How do you explain Minimum Hours

[Rasharoon]

Hi
Further to a previous thread, I've decided to set my minimum hours at 6 per week.
I'm struggling in my head as to how I explain to the parent why it is I do this as it certainly isn't to get rich!!
Can anyone give me any tips as I've a parent coming to visit on Friday who is only looking for a couple of hours 1 day a week and I'm really not sure what to say.
Thank you.

[angeldelight]

I set mine at 8 hours

I always just say

" I do not work less than 8 hours ( 6 for you ). It is not worth my while and can stop me having another child for longer hours."

I do not explain much more than that to be honest

If you explain to much you end up digging yourself into a hole when they start to question you then you feel that you have to explain and at the end of the day it is your business so your rules and you do not have to explain

I just point out at the start that I do a minimum 8 hours a week so this means if they only want 3 hours childminding then they would still have to pay for 8 hours

I have never had any one question it but I do tell them in a way that is very brief then go onto the next subject about being paid in advance so that way they just have to accept my rules

I would not have a child for one hour a week it is just not worth it and I think by offering 6 hours you are being fair

My daughters nursery are the same they do a min of 6 hours

You could also blag it and say most minders nurserys do the same!

Good luck Friday let us know how it goes

Angel xx

[susi513]

When parents come for interview, one of the things I give them is a typed list of fees which includes the minimum charges. I circle the bits that are relevant to what they've requested & add what their weekly fee & deposit fee will be.

I haven't had anyone query the minimum fee yet but I would simply say that I've researched what other local childminders do and also using internet forums have checked what others do nationally. By doing this I know my fees aren't out of touch with what others are charging.

Raising the hourly fee for fewer hours and/or having a minimum fee is a way of compromising - you're agreeing to accept a booking for fewer hours than you would like (ie you will have to turn away other clients who may be requesting more hours) and they're agreeing to pay either a higher hourly rate and/or a minimum fee as part compensation for your reduction in income.

HTH

[jmoff]

Hi

When I get a phonecall from a parent I send them my prospectus either by post or email , where it states in the fee section:
'A minimum of 10 hours/ week is required'...
They don't question it .

[sarah707]

A thought......

I would be very reticent to take a child just for a couple of hours, 1 day a week - you would struggle to bond, you wouldn't be able to go out for the day (esp important in holidays) and the planning / obs / liaison etc will be an absolute nightmare once EYFS kicks in...

[Rubybubbles]

I'm really thinking of putting a minimum hours in now!! Not that I've needed it as all mine are over 10 + hours per week but good for future

Thanks

Sarah I agree completely with you on that one:)

[pebbles&bam-bam]

I unfortuntely had a parent who decided she couldnt afford 25 hours a week at 2.50 per hour and informed me she would only require 8 hours a week, I accepted this as it would work out at 4 hours a day for 2 days and as i adored the child, and wanted to see her progress even more i said yes..even though my minimum states 10 hours, I asked her to put it in writing ( 4 weeks notice) when she knew the date it would commence, which she said she would.
2 weeks later, no more mention of it, then she turns up the following Monday saying it would start the next day at 2 hours a day 11-1pm 4 days a week and picking her up myself from a neighbour and dropping her off in the next village later on!

I gently reminded her of the 4 week written notice policy but more importantly that it clearly states in my policy a minimum of 3 hours a day ( excluding before/after school care)
She went absolutley mental... "id known about it for weeks etc"
I agreed, yes, i had known about it, but it was only mentioned once and i clearly ( and in writing which i handed her myself) stated that when dates for commencement were known i would need 4 weeks written notice.
I also said that i was willing to do the 8 hours if spread over 1 or 2 days, not 2 hours 4 days. Not only does it make me lose out financially over places, but it would restrict me every day bar one as to what i could do with the children and where i could take them ( day trips or most trips would be a definate no-no as id have to be home by 11am or not be able to leave until 1pm. She said that wasnt her problem, and that if i wanted to go out, i was welcome to pick her up at 9am and drop her off when im done, as long as i didnt charge her for more than the 2 hours!!
I tried to comprimise as best i could, suggesting the 2 hours were beginning of the day ( i.e 8 am until 10am) but she said only if i dropped my rates to 1.25 per hour! obviously i refused.
she swore and shouted, promptly walked out, no notice, no payment, nothing.
This lady was never appreciative of the work i did, she was under the impression i simply sat at home all day with the kids, and worked them around my day and as soon as they're picked up, im done.. many occasions i tried showing her differently.
The kids have daily dairies, scrapbooks from day 1 of starting that i fill every week with photos, work they've done. I do developental work books with them.
I had a really really good ofsted report a few days earlier and all i got was " i dont see the big deal or the point, you are only a glorified babysitter!!!"
every month, she'd make a big hoopla out of having to pay me, saying she's sick of handing out her hard earned cash every month" constantly claiming poverty because she couldnt get tax credits ( due to earnings of over 75 thousand a year) i suggested vouchers, but this wasnt good enough as she wanted ALL her childcare paying for her, not just 100 a month help.
She had a sports car on finance which costs around 800 a month to pay..her priorties were all wrong. She just didnt want to have to pay for it, even though i know and am consistently appreciated by the other parents for what i do, she just didnt see why she should go to work to pay for a " glorified babysitter" she earned around 1500 a week and seriously thought paying me 75 ish a week was plain wrong..it still left her with more money than most of us could dream of left over!!!!!!!!!!!

I just think that you should never let someone who does not appreciate you rule what you do. I was left very upset at what happened,
even though everything was clearly stated in my policies and all other paperwork/verbal conversations... even that sometimes doesnt work.
Luckily i have 3 other sets of parents who value me, it was just a shame 1 got me down and had me doubting my policies.



Was i wrong in saying i wasnt prepared to lower my fees or change my policy or be not be willing to do the 2 hours a day at lunchtime?

[Twinkles]

Was i wrong in saying i wasnt prepared to lower my fees or change my policy or be not be willing to do the 2 hours a day at lunchtime?

:eek: :eek: No , you were just wrong in not booting her up the backside on her way out .

[Blaze]

:eek: :eek: No , you were just wrong in not booting her up the backside on her way out .

I agree!:thumbsup: :D

For the record I have a 10 hour minimum...I simply state/point it out if it's relevant...I don't explain any further than Angel...bottom line...they are my fees...accept them or go elsewhere!;) :)

[Lou]

OMG cant believe you have had to put up with this dreadful woman.

lets hope she never comes back!!!

[sarah707]

Next time I take on a part timer I intend to ask for minimum hours - what with eyfs it's not going to be possible to do an hour here and an hour there without extra money :(

[Spangles]

I am going to do the same as Sarah, I will set my minimum hours at 9 per week as my hours of work are 8am to 5pm so that will be the equivalent of a day.

I don't know what to do about my part-timers that I have for 2.5 hours per week. I don't want to be doing loads of work on them re. EYFS when they're hardly here and for £10 per week!

I might have to cancel their contracts which is a bummer because I really like them and they're mum and she really relies on me having them.

[jmoff]

oh my word! She sounds dreadful!!!!!Poor you!

I think as a part- timer you should raise your fees as it is not financially viable!!

[butterfly]

when you set your min hours is that per day or per week? i think i'm going to set mine at 10 hours per day although i keep getting cold feet as £45 sounds loads!

[theoldwoman]

Oh, I have never thought of doing minimum hours - I have a couple of lo's while their older siblings are at Pre-school and their mums do their own thing (eg riding) and then I take them up to Pre-school give them back and get my others, it all adds up and I am sure they wouldn't pay for more hours. As they only come for two mornings a week its all new & exciting and they seem to enjoy it. Are you sure we have to do all the paperwork when we only have them for a total of 5 hours a week??

Sue