Help me word this?

[TheWayTheLightFalls]

Really minor, but the sort of thing I tie myself in knots over.

I’ve hired a teenager to collect DD from school once a week and then help me at home with the very cushy (imo!) job of wrapping my eBay sales. She’s paid over the odds but per hour / on the clock.

DD loves her, she is diligent, she lets me know if unwell etc. But - last week DD let me know that they went via Costa on the way home, so she could get a coffee. This week they went via Costa and via a bus stop out of the way to (according to DD) walk another friend there. And were later home by 15 minutes or so, at my expense. She only does 1-1.5 hours a time, so it adds up.

It feels slightly piss taking and I’m not sure how happy I am at my six year old going via a coffee shop every week anyway. How can I word this to her? I really just want to say, Hey, the scope of the job is collecting DD and heading straight home to get on with things here.

My point still stands. At 15 she could leave school and god home and do whatever she wants. In order for her to do all of the things you ask for in limited time work for you, you’d HAVE to pay more in order to attract her or anyone else to it.

So that isn’t really the issue. Except it is for you, and I expect it’s because, like I said, it’s a stretch for you to afford and therefore want every minute’s worth.

Stop being a cheapskate and hire her for a longer period of time, she probably needs that caffeine hit to get all of those things done in an hour

Have a frank chat with her and explain that either you deduct 15 minutes' worth of pay, or she stays an extra 15 minutes at the same rate.

Some people working so hard at trying to make out OP as a bad person, bad employer and generally unreasonable.

What's this thing with Mumsnet where people try to find any faults with OPs on every thread.

I guarantee this teenager will find better things to do with her time than accept this pettiness. OP will be looking for another child to exploit soon. Doing nothing at home is better than being paid to be docked over getting a coffee.

While I agree this does happen, I think op is being very very strict over a total non issue here. Change the agreement if you're that wound up about it. Offer her her £20 to do the school run and wrap 3 parcels or whatever, rather than by the hour. That way she can take as long as she wants.