change of hours dilema

[Rickers83]

I text a parent this morning to tie up loose ends as I didn't see her yesterday & they are now on holiday until school starts back.
She informs me that her eldest now doesn't finish school until 4pm, 45 mins after my DD & other los!! She thought she'd already told me & didn't realise it needed 4 weeks notice or in writing!!!! Its clearly in contract & my welcome pack

My big issue is its not enough time to get home & back again, but its also not fair to expect 5 other children to sit in a car for 45 mins waiting.
Plus I have 2 new los starting who get picked up at 4:15, so will barely get home in time

Also the family who now want 4pm are my main income so cant afford to loose them, but it really puts me out & can envisage the hassle of 5 kids in a car for 45 mins, plus the other mums wont be happy (I wouldn't) & the schools aren't near anywhere to take them either

I'm so stuck I just don't know what to do for the best 😞

[Mouse]

Oh dear, that is a problem.

To be honest, you can't practically pick the child up at 4pm. As you say, it's not fair on the other children and would be a nightmare if the weather was bad etc.
I think I would put the ball back in the parents' court. Message back and say you're sorry, but they didn't tell you about the 4pm finish and having considered it, you have decided that you are not going to be able to do it. Leave them to come up with the solutions. Could another parent collect the child and drop them off to you? Is there an after school club the child could go to and either parents would collect them or you could go out again later (still not idea). Whatever you do, take your time about it and don't be pushed into agreeing to something you don't want to do, or know you can't do.

[Rickers83]

Thanks, just so worried about the financial implications of losing them.
I took on the new los to get me back to where I was before a couple left in April.

And now either way I will be worse off than I started, just depends how much worse off 😞

[Mouse]

Thanks, just so worried about the financial implications of losing them.
I took on the new los to get me back to where I was before a couple left in April.

And now either way I will be worse off than I started, just depends how much worse off ��

It's so difficult when you need the work financially, but know it can't work practically. Would it be worth looking into getting an assistant just for an hour, so they could go back out to school?

How does it work for families who have children at the two different schools? Do they have to wait around?

[FussyElmo]

Thanks, just so worried about the financial implications of losing them.
I took on the new los to get me back to where I was before a couple left in April.

And now either way I will be worse off than I started, just depends how much worse off 😞

What you have to look at here is yes they may be your highest earners but if this arrangement leads to unhappy other parents who may look elsewhere. You will still be worse off financially.

[blue bear]

How old is he? Is he off to senior school and could catch the bus to yours? (Independent arrival policy )

[Rickers83]

How old is he? Is he off to senior school and could catch the bus to yours? (Independent arrival policy )

No unfortunately not, hes year 1!!
Its a free school & only opened last year, theyve made it later to make it easier for parents with older siblings to do both pick ups.....

Unfortunately its made my life harder

[Rickers83]

Hi

Sorry to bring this up again, but I had a text from mum at 8am this morning. She says they are still away on holiday but she's only just found out that the start time has changed too, from 8:30 to 9.

I'm struggling to believe that shes only just found out at 8am on a Saturday 3 days before school starts!!!
Surely the school send out letters about changing their hours & well in advance?!

Shes sold it to me that I gain back 1/2 hour, but it means another 15 mins of hanging around waiting to drop them off.

Argh, its things like this that make me want to work in Tesco! Same money & less hassle 😞

[Mouse]

You have two choices - you either suck it up and do it, or you tell them you can't do it.

If you decide to do it you can't really complain when you're spending half your time sat round waiting for this one child, or when other parents start to complain that their children are spending too long sat in a car.

If you are going to do it, I would give a deadline. Say you will try it until half term and see how it works. You'll know after a couple of weeks whether it's going to be practical or not, so could start advertising for someone new in plenty of time.

[Ripeberry]

Tell them you can't do it. I'd rather lose money than have 5 other sets of parents being annoyed that their own child has to wait around for another child. The parent will have to see if this 'free school' has some kind of breakfast club and an after school club. I can't see how they could be the main earner if they are after school only.

[Rickers83]

Tell them you can't do it. I'd rather lose money than have 5 other sets of parents being annoyed that their own child has to wait around for another child. The parent will have to see if this 'free school' has some kind of breakfast club and an after school club. I can't see how they could be the main earner if they are after school only.

There is no out of school facility, & they are my main earner as I have younger sibling full time, all my others are just a couple of hours a day

[blue bear]

To me mum has just assumed you will do it, never even thought of asking you.
Is there the possibility of replacing the whole family? It's all well feeling you owe a family and feel bad letting them down but they don't feel the same way back.
Time to get advertising you don't really have a choice.

[samb]

I would also do it on a trial basis til half term but advertise too. I would have each child on a separate contract anyway so maybe do 4 weeks trial and then if no good say you will continue til end of half term (tell them all this now). If you do give notice make it clear you're only giving notice to school child and why. Then if they want to give notice for other child I'd stick with their 4 week notice period (or whatever it states in yours). Good luck as it sounds an impossible situation to be in.

[mum67]

You also have to factor in that 4.00 finish usually means 4.10 by the time everyone has got coats, teacher let them out etc so the others will be waiting even longer than you first thought.
I used to drop off relatives to breakfast club and my dd and her friend to school and my ds to school bus in a morning so from 8.00 until 8.20 was running round like a headless chicken (all for free) you wouldn't imagine the difference every day was, traffic, children not ready, breakfast club staff not opening on time, it's endless.
That's why I refuse to do pick ups and drop off = bad experience
A gut feeling tells me this mum knew what she was doing all along and is playing the innocent now. Schools always give info well in advance and the parents who say they never knew are the ones who don't read newsletters, look in book bags or even listen. They then precede to slag the teacher/school off on facebook/twitter as being useless YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT DON'T YOU ALL

[unalindura77]

It also sounds to me like she didn't tell you as she's sure you'll just suck it up and do it. Don't be scared of losing them if need be, people need to respect your time and the other children you care for. Like Mouse said, let THEM come up with a solution. The terms and conditions and contract is being changed by them and they failed to even give you notice, they're doing this because they feel they can.

Obviously only you can decide and it is a tough one but you're running a business and have to be strong and fight your corner too!

[Rickers83]

Yes she definitely is just expecting me to get on with it.

I gave her the contract amendment with a 4 week trial period on it, during which contracts can be terminated without the usual 4 weeks should it not be working out.
I told her I would be putting this condition in as she gave me no notice & I have to see how it works with the other pick ups/children.

Shes just text & said she's not happy to sign until the amendment has been made & want to discuss it tonight!!

Thing is if she doesn't sign then her hours remain at 3pm not 4pm on her contract, & I cant pick up an hour before school ends!!

God I hate things like this, I'm going to be dwelling on it all day now 😞

[hectors house]

Hope the meeting with the parent isn't too stressful later - I guess it's the immediate notice part that she isn't happy with, maybe you could meet her in the middle with a 2 weeks notice period - not sure I understand your clause of giving it a 4 week trial but that you terminate immediately if it isn't working out.

[gwm]

If it was me, I would be saying 'I am really sorry but I cannot offer you the service you are asking for....'

[Rickers83]

Yes it probably is that part, but I have done it as she gave me no notice of the change & I have to consider the possible impact on the other families, if it is not working, can I feasibly carry on doing the pick up for a 2-4 week notice period

I would never terminate immediately, I would & did say to her that if we got a couple if weeks in & it wasn't go well I would discuss at that point to give them some time
I suppose I could write that into the amendment.

So frustrating as if she had told me at the start of the hols we would have had more time to try to work it out or arrange alternative care.... Plus I'd had 2 enquiries that I turned down before this came up

[Rickers83]

Sorry I keep banging on, but I'm even more annoyed now

School run was horrendous, 2 littles ones crying, older ones were moaning they were bored (even with the iPad I took) & one needed a wee & nearly wet them selves!!

Mum of new boys was already here waiting wen we got back

& the best bit.... I asked receptionist how come they changed the school times....
She said it had always been the plan since the children started at the school that from year 1 it would be a 4pm finish!!!!
So they knew all this when they first started with me!!

Had I of been told that from the beginning I probably wouldn't have taken them on!!!