collecting mindees from their home- would you do it?

**ZoeAlli** · 15-07-2009, 04:31 PM

On tues I am expected to collect two mindees from their home and bring them to my home. When I first moved I informed parents that I could no longer bring home on tues eve (which is what I did to start with), she thought about it and replied, well you can either pick up at lunch or drop off on evening!!!!

I said lunch thinking about weather.
Mum also promised they were looking for a car and would be getting one soon.( another reason why I agreed to lunchtime, as I didn' think it would be for long)- It is now a year later and I have had enough of picking up these children

- Tuesday morning is my only free morning and I have to break off to go and get the children. I already charge time and a half for the hour of pickup (for one child) as well as petrol, I don't feel this is enough though. I don't think parent is that bothered about finding a car, and I do not want to be her personal taxi service.
Before I write to her saying that I won't be doing this anymore, I wanted to find out where other childminders stood on this matter.
What would you do?
Does anyone else do regular pickups or drop-offs from mindees homes? If so, do you charge any different?
Sorry for the long post

**wendywu** · 15-07-2009, 04:35 PM

No i would not do it. There is too much to go wrong and it is too much of a bind.

**Chimps Childminding** · 15-07-2009, 04:36 PM

No sorry, wouldn't do it!

**Curly Quavers** · 15-07-2009, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by wendywu

No i would not do it. There is too much to go wrong and it is too much of a bind.

I wouldn't either, I was asked about a month a go and I said no and I am glad I did because although I am not busy at the moment I hopefully will be and it would have been far to much of a tie.

**helenlc** · 15-07-2009, 04:45 PM

I do a pick up and drop off and to be honest would rather not. But at the time when I took it on, there was no other work around my area and this child (aged 3) is full time. I literally couldnt afford to turn it down.

In term time, its not too bad as I pick him up on the way to school and drop off after I have picked my children up from school. It adds about 10 minutes onto each journey but nothing too bad.

In the holidays I resent it more as I wouldnt otherwise have to go out at that time (about 8.30 pick up). I also have to take my 2 children out as well which I feel guilty about as they are on holiday from school and should be able to relax and laze about.

I am actually taking the middle 2 weeks of the school holiday off so they can laze about.

If I had my way I wouldnt do it but until something comes along I have to really. I also havent had enquiries that want drop off at that time in the morning because that would also prove difficult.

In regards to charging, I charge from when I leave my home to when I get back. I also put my mileage through with my tax return.

If I was to get another full time child that equated to this child's money I would be saying to Mum that I can no longer offer the pick up and drop off. She doesnt drive and I am a fair walk for her and especially with the LO in tow as well. It would then be up to her whether she got to me or decided she couldnt and gave notice. At the moment though I am not in a position to take that risk.

Sorry for the equally long reply !!

**loocyloo** · 15-07-2009, 04:50 PM

i don't and wouldn't on a regular basis,

but i have collected when car broken down/ LO mum was unable to drive for a while / i need child earlier than normal etc

and i drop off if i have to be somewhere and won't be home at normal pickup time! ( one LO gets dropped off by me once a week, and has done since she started 2 yrs ago, as its is more convienent for me to do it, than wait for her to be collected! BUT, if things change/are cancelled, then she is picked up as normal! )

x

**mushpea** · 15-07-2009, 05:29 PM

i do sometimes but its more for my convince than anything, he doesent come till 10am and if mum drops off she never goes

and in the hols i pick him up and drop him off as it means i get him on time and can go straight out where if she droped him off it takes for ever to get her out the door.

**angeldelight** · 15-07-2009, 05:37 PM

I have never done it and never been asked to be honest

Not sure that I would want to do it unless it was on my way to school or something I def would not go out of my way or put myself out to do it

Hope you get it sorted

Angel xx

**The Juggler** · 15-07-2009, 05:43 PM

I've done it occasionally when the hours were OK and only when mum was really sick etc.

**venus89** · 15-07-2009, 06:17 PM

I do if Mum's ill and don't mind it under those circumstances but you're talking a 10-15 minute walk or a 5-10 minute drive. How on earth is it taking you an hour?! Surely they can find a closer minder?
But if they promised you that it would be temporary and it's turned into a permanent thing and you're not happy with this you need to tell her.

**Tatjana** · 15-07-2009, 06:18 PM

I'm not sure if i would, guess it would depend on how easy/inconvenient it was.

I've noticed a couple of cms in my area offering pick up/drop off service recently, think they are doing their best to compete for mindees!

xx

**Ben10mad** · 15-07-2009, 07:12 PM

I do a pick up and drop off Monday- Friday for a child i have done it for nearly 2 years and must admit i dont like doing it.
I wouldn't concider it again if a parent wanted it, i charge £10.00 extra a week for fuel, she only lives 1.5 miles away so takes me 5 mins in the car.

**Ben10mad** · 15-07-2009, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by Ben10mad

I do a pick up and drop off Monday- Friday for a child i have done it for nearly 2 years and must admit i dont like doing it.
I wouldn't concider it again if a parent wanted it, i charge £10.00 extra a week for fuel, she only lives 1.5 miles away so takes me 5 mins in the car.

Forgot 2 add.
You must concider if they are running late, my mindee lives in a flat so i txt her when im out side as i have other children in the car. She is late coming out to me most days which really annoys me as i have to be home for other children and if shes late im then late.

**peanuts** · 15-07-2009, 08:49 PM

i have been asked to pic up before ive said no, they bring them to my house where i do the minding.

**Deb** · 15-07-2009, 09:14 PM

You can hardly complain that the mother is letting you do this if you agreed to do it. Say no, terminate the contract and say it isnt viable any more.

I do pick up and drop off but wouldnt if I didnt want to. It's your business, your set the terms.

**balloon** · 16-07-2009, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by ZoeAlli

When I first moved I informed parents that I could no longer bring home on tues eve (which is what I did to start with), she thought about it and replied, well you can either pick up at lunch or drop off on evening!!!!

I said lunch thinking about weather.

What would you do?

I don't understand why, after saying that you could no longer bring them home because you'd moved, you then opted to pick them up...

I would just say that the arrangement was supposed to be temporary but here a year later it's still happening and you are not happy to do it - be honest!

**Mrs M** · 16-07-2009, 08:20 AM

I've been collecting for just over a year and it's all stopping soon. I've had to leave my house at 7.10am each morning and it's really unfair on my son. The child I've been collecting is leaving in two weeks. I also collected my part timer at 11.30am each day which has been a real bind. We could be right in the middle of an activity and I've had to get the children in the car to go and collect. That's also stopped as part timer has become full time and I've insisted she gets dropped off to my house. She gets dropped off at 7.15am which is a little early for my liking whereas if I'd agreed to pick her up it would have been 9.15am but I've just had enough of it. I only charge £1.50 to collect which is silly of me!

Pipsqueak · 16-07-2009, 08:32 AM

I'm afraid that you are going to have to take the bull by the horns and be honest with the parent. point out it was only supposed to be temporary and here you are a year later. As everyone else has said - if its not suiting you anymore then make the change.

Sadly with some parents - the more you do for them them more they will take and do nothing to change it.

Remeber you are S/E and can set your own conditions

good luck

**FizzysFriends** · 16-07-2009, 09:11 AM

I pick up on the way to school (as its eaiser for me), only collect in term time. Even though its easier for me I do get frustrated when mindee is watching TV when I get there and then spends ages finishing getting ready, I would prefer that she was competly ready to walk out the door when I get there.

**yummymummy** · 16-07-2009, 11:00 AM

I dropped a mindee home twice a week for 6 years and in the end I really resented it. It became a bind as he was the last child to leave and then I had to drive over 2 miles to take him home when all I wanted to do was either sit down and chill out or get on with cooking my own family's dinner. Because of this I would never consider doing either pick up or drop offs again.