Explaination

[lorettacritchet]

As it seems I have been particularly soft on charging parents so have sent letters out to amend fees - no letters received back with signatures to say they have accepted. Regardless of that, I am outlining fees etc to some new parents and I am explaining that I will be
- charging parents 4 weeks full time and 1/2 rate anymore
- 1/2 rate for my hols
- kids and parents, sick full time
- childminder - no sick pay

Some parents are not too pleased that despite them being on holiday that I still need to be paid the full rate, I am not great at explaining things so I need some advice on how to word why I am doing this. If you ask me right now why I am charging them full time for the holidays, it would come out all wrong and last thing I want to do is sound unprofessional...

[Bridey]

You are charging them because the place is available to them and they are choosing not to use it. I think the confusion may be because your are charging full fee for four weeks and half fee thereafter. I think most minders would have done half fee for the first four weeks (in line with your holiday) then full fee thereafter ...

[The Juggler]

hon, you don't need to get acceptance/signatures from current parents. They just need to know and be given notice of when it starts.

So I woudl send another letter following up saying, the new fee structure will take place from xxx 2012

For new parents you explain like this.

"you are a business, you are open and holding a place for their child whether the child comes or not, therefore you charge for that place. The only time you won't charge is when YOU are not avaiable to work".

If they get shirty, ask them how they would feel if their boss asked them not to come in for 2 weeks as work was slow, and said that they would not be paid for that 2 weeks