Hoooow much?!

gabyjane

Hi i'm a childminder and charge 1/2 if the parent gives notice on holidays or days off etc..unfortunatly i had to do this as parents used all sort of excuses as to why their child couldn't come then id'e see them out and about just so they could save a few quid while i earnt nothing! I do the same for my days away too.

Debt_Free_Chick

CG77 wrote: »

Thanks for taking the time to reply DFC,

I think I'm still being incredibly dim (not difficult for me!), but how does this justify HER 5 weeks of holiday? I'm not disputing we should pay when we're away, just when she is.

Sorry if it's just me being thick!

CG. x

If your holiday is different to hers, then she's lost a place which she would otherwise charge to another child.

The concept is the same either way - she is charging you £x over the whole year. Whether you pay in one instalment or 365 instalments, the yearly cost is the same.

Stop thinking that you are paying her when she or you are on holiday - your total cost is that for the whole year.

eden37

Is it at all possible to coincide your holidays with your childminder?How much notice does she give you? If you both take 5-6 different weeks each thats possibly 12 weeks childminding money your paying out where your child isnt being looked after!! I can see where your coming from!!

fernliebee

TBH, look at the other side of the coin, nursery workers are paid a pittance and some (I would even say most in a good quality nursery) are trained to level 3 and above, and there must be at least one member of staff with a degree level qualification. These people are responsible for your child's welfare, and many get a little over minimum wage. I find this shocking, considering the amount of responsibility they have.

I can understand that it seems like a lot of money, but that is the choice you take when you have children IMO. You either pay for nursery or take the drop in wages, and lifestyle, and be a SAHP. Unless you are really organised and saved for years/ have a great job and are well off enough to be able to afford it any way.

Neither is an easy way out, there are pro's and con's to both. Personally I chose to stay at home, but if you don't then unfortunately nursery bills are part and parcel of that decision, and they cannot just let you off money as they have to hold open your space. If you were renting a house, and said to the landlord you expected to not pay any rent while you went on hols, he would laugh in your face!

Incidentally some nurseries/ childminders offer one /two free weeks a year, to cover a family holiday, or if children are part time, will agree for you to team up with another P/T and cover each others place full time for a week or two, so that at least one of your children are using the place. ie if your child does mon, tue and joe bloggs child does wed/ thurs, then you could come to an arrangement where for one week while you are on holiday joe bloggs child does 4 days in nursery for price of two, then the next week while joe bloggs is on hols your child does 4 days for the price of two. Phew! Not explained that well at all, but hope you see what I mean!

CG77

eden37 wrote: »

Is it at all possible to coincide your holidays with your childminder?How much notice does she give you? If you both take 5-6 different weeks each thats possibly 12 weeks childminding money your paying out where your child isnt being looked after!! I can see where your coming from!!

We only send him during term-time because I'm a teacher although we still pay when I'm off, which I totally understand, otherwise she could give his place to another child who would be there during school holidays. Her holidays are usually during school time (she's away now) so there's no way I can go on holiday then. Maybe I'm wrong, but it just riles me that while she's away I'm paying her AND someone else (who's actually looking after my child!). Other friends whose children go to childminders don't have to pay if the childminder can't have the child for any reason, be it illness or holiday.

Thanks for the replies though and sorry matimages for hijacking your thread!!

CG. x

CG77

anguk wrote: »

I can understand what you're saying. I think it's right that you pay her when you go on holiday but it doesn't seem right that you pay her when she goes on holiday.

If she was your employee then that would be a different matter but she isn't she's self employed and normally self-employed people don't get holiday pay.

As you say your window cleaner is self-employed but you wouldn't pay him when he's on holiday and not cleaning your windows.

In fact I can't think of any self-employed person who still gets paid while they're on holiday?

Thanks! My sentiments exactly. Glad it's not just me!

CG. x

fernliebee

kittie wrote: »

I picked my grandson (one off) up fro nursery yesterday and imo sending him there is worth every penny for the care and attention and feeding that he gets. I wish they had had nurseries in my day. The group he was in was like a family group and you could feel the good atmosphere

They have overheads and so of course you should pay for the days not attended. Its a fact of life these days if a woman wants to stay on the career ladder and speaking as a sahm from 30 years ago, the children at a good nursery are benefitting way way more than children kept in confinement at home. Play school etc doesn`t do it as much as a GOOD nursery. By the way my opinion has completely changed re working mums. They can have the penny and the bun but for a few years, no money and that is fact

I fully agree with your post, nursery can be very beneficial, and most of them have a lovely atmosphere with very happy children.

The only bit I don't understand is the bit in bold I am a SAHM to my 16 month old DD, and most of my friends are too, and we are never confined to the home. We go out to groups, play parks, play centres and activities every day, the children always have other children to play with, and as I was an educator before having DD I am confident she is getting everything she would get in nursery, plus more! Just as working mum's must get fed up of people slating nurseries, it seems an increasing trend to criticise peoples choice to stay at home. I don't even own a TV so I def do not sit on my bum, watching Jeremy Kyle, while DD runs wild round the house.

I'm really not aiming this all at you, just that part of your post brought this to my mind. Sorry to go off on a rant! Just quite a few people have mentioned this recently.

dangers

I'm a registered childminder and I don't charge if I am unable to look after the child (be it illness or holiday). However, I do charge full if the child is on holiday as I am keeping a space open for them.
I have been very organised and have advised all parents of next years' holidays so that they can book their own holidays - probably around mine.

CG77

dangers wrote: »

I'm a registered childminder and I don't charge if I am unable to look after the child (be it illness or holiday). However, I do charge full if the child is on holiday as I am keeping a space open for them.
I have been very organised and have advised all parents of next years' holidays so that they can book their own holidays - probably around mine.

Thanks. I think that is totally reasonable and exactly what i would expect to pay. I wish my childminder was the same! She's great with my little one though and of course that's the most important thing-it's just a pet niggle of mine.

CG. x

Spendless

gabyjane wrote: »

Hi i'm a childminder and charge 1/2 if the parent gives notice on holidays or days off etc..unfortunatly i had to do this as parents used all sort of excuses as to why their child couldn't come then id'e see them out and about just so they could save a few quid while i earnt nothing! I do the same for my days away too.

May I ask why you charge when you are off (I understand when the minded child is off). If you were SE in any other profession, eg if you were a mobile hairdresser you wouldn't charge for the shampoo & set you weren't doing, cos you were away.