Am I being OTT?

[BeausBumbles]

Hey all- newbie here after some advice!!

I currently look after a 5 year old along with his sister 5 days a week- our contract is for after school pick ups and holidays. The trouble we have is that he hasn't settled and since September has been doing half days- these have now dropped to half days on Thursdays and Fridays. I agreed this with his mum but before half term told them that the Friday pick up is a problem because I have to pick up my own daughter from preschool. They assured me he would be out in time to get up tot he preschool. Trouble is he never is and I have had to pick my daughter up an hour earlier each week which obviously means I am paying for an hour she isn't using

They now want to continue the half days until Christmas and they either need to switch days or pay for the extra hour- this has led to them getting very shirty!!

Am I in the right here. Or am I being over the too for an hours fees? Sorry for the essay and advice would be great!!

[Goatgirl]

Hi ,

I agree with you that it can't continue: they need to negotiate a more convenient day/time for collection really. You are doing them a favour by changing your daughter's pick up time from the other nursery, but they may not see it like that as they didn't ask you to.... if you see what I mean?

If it was me I would've just been late to collect my child once and then explained immediately what had happened and that I wouldn't be able to risk it again. Ball in their court.
They are probably a bit miffed that you have 'kind of' gone along with it by collecting your daughter early, (so they assumed it was ok) and are only now getting tough.

Just keep things clear and simple and professional. And re-explain the situation if you need to : "I did explain that I thought the Friday collection would be a problem. It is. Please change the day/time. If that is not possible, I can collect my daughter earlier, but as I have to pay her nursery fees for that time I will need to pass the cost on to you. "

Let me know which option you want to go with by x/x/x. Thank you.......

Good luck

[bindy]

I would say to them Fridays are not working out, because it is making you late to pick up your daughter. The problem being, how much do you need them? If you end up losing out for the sake of 1 hours fee? Weigh up the pros and cons.

[sing-low]

I think you need to work out what you are prepared to compromise on and what you will not change. You obviously aren't happy with having to pick your daughter up an hour early (I wouldn't be either) so I would say that this is the thing that you are not prepared to compromise on. Therefore, Mum and Dad need to make other arrangements. I wouldn't expect them to pay for the extra hour (I assume this means you are expecting them to pay your daughter's nursery fee for that hour, is that right?). I would give them the choice - either he does a full day on Friday and you pick him up at the end of the day or if they want him to do a half day on Friday, they will have to arrange for someone else to collect him as you can't. Alternatively offer to collect him from school after you have collected your daughter. I suppose the other option is to ask permission from the parents to speak with the school and negotiate with them that he comes out in time for you to get to preschool.