to have asked this question re toddler class fees?

[StardustDogs]

In the summer we went to a fun day , the only thing that ds liked was a lady with instruments that did a music class.

She said you could pay week by week so we started going . It was the summer holidays after a couple of weeks she did summer specials and we went to a few.

Then in September we started going and there were then signs up saying you pay in advance so we did except I asked not to pay on his birthday as we planned to go out with family . She was fine about this but it rained so we attended anyway and paid on the day .

So today as we are away in a few weeks I asked if I could pay for one less week and she bit my head off , she properly turned and said "well no because I have to come don't I " ? I had asked by saying my husband is on holiday so we are away . She said " bring your husband too" I replied I can't as we are away said nevermind and paid in cash in full. The atmosphere was really uncomfortable , so I said oh he really enjoyed it today , okaay see you next week, and shuffled off!

I understand people must let her down but in a year there are 39 weeks of her classes , surely she should give some grace? Another group used to let you make up a class as more than one a week.

I will continue to attend as ds really responds to music but I just felt a bit shitty in the way she said it. I was only asking a question! I never use her bloody biscuits or juice so perhaps that could be a fiver saved for her per year ?

Anyway go ahead and give it to me. Ds loves her as well that's even more annoying now!

[PickledFanjoCat]

They are running a business though mrs k.

I don't think they get paid a load either.

[ChippingInLovesAutumn]

MrsK - no it doesn't. Save the weekly amount one term, attend the next.

[Journey]

YABU. You were very cheeky asking not to pay for a day because you weren't going to be there.

How would you like it if she turned to you and said by the way John is going to take your ds's place next week but your ds can come back the following week. I don't think you'd be impressed. You're paying for a space and you should respect that.

[StardustDogs]

The paying for a space thing I understand. I just feel she could have been much nicer in the way she refused. I can see that whether I'm on holiday or not she still drives there uses petrol, pays for the room. Sometimes there is only 4 of us , sometimes 10 so I think perhaps she could be nicer to those who do come. Nobody really chats that much but often people who come one week don't come again , maybe they ask her the wrong question too!

You would have thought when her group appears to be dwindling she would be friendly to her regulars at least. Oh well I will keep going as ds enjoys it and just pay up front no questions asked. When we have to miss it for his appointments or hols I will just have to accept it as its worth it for the joy it brings to ds!

[StardustDogs]

There was no miscommunication , when I first attended the class it was week by week as stated by her at the fun day.

Now since the September term it is pay in advance per half term. This wasn't communicated verbally there were signs up suddenly and she said at the end of class fees are now due . I only had a fiver on me so felt a bit embarrassed. I won't mention it again. I feel like letting her keep my £30 and never going the nasty cow but as I said ds loves it so will keep going while he enjoys it.

[Dozer]

yabu, but she doesn't sound like she knows much about customer service!

[DeWe]

I went to a craft session, Really well done. On a pay by week arrangement. There was a huge waiting list, and I was surprised when I got there to find that generally it was only half full.
People took their place off the waiting list, and then turned up when they felt like it. It was only £3 a session, so not very much really considering all the craft stuff plus venue hire.

After a couple of terms they started a system where you paid half a term at a time. Suddenly all the people who only came 1-2 times a term found that actually they could manage nearly all the sessions. In fact they then put the prices down to £2.50.

(and I know if you struggled to afford it they were happy to do it so you paid for the next session when you were there for the present session, so you only paid double at the first one of the term, because I knew one who did it that way)

[ChippingInLovesAutumn]

I don't think there was any miscommunication at all - she advertised it as pay week by week, to get parents through the door. Then, instead of acting like an adult and speaking to the class to say it wasn't working and she was sorry but it would have to change to paying in advance for the half term after the next 'break' (or whatever) she slunk about sticking up some posters. Not professional & not friendly.

I wouldn't want to go back either, her attitude is crap, but as you say - it's paid for and more importantly DS loves it, so - like you - I'd suck it up for the rest of the term and then re-assess.

[StardustDogs]

Yes I agree chipping , just before the 6 weeks hols there was hardly anybody there. Also during the summer specials it was pretty quiet. I won't directly mention it again but I hope she realised the way she spoke to me was out of order. If she had breezily said no sorry you have to pay if attending or not now sorry, with a smile, I really would have thought oh well no harm in asking. I knew nobody could be that happy! She probably hates kids too. :)

[INeedThatForkOff]

to start it was week by week then she popped up some laminated demanding the money upfront

Are these Rhythm Time classes by any chance? This summer our group ran a similar set-up. It wasn't a secret that school term time classes were block-booked and that holiday classes were PAYG (presumably because people are likely to, er go on holiday during the school break).

Don't forget there's a good chance that the group leader has paid a hefty franchise fee (hence the difference between this and older kids' karate classes mentioned earlier). Hadn't you realised that the baby and toddler market is awash with this kind of arrangement because new parents like me are daft willing to pay? Perhaps she has paid a fortune for the franchise and can't afford to be messed about.

[DamnBamboo]

YABVU.
Imagine if everyone else that attended did what you do?
How could she rely on a regular income?

[mrskeithrichards]

It's hardly a business, prancing about singing to a bunch of tots!

[DamnBamboo]

Of course it's a business... it's just a very small one that doesn't turnover much.

Perhaps she had to swap to pay in advance because so many people did what OP wants to do.

It's probably not about making loads of money, but not losing any either.

[mrskeithrichards]

I just think these things have got to formal and structured and aren't very inclusive. And a bit naff really, probably full of first time mums. The few I've been too are full of competitive mothers trying to out mum each other.

I much prefer library sessions, more relaxed groups and community led activities. That, and I'm tight.

[DamnBamboo]

I have never liked classes or toddler groups and really don't like going to them - never have.

What I found really amusing and actually guffawed when she told me the price, was the £18 charge for an equivalent of tumble tots for 45 minutes.

£18 feckin' quid

[mrskeithrichards]

They really do have tickets on themselves!

[ThisIsMummyPig]

I actually have sympathy for the teacher. I do guides, and we ask to be paid half termly. (it is £7.00 a half term). We then do various activities. It is really galling to find that half the girls have gone somewhere else one night without mentioning it the week before (school trips etc they've known about for weeks), leaving you with a load of craft stuff you have paid for, but won't get used for ages.

It isn't that they're not there though, it's that they don't tell us, which is slightly different to your situation.

[StardustDogs]

I used to do the library and £1 church Playgroup but as my son is likely to be diagnosed with autism these things don't work anymore due to his behaviour. The music class mainly keeps him engaged and he enjoys it. It is also very local to me. I'm definitely not a competitive Mum I have no time to watch others parenting I'm too busy trying to manage ds.

[trixymalixy]

Probably because numbers were dwindling she wasn't covering her overheads letting people pay on a week by week basis, so had to change to termly fees to make it viable.

YABU

[amarylisnightandday]

Yabu - sorry. I've been to loads of different toddler classes and its quite usual than you can pay as you go for a trial period then thru expect you to commit for a term. These people are earning a living not doing you a favour.

[DontmindifIdo]

MrsKeithRichards - the difference is between someone running a group as a business (and it is a business, in the same way that "someone just painting your nails" is a business when they work as a nail technician rather than doing it for friends) and a Church group doing outreach work. The church group don't have to make a profit, the point of them doing it is to get to talk to you, the woman running a class the point if it is to make some money. The churches don't charge their own groups to use the rooms so they have no overheads, whereas the same church hall hired the following day by a class round here would cost about £70-80 for a half day.

The person running the class often has to book a whole half term in advance to ensure they will have the room every week and the church won't give it to anyone else one week randomly, so if the woman running the class needs to know she's got 30 people in a class paying to ensure the overheads are covered.

OP, if she started with 'pay as you go' I guess not enough people who said they would go every week did to make it worth her while running the class, so she's had to move to this system. I think she was rude about it though.

[StardustDogs]

Thanks all! You weren't that bad! I can see I w bu about not attending and expecting not to pay but she was bu about not discussing the new pay system properly and also in her manner with me. Hey ho she was probably having a crap day. I'm over it now anyway just felt reaaaallly pissed off at the time.

[PickledFanjoCat]

I went to sing and sign and the majority of the mums were lovely and just wanted to get out of the house.

I won't be doing it with dc2 I have to say but I liked it at the time.

I ain't no competitive mum, I'm a normal!