would you be this flexibile????

[benharjac]

I have had my first enq today but unsure if what to do i have space for a child aged 1-5 years tuesday-Friday. A have been contacted today and the parent want me to keep the 4 day availiable for her child but the child will come 2-3 days of them. She works as a call out doctor and needs a flexible childminder..... would you charge a retainer fee for the unused days????? or would you just charge 3 days or would you not do this????

[little_gems]

i used to do felxi care but you do lose out in the end. i used to charge for 10 days a month and the days changed every week. So they were really taking up a full time space. If i did do it again i would charge for a full time space. I dont normaly charge if im not working but they are taaking the space. So you really need to think about how badly you want the work??
And if you only have the one space (like i did) then that would be it filled.

HTH

[auntym]

I have had my first enq today but unsure if what to do i have space for a child aged 1-5 years tuesday-Friday. A have been contacted today and the parent want me to keep the 4 day availiable for her child but the child will come 2-3 days of them. She works as a call out doctor and needs a flexible childminder..... would you charge a retainer fee for the unused days????? or would you just charge 3 days or would you not do this????

Personally hon if she needs you to keep the 4 days available then she pays for them??? You cant fill the space with another child as she needs the space held for her child if im correct??

[huggableshelly]

she is asking you to keep 4 days open for her so charge her for the 4 days, this way she gets a space any 2-3 days she wants and you get a full fee paid.

if she states that she only wants to keep 3 days then only charge for 3 and explain to her that the day she has not paid for may not always be available if she ever needs it due to you advertising to fill the empty space.

[suzyblue]

Definitely charge for the four days. As said, you cant fill that space with another child and you dont want to lose out.

[kindredspirits]

without trying to sound discriminatory - i would charge her 4 full days - she's a doctor so that normally means they're on a fair ol' pay. I have and will be flexible if i think the person cannot afford the space and i have a few spaces left or few enquiries so want the work iykwim.

[Tired]

Charge for 4 days.

If she is on call, she will be gettng paid for all 4 days, surely.

So she will expect to pay for childcare for the full 4 days.

[Ripeberry]

Charge the 4 days as why should you lose out, when she gets paid regardless anyway. Don't undersell yourself

[Tippy Toes]

I would charge her full payment for the days she wants you to keep free for her.

[Toothfairy]

I would charge full fees for the 4 days and then its up to her which days she uses.

[benharjac]

Thanks for your replys. you have confirmed my decision. This forum is great

[youarewhatyoueat]

Ask her if she would like to pay with vouchers at least that way she won't be paying tax on the money she has earnt. If she used a nursery there wouldn't be any question about paying for all 4 days so I would just tell her the total amount for 4 days, If it was me I would charge £180 and then she could use what hours she wanted over the 4 days, but only during the day, is she also asking about late evenings, in which case I would charge more.
Thats why quite a few doctors have aupairs or nannies and have to pay more.

[karen m]

i agree with kindredspirit about her pay but does not work that way just put post on about similar thing and 1 parent was a neruo-surgeon other a doctor ,always complained or made me wait for payments even when using vouchers,my oh is their gardener they tried paying him in vouchers as they had some over ,ie not always wanting to pay for hours not used