I feel so ruthless!

I think you are right actually Northernlurker, this sort of unrealibility is the reason that many parents do choose nursery over childminder.
thebody I have the same child care difficulties as everyone else and am not a sahm. I actually have a fantastic cm and I know that she would never behave like op. That is why she is popular and runs a successful business. If op was my cm, I have to say that I would bad mouth her at every opportunity. I actually doubt her assertion that she told the parents that their placement could be in jepordised in the future. That piece of information came out well after initial op when many posters slammed her behaviour.
I wouldn't worry about op being offended as her spark of conscience has evaporated and she feels fine about it now. Good for her heh?

I didnt mean to be rude to you FAB. But am a little bit annoyed at the judgements made on the CMs action.

As you say you are a mum who doesnt use child care (or provide any )so with respect you have no idea what this entails.

its a really tricky business to run and some posters have been so rude and critical.

As Summersoon says she was upfront and kept to the contract.

pay money to my nursery for my daughter's care and I expect them to act professionally - that includes not running at a loss. They are in business to provide care and make a living after all. The same applies to childminders. I don't see why the op is supposed to be all fluffy and turn business away just because her business is children not cement or loaves of bread or whatever. If you decide to go with a childminder then you are taking on the risk of things changing with that one person. That's one of the reasons I use a nursery actually, just seems more resiliant.

People have opinions and sometimes they will differ.

I didnt mean to be rude to you FAB. But am a little bit annoyed at the judgements made on the CMs action.

@ SSD: as a matter of fact, I use a nanny. I guess the point I am trying to make is that even businesses have an obligation to stick by a contract made, at least for a reasonable amount of time. Others have made the point that childminders are a business so why shouldn't we compare them to other businesses such as hotels or 2-room B&B's, for example. I thought that using this comparison would take out the emotional aspect of children being involved and hence an even greater obligation to behave punctiliously.

Having said that and having re-read all the posts, I should probably not have made the point in this particular case, because as Piscesmoon wrote, it seems that the OP made it clear that she would terminate the contract as soon as a FT mindee came along. Not all posts on this board seem to have realized this and I hadn't either, until just now. So the discussion on whether or whether CM's should give special consideration to the children in their care while running their business or whether businesses have a moral obligation to stick to their contracts for a reasonable length of time (my point) is really a red herring: these points are irrelevant to the argument assuming that the OP was up-front about her policy. That's it, no more from me on this subject, have wasted enough time already.
but cf. the BoffinMum's thread on the nanny who quit shortly before she was due to start for a different take about "better-option-itis" in the childcare world.

I am merely being factual.

Why are you getting so het up?

You have no idea about my situation.

so am I!!! but I also run a child care business to pay the bills. I dont mean to be rude but you are lucky that you dont have to earn a living.

BAMBOOSTALKS what on earth are you banging on about. The CM followed the terms of her contract with the parents and she is RUNNING A BLOODY BUSINESS!!!

Are you another lucky stay at home mum!!! or do you have a well paid job? would you put the job before your family needs, of course you wouldnt.. why should the CM?

thebody I am a full time mum as I prefer to look after my kids myself.

I think that letter is patronising and crap. Why write those sweet things about the little boy when you are causing major upheaval for him? Your behaviour is appalling. You don't take on and then offload clients at the first opportunity if a better deal comes along.

Totally agree ssd

oh FGS don't compare a hotel business with a childminder

do you really use a childminder summersoon or do you use free family care (which it sounds like to me)? only asking as the reality of using or being a childminder sounds like something you've never done/been.

all the posts saying how shocked you are as childcare is an emotional business, not to a lot of parents who want the cheapest option and the best deal possible they can find......and they'll do anything to save a few £'s on childcare, then get amazed when a childminder treats the business as a business there to make money, not that they love doing it so much they want to do it for free

I would live with it and If I ran a hotel I would do exactly the same.

Do some of you posters actually work or ever run a business, some of you sound so bloody sheltered and a bit innocent tbh.

Since you made it perfectly clear at the start that full time would get priority I don't see anything wrong with it.
In the case of the hotel booking, I would be very annoyed Summersoon, but if the hotel had explained, when they took the booking that a conference would take priority I could hardly complain! You have to compare like with like. OP explained the rules when she started-she isn't making them up as she goes along.

Ok, let me try this one on you all: how would you feel if you had made a hotel booking at an "early-bird" rate and a couple of nights before the scheduled arrival the hotel calls to cancel because they have had a request for a conference booking with the customer willing to pay full rates?
You get a refund, of course, and the hotel is a business, but.....

'childcare is an emotional business..' not sure what that means.. having children is an emotional rollercoster I agree,
but providing childcare for parents IS a business.

I dont know what your job is fabbakergirl but preasumably you do it to pay the bills and mortgage just as CMs do.

Its just as SSD and Underpaid say, parents give notice as well, so why shouldnt the CM.

one of my full timers has just gone part time to save money.. so I have lost that income overnight until I fill that space..

thats life and I dont blame the Mum.

Parents get a lot of benefits using a CM, its cheaper and more flexible for a start.

But at the end of the day its a business and I dont actually think a lot of the posters actually understand that a CM has to adhere to the same standards as a nursery, same risk assessments and paperwork but does this all in her own time and by herself.

It is a very difficult and responsible job actually and we shouldnt be apologising for daring to make a profit.

cinnabared - start a new thread as you will get more replies

This is why I woukd never use a childminder.

the custom bit feels all wrong

child care is an emotional business no matter what anyone says

did you even give them the chance to be full time?

ssd and thebody - agree totally. Parent's don't consider our outgoings when they give notice - often with very short notice . OP, don't take to heart some of what has been posted on here, you have done what is best for you and your family - and that's what everyone does in whatever job they do .

I think it's fine as you made it clear up front. If you hadn't that would have been different. Strange choice for the parents to make though - if they needed continuity.

agree with the last poster!

to all of you who use childminders, what do you do when your child starts nursery p/t or school f/t?

or your own job situation changes?

or gran offers to have the kids a day or two to help with childcare costs?

you cut out the childminder/give her notice/reduce her days or hours etc etc.

do you think about the financial effect on her? no, you think thank God I'm not paying so much now.......in other words you put your own situation first (just as anyone would, including childminders!!)

childcare is a business, don't ever kid yourself its something these woman are doing out of the goodness of their hearts...

and don't be surprised when they are forced to do something that gives them a bit of a gain financially

such a difficult situation.. It does sound a harsh action to take but I imagine the poster had no choice, after all morality and decency doesnt pay the mortgage and bills does it?

These are hard times and childminding IS a business which is done for profit first and foremost..

The people who always bang on about vocations usually dont work at one and all the outraged parents on the thread who critisise the CM here presumably change their jobs as and when they want to!!

My childs teacher had gone on maternity leave at the moment leaving her class with a supply teacher but I am not saying she is selfish to have a baby because my childs ecucation is affected.. thats life.. HOWEVER all of my childminding places have been filled by word of mouth and reputation and I think it would be bad for business to act this way. Also it takes a time to build up a relationship with littlies and parents and once established makes the job so enjoyable.. bewtter the devil you know IYSWIM.

but please lets get off the high horse I love all my mindees but if I won the lottery tonight all would get nortice on Monday as I would expect to if the shoe was on the other foot..

well said tombliboos

MUMMY DRAGON - we "judged" the situation on the information we were given.

If she had said in her opening post that she had warned the parents that if a full time child came along she would terminate their contract, then that is a different proposition, but she didn't so people answered accordingly.