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I charge £1.50 for an evening meal. I've got a mindee who in the last month didn't eat here 8 times for various reasons. Should I refund this money! I think I should but wanted to double check before I hand it over! Mum hasn't asked for it but I feel bad taking it when I haven't fed him!
If it is just an odd day and parents have paid in advance then I don't refund them the money but if I generally have notice and haven't prepared a meal in advance then I don't charge them - obviously though if I included meals in my hourly fee I wouldn't knock anything off, but I dare say some cheeky parents would ask!
It's not really that much money and if you did refund it you may appear more flexible. BUT be warned I started to refund things as a gesture of good will and it has ultimately backfired with parents now expecting things and when they don't get it they are annoyed. Now parents are expecting full weeks holidays of £200 refunded!! As I think about it now I would say NO do not start on that steep slippery slope.
They pay in advance for the month so at the beginning of sept they paid for all hours plus an evening meal each day. The £1.50 is paid on top of my normal hourly rate.
I was also worried about if I start to refund things like this now what will they expect in the future. I don't want to end up in an awkward situation.
I would not refund as you have food shopped in advance to include him in the meal. As people say you could start a trend where they expect a refund on a lot of things.
As we all know most chilren eat more than 1.50 worth any way , so parents are not really loosing out. :rolleyes:
I agree with Wendywu. You'll have already bought the food and making the meal for 1 less child doesn't mean it costs less overall. I certainly wouldn't refund.
Thank you for your replys. I decided not to refund in the end. I include snacks in my hourly rate & the amount of fruit etc he eats at snack time afyer school probably comes to more than 1.50 anyway.