sorry, help needed with charging a retainer.

i am due to start with a 4 year old and 7 year old in september, it will be term time only as mum is at uni doing her teaching degree.

she suggested to me that they will pay a retainer for the girls during the hols.
i have never charged a retainer as my only other term time lo has been with me so long that i hadn't even heard of charging when i started with her.

the 4 year old will be from 11.30 until 5.30 until january then both will be after school only .

what do you think is fair to charge for the holidays.

i have no idea so an idea of how to work it out would be great.

thanks

I charge 1/2 fee retainer during the holidays. My parents are all teachers so I don't have the children.

None have complained about paying it either.

littletreasures

I would say half fee too. Once the hours change though after 4 year old starts school your half fee would be less. Hope you are well Mrs. :D

One of my Mums is at Uni doing her teaching degree and she pays me 50% retainer in the hols. I know my mum ggets funding for her childcare but I would probably feel differently if she was trying to fund it herself. Do you know if the uni are helping with fees?

amanda xx

This is a difficult one as parent is not earning money. If she is getting childcare funding then charge 50%. If not you'll have to make a judgment it would be good if you could find someone who does holidays only - I do this for one family. and if I did have a TT only query I could afford not to charge for hols.

I charge 50% retainer fees worked out on a weekly basis.:)

I've only ever charged £5.00 a week per child for teachers children - this is just to keep the place open - if they want to the children to come at all they pay this plus normal fees

I just charge £5.00 because I sometimes have children in the holidays only so I have their fees in full iyswim

Sorry just had to be different :laughing:

miffy xx

I do more or less the same as Miffy

Never have charged a retainer

Good luck Mandy

Angel xx

Hi Mandy,
I charge 50% retainer fee for kids that do not come to me in the school hols. I've never had anyone complain yet. If she is a student, I think she should get some help with her childcare costs.

I charge full fees throughout the holidays. Parents are allowed to take 2 weeks in a year at 50%, and when I take my holidays there is no charge at all., ie., the parents get those weeks free. The rest of the year is full charge.

Hilary