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how much more per hour do you charge for these? I dont charge much more than my hourly rate for these but then of course get stung if someone requests them because it eats in to time i would rather not give up but i dont then get financially rewarded for doing so?! Just wondered what most people do?
I usually just charge my normal fee which is probably a bit daft but I'm just too soft!
Double fees for outside of my advertised opening hours.
Normal fees if within my advertised opening hours.
generally its my usual fees, but if it is much later or earlier than normal, then double fees ... but it depends on what else I'm doing, and how convenient it is, and actually, if I WANT to do it! I have been known to say NO! I then just have to remember what I've said to individual parents! I do tell them all that it can vary as to time/day and what else is going on. ( also, depends WHO is asking .... if it is for a family who appreciate me and give as well as take, then I am much more likely to do it for usual fees! those who take the mickey, either get a NO, or a high fee! :rolleyes: )
I agree with every word you've written loocyloo.Quote:
Originally Posted by loocyloo
Just do what suits you and your family. But remember if you don't charge extra some families may take advantage.
I just used to charge the usual fee too. While you say that you don't get financially rewarded, you could look at it another way - the parents stay with you for longer (months/years) because they can occasionally get extra hours, which they wouldn't get if they used an after school club or nursery.
I charge my usual fee. I decide whether or not I want to do it then accept or decline the offer of work accordingly.
It’s everyone’s personal decision, but I can’t say that I always understand some of the justifications for a higher charge. I think it makes sense if it’s outside a CM's usual opening times, simply because that invariably means working with just one child, which is far from cost-effective.
Personally I dislike the argument that "I’ll charge more because I don’t want to work it." We’re self employed and mature enough to decide not to work (without apology or excuse) if we don’t want to. A lot of employed people don’t enjoy that privilege: they have to work a lot of hours they don’t want to, but can’t demand more pay purely on the basis of their personal reluctance.
I wouldn’t want to leave a child with anyone who was doing hours they didn’t want to. I’d be afraid their reluctance meant a lack of enthusiasm and hence, potentially, a lack of care and attention to the job.
What really gets my dander up is when CMs make the excuse that "it’s my family time" or, conversely, when clients say "I appreciate it’s your family time, but....." . For me, my family time is priceless: not something to be haggled for at higher rates...... and if clients really appreciate that at much as they say, then perhaps they should think before expecting me to sell that important time.
My opening hours tend to be the only hours i work. That's not saying i wont help out a parent who is genuinely stuck on an occasion.
Like loocyloo i have various committements to get too so unfortunately i cant accommodate longer hours.
I do have a parent who bless her asks me every week if i can do other days to a much later time. She gets told no everytime. Maybe she thinks one week i will say yes but its not going to happen :laughing:
If you dont want to work past a certain time i find saying no is better than any financial reward2s because it would have an extremely increased rate which i doubt any parent would pay.
I didn’t have the most professional system in hours and timings. I charged per day, each family had their own hours and timings. If they were early or late it was always for a justifiable reason, I had a late clause in contract but didn’t use it. If Ofsted came knocking ( they were mostly teachers) or a twilight meeting/ parent’s evening their family couldn’t help with, which was rare, I usually helped out, gave them tea and kept them until late if I didn’t have something else on....without charge.
What this did create was good will which was never abused. When I needed to go somewhere they came early if they could. They often came early if they had a late pick up earlier in the week. It just turned out to be swings and roundabouts, I gained as much as them.
I realise that this wouldn’t work for everyone and I didn’t have my own children to care for either....which would have dictated a different system.
I finish at 5pm and rarely work later.
I have one mum who is a teacher and she does sometimes have late meetings at school. If dad's shifts clash and he can't finish work on time, I will have the children later, but only till 6pm. I charge £5 an hour per child, which is slightly more than my usual rate, but it's easier to deal with a £5 note than it is to be scrabbling around for change!
I have another family who sometimes ask if they can collect at 6pm. It's usually for a good reason and, if I'm not doing anything else, I will do it. Again, I charge them £5 for the hour. I know it doesn't seem much, but I figure it buys me a coffee at the weekend :thumbsup:
I never say yes if I don't want to do it and there have been many occasions when I have said no. They're mainly the times I know the dad is in the pub and wants to stop for another pint!