parents want balance foward for next time with YOUR WAGES

[sassyminder]

Hi
I am half way the process to become a childminder but I am working as a nanny to a baby on a very flexible basis providing that he will be my mindee once I am registered.
The parents work on rota, it means two weeks are not the same and every Friday they let me know which days and time they will need me for the following week so VERY flexible.
Also they do travel a lot and they dont pay me when they are away and they have been away for 4 weeks last time but when they came back I was still available for them even though received nothing so very very flexiblde.
Thing is,today Mother told me that for next week they would need me until 7:30 pm most of the days (I charge £ extra if after 6pm) but they probably would manage to finish earlier so I could finish earlier aswell and "perhaps carry the outstanding balance of my payment for the following week???"
I said that it is not fair as I would put myself available until 7:30 anyway...so I suggested them go and do something fun instead of coming earlier home since my wages were paid anyway (I got paid in advance)
What do you think?
Have I done the wrong thing?
If they do it now, imagine when I am register and they will have to pay for the time they go on holidays, etc
How did she even have the guts to ask me I feel so disrespected

Unusual for a nanny to be paid in advance in my view... but you are not doing a typical nanny job, so pay wouldn't be typical either really. Nannies are contracted for a specific number of hours a week... you don't seem to be operating that way.

When you are a Registered Childminder you are calling the shots as you are running your business. So it's you who would be deciding the terms and not them.

Hard to see what the exact pay agreement you have in place is... is there something written down as to how pay is organised?

How on earth is that going to work when you are a childminder. Are you just charging for hours booked, how will that change when you change to minding and you start calling the shots, sounds like they will expect the same treatment, I would start up a minimum hours required and paid for agreement that you will be able to continue.

I understand what you mean, i did a similar job to you and I was paid for the hours they booked me for, so if I was booked until 7.30 and they came home early I still got paid until 7.30

That is disrespectful :( If they want you available until 7.30, they pay until 7.30. If they leave their job early, do they get paid less? I doubt it.

Nannynick have you ever been a cm?

sorry for that last question hijack - I just think you'd probably be really good at it!

I am in a similar position to you. I started nannying for a family nearly 3 years ago. I, stupidly, was far too flexible and didn't speak up enough when there was a problem.

The job was supposed to be finishing in September, coinciding with me starting to childmind. However, the child now comes to me as a mindee on a very part-time basis - his end date keeps being pushed back so I'm not definitely sure when he'll leave.

The problem that I have is that it feels too late to put in place all the T&Cs I'd set as a CM with this family because it's been done differently for such a long time ie. no payment for cancelled session, paying me for part of an hour etc.

I am fully aware that it is my business and I should be more assertive but I keep thinking I don't want to upset things at this stage when it's likely to end very soon (also a few other reasons).

Anyway, my point is, you need to decide what your T&Cs are going to be and make sure the family know right from the very beginning.

No Star... though I do hang-out with a group of childminders - so get the tales of woe. I'm ex Ofsted Early Years... but that was some years back, so not so fluent with CM paperwork these days. Before I could be a childminder I would need a house. Not likely anytime soon given house prices in my area.

Pay is often a difficult subject to discuss and it seems problems often arise over payment or things which relate to payment - such as hours worked, holiday taken that sort of thing. I think it can be hard to vary the terms after they have been initially set, so the point you change from being a nanny to a CM would be a good time to reconsider the terms and make sure there everyone is aware of the way things will be going forward.

I have a very detailed contract with them stating that I get paid by the hours in advance and I get paid the hours booked NOT the hours used. I was considering still be flexible with them after starting my business and keep the same T&C but now that I feel disrespected I'm not even sure I want them as clients.

So there is no way of carrying over any balance at the end of the week, as they are paying for time booked... not time actually used.

Stick to the terms of the contract. They want to book until 7.30pm... then they pay until 7.30pm even if they get home at 6pm.

When you start your childminding business, they would be paying for a childcare place. So consider if the T&C would be the same, or not.

How will it work when you're a CM? Surely they will take up your under 1s place? For a family that may or may not use it/pay for it

This topic will now be deleted due to personal reasons.
Thanks for all the replies