how to handle holiday request

**newandlearning** · 19-01-2010, 08:36 AM

hi...

I'm sorry I feel rather fed up with all the changes that seem to me happening to me..

I still don't know what to now offer my full timer .. last year I had this mindee 50weeks out of the year.. this year mum wants mindee to not come at half term, not come most of easter and only come 3 out of 4 weeks in summer...

this has a significant financial impact on me as our current agreement is you go on hols you pay.. I go on hols you dont..

would you offer to only charge half rate during his time not here?
would you offer her an adhoc service during hols .. where ultimately I would probably always be available but maybe I wouldn't?

or would you say you want paying in full as per current agreement..? this last option I don't think would go down well with mum...

I don't want there to be bad feeling.. but I've actually taken on other mindees recently who are only term time as I'd factored this mindee and the sibling mindee as being here in hols .. and now find they won't be here hardly at all..

I've been worrying since 5am about this.. which seems soo silly

**Kelly** · 19-01-2010, 08:48 AM

I used to have a LO who had several long periods of time off per year becasue single mum used to work away from home occasionally. I had to think long and hard about fees, but eventually I decided that although I felt really bad about it I couldn't finacially hold a space without being paid. The mum recieved tax credits which made me feel a bit better charging full rate. I think you should speak to the mum and explain that you need to have an income, does she recieve tax credits? my parent got £75% of her childcare fees paid so if it ha come to it I would have charged her that.

**nikim** · 19-01-2010, 09:30 AM

im sorry but if the contract says that she has to pay for their holidays ,then why shouldnt she ,and what makes you think that she wont ? has she implied that she is not going to pay ? i would charge her the full amount and wait till she asks and untill then dont give her a reason to think she doesnt need to pay ,you could say something along the lines of " are you sure you dont need me for the holidays ? well if your sure just let me know if you change your mind afterall you will be paying for the space so you may want me odd days

" good luck with it

**newandlearning** · 19-01-2010, 11:23 AM

mum has said she'd rather not pay for these weeks she doesn't need me .. but by the time I have hols, she takes LO out for say 6 weeks that means I'm almost missing 8 weeks salary.. I'm a single mum now too and feel very stressed with this loss of income when I've been here for her on lots of occasions in the past.

**little chickee** · 19-01-2010, 12:09 PM

of course she would rather not pay for it but if it is in her contract which she has signed and agreed to then she is legally bound to pay.

i would say that as per the terms of the contract she needs to pay when the child is on holiday. what is the point of drawing up a contract if parents think that when circumstances change they can change the contract any time they like.

i would stand firm and only if it looks like she might terminate and you would lose the child would back down (grudgingly) and say she can pay 1/2 for holidays. i would not accept no payment - if you give in on this issue she will think you are a pushover and will start with all sorts of changes.

let us know how it goes.

**singlewiththree** · 19-01-2010, 12:15 PM

I would like to see her try and find someone who won't charge, unless she finds someone who wants a term time only contract and then she wouldn't have any holiday care. I know its hard, because I'm not very good at it, but you have to think of yourself. Too often my children have gone without because I haven't charged what I should and I've had enough.

**haribo** · 19-01-2010, 12:26 PM

i would maybe give her the option of going term time only , then at least you can fill the space , she cant have it all her own way its your business your rules x

**gigglinggoblin** · 19-01-2010, 12:27 PM

Tell her you will advertise the space and if you can sell the place she doesnt have to pay but if you dont get a mindee for that time then she will. She can always ask around at school or friends to see if anyone wants a holiday time minder.

**wendywu** · 19-01-2010, 12:54 PM

As the other have said, term time only contract and you can fill the holidays. Or if you are available to work you get paid.

Most CM work along these lines

**The Juggler** · 19-01-2010, 02:16 PM

I agree. Say you can't afford to drop all those weeks unpaid but you want to compromise with her and work out somethig that works for both of you.

Ask her if she wants a term-time only contract that there is a month's notice of this and you will be charging a retainer (at least half) for all of the holiday periods. Th retainer is for days not used, any days used will be charged at normal rate unless he attends a full week then she would just pay other half.

It's huge to make massive change to contract like this but you don't want to lose mindee totally over it.

You could offer that if she doesn't want any days at all in the holidays you can advertise the h oliday place. If you fill it you will drop retainer but then mindee will NOT be able to come in the holidays at all.

All doen with a smile of course