How many of you include everything in your fees?

[Jelly Baby]

This holiday just gone we spent a lot of time at the local zoo. We have a pass so therefore its free. We did do other days but they were so expensive we stuck to the zoo. One of the children i mind said 'mummy said too many monkeys' (these are the parents who pay me peanuts anyway!) i felt a bit bad but cannot afford to spend £35-40 taking them to play centres all the time, i am busy but kind of outweighs me working for a child.

So who asks for extra money or do you just pay for it and think hey its the holidays?!

[Becci26]

I include everything in my fees but only try and do 1-2 trips a week in the holidays and to be honest much prefer to find free things to do such as woodland adventures etc outside of these trips - much easier when the weathers better though!!

[margaret]

I never take children to playcentres.Parks ,forest,beach is free.I do take them to local farm and paultons park ,but parents buy the season tickets.I occasionally take them to toddler groups if weather bad.

[Rick]

I include everything except expensive trips. I asked my parent for a fiver for the sensory room the other day because otherwise I wouldn't earn anything for the hour I was there! I give the parents various options and it's up to them if they want me to take their children to these places. I'm happy to provide toddler groups and a few other things like that but at the end of the day I am a business not a charity.

[step11]

I include everything but this is the first week back and oh my god prices have gone up
For the stay and plays.

[supermumy]

I also include everything but do state big trips may incur some help
I usually do free trips anyway parks woods or local farm etc

[Mickey Mouse Clubhouse]

I pay for all toddler groups and soft play which we go to every week I don't normally do expensive trips as I just find it difficult as the children go at all different times of the day.

My parents do provide food it has been there choice and not mine to do that.

In the holidays I meet up with other childminders and go to the park and they have all come to me as well as it breaks the day up.

Was going to get a pass for our local farm/country park which you can have upto 5 people on the pass but they have changed it now saying you have to have all the children named on the card with a photo but when you have different children each day you cannot do that, so many childminders have given up their passes because of this. Dont they realise that we dont always have the same children - crazy!!!!!!!

[Nicola Carlyle]

I include everything but will ask for extra if the trip is expensive and parents know this. I do have annual pass to longleat and all children under 3 are free with that so my babies and pre schoolers are able to benefit from this. During the holidays I have decided to try and do one big outing a week on different days so all the children benefit but thus could be a trip to the woods for den building and pretending their knights and kings and queens etc. My kids LOVE this kind of day out. We take a picnic. Also days to the beach, trips to the big park in town. On the days where I only have the older children and no babies I'm thinking i'll do cinema or bowling. I may ask parents to put a small contribution to this. I have never felt guilty for not offering more expensive trips before as I feel such extravagances should be done within their family. Don't now down to pressure. Stand your ground. It makes no sense to be spending every single penny you earn on days out. I'm sure the parents wouldn't do it at home!

[natalieatk]

Iv just sent out a letter to parents asking for pack lunch I the holidays ( not everyday) and ice a week I may ask for a contribution to a park it farm or more expensive outing! Holidays cost a fortune as it is with more children that are usually at school and having to provide more food etc and petrol for outings everyday! No one has mentioned so I assume they are all ok with it x

[kp0781]

I pay for toddler groups as they tend to be cheap where we are. The parents pay for soft play otherwise we wouldn't go. They also pay for meals.
Nicola where are you? I'm very close to longleat

[loocyloo]

I pay for all toddler groups and soft play which we go to every week I don't normally do expensive trips as I just find it difficult as the children go at all different times of the day.

My parents do provide food it has been there choice and not mine to do that.

In the holidays I meet up with other childminders and go to the park and they have all come to me as well as it breaks the day up.

Was going to get a pass for our local farm/country park which you can have upto 5 people on the pass but they have changed it now saying you have to have all the children named on the card with a photo but when you have different children each day you cannot do that, so many childminders have given up their passes because of this. Dont they realise that we dont always have the same children - crazy!!!!!!!

where i used to live i had the same arguement with the local science museum. even though the lady i spoke to said she totally understood, she said if i had a family pass, each child had othave a photo and be named on it, but a max of 3 per card and i could only have one card! ( at that point i had 8 different EY children during the week! ) i said what a shame, as it meant i and lots of other childminders didn't go - so they lost revenue on passes/gift shop and food!

english heritage allow you to take 6 children on one card - no need for names or photos! we visit the local castles quite alot!

[vickie-marieo]

I include all of the activities and food within my fees. similar to others I choose to do free stuff first! but will plan a 'biggish' trip somewhere that will meet everyone s needs. Sometimes in our area it's a selling point to families the fact that they don't have the added add on's, but then again it's a bonus to me as it does make my accounting easier as I do one lump sum for amount of sessions child attends etc!
Out of curiosity for those who charge or ask for contributions for outings, what do if one of the parent chooses not to contribute do you cancel it?? or pay it on the behalf of the child so everyone else can go?

[MessybutHappy]

I've written in my fees sheet that some days we'll plan full days out so half day sessions may not be an option, and that contributions will be asked for on some trips but parents may make other arrangements! I am not stoping some from going just because one won't pay, but I also won't plan masses of extras days. We have Nat Trust membership so I can take the younger ones there for free.

[Optimalstar]

I'm a cheap skate, we go wherever it's free, local parks, playgrounds, beach, museums, art galleries etc. have gone swimming in the holidays before but only have one child then and there was some sort of concession/free swim thing going on if you lived locally.

[Nicola Carlyle]

I pay for toddler groups as they tend to be cheap where we are. The parents pay for soft play otherwise we wouldn't go. They also pay for meals.
Nicola where are you? I'm very close to longleat

I'm Staverton - other end of trowbridge. Where are you?

[Koala]

I dont charge extra for anything, however, in the past I used to spend a fortune going out: petrol, snacks, little gifts, ice creams etc.......
now I budget and have saved loads of money just by not using the car and using whats on my doorstep.

[natalieatk]

I've never asked parents for money towards the cost of anything and has cost a fortune just to go to the farm eve when I have got a groupon voucher!

I don't really know what I would do if parents Didnt pay. I suppose I just assumed they would. If they were funny about it I would just explain that we never went on our outing. Can't pay for one child when all others have contributed I guess!

I maybe would suggest I could add the extra on to the invoice x

[mrs robbie williams]

I include everything except bfast and eve meal x

[MrsP2C]

I include everything in my fees during term time so try to just do free/cheap outings & most toddler groups are only £1-£2 which I'm happy to cover.

In the holidays when i have my own DC home I do like to go to the odd big day out & have asked for entrance to soft-play or a farm etc. I try & limit these things to once a week max which doesn't always affect every family & I always take food, snacks & drinks so try not to spend too much more.

[JCrakers]

I include everything but trips out that cost more than £1

I worked out yesterday that I spend £36 on toddler groups a month

Mon - £3
Tues £3
Thurs £2
Fri £1

And I don't know how much I spend on food...too much