AIBU re new childminder

I can't understand why the OP hasn't been back.

Crikey moses! What a fuss over nothing.

I don't charge in advance but i am considering it for new clients, I get half my 4 weeks paid and I tell clients months in advance. nurseries get paid all year and in advance so why should we be different. My clients think quality child care is worth paying for.

our old childminder charged more per hr but didnt charge for her hols and charged for ours and didnt charge for bh, she always charged in arrears

new one charges more per hr/day but she only charges 50% when we are away/she is away/bank hols

both included meals, new one includes wipes so we just supply nappies

Hear Hear - IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece..
She doesnt have time = I really dont care!!!!!!
That says quite a bit to me...lol

You don't have time for this?

I highly doubt she has time for parents to mess her around after they didn't read the contract

sorry but lol at this.

Everyone I know,me included,charges in advance. Why would we work a month for free only for a parent to leave without paying?? has happened on many occasions to people i know.

and yes, 4 weeks holiday is standard. i don't charge but most do.

next time you should read the contract before you sign it.

I really think the holiday thing is a red herring.
I had one CM who took 4 weeks paid hols. Her rate was 3.75/hr
I had one CM who I didn't pay for her hols and I could even have 2 weeks of mine free but she cost 5/hr.
Swings and roundabouts.

I am charging my families in arears. I don't charge for holidays, and I don't charge for sick days. But my daily rates are higher than average childminder locally.

Each childminder has to set up clear rules. As long as the rules are clear.

I agree with Minderjinx. You trusted her enough to contract with her to care for your child and after having been reminded of the terms of the contract, she is now - in your mind - devious and underhand.

How very odd...

I pay my CM in arrears but I think in advance is pretty standard. If CM is on holiday she doesn't charge me if I'm on holiday she charges half fees to keep DS place.

I pay a childminder month in advance and also 4 weeks paid holiday and 5 days public holidays. I think this is reasonable.......but she's an excellent childminder

YABU. It's quite normal to pay in advance, your new CM is not being devious or underhanded, and if you cancel now she would be perfectly entitled to charge you for the notice period as well.

I would expect to pay in advance. The CM probably didn't mention it because it's so usual and it's in the contract you signed. She's probably embarrassed (and you should be) that she's had to remind you that payment is due.

I run the finances for a before and after school club. If you don't get payment in advance it's really hard work getting money out of people, so I don't blame her at all.

noseymcposey - if they choose not to tie in with my dates (2 weeks in summer & week at Christmas all notified at start of year plus a few days here & there) then yes I get paid all year round as parents holiday is full pay.

Calling your prospective childminder devious and underhand for reminding you of the (pretty standard) terms and conditions she had already given you in writing and you had signed up to is no way to start a partnership to care for your child. She will be fortunate if you go elseswhere.

I did consider writing a full explanation of how this has arisen from your own carelessness and that your childminder is not devious but actually, I don't have time for all that...

In my case it's a bit complicated. The parents of the children I mind don't take their children away with them when they go on holidays, Grandparents pick up for the week or so that the parents are away.

I would happily sync up with them if they wanted to try and organise holidays so that we're all away at the same time.

Out of interest, if you charge for your own holidays (i.e when not providing childcare) do you still also charge for when the parents have holidays? i.e. you get paid all year round?

She put it in her contract and as the OP signed it, she agreed to it. I have always had holidays stipulated in my contract (with a degree of flexibility to suit the parents) and have adjusted payments to cover 52 weeks of the year. You're right, the term "choose" is correct, but child minding is full on and I really think I'm entitled to holidays by the time they roll around

I charge in advance & take 4 weeks paid leave (although during school holidays so half fee for term time only) - I'd be amazed if this wasn't included in her standard T&C and she wasn't just pointing it out so you were clear BUT if it wasn't made clear & you are sure this is a later addition then I appreciate your irritation and I'd be speaking to her first thing tomorrow as this wasn't what you agreed to.

CoraBear you have no entitlement to holidays as you are self-employed; you can chose to take holidays and negotiate paid or not with the families that you work with.

I never get the paid holiday thing, but you signed up for it! Most self employed people build holiday pay into their fees. Is her hourly rate a bit cheaper than those who don't bill for holidays

A child minder who wants to go have a life of her own by having the holidays she's entitled to I have worked as a child minder for nearly 14 years and this is the sort of attitude that drives me crazy.

Maybe you should have read the contract before you signed it? Hardly the child minders fault that you didn't.

Another one here who pays their childminder at the start of the month for the coming month. That seems completely normal to me and I'd be very surprised to do it any other way.

Some childminders do ask for paid holiday so I don't think there is anything dodgy about this. Mine doesn't, and in all honesty I wouldn't be terribly keen on this but it's not all that unusual, and it depends on what they charge as their daily rate. Presumably child minders who don't ask for paid holiday build it into their fees anyway.