I think I'm more than reasonable!!!

[Lady Haha]

I want to print this out to show a mum of a little girl I look after, to show her that what people normally charge for what I have been doing!

I hold open a full time place for her. I only care for school age kids so for me a full time place is school drop off and after school session til 6pm and 8am to 6pm in school holidays. Like I said, I hold a full time place for her and so therefore I can't offer those hours to another child.

She is a student midwife and needs me to be flexible as she may need me at any time really!!! I have put on our contract that in order for her to have that flexibility, she has to pay for a minimum of three after school sessions per week and two full days during holidays whether they are used or not. I don't charge a retainer for the unused days.

I don't charge for bank hols or my own holidays and I give four weeks half rate for child holidays if I'm given four weeks notice first. Full rates, if less than four weeks notice.

The thing is, mindee's dad will often take mindee away for a few days during the hols and only tell mum about a week before at most, so she can never give me the four weeks notice. Mum is a single parent and a student and although I feel abit bad making her pay even if she isn't using me as dad has taken mindee off somewhere, I also feel I am being very reasonable with my fees as she takes up a full time place.

What do you all think? I would like to print off the thread after to show her what other minders do!

[Monkey1]

I think you are being MORE than reasonable! Surely if she is a student she can get help with child care costs?????

[Lady Haha]

I think you are being MORE than reasonable! Surely if she is a student she can get help with child care costs?????

Yes, I had to fill in a form detailing what I was charging her weekly for the whole year! I'm not sure what percentage she gets though. Thanks for that, Monkey!

While I'm here again, would a couple of you mind putting here what YOU would charge for the same thing? Thanks!

[PRINCESSDAISYFLOWER]

i know of a student nurse who get 100% of her childcare costs paid for her by the nhs.

I know this because she is now in trouble as she told them she used the childminder for more hours than she actually does

[Monkey1]

i would of been tempted to charge her for a full week term time, as she needs you to be flexible you can't share the space with another child. Tempting to do three full days payment in the holidays.
Hope you get it sorted, if you have already filled in the forms and she is claiming i don't see what she's moaning about it!

[zillervalley]

I think you have been more than reasonable only charging two days a week. as monkey said you could have charged the full week.

hope things work out for you

ziller

[jaja]

Had to reply, i looked after a students baby and college paid from 7am till 6pm every day no problems, another cm did for a training midwife and she paid for the full week 730 till 6pm because the nhs paid.

If i was you then i would charge full week in holidays and full in term time as this restricts you taking on other children, not many childminders are now willing to do what you do......

xxxx

[Lady Haha]

Well, you should know that I have been minding her daughter for over two years! She was my first mindee, so this isn't a new contract. We have become good friends over this time too, which makes it more difficult! I know you should'nt mind for friends, but it's only because of me minding for her that we are such good friends now!

I'm not sure how her childcare is paid, she gets a bursary which is supposed to cover everything from rent to childcare, although as I said I did have to fill in forms for it.

I suppose what I really need is to show her what she would be paying if she was using some one else because she has been using me all this time and she probably just doesn't realise how much of a favour I am doing - because she is a friend!

So, come on then! I am a student midwife and I want a full time place to use as and when, but will rarely ever use the whole week. What would you charge me? Can you give me any discounts?

This is so awkward! I probably won't end up showing her the thread, I just wish she could see that I AM trying to help, but I am also running a business. She is a lovely person, I don't have any problems at all with her, it's just this getting me down at the moment.

[berkschick]

I would prob charge her 50% for the unused days and then full fee for the rest but would want 4 weeks notice of what the hours would be and paying for the agreed hours if things suddenly changed for any reason.

[her8y]

i would of been tempted to charge her for a full week term time, as she needs you to be flexible you can't share the space with another child. Tempting to do three full days payment in the holidays.
Hope you get it sorted, if you have already filled in the forms and she is claiming i don't see what she's moaning about it!

This is what I would do. She could always use the other days for study (?)

[Mummits]

I thinks parents often forget that if they decide not to show for whatever reason, you don't just get a bonus "day off", you usually still have another child to care for, and that can actually be more difficult and tiring if their playmate is away. So instead of looking at it as a day off, they should be thinking how would they feel about a day at work on half pay at no notice. I think you're being more than reasonable. If your mate has a problem with Dad taking the kids without planning ahead, she needs to sort him out, not moan to you.

[Lady Haha]

Hi again

Thank you so much for all your replies. She has been and gone and signed the new contract. I won't show her the thread now, but it has been helpful for me as I was starting to feel really mean charging this poor student for time her daughter isn't even here! But now, I don't!

I explained to her that I plan my finances ahead by months at a time (which I really do!) and thats why I need her to pay the minimum whether it's used or not. I told her I cannot afford to suddenly be fifty quid down one week at the drop of a hat as that money will have already been allocated to something, ie: Electricity Bill

I just needed your confirmation for myself really that she wouldn't get her childcare as flexible and cheap as I offer, anywhere else!

[madasahatter]

The student nurse who's child I care for gets 100% of her childcare fees paid by the NHS. Do you know if she is getting her childcare paid for? It may be worth mentioning that she might be entitled to help from the NHS towards the fees.
If I remember rightly I fill in a form at the start of each study year to say what my childcare fees will be so that the parent can claim her childcare costs and then another later in the year confirming how much I have actually charged.