unsure with numbers
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  1. #1
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    Default unsure with numbers

    i have a 3yr old going to nursery three full days.

    lo came to me full time before summer hols- anyway ive spoken to paretns and asked them their opinion on me rounding my hour up - beofre school is 45 mins, so rounds up would make it the hour and an extra 75p to me. i dont think it too extreme but they are not happy to do that. ( was quite shocked as i am reasonable and dont charge hols or retainer and also bend over backwards he word mug comes to mind.)
    ok so i kept it the same.

    but ive not realised (i think ) that while lo is at nursery i cannot take another child on while shes there as she is in my early years. i do have her full days on thur and fri .

    feeling like ive mess up and really should ahve stuck to my guns.

    i supose i could get a variation to have an extra one as i only have the lo 2 and half hours total on three days . what are the chances of that one ??

    am i right with this one - i cannot class the space as a schoolie one can i?
    Weightloss -2lbs (14lb to go)

  2. #2
    Penny1959 Guest

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    Sorry - you might just have to put this one down to a learning experience

    You won't get a variation for new business - only for continuity of care if a child already in your care needs extra hours or has a sibling needing a space.

    You are right - this will not be classed as a 'schoolie' space

    Not a lot you can do until contract review time - but don't forget you have the same right as the parents to give the appropriate notice period as in your contract to say you are making changes - up to the parent if they want to sign contract or not.


    Penny

  3. #3
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    HI
    If you don't think you can fill the space between the times LO is at nursery but could get another full time mindee to fill the space, I'd give 4 weeks notice of either higher charges (to make up for some of the income lost for these hours) or termination of contract.

    It sounds as though you have bent over backwards to be accommodating to this family but they're not doing the same. I have found that this is very often the case. The ones you give discounts to or 'let off' things are the very ones who end up taking advantage or complaining when you enforce a charge or policy at a later date. We live and learn

    They may well also just not realise just how little of what they pay you ends up as profit or how your income is dependent on you having x numbers of spaces filled. If you want to keep them I'd work out how much you need and are happy to let the space go for. I'd also not be asking them what they think about rounding the hour up. Your business, your charges. 4 weeks notice is perfectly sufficient to round up hours this tiny bit. You could introduce a minimum daily charge for under 5's even?

    Then explain to parents how things work from your point of view and that you hadn't thought it through properly when you agreed to not charging for days LO is at nursery.

    Hope you work something out that you're happy with. Good luck

    best wishes,
    Wendy

  4. #4
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    hi thanks ladies.

    yeah i thought as much and definalty a learn from experince one.

    i am in a lucky position to not need desperatly need the income, but it's still frustrating as i do still need to remain professional.

    and at the moment i everyone seems different.

    two people who started at begnning pay extra for meals
    then few months later i got full timer filled with a schoolie and as fees seems huge ( to me anyway) i said i'll include meals

    then a parent who changes times to suit childs routine ( thats anotehr thread thou LOL) but not on a pay as you go service its more drop off ealrier and pick up ealrer - again i dont mind this either.

    then i have a parent pays hour rate and chose whioch school hols she wanted - i dont mind this either as school are very hard work, so will look forward to the reduced number when the 2 girls not here

    then i have jsut changed someone to term time only but let me know if you need hols, but before the 1st of each month - again my own resonsing in this was less children in hols is better for us to go out with my own two.

    now dont get me wrong, i must seems very flexible but i do want to remain profeesional. am i going aobut this the wrong way. ?

    oops turned into a bit of a rant.....sorry
    Weightloss -2lbs (14lb to go)

  5. #5
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    it really is up to you mr man. if you're happy with what you're doing then that's fine. it's when we mess up and resent it that the probs start. with reasonable notice you can still put the fee up, god it's so negligible i can't imagine why they're fussing about it. would you be happy to let them go if they won't agree? you say you're not desperate afterall.
    i've made a similar mistake very recently and i should know better but i've had a lot on my mind lately and i haven't been on top of my game. i am cancelling the contract before it even starts because i wouldn't be happy living with my error.

  6. #6
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    thanks marleymoo

    im going to leave it to experience and try keep on top of it.

    i wont end contracts on it as they are a loverly family, but its made me more stronger in the mind to remain professional. iykwim. and think before i speak.
    Weightloss -2lbs (14lb to go)

  7. #7
    Penny1959 Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by mr man View Post
    thanks marleymoo

    im going to leave it to experience and try keep on top of it.

    i wont end contracts on it as they are a loverly family, but its made me more stronger in the mind to remain professional. iykwim. and think before i speak.
    Wise words Mr. Man - ' to think before I speak'

    If only I could remember that - would save me from having to deal with the mess my mouth is constantly getting me in - and not just with childminding


    Penny

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by mr man View Post
    thanks marleymoo

    im going to leave it to experience and try keep on top of it.

    i wont end contracts on it as they are a loverly family, but its made me more stronger in the mind to remain professional. iykwim. and think before i speak.
    hon, put it down to experience yes, but don't live with it, that's 3 days a week and 6 hours which you can't earn money for.

    I would sit parents down and say you hadn't realised how much income loss this would mean to you. You agreed cos you wanted to be flexible but this will leave a huge hole in your monthly income and you can't afford to live like that. Explain that if you do this care you will be lose 18 hours of income per week. Tell them you can't replace their child with another because they still need the space on Thurs/Fri and in the holidays and because they need the space before/after nursery.

    Then give them the choice of full fee or retainer fee for those hours (they need to keep these hours open for holiday care don't they?) or you regret that you will be unable to fulfil their new contract request. Did you sign a new contract yet based on these hours or did they just tell you what they wanted?

    Also explain (do your fees policies explain this) that you DO charge by the hour and that if they want say 0730 to 0830 that's fine or 0815 - 0915 but you are not knocking off quarter hours for anyone. I actually have a higher charge for before after school so if they want just this drop off I'd be charging it at at least £1/hour more.

    Good luck hon.
    if you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got

  9. #9
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    my slip up is costing me £64 per week, that is why i am cancelling contract. if it was a couple of quid, i might leave it as mr man is.

 

 

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