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Original poster

Mindee sickness / absence - advice needed please

37 replies

Pinner35 · 20/10/2012 22:15

I currently look after a 10 month old girl. She started with me on Sept 3rd, three days per week, term time only as her mother is a teacher. All has been good so far.....

A couple of weeks ago, mindees grandmother passed away. She lived quite a distance from us, so I didn't have the mindee for that week. Last week, mindee was ill with D&V, so she wasn't with me for last week either. She's now fully recovered and I've had am email from her mother asking if I could have mindee for 4 days this week instead of 3. So, would you charge for the extra day, or would you suck it up since you've not had the mindee for a week?

WWYD?

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deb9 · 29/10/2012 09:46

yes I think you should charge. If you do decide to do it make sure you make it clear its a one off.

Original poster
Pinner35 · 24/10/2012 20:36

Well, tomorrow was the extra day she wanted, but she didn't mention anything do neither did I. Still all very frosty though, so the half term break has come just at the right time.

Thanks for all your input.

OP posts:
mamadoc · 23/10/2012 22:51

As a parent of course I'd expect to pay for an extra day!
I don't work for free so why should my CM!
Any reasonable parent would feel the same.

Ilovecake1 · 22/10/2012 19:40

I really can't believe how cheeky she is...nothing is for free these days!

ZuleikaD · 22/10/2012 18:53

Yes, I'd be looking at my options too. If she's on childcare then she's probably looking for somewhere else.

AThingInYourLife · 22/10/2012 18:49

You can give her notice if you want.

What is business like where you are?

I think (as a parent) that a good relationship between CM and parents is key to making it work well.

Unless you will really struggle to fill the place, I would be looking at my options.

greenbananas · 22/10/2012 18:29

She is being unreasonable and you will be well rid if she does decide to go elsewhere. Not very nice for you though Sad

Original poster
Pinner35 · 22/10/2012 18:22

Well Mum picked up mindee today, but there was no mention of it at all. She was, however, decidely frosty with me. I also received a notification from childcare.co.uk that she had looked at my profile, so I wonder if she's planning to look elsewhere. Oh well, not much I can do about that.

OP posts:
ZuleikaD · 22/10/2012 16:15

I would charge. You were flexible in that you rearranged your time so that you could take the child. It's not a pro rata job in that you only get paid for the time you work. I'd just bung it on next month's invoice - but then I am quite tough.

HSMM · 22/10/2012 13:41

Got it. No problem. Replied.

Original poster
Pinner35 · 22/10/2012 11:03

Thanks everyone. No mention of it at drop off (by dad) this morning, so I'll no doubt get it at pick up time.

HSMM - I've sent you a PM. Hope you don't mind Smile

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 21/10/2012 21:56

Offer a freebie one and they will want more

Not your fault mindee was ill or the gran died

Ditto ebb

TwoCrazyKids · 21/10/2012 21:52

If they were good payers, I would prob give the day for free, just because she had two weeks off before. But, because she seems a bit cheeky, I would definitely charge her!!

Snazzyspookyandscary · 21/10/2012 21:12

I can see why they might hint at it but they don't have the right to expect it (ie not to pay). If they bring it up again, I would say that if you do it for one person you will have to do it for everyone who asks and that simply doesn't work when keeping track of numbers etc, so there are no exceptions.

bigpaws · 21/10/2012 21:09

If it makes you feel better, I had a similar situation. It was only an extra hour in question though - but I charged.
Don't worry about facing them. They shouldn't have assumed.

Original poster
Pinner35 · 21/10/2012 20:52

Thanks for all your responses. Yes, I did get paid for that day.

I'm not looking forward to seeing her tomorrow.

OP posts:
hermioneweasley · 21/10/2012 20:31

Charge. They sound like a potential nightmare and you need to set the expectations.

If they had been with you for years always paid on time etc and wanted to swap a day which made no difference to you then that might be a nice gesture of flexibility, but this isn't flexibility - it's wanting a freebie which they have no reason to expect.

DerbyNottsLeicsNightNanny · 21/10/2012 20:23

I use a CM for my son and in this situation would definitely expect to pay for the extra day - no way would I ask not to be charged!! (If however CM chose not to charge then I wouldnt argue, but I certainly wouldnt be expecting a freebie).

difficultpickle · 21/10/2012 19:10

As a parent I would expect to be charged. I had a CM who got completely taken advantage of by another of her mindee's parents. It ended up with her being substantially out of pocket (parents always paid late, deferred payment, said they couldn't afford to pay etc etc despite both full time working - the mum was a HT). I used to listen to the CM tell me the latest sob story and think Hmm.

You are running a business. If you want to offer a freebie then up to you but they have no right to expect it.

frazzlerock · 21/10/2012 19:09

I also email an invoice at the end of the month via an app on my iPhone.
Although I've just given Childminding up so not anymore! Grin

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 21/10/2012 19:07

I know this isn't AIBU, but YADNBU. As a parent, I'd expect to pay.

frazzlerock · 21/10/2012 19:05

Cheeky. Very cheeky. Did she pay you for it in the end?

HSMM · 21/10/2012 13:17

I don't have to talk to parents about payments much ... I just email them an invoice :)

Original poster
Pinner35 · 21/10/2012 12:26

I am still stewing about this, and I've just remembered something else. When we were organising the settling in sessions, she asked if I could have the mindee from 10am - 4pm on one particular day and she would be happy to pay me for it. I agreed....when the day came, there was no payment, no reference to any payment and when I mentioned it, she was shocked and said she thought it was all part of the settling in process.

OP posts:
greenbananas · 21/10/2012 12:08

I would charge.