Needed a registered childminder end of last year for 6 weeks up to christmas hols only as ds was due to start nursery in jan. lovely childminder recommended by nursery, children go to dd's school (nursery and school on same site). Childminder happened to be pg with 3rd child due early Jan and only able to take mindees until week before school hols, when we needed it til. It was perfect, she had lost her othe mindees as they found other childcare in he weeks leading up to Christmas, she could do with money as much as we needed her services.
We discussed plans in case she went into early labour, including us reassuring her we had flexi to get ds if she went int labour, as we knew it was close to her due date. She assured us if she had baby early we would be refunded outstanding monies owed, not something we were too concerned with as we all knew the situation.
She was a fab childminder and was an excellent introduction to childcare for ds as he had one to one care. In the last two weeks of contract she was increasingly tired and had a couple of false starts.
In the last week shehad her baby and was unable to care for ds for the last two days of contract. I fully anticipated this, as her others were early, and my employers knew this might be an issue, so I had backup plans, as it happened I only had to take one days leave and Dh was already not working one day.
She was so apologetic! she had refused to stop caring for ds on the final day before she went into labour as I think she was very conscientious and did not want to let us down. In dialogue in the next week or so she said she owed us two days of care she could not provide, and did not press for it as we knew they were down her wage and it was Christmas. Saw her in the first week back at school in jan and while cooing over baby she said she owed us money and would pay us next week, I said no rush, whenever she remembered. Did not want to pressure her due to having her hands full and jan probably meant painful wallet!
However, she did not give us the money and I felt awful reminding her, as she clearly remembered before, so had probably not forgotten, I worried I would be making thing financially difficult, on a bit embarrassed to ask. We exchanged politeness. She mentioned it again at end of jan, and not since. Th longer time passed the more awkward we have felt asking for it.
DH and considered just leaving it, or more specifically taking the awkwardness away by saying don't worry about paying it back as she had a good reason, but we actually really need the money right now as our car had had a big bill.
Aibu to ask for it back now or is it too late? I don't want to put her in an awkward position, as she was so good with ds and us really nice.