Advice on Xmas fees please?

[Supercakes]

Hello, my first Christmas as a fully fledged childminder and I wondered if anyone could offer some advice on how to charge for the Bank Holidays etc.

I have set Fees & Terms which both sets of my parents have signed and agreed. One of the terms is that if a contracted day fall on a Bank Holiday, my normal feels apply.

Now, both sets of parents (and myself) are finishing up for the Xmas break on 23 December. The Monday 26 & Tuesday 27 are bank holidays and are contracted days. So do I charge full fees, then normal holiday fees for the non-bank holiday days? Or because they've told me that they're "finishing up work" on 23rd, does this mean I charge normal holiday rates?

I'm a bit confused .... can anyone help?

[jane5]

Do you charge for your holidays or do you reduce the parents fees if they take a holiday?

I am not taking time off over christmas because I do not charge for my holidays so would get no pay. Therefore all of the bank holidays are full fees if the parents do not send the child and double if they do (should have said treble over christmas but didnt think about it at the time).

My parents wont send their children over the 11 day period (I hope) except 1 for 1 morning so I will be paid although I will get time off.

If I had said that I am closing on the 23rd for the christmas period I would be taking a holiday so would not charge for the bank holidays as they fall within the holiday period.
My parents still pay full fees for their holidays so it dosent make any difference if they take a holiday over a bank holiday.

If you have said you are on holiday I think you should charge your usual holiday rates for the bank holidays.

[ziggy]

I finish 23rd and re-open 3rd january, i dont charge for bank holidays or my own holidays so wont charge at all for that period

If i was available over the christmas period but parents chose not to send child i would charge half fee. As for you charging for bank hols 26th and 27th would u not have to be available in order to charge??

[Twinkle-Toes]

I have exactly the same issue and was rather confused about it.

I have decided (tonight infact!) that I want that week off between Crimbo and New Year and just to make it easier I'm doing it all at 1/2 fee as it's my holiday. Also stressing these days will come out of my 4 week holiday allowance, as i think this was why some parents were being rather vague!

Hth & makes sense!

[Goatgirl]

Hi ,
I think it all depends whether you charge for your holidays? and whether or not you have told parents you are taking that time as official holiday or would still be available to work if they decide they need you between now and then. (or whenever would be the last day they could let you know their children were attending).

I personally charge if I am available, whether children attend or not.

Hope this helps

best wishes,
Wendy

[Mrs Book]

I know I won't get paid but I'm not working from 23rd until Jan 2nd. My husband is off then so not far on him having mindees running around and especially if I have my before schooler. She will drive him mad within 5mins of walking through the door.

[Supercakes]

Thanks for the replies ladies - its great to get other views on it. I hate the money side of childminding, particularly when I have such a good relationship with the parents.

I normally charge half fee for holidays - on both sides. Wherever possible we try to take holiday at the same time which helps.

My rates & terms state that a full fee is applicable on a bank holiday. If I were needed to work my rate would then be double fee. At the beginning of the arrangement, I always emphasise this when a contracted day falls on a BH, so there are no surprises.

Both parents told me they would be taking the Xmas period off work ... before I said whether or not I was. So am I right in thinking I could charge the full fee for those 2 days as technically its their holiday period? I certainly could do with the extra pounds after so much time off due to sickness in the house ...

Or should I just charge half fee for the lot ... and feel better about it.

Ohhh, I don't know.

[Goatgirl]

ah, I see..
As they have booked it off in advance I think it would be reasonable to charge, but depending on your notice period for 'unbooking' holidays, it may be that someone decides as they're paying, they might as well 'use' the time they're paying for.
If it was me, I'd probably decide according to when the invoices would be going out and if there was still time for parents to change their minds, or if I could reasonably say "well I was available to work, but have made other plans now as you booked the holiday".

decisions decisions...

best wishes,
Wendy

[Supercakes]

Thanks so much

I think I'll just charge my usual holiday fees (half fee) for the whole of the Xmas period and say I would normally charge full fee for BHs but as these two fall in the middle of the festive period & no-one wants to work, we'll just treat them as normal holiday fees.

Phew. That feels right. I'd hate for people to think "sheesh, what a cheek!" when they got my invoice!

V best wishes & thanks again

[Chimps Childminding]

Thanks so much

I think I'll just charge my usual holiday fees (half fee) for the whole of the Xmas period and say I would normally charge full fee for BHs but as these two fall in the middle of the festive period & no-one wants to work, we'll just treat them as normal holiday fees.

Phew. That feels right. I'd hate for people to think "sheesh, what a cheek!" when they got my invoice!

V best wishes & thanks again

Sounds good to me!!! I don't want to work BH's so don't charge for them, and also don't charge for my hols so not really a dilema for me, but hopefully your parents will realise you are being generous and buy you a nice christmas present with the money they will save

[Vikkileeds]

Can I add a similar dilemma to this thread??

I don't charge for my hols and I am taking between xmas and new year off. I charge for bank hols normal fees and double if they attend. I am not available for xmas and boxing day bank hols but I would work on Monday 2nd so is it fair if I charge for this bank hol but not the others? Also would u explain in the invoice to paretns how I have worked this out?

[Goatgirl]

Can I add a similar dilemma to this thread??

I don't charge for my hols and I am taking between xmas and new year off. I charge for bank hols normal fees and double if they attend. I am not available for xmas and boxing day bank hols but I would work on Monday 2nd so is it fair if I charge for this bank hol but not the others? Also would u explain in the invoice to paretns how I have worked this out?

Hi ,
I would charge for it in your position. Its not your holiday so normal terms apply.
On my invoices I do itemise anything out of the ordinary, so I would have (bank hol mon) written in the section where I put number of hours charged for the week, then the amount I charge in the 'amount' column. Is there somewhere you can put it in your lay out without a full blown explanation?
If not I'd just charge and respond to any queries accordingly: "I was available to work so normal bank hol charges apply".

hope this helps

best wishes,
Wendy

[Goatgirl]

Thanks so much

I think I'll just charge my usual holiday fees (half fee) for the whole of the Xmas period and say I would normally charge full fee for BHs but as these two fall in the middle of the festive period & no-one wants to work, we'll just treat them as normal holiday fees.

Phew. That feels right. I'd hate for people to think "sheesh, what a cheek!" when they got my invoice!

V best wishes & thanks again

Hi ,
Glad you have a solution you feel happy with. Be careful how you word it though. I'd definitely be saying 'one off' in there somewhere, as they may well quote it back at you next year, or over another bank holiday when you might not be in a position to absorb the loss

Hope you enjoy your holiday Only 6 1/5 working weeks for me till I'm off for christmas, yay,