Well..... the first notice came through the door last night....

jumpinjen · 30-10-2010, 07:36 AM

After my letter to all parents given out/posted yesterday morning, one gave notice last night by putting a letter through the door and then texting me to tell me to read it!!!

in it she said she still couldn't understand why I charged for days when I didn't have X and as she only got £7 a week towards childcare from tax credits she simply couldn;t afford to pay what i charged.

I'm in mixed feelings really..... fuming in a way ass she gets £7 every week and only has to pay for care in the holidays for her child so she is much luckier than many people..... and that she damn well knew the chrages when she signed a contract a year ago so why can't she understand it? I want to reply in a really angry way and tell her a few things, but I know that's not a good idea so have not replied at all so far..... As a general rule I don't deal with business on my weekends so am leaving it til Monday morning.

the rub is that she's going to a cheaper minder down the road who charges very low rates pay as you come and in return does very little with the kids...... aggravating but her choice to choose a low standard of minder really..

wonder how many more will roll over now I've stood up to them?

jen x

**hello kitty** · 30-10-2010, 07:59 AM

Well that's parents for you, they want to set ALL the rules!

Stick to your guns I think you have been very professional.

jumpinjen · 30-10-2010, 08:00 AM

Thankyou for that, I'm beginning to doubt that I am being fair, I'm wondering if I'm asking too much..... it seems to be Christmas that has got them all in a tizzy this year.... they want it payment free cos it's an expensive time of year but they've got me worrying that my charges are unreasonable!

jen x

**Blaze** · 30-10-2010, 08:14 AM

Stick to your guns - you ar in the right!

**mushpea** · 30-10-2010, 08:39 AM

if you prepared to work over the christmas period then you are within your rights to charge,, I personaly dont want to work so stop charging from 24th dec to 3rd jan as this is my holiday with my kids.
they must have read the contract before signing so its their problem not yours.

**berkschick** · 30-10-2010, 09:08 AM

Nightmare!

You say you only have the child in the holidays, how old is the child?

I have a 5 year old that only comes in the holidays and I only charge for that as they are at school term time.

**Carol M** · 30-10-2010, 09:12 AM

Jen, I feel for you.
Over the years I have questioned myself as to if I am doing the right thing by everyone. I know I do alot more with the children than other minders in my area, I put alot in financially and I'm sure this benefits the children. My fees reflect this and although I will negotiate contracts, I don't compromise on certain things. Your parents knew on signing the terms so they should not be questioning them now!

Perhaps you could consider changing your pricing structure so as you say you do not charge for Bank Hols/ Xmas but have a higher hrly fee to compensate, I do this now.
I would stick to your guns as per your current contracts and possibly invite parents to a review, If thats what you want to do. If not, wait for parents who truely appreciate your first class service and are more than happy to pay for it.
Good Luck
Carol xx

**the happy house** · 30-10-2010, 09:58 AM

There's no explaining to some people hun. for some, the most important thing for concideration is the price they're paying. What they get for their money is irrelevant. They don't care that the service they recieve at the other childminder won't be to the same standard. It's their problem hun, not yours. You will find someone else who DOES appreciate your service, and is looking for quality over price.

Best of luck x

jumpinjen · 30-10-2010, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by berkschick

Nightmare!

You say you only have the child in the holidays, how old is the child?

I have a 5 year old that only comes in the holidays and I only charge for that as they are at school term time.

Hi, yes she has a holiday only contract and doesn't want to pay for one of the Christmas weeks that falls in the holidays. She is seven, I had already told mum that when she was eight I would charge only for what used but ass i have turned away someone else to hold her place then she must pay for it.

jen x

jumpinjen · 30-10-2010, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by Carol M

Jen, I feel for you.
Over the years I have questioned myself as to if I am doing the right thing by everyone. I know I do alot more with the children than other minders in my area, I put alot in financially and I'm sure this benefits the children. My fees reflect this and although I will negotiate contracts, I don't compromise on certain things. Your parents knew on signing the terms so they should not be questioning them now!

Perhaps you could consider changing your pricing structure so as you say you do not charge for Bank Hols/ Xmas but have a higher hrly fee to compensate, I do this now.
I would stick to your guns as per your current contracts and possibly invite parents to a review, If thats what you want to do. If not, wait for parents who truely appreciate your first class service and are more than happy to pay for it.
Good Luck
Carol xx

Thankyou..... I have re-negotiated with one family recently and come to a happy medium about how many weeks of the holidays they pay for and how much they pay if child does not come.... but they were prepared to meet me halfway. This lady wouldn't meet to discuss and wanted it all her way and said some very rude things into the bargain, insinuating that i was loaded and didn't need the money

which I thought was really unpleasant as we work on a very tight budget just like her and, like you, i put a lot financially into the business which is reflected in the quality resources her child enjoyed (and the free trips etc, extra hours which i didn't charge her for when a trip went over the end time of her contract etc etc). After advice from several forum members recently i think that I will re-structure my prices for holiday only and term time only children in the future and charge a higher price to cover the B/H's.

thankyou all for your support!

jen x

**berkschick** · 30-10-2010, 10:25 AM

Do you charge her all year through or just the holidays?

With my holiday only one, Mum works school hours so doesnt need childcare during the term so I only charge her for the holidays but she has to pay every contracted day of the holidays unless I am not working.

**candy cat** · 30-10-2010, 10:39 AM

Why do parents think we are loaded? your parent gets help with her childcare....not everyone does and probably she gets tax credits too.....You are probably like us and most other working parents,we all have a budget to stick to and how dare this woman say your loaded.....I would send her a letter being over the top (nice) and think to yourself your better off without her. I have only had one quibbling over money and out of all my parents proving most difficult.....the others know my fees and charges and have never questioned it. good luck cx

jumpinjen · 30-10-2010, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by berkschick

Do you charge her all year through or just the holidays?

With my holiday only one, Mum works school hours so doesnt need childcare during the term so I only charge her for the holidays but she has to pay every contracted day of the holidays unless I am not working.

No I don't charge her all the year. She is only charged for holiday days, never for school time

jumpinjen · 30-10-2010, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by Tabitha Twitchit

Why do parents think we are loaded? your parent gets help with her childcare....not everyone does and probably she gets tax credits too.....You are probably like us and most other working parents,we all have a budget to stick to and how dare this woman say your loaded.....I would send her a letter being over the top (nice) and think to yourself your better off without her. I have only had one quibbling over money and out of all my parents proving most difficult.....the others know my fees and charges and have never questioned it. good luck cx

She gets money every week of the year towards childcare costs but only uses childcare in the holidays, and I added up all the extra hours that I didn't charge her for over the summer and it came to 22.... more than enough to cover the week she doesn't want to pay for. Anyway, finished now, onwards and upwards!

jen x

**Heaven Scent** · 30-10-2010, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by Tabitha Twitchit

Why do parents think we are loaded? your parent gets help with her childcare....not everyone does and probably she gets tax credits too.....You are probably like us and most other working parents,we all have a budget to stick to and how dare this woman say your loaded.....I would send her a letter being over the top (nice) and think to yourself your better off without her. I have only had one quibbling over money and out of all my parents proving most difficult.....the others know my fees and charges and have never questioned it. good luck cx

They think we are loaded because they look at what they pay us and then count the children in our care then decide that thats what we have to ourselves - This as we all know is a total load of tosh - they need to understand all that we have to pay out for - all our specialsit insurances - Registration fees all the extra paper and ink etc we need now that we follow EYFS plus al the extra equipment that we now are expectd to have that the children never touch!!! Never mind keeping money by for tax and NI and money we need to put by for when we are unable to work.

In the past everyone had to pay for all their childcare don't these parents realise how lucky they are? If she is getting £7 pw towards her childcare that means that she gets about two full weeks of free school holiday childcare per year. As she probably gets it weekly it is probably absorbed in the day to day bills so she doesn't feel the benefit of it but thats not your poblem - if she was very wise (how many of us are?) she would put her £7 away each week and use it when she needs to pay you.

How much more expensive are your fees compared to others in your area?

jumpinjen · 30-10-2010, 05:01 PM

[QUOTE=Heaven Scent;807398]They think we are loaded because they look at what they pay us and then count the children in our care then decide that thats what we have to ourselves - This as we all know is a total load of tosh - they need to understand all that we have to pay out for - all our specialsit insurances - Registration fees all the extra paper and ink etc we need now that we follow EYFS plus al the extra equipment that we now are expectd to have that the children never touch!!! Never mind keeping money by for tax and NI and money we need to put by for when we are unable to work.

In the past everyone had to pay for all their childcare don't these parents realise how lucky they are? If she is getting £7 pw towards her childcare that means that she gets about two full weeks of free school holiday childcare per year. As she probably gets it weekly it is probably absorbed in the day to day bills so she doesn't feel the benefit of it but thats not your poblem - if she was very wise (how many of us are?) she would put her £7 away each week and use it when she needs to pay you.

How much more expensive are your fees compared to others in your area?[/QUOTE]

I'm about 35p an hour more expensive..... but do a lot more, provide meals and snacks, rarely make them pay for entrance fees for trips, pay for ice creams etc, and never charge for extra hours if a trip goes over there contracted times, e'g went to the beach for the day, due to finish at 3.30, got back at 6pm, dropped to the door, been fed three meals, snacks and treats all day, no extra fee... but she seems to have forgotten those things!!

jen x

**Blaze** · 30-10-2010, 05:17 PM

TBH I think it's a good thing you've been given notice - you're better off without this parent!

**IndigoMoon** · 30-10-2010, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by jumpinjen

but do a lot more, provide meals and snacks, rarely make them pay for entrance fees for trips, pay for ice creams etc, and never charge for extra hours if a trip goes over there contracted times, e'g went to the beach for the day, due to finish at 3.30, got back at 6pm, dropped to the door, been fed three meals, snacks and treats all day, no extra fee... but she seems to have forgotten those things!!

jen x

I know how that feels hun. I'm so sorry that you are going through this.

I am personally wondering if it's worth continuously giving more of myself than some other CMs would as it never seems to get recognised when people leave.

jumpinjen · 30-10-2010, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by Blaze

TBH I think it's a good thing you've been given notice - you're better off without this parent!

You are right Blaze.... things like this just rattle me majorly... I've been jumpy and anxious all day. Signing off now to spend the evening with Dh who has done 12 hours today and needs some pampering!

Hugs, Jen x