To think I should not be tutoring for free...

[Beccadugs]

I have my own business tutoring children for entrance exams and for catch up to support there basic literacy and numeracy skills. I am a qualified teacher before anyone criticises.

Most of my pupils are great, and arrive on time etc.

However I have a set of twins who I see for an hour a week. Today they were 15 mins early, and weren't picked up until the usual time. I leave 15 mins between appointments to clear up, prep etc. they must have seen my last pupil leave and rung the doorbell. I couldn't turn them away as their dad had driven off. This is not the first time they've been early, and are often collected late.

AIBU to think this is taking the piss? They are basically getting 25% extra free.

I know I need to man up and tell their dad it is not acceptable... (I have done before!!)

I would send the parents an email stating that if they arrive early again then you will have no option but to invoice them an extra 25%.

Do you tutor from home?
You point them toward somewhere they can sit/stand and tell them you'll be with them as soon as you are cleaned up and prepared.
Then you tell their father that you will tutor for 1 hour and no longer, unless he is willing to pay for the extra time.

Oh this made me laugh when I saw that you support literacy skills.

"there basic numeracy and literacy"? "a set of twins who I see"? Seriously?

Whatever they are paying you, it's too much.

Me too, Cailinsalach.

Cross post, Jessie.

Yes fair enough, do as I say and check what I've written.

I don't see the problem. Just sit them down and say 'I'll be with you at ' Then when the lesson time ends, say 'that's everything for today, do you want to wait here for your dad or will he be outside?'

You don't have to actually tutor them in that time, just tutor for the hour and leave them sitting there for the rest if the time. But you should also make it clear to the parents that you will not tolerate them being picked up or dropped off more than five minutes out of the arranged time.

Can't see why on earth you have even considered tutoring them for any longer than the hour. Just comment that they are very early and ask them to wait quietly in the hall until it's time for their lesson.

Give them some housework to do

We used to go to a violin teacher who had a porch you could sit in, so if you got there early, it was dry and warm (well warmer than outside). Children would sit in the porch after a lesson, if their parents weren't there yet.

What age? If the parents are late, let them wait outside the front door!