mindee continually early

**samgeordie** · 31-10-2008, 12:29 PM

I have a mindee on 2 afternoons a week 2-6pm, however the mum or dad is starting to turn up earlier and earlier, it went from 5mins early (which i don't mind) but now is more likely to be here 1.40/1.45. I don't want to seem petty but its starting to annoy me cos sometimes Im doing a mad tidy up/quick bit of housework before 2 or on a friday i have my after schooler from 12.30 so we are often still finishing lunch.

I did make a comment "ooo your early" the last time they did it to see if it makes any difference. The mum isn't even working on those afternoons so its not like its a case of her being late for work.

Ive marked in my diary what time they have arrived so to keep a track of it. I think if it continues I'll need to say something but don't know what.

anyone got any experience of this, knows what to suggest, or am I being petty over 15mins?

Thanks ladies

**Bushpig** · 31-10-2008, 12:38 PM

Nope, not petty at all. Contract time is contract time. I have had it before as have many others... I would mention to them that you have noticed they are dropping the child off at x time every day, and would they like to amend your contracted hours? They will continue to do this until you either put a stop to it/charge them for it.

**Mollymop** · 31-10-2008, 12:56 PM

It's not petty at all.
Maybe tell them that you are not insured unless it is in the contracted times of 2 til pm. So you wont be insured to have the lo until 2pm.

**PixiePetal** · 31-10-2008, 01:24 PM

I do the same as JenniPenni and ask if it would help if we contracted longer hours.

I hate it when they arrive too early in the morning and the doorbell goes when I am on the loo ! Tend to ignore it and say sorry I was brushing my teeth !!

**OrlandoBelle** · 31-10-2008, 01:45 PM

Do you do a newsletter? Pehaps if you didn't fancy the direct approach, you could write something in your newsletter?

I don't think you're petty at all. You're not a charity case. They should pay for the service they use.
x

**DudleyChildmind** · 31-10-2008, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by JenniPenni

Nope, not petty at all. Contract time is contract time. I have had it before as have many others... I would mention to them that you have noticed they are dropping the child off at x time every day, and would they like to amend your contracted hours? They will continue to do this until you either put a stop to it/charge them for it.

That's what I've done in the past and it works

**Blaze** · 31-10-2008, 04:14 PM

I add the extra time to their invoice (making sure they've signed the attendance register for those hours first) & add a note asking if they'd like to ammend the contract...sighting insurance...as it's regular occurance!

**tulip0803** · 31-10-2008, 04:52 PM

I have always charged the extra at a premium rate if they are dropped early or picked up late. Maybe suggest that they need to come and change times on the contract.

**miffy** · 31-10-2008, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by JenniPenni

They will continue to do this until you either put a stop to it/charge them for it.

I agree with Jen - you need to sort this quickly or they will continue to take advantage

Good luck

Miffy xx

**mrsb** · 31-10-2008, 06:27 PM

I've had this as well and I wrote letters to the parents saying that due to new legislation I can no longer allow children in the house before their contracted hours because I am no longer insured and if they do need to bring the children early I am more than happy but contracts will need to be adjusted accordingly

funnily enough they are very rarely early anymore

**peanuts** · 31-10-2008, 10:59 PM

i had that at one point, i started not arriving back until start time, one day my husband spoke to me as i was coming back along the path saying, she has been waiting on the doorstep, you are late, no i'm not i replied i dont start until 12. they took the hint after that and arrived on or after the alloted time.
karen

I have a mindee on 2 afternoons a week 2-6pm, however the mum or dad is starting to turn up earlier and earlier, it went from 5mins early (which i don't mind) but now is more likely to be here 1.40/1.45. I don't want to seem petty but its starting to annoy me cos sometimes Im doing a mad tidy up/quick bit of housework before 2 or on a friday i have my after schooler from 12.30 so we are often still finishing lunch.

I did make a comment "ooo your early" the last time they did it to see if it makes any difference. The mum isn't even working on those afternoons so its not like its a case of her being late for work.

Ive marked in my diary what time they have arrived so to keep a track of it. I think if it continues I'll need to say something but don't know what.

anyone got any experience of this, knows what to suggest, or am I being petty over 15mins?

Thanks ladies[/QUOTE]

**beerheaven** · 01-11-2008, 12:06 AM

I agree with the others. You are not being petty and you should address this now before it becomes a real annoyance!
I think I would make a comment about whether the parents would like a change to the contracted hours since the present ones don't appear to be fitting in with their requirements!

Best of luck!!

**Heaven Scent** · 01-11-2008, 08:30 AM

I won't answer the door until the time is right and if it is in the afternoon I usually keep the door to the playroom closed and pretend we were in the garden and didn't hear the door. If they are not paying you for your time then they cannot pay you.

**mandy moo** · 01-11-2008, 03:09 PM

Mrsb wot a brilliant idea, will bear that in mind if ever happens to me,
I have it the other way round tho mindee always late, droping off and picking up

any ideas as to what I can say about this

not much good at confrontations,
and they are always within the 15 min time scale (Icharge £5 for every 15 they're late)

**samgeordie** · 01-11-2008, 03:36 PM

thanks so much for your replies, its a big help. They arrived at the right time yesterday but if it happens again I will say something along the lines of what you have suggested, im also going to do a newsletter soon so will put something in about charges for turning up early.

**Schnakes** · 03-11-2008, 01:37 PM

I had this once...its so annoying, isnt it? It was my break time they were eating into and I really resented it. I wrote letter after letter to them about it and it always got better, then wore again. In the end, I knew that the mum was leaving to have a baby so I just let it carry on. I wish I had been more assertive about it right from the start though.

Do you have any other children before that time that this family clash with?

Sx

**charleyfarley** · 03-11-2008, 01:49 PM

I had this a few years ago. Uncle used to drop lo off, my start time was 11am, he started bringing him at 10.15am , a whole 45 mins early

I was soft in those days but in the end I did say something to him and it stopped.

The thing was they only lived 4 houses away so it wasn't though he had far to travel.

I did the going out, being in the shower and even hiding upstairs to avoid letting them in early

I don't have that problem now infact they are nearly always late dropping the los off

Carol xx

**DudleyChildmind** · 03-11-2008, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by mrsb

I've had this as well and I wrote letters to the parents saying that due to new legislation I can no longer allow children in the house before their contracted hours because I am no longer insured and if they do need to bring the children early I am more than happy but contracts will need to be adjusted accordingly

funnily enough they are very rarely early anymore

That works because I've done it

**samgeordie** · 04-11-2008, 11:58 AM

the mum had sent me an e-mail to say her husband would be dropping off the mindee today - so im guessing that means she will be early again. She had asked me another question so I replied to that, then also said whether she was needing her contract changed to 1.45pm as id noticed her husband had been dropping off mindee 15/20mins early. I said the my insurance is not valid for before/after contracted hours unless there has been a prior agreement or emergency and I have to be very careful. I said I would need to charge for an extra 30mins if the contact was changed to 1.45.

I hope this sounds ok and now Im dreading her reply or what will happen later.

**samgeordie** · 04-11-2008, 12:20 PM

well she replied and is changing the hours from 1.45-5.45, as her husband can leave work a bit earlier to collect her and he needs to be back at work by 2pm. I said id type up an ammendment for her to sign later in the week.

She did say how her daughter loves coming to my house and always gets so excited when she is coming to the front door, so its nice to get some positive feedback.

Fingers crossed she will get picked up on time now