best way to change drop off time?

[newandlearning]

hello .. my own LO has started school this week .. so today I spoke to mum again about dropping her LO off anytime after 8am so we can leave for school at 8.30am... (our contract hours are currently 8.30 to 5.30-everyday)

I know mum well and know this isn't her ideal but if she drops off later she'll be late for work and come Jan. my other LO would be late for pre-school..

anyway.. I said how about I start charging from 8am and as long as he's here for 8.30 latest we can then all go together.. I said my ideal would be that he arrived around 8.15 latest so he can settle a bit before we go..

I didn't get the idea the mum was happy with my charging from 8am as she only wants me from 8.30 and also that she didn't really want to get here that early.... I said if she really wanted I could just charge from 8.30 .. she looked down and said 'no, that's alright' .. I'm not convinced any of this change is really good for her...

would you have done any of this differently?

In the past my own LO was always late for preschool as mum was always late to me.. I don't want this happening with school..x

[Pudding Girl]

Can mum meet you at your lo school? If not then you need to tell her you HAVE to change hours to 15 mins earlier-no extra charge though - no way should you be making YOUR lo late cause they are:mad:

[Mouse]

If it was me I would ask mum to be there by 8.15am, but I wouldn't charge extra for it.
She only wants you from 8.30 and that's what she's been contracted to until now. It seems a bit harsh to tell her she'll have to come earlier to suit you...and she'll have to pay for it!

Like I say, I would explain that you need her LO to be there by 8.15, but that you won't charge any extra as this is for your benefit.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I would wait and see how things go and just change your time sheet and not bother with the contract.

See how it works - maybe suggest a trial of 8.15 or her meeting you at school.

[Mouse]

Can mum meet you at your lo school? If not then you need to tell her you HAVE to change hours to 15 mins earlier- no way should you be making YOUR lo late cause they are:mad:

But George, it's not as if the mum is being late on purpose! it's not her fault that the CM took her on for certain hours, but now realises they don't suit her!

[rickysmiths]

Yes I would have done it differently! Sorry I don't meant that in a harsh way. I have often over the years had to ask parents to bend a mould their drop off and pick up times to fit with my childrens and other mindees needs.


I would have had a chat with mum and explained that it would be very helpful with your new school times etc if she could fine her way to dropping x off up to 10 mins early to help you to get organised and off. If she couldn't do this I would say Ok but I will have the children ready and I will have to leave at 8.30 on the dot I'm afraid if you are late you will have to catch me up or wait for me to return home by xxx?

If I am asking a parent to do me a favour by dropping early I definately would not charge them, just as I haven't in the past if I have asked if they can collect a few mins later.

I have just asked a parent of mine if it were possible to collect 10 earlier 2 days a weeks so I can do Nursery and school pick ups. This parent pays me until 4pm but has always collected by 3pm and now 2.50 2 days. I will be reducing her fees by 2hrs a week from next month as a recognition of her co-operation.

I think you need to bear in mind that you work in Partnership with your parents and sometimes we need a favour and sometimes they will need one so I have always felt that it is good to have a bit of give and take. You will know the difference between the parents who work like this and the few that are taking advantage.

I hope that helps, hope you can work things out.

[newandlearning]

Hi.. the mum knew before the summer that I'd have to change my hours come Sept. and she was fine with that then.. doesn't seem soo fine now.. I agree that charging her is probably a bit much so I won't do that..

I feel a bit attacked .. I am flexible myself I'm having her 2 LOs till 6 tomorrow and feeding them as she wants to go somewhere for the afternoon.. I have tried getting her LO in the car the minute he shows up when I was dong my preschool run and she was always late and he'd scream his head off as he wanted to come in and play not go in another car :( x

[Pudding Girl]

Edited my post above - forgot to put at no charge..

But why should the CMs child be consistently late for school??

[Mouse]

Edited my post above - forgot to put at no charge..

But why should the CMs child be consistently late for school??


The CM's child shouldn't be consistently late for school, but I don't think that could be blamed on the parent sticking to contracted hours. It's the fault of the CM for agreeing to a time that isn't suitable. To say to the parent " you HAVE to change hours to 15 mins earlier- no way should you be making YOUR lo late cause they are :mad: " seems to be sying the parent is in the wrong.

[Mouse]

Hi.. the mum knew before the summer that I'd have to change my hours come Sept. and she was fine with that then.. doesn't seem soo fine now.. I agree that charging her is probably a bit much so I won't do that..

I feel a bit attacked .. I am flexible myself I'm having her 2 LOs till 6 tomorrow and feeling them as she wants to go somewhere for the afternoon.. I have tried getting her LO in the car the minute he shows up when I was dong my preschool run and she was always late and he'd scream his head off as he wanted to come in and play not go in another car :( x


Well, if she was already aware of the changes, you need to remind her that you did mention it before & that she was fine about it then. Explain that it is also to her son's benefit if she arrives earlier as it means he gets chance to play for a few minutes & won't be so upset getting straight into the car.

You'd have thought she'd be happy to have an extra 15 minutes free childcare!

Hope you get it sorted.

[Ripeberry]

Do you have to take a mindee to school or is it just your own children? I would find a friendly neighbour who goes to the same school and see if they could take YOUR kids up.
I'm helping a neightbour by bringing her son back in the afternoons and she helps me out once a week by taking my children to school when I've got my mindee on an early start (otherwise at the moment he is going to the school 3 times a day as my youngest is settling into reception).

[PixiePetal]

I have had to ask parents to drop by 8.15 rather than 8.30 for school run and not charged for the extra. In the hols they revert to 8.30. I went straight from school run to toddler group in different direction, walking. So the alternative was 9.30 at toddlers.

All my parents have been understanding that I have my own family to consider and approached in the right way has never been a problem for me or them.

[newandlearning]

oh .. I don't think I explain well.. if I knew she would get here for 8.30 I'd be happy with that.. but she ALWAYS gets here rather at 8.40 or 9.10 depending on if she has had time to drop off her LO here before taking her other DC to school.. my child is going to a different school and explained months ago that we'd have to change hours to 8.15am ideally so her LO could come in, settle and then do school run with me. my own child, I can almost predict would end up going to school with me stressed each time she was late which is why I've suggested 8.15.. months ago she said that would be better for her too as she'd actually get to work on time with an earlier drop off.. :(

maybe I'm better off saying if 8.15 doesn't work .. then lets keep it at 8.30 but if she's not here then I'll have to go.. my lil boy has only just started school 2 days ago I don't want someone else taking him.x

[OrlandoBelle]

Do you drive? Is there any way you could collect the child from home on your way to the school?

[newandlearning]

I did think about that but child lives in a different town.. it would take me 20mins to get there.. time to pick up ... then get my DC to school.. we would have to leave at 8am .. and then.. in jan. I'm probably having another child start at 8am.. I'd have to take 3 children with me then.:)

[oldtimer]

I would have had a chat with mum and explained that it would be very helpful with your new school times etc if she could fine her way to dropping x off up to 10 mins early to help you to get organised and off. If she couldn't do this I would say Ok but I will have the children ready and I will have to leave at 8.30 on the dot I'm afraid if you are late you will have to catch me up or wait for me to return home by xxx?



This is your solution IMHO.

[westbrom44]

This happened to me quite regularly with one particular parent and in the end, after much discussion on the subject, I got so fed up I just left on time without waiting.
He never did it again!

[Alibali]

This happened to me quite regularly with one particular parent and in the end, after much discussion on the subject, I got so fed up I just left on time without waiting.
He never did it again!

I did this once too! Took my boys to school then came back and parent was waiting outside house. I said 'sorry, boys had to get to school' they apologised profusely and it has never happened since.

[newandlearning]

well.. I asked mum if she could get to me for 8.30am in morn from now on and if possible a bit before hand if she could, I also added that I would have to leave at 8.30am but she was welcome to meet me at school if she couldn't get to me.. she said she would try to get to me for 8.15am .. I've had a really exhausting day today and now am feeling rather ambivalent to all of this..:(

[Chimps Childminding]

I think I would ask her to change her hours to 8.15 (at no extra charge) but as suggested say that if she is not here by 8.30 latest you will have to leave and she will either have to meet you at school or wait for your return.

As to the suggestion of someone else taking your children to school I am guessing that like most of us you are doing this job so that you can be there to take your children to school etc., and having to get someone else to do it sort of defeats the object.

[newandlearning]

Hi I really didn't get the idea when she came to pick up that she wanted to do 8.15am.. which is why I've gently said lets stick with 8.30, anytime before that would be great because at 8.30 I have to go but am happy to pick up from school. you know I'm not feeling soo appreciated at moment.. her LO is doing a lot of attention seeking, may well have a tantrum if he's too rushed trying to get my LO to school and doesn't understand that there are other children who need time .. and on top of this mum's not seeming to enthusiastic ...so I'm sorta feeling very fed up at moment :(

[Allie]

I had a parent who promised she would get to me before my leaving time of 8.30 she kept on being late leaving me and the other kids stressed! I got fed up and went on to school one day result problem solved mum was on time for the rest of the time the child was with me (she left due to house move)








Allie

[bibi571]

A couple of years ago i had one set of parents who where always late - no consideration at all. I'd a high school run, and a primary school run, so i'd to leave about 8.20am, stress levels were high whenever AL attended, eventually I decided that I was just going to leave and go to High School without her! After a few episode of turning up at the house to find me gone they soon made sure they turned up on time. They'd turn up with her still eating her breakfast as she'd get out the car? Toast in a bag -anyone else ever get that one? :laughing: But some parents really are just terrible time keepers, and some kids just awful attention seekers.

Good luck.

Barbara :littleangel:

[michellethegooner]

A couple of years ago i had one set of parents who where always late - no consideration at all. I'd a high school run, and a primary school run, so i'd to leave about 8.20am, stress levels were high whenever AL attended, eventually I decided that I was just going to leave and go to High School without her! After a few episode of turning up at the house to find me gone they soon made sure they turned up on time. They'd turn up with her still eating her breakfast as she'd get out the car? Toast in a bag -anyone else ever get that one? :laughing: But some parents really are just terrible time keepers, and some kids just awful attention seekers.

Good luck.

Barbara :littleangel:

I had a parent that used to give kids cereal in the car and come and pour milk down the drain on the street :eek: only knew because 1 morning they were running late and i was on my way 2 do school run and saw her lol she was a nurse doing a college course with 2 under 3's and a 5 yr old and was pregnant so everything was done in a rush. I used to call her superwoman

[Pipsqueak]

Hi I really didn't get the idea when she came to pick up that she wanted to do 8.15am.. which is why I've gently said lets stick with 8.30, anytime before that would be great because at 8.30 I have to go but am happy to pick up from school. you know I'm not feeling soo appreciated at moment.. her LO is doing a lot of attention seeking, may well have a tantrum if he's too rushed trying to get my LO to school and doesn't understand that there are other children who need time .. and on top of this mum's not seeming to enthusiastic ...so I'm sorta feeling very fed up at moment :(

you have got lots of advice but I'll add my bit in if i may

you have explained all this to mum before the school holidays, she is consistently late and doesn't turn up at the contracted time often coming later. you now need to set out some clearly defined options:



I would say to her (and put it down in writing to) -


Dear xxx

with regard to what we discussed prior to the summer holidays and subsquent conversations, I request that you drop xxx of by 8.15 at the latest as I have to and will be leaving to take my child to school at 8.30.
i understand that your contracted time starts at 8.30am and i am willing to waive the 15 minutes fee as it is at my request that xxx starts earlier.
As i am sure you can appreciate, i cannot make my child late for school and will be leaving promptly. In situations where you may not have made it to my house on time I am more than happy to meet you at the school, could I ask that you text me to tell me you are en-route. Alternatively I return home from school at xxxtimexx.


you have then given her three very clear options that accomodate you (and her)

we do this job so that it fits in with our families and I would not be asking someone else to be taking my child to school if a parent was floating her drop off times and cutting into precious time with my own child:panic:
I think the offer of 15 minutes free childcare is reasonable, I think the options there are flexible -given she has a problem with time-keeping.
its great to be flexi with parents - part of the job BUT our own come first