and my own family.

xxxxx

snufflepuff
12-05-2011, 10:28 AM
I suppose it might help that I don't finish late so it's not a long day- currently 4pm or 5pm. I think i'd rather start early than finish late.
I'm willing to give it a good go!

rickysmiths
12-05-2011, 11:46 AM
I started at 7.15am for 4 years until that family left the country at the end of March. I have started as early as 6.30 though i don't think i would want to do that again! I have a before schooler starting in Sept and that will be 7am.

i wish I could finish at 5pm but none of my parents finish until then so the earliest pick up is 5.30 and the latest 6.30pm

I have always charged the normal hourly rate for the hours the parents requires and that are on the contract. Anything outside this is 11/2 fee.

justdaz
12-05-2011, 12:15 PM
At present I start at 6.45am, soon to be 6.30am as another school age mindee starting next month.

I charge normal hourly rate for contracted hours stated at the start of the contract.

I am finished by 5.30 on 4 days and 4.45 on the other.

This works fine for me but you have to decide what is best for you and your family.

The Juggler
12-05-2011, 01:15 PM
i started 7.30 starts again after 2 years of doing 8am. I found it REALLY hard for a few months but now it's fine. I just make sure I have time for a cuppa and my breakkie in peace and then I'm set up for the arrivals :D

Obv. given the choice I'd pick 8am but like manjay most of my parents start early/finish early and I prefer the early finish. Last year was hard - 7.30 start AND 6pm finish (I know lots of girls on here do MUCH longer days than that even and I don't know how :panic: :panic: ).

For me I would not do early AND LATE every again and 7.30 is early enough fo rme.:thumbsup:

PixiePetal
12-05-2011, 01:25 PM
my regular rate hours are 8 to 5.30. Outside those hours are higher rate.

My children are teens and I would rather not do early starts as they get them selves out for school/ college and I just dash about asking if they have everything! - earliest is 7.45 two days a week. Would love to work 9 - 4 but guess that's too much to ask! :rolleyes: :)

ChocolateChip
12-05-2011, 01:33 PM
my normal rate is 3.50 but anything before 8am or after 6pm is charged at £6 per hour.
Most of my schoolies have started before 8am, and have done 5.50am starts for one family who did shiftwork, (they would go back to sleep on my sofa) that's just finished now thank goodness!
If I have an early start I just make sure everything is tidy before I go to bed, get up at 7am, have a shower, start getting my own kids up by 7.15 get my coffee and have the breakfast things out on the table ready for 7.30.
I do up the packed lunches while they're eating so I'm 'around', get them all sorted with teeth, girls hair done etc., sort out any 8.00 arrivals or older ones leaving for the school bus and then usually sit and have my brekkie about 8.15 while they play or watch tv.
An 8.00 start is a bit of a luxury to me! :laughing:

mrs_scottydog
12-05-2011, 01:34 PM
Ok then maybe i'm just a lazy bum. I already wish I could stay in bed until DS wakes, lol!
I don't see it bothering me in the summer but in winter it would be a struggle- getting up at 6.30am will feel like getting up in the middle of the night!

This sounds like me! :blush: My excuse is I've just had 1 1/2 months of not having to be up for mindees until today, when my new mindee started. So have only been getting up when DS got up.
You have to do what is right for you and your family. Hx

Chimps Childminding
12-05-2011, 01:42 PM
I start at 7.30 and finish usually approx 6 - 6.15. I don't charge extra for these hours!

miffy
12-05-2011, 01:45 PM
my regular rate hours are 8 to 5.30. Outside those hours are higher rate.


Same here.

I suppose what you have to decide Snufflepuff is how much you need the work.

Miffy xx

jane5
12-05-2011, 01:59 PM
My advertised hours are 8am -6pm

I start at 7.15am some weeks for my shift worker and charge time and a half for that 1st hour as it is extra for an early start. Lots of minders near me wont do an early start so mum was happy to pay it.

teacake2
12-05-2011, 02:41 PM
I am lucky at the minute I don't start until 8.30 and am usually finished by 5.00, lovely hours, but I know that when these three leave (all at the same time for school next year) I will probably have to change my hours, it will be hard after all this time.
Teacake2

buildingblocks
14-05-2011, 05:11 PM
Anything before 8 and after 6 is classed (or used to be) as unsociable hours.

I charge time and a half before 8 and after 6 (although not sure I would work after 6 now!)


Same here xx

mushpea
14-05-2011, 06:05 PM
I think it has to be what fits in with you and how you feel about the times,, if a 7.30am start is unsociable hours to you then charge more,,
I start at 7.30am but refuse to open the door before this time as I class before then to be unsociable hours and it has to be by appointment only,, tthe child who starts at 7.30am is actutaly contracted to start 8am and just crept forward half hour but as she always pics up early it doesnt bother me but just latley i have heard them out there at 7.20am and she always knocks at 7.25am and has to wait,,i even told the child off the other day for making too much noise whilst he was waiting as it disturbs my two, in the hols mine lay in till whenever as I dont see why they should have to get up just becuause i work as long as they come down dressed of course!
anyway i dont charge extra to start at 7.30am but would if it was arranged before then.

onceinabluemoon
15-05-2011, 07:33 AM
My fees are standard from 8am to 6pm and any time before or after is double time (and nobody has ever complained).

I start work at 6.30am, which means I have to get up at 5.30! I finish around 6pm

I'm ready for my bed by 8.30 and if I'm not asleep by 10pm I suffer with headaches the next day. It kills me in the winter and I have no type of social life now as I'm always too tired to do anything. It's not as bad in the summer months as the gulls wake us up early anyway but in the winter it's hell.

I'd love to start at 7.30 again, lol. It's all relative I guess...

nokidshere
15-05-2011, 08:29 AM
The earliest mindees arrive at 7:30am and the latest goes at 6pm. I dont charge extra outside of these hours but then I only work for an hour or so before school and 2.5/3 hours after school.

snufflepuff
15-05-2011, 08:41 AM
Well this latest parent didn't get back in touch anyway!
She called on Wednesday but I didn't answer my phone because I was at a funeral. She text straight after and asked me to get in touch so I called the next day and as there was no answer I replied to her text, apologised for not answering her call, explained why.....but I haven't heard anything!