Whats better term time only or day off a week?

**smurfette** · 21-04-2015, 07:45 AM

Currently I with four days a week with a Friday off. Makes a big difference to our standard of life and means I have a Friday morning to myself for gym or meeting friends then the girls have me to themselves or can have a play date
However I have spaces to fill in sept and I am just wondering about the merits of going term time only. I am not sure if it is even a possibility as here in Ireland we are much less regulated and so lots of people child mind casually for a few extra euros. To go term time only I would have to charge two euros more per hour and probably parents would find someone who would do it for less, but I couldn't afford to not be earning the rest of the time so would have to put up my prices to compensate. Anyways I had a lovely enquiry yesterday which got me thinking about the whole thing and doing my sums so I just wondered which people found better

If I was to go term time only I would have to work my Fridays but be off in holidays (though I am confused as this lady was a college lecturer so her holidays would obviously be different to primary school for my girls ) I would love to just have my kids in holidays but my fridays are for me which I wouldn't get in the same way .. Although they are bigger now and could be left for a couple of hours
Thoughts ?!

**loocyloo** · 21-04-2015, 08:03 AM

I like my monday off and really miss it in the school holidays when my children are home but i also enjoy having that day with just us, no mindees, in the holidays! (Can't win! Usually in the summer hols I try to book my children into an activity one or 2 Mondays to give me time to get stuff done. I can't concentrate on paperwork when my children are around ... I want to go and do things with them to make the most of no mindees!) I'm trying to cut my working holidays down to 3 days a week ... giving me Mon and Fri for a long weekend ... But I know come Jan I have mindee returning and sibling who need Friday's all year round!
Sorry no help to you at all! I would have to increase my fees for term time only and would probably lose all my LOs as my only term time only are schoolies!

Simona · 21-04-2015, 08:51 AM

Many cms work 3 to 4 days a week...I was wondering what would happen if either the 25 hrs of childcare came into being ...or the 30 hrs... after the general election.

The less hours worked the more we will be offering just the so called 'free childcare' and left with few hours to make up the shortfall from funding.

Any thoughts on that?

**tess1981** · 21-04-2015, 08:56 AM

I have Wednesday off but with a lo leaving and a new one starting September I will lose my free day but tto so will have it during holidays so I don't mind he will only be here til 4 and my own children dont get home from school to just after 4 so if I have to take them anywhere like dentist can do it after 4 on a Wednesday....

**smurfette** · 21-04-2015, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by Simona

Many cms work 3 to 4 days a week...I was wondering what would happen if either the 25 hrs of childcare came into being ...or the 30 hrs... after the general election. The less hours worked the more we will be offering just the so called 'free childcare' and left with few hours to make up the shortfall from funding. Any thoughts on that?

That does sound like a real possibility there in the uk

luckily we don't have that issue here yet.. Los get one free year preschool before school but mostly it is nurseries that offer that., it does mean I lose my Los when they get that as I am
Not in a position to do a preschool run (it's only three hours a morning) and even if I was parents wouldn't want to pay me as that would Offset the free ness! I know the odd childminder who offers it but it is below our usual rate and only 38 weeks a year so you would have to either take on more little ones (and I don't really have the space) or be worse off

**Maza** · 21-04-2015, 09:06 AM

A couple of years ago I would have said one day a week but now that DD is at school I would love to do term time only. I find holidays more challenging as playgroups close and so we spend more time in the parks which are twice as busy and therefore stressful. DD isn't quite old enough to do stuff by herself in the holidays but she is growing out of the stuff that I provide for mindees and so I am torn. If we go on an outing it always seems to revolve around the mindees, for example DD will be in the middle of showing me how she can walk across a balance beam and I will have to run off because a mindee is stuck on something, or if we are reading something at a museum a mindee will suddenly be desperate for the loo. I know if she had siblings then that would happen anyway, but she doesn't. I haven't worked this Easter and I feel like I have had such quality time with my DD.

Your DDs could do playdates at their friend's house and then you could repay the playdates in the holidays - it's never too long to wait for a school holiday. I like the suggestion of arranging a couple of holiday activities so you can still get some 'me time' in the holidays. x

Simona · 21-04-2015, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by smurfette

That does sound like a real possibility there in the uk

luckily we don't have that issue here yet.. Los get one free year preschool before school but mostly it is nurseries that offer that., it does mean I lose my Los when they get that as I am
Not in a position to do a preschool run (it's only three hours a morning) and even if I was parents wouldn't want to pay me as that would Offset the free ness! I know the odd childminder who offers it but it is below our usual rate and only 38 weeks a year so you would have to either take on more little ones (and I don't really have the space) or be worse off

Interesting that you mention preschools...by which we mean the ones who operate term time only for usually 4 hrs a day and offer just the free entitlement.
I wonder how they will be able to extend to 25 or 30 hrs if their settings are in community halls and therefore not able to expand?

Would that means more sharing of the 'free childcare' for CMs and more care for us during the holidays?
I am trying to get views on this as I know they will come up at my association's AGM in June.

**Mouse** · 21-04-2015, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by Simona

Many cms work 3 to 4 days a week...I was wondering what would happen if either the 25 hrs of childcare came into being ...or the 30 hrs... after the general election.

The less hours worked the more we will be offering just the so called 'free childcare' and left with few hours to make up the shortfall from funding.

Any thoughts on that?

I limit the number of hours a day I offer funded sessions. At the moment it's 3 hours a day.

I will only consider offering longer funded hours if the LA increases the amount they pay us.

Simona · 21-04-2015, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Mouse

I limit the number of hours a day I offer funded sessions. At the moment it's 3 hours a day.

I will only consider offering longer funded hours if the LA increases the amount they pay us.

I hear this more and more....providers limiting the places due to underfunding.
when you say 'funded session' do you mean 'just the 3 hours or a session of, say 5 hours, where 3 hrs are funded and 2 paid at normal rate?

If you only offer 3 hours per day...would the rest be taken over the other 4 days to make up the 15?
Thanks for your time.

**FloraDora** · 21-04-2015, 11:20 AM

Term time only here, gives me chance to do big tasks like clean carpets decorate etc...and my own hobbies that aid relaxation and holiday and visit family/ they visit me.

But I get lots of enquiries wanting all year, luckily I have a teachers network of interest too.

I am working into summer break in July this year as I have a parent who is an LEA advisor and is working then and her LO will be leaving me this summer so we are having a week together.

I try to only work 3 days, but invariably its 4, as other childcare are grandparents for most of mine or parents and they often request more days to do something, but it is at my discretion.

Like others, funding is only viable if parents pay for the extra hours to funding the child is with me. I have mentioned on here before that I am not taking a two year funded child into next September as they are not in the position to pay for the extra hours I currently do, but the higher than my usual rate for 2 year olds at the moment means that in a day I am not hugely out of pocket. I received a lot of critiscm last time I said this, but I stick to my decision, I would be down £9 a day and I know I shouldn't and the parents couldn't afford to, pay for the extra hours, they are expecting another child so will be on maternity leave for most of the year and in a position to take child to a nursery local to where they live.
But this is the dilemma if you take on a 2 year funded child and 3&4 funding....if who ever gets in decides to increase the funded hours my working parents will be better off, they will still need me extra hours to a funded day so it shouldn't effect too much, famous last words perhaps??

**Mouse** · 21-04-2015, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Simona

I hear this more and more....providers limiting the places due to underfunding.
when you say 'funded session' do you mean 'just the 3 hours or a session of, say 5 hours, where 3 hrs are funded and 2 paid at normal rate?

If you only offer 3 hours per day...would the rest be taken over the other 4 days to make up the 15?
Thanks for your time.

I only do funding for children who already come to me when they reach 3. They are usually with me for a minimum of 7 hours a day. My funded session is 9am-12noon. If a child comes to me for 2 days a week they can have 6 hours funded with me. They will only get 15 hours with me if they come 5 days a week. I don't take on any children who only have funded sessions,so all parents pay some hours at normal rate.

Apart from one child, all the others who have funded sessions come to me on a part time basis. If parents want to access their full 15 hours they can take the children to a playgroup or nursery on the days they don't come to me.

**Rubybubbles** · 21-04-2015, 01:18 PM

I was pretty much working tt only in my last house more due to requirement than choice. But I have found since moving I'm all year round 3 full timers (one who does use 15 hours of funding) but it's nice!

I noticed a drop in income when working tt only- but te time was lovely with my own children!!! It's so tricky workin out what's best!

**shortstuff** · 22-04-2015, 10:02 AM

I like having my fridays with no children and am trying to keep it although that might have to change.

That way DS gets a mum and DS day every week in school holidays and I get my quiet day during term time

He loves it because we scoot home together every friday n i have to admit i get some very strange looks as they are used to seeing me be sensible lol x