do you 'even out'parents hours?

[Bluebell]

I have a mum contracted for 7 hours a day 2 x days a week. Often her shifts go on longer than this, she is great - she always asks if its ok, always lets me know the time, never an issue. I keep track and charge her for the extra time.
BUT sometimes she chooses to collect her child an hour early - I just charge her the normal contracted hours.

She seemed a bit peeved last time that I had done this as she assumed by picking him up early one day would mean it would cancel out the longer hours on the next day.

She commented when i added up the extra bits that she 'would have to take my word for it' as sit seemed she thought I shouldn't have done it that way and I just wondered how you would do it?? It was the week I had a family bereavement so I didn't think much of it and she had accepted it.
I'm just wondering whether I should be more generous on the next invoice?

[loocyloo]

I charge for contracted hours and then I charge for extra hours. I don't carry unused hours over!

I had a similar thing this week...LO comes on a Thursday. Mum asked if LO could come an additional Wednesday. I said yes. Mum then said LO won't be here next Thursday. I felt I ought to say ok I'll use next weeks fees for the day this week but I managed to stop myself and charged her for the extra day this week and get a quieter day next week!

[cathtee]

If a parent has hours set and has an extra hour they pay for the extra, if a parent wants to pick lo up and hour earlier then that's up to her and still has to pay we don't work flexi time.

[helena_j]

I would have done the same as you I always charge for the hours they have asked and if they pick up early it's their choice as the way I see it as I can't plan to do anything else as assume I am booked for that space etc. x

[kellib]

I don't, I have one mindee who is always picked up early, it's between 90 minutes to nearly 3 hours early sometimes but they always pay me until 5pm and have not once asked to carry any hours over.

[Mouse]

This is one thing that I make very clear to parents from the very beginning. I stress that the hours they pay me for are the hours that are contracted, not the hours I work. I give them the example that if they collect early at any time it doesn't mean they are "owed" any time. I don't carry hours over, nor do I swap days.
I also make sure that they know any hours outside the contracted hours are charged as an extra, even if the contracted hours haven't all been used. I am actually a bit flexible on that, but I don't tell parents that. I offer it if it suits me and it does make me seem very generous from time to time

The easiest way of sorting it out with your parent might be to write it all down for her. Just a simple information sheet explaining it. You can hand it over to her saying you are sorry there seems to have been some confusion over your fees, so you hope this information will help to explain it

[dawn100]

I charge for contracted hours regardless of how many hours have been used and then additional hours are added on I do not refund unused hours or roll them onto other days, I will sometimes swap days.

[Tatjana]

I don't do that either. They pay for the contracted hours and any extra hours are charged accordingly.

Only one client has ever complained....but I think she just got mixed up how it works and was fine about it after that.

[The Juggler]

tell her she doesn't have to take your word but you can show her the records of times she dropped off and picked up and if she feels more confident about it you will ask her to sign to show she agrees from now on.

[bunyip]

If you have to get her to sign your register on a daily basis, then so be it. If she complains, well..... she's put herself in that position so she doesn't have to take your word for it. Funny how people trust you completely with their children, and less so with their money.!??!!

My old geography master used to say, "pupils write their own rules" - ie. if they can't act civilly, then there has to be a rule to make them. I'm increasingly of the opinion this applies to adults (clients) too.

[WibbleWobble]

I tell parents they pay for their "core hours" - hours they know they need. Theses hours are contracted. Because I usually work 1:2 ratio I have lots of spare spaces which parents are welcome to use ( if given notice). These are extra hours and are paid for on top of the core hours. Pick up your child early in the core hours you still have to pay. I am not a bank.
Wibble x

[tas]

Same as everyone else I charge full fee for all contracted hours regardless if used or not and would also have charged for the extra hours

[tulip0803]

Same as everyone else - I charge for contracted hours and then charge any extra on top.

Like Mouse I stress to parents that I will charge the contracted hours whether they use them or not.

When I had a shift worker they paid for the hours used and a retainer fee for those days not used but if they used the day they paid their 8 hours even if they used 6

[Kittycat]

[QUOTE=loocyloo;1323865]I charge for contracted hours and then I charge for extra hours. I don't carry unused hours over!

I would see why mum was slightly confused
I don't work like this either as I would confuse myself, I only ever charge a parent their standard contracted hours eg, 9-3 for 3 days etc stated in their contract, if they require extra help or more days and considering if I can provide it, I send out a separate invoice for the extra days required.

[blue bear]

Is mum contracted for x hours over two days or x hours each day?

If it was x hours over two days then I could see why mum would think an earlier finish one day and a late finish the next evens out to the x hours.

If its x hours on Monday and x hours on tuesday then an earlier finish is charged as normal and a later finish is charged as extra.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I would nip this in the bud otherwise it will fester with mum and probably land up with notice being given.

Arrange to meet her and discuss the hours on the contract. Explain that she is paying for the space for the times contracted and not the hours and that hours cannot be carried over.

Would charge for the additional hours and credit the time off for my funeral.

[scottishlass]

I would have done the exact same - my parents pay in advance so any extras are on the following invoice. Sometimes if its maybe an odd wee 1/2 hour I don't bother adding it on xx

[LauraS]

I would charge the same as you have done, too, so long as your parent is contracted for, say, 8 til 4 each day rather than 16 hours per week. I do have a family that have needed some extreme days and hours recently and have done these free of charge for them; the parents and the children are lovely and they are thoughtful and don't take the mickey, so it was a pleasure to do so (especially when they sent me some lovely flowers to say thank you). Your customer sounds like she would take a mile if you budge an inch though, so I wouldn't bother. It's all very well a parent assuming tht early collection one day equals late collection the next, but as we all know the hours at the end of the working day are twice as hard as the ones before them! No amount of early pick ups could entice me to have some of the wee darlings beyond 6pm!