Childminders Club: Advice about giving parent notice.........

[HellyBelly]

Hello all.

I've had to make lots of decisions in the last week about how I'm going to run my childminding business as things haven't been working well recently (some of you saw my embarrassing, supposed to be undercover, thread recently )

Anyway, decisions all made and now down from 5 mindees to 3 (had to give one notice as other mum complained but he had a brother so 2 down!). I have one more I need to give notice to - I hate this side of the job (feels like your sacking someone!!)

Here's the situation......

Family member of mindee died recently and mum off abroad for funeral. Someone else looking after mindee so I've got them tomorrow after school and then that's it til a week Thursday. I only need to give this person 1 weeks notice because that's what they wanted but I don't want to give it tomorrow and then the week to find someone else she won't even be in the country for.

Do I......

a) Tell the mum tomorrow but give longer notice to sort alternative care (but would she really need this on her mind at the moment?!!)
b) Wait til she's back and then give a weeks notice.

Doesn't help that this mum I need to give notice to is a friend of the mum who I gave notice to last week (who chose not to come back).

Please all trust me that my reasons are valid ones and I wish I didn't have to do this at all!

What do you think about this notice then? Also, do you tell them or do you write to them? (the one last week was a bit different)

Helly - As i said to you before i think it would be nice for you to wait till you see the mum then tell her and have a letter in your hand to give to her, rather than doing it now with the travel abroad and have her worried that she cant get new help in the weeks notice or slightly longer and really messing up the time away with wondering what she is going to do and then having her take extra time off.

I personally would wait and be nice to the parents and give a full weeks or maybe 2 weeks so it is better and you get an extra weeks pay.

Oh, defo wasn't planning on giving week's notice tomorrow (you know I'd never be able to do that, I'd feel awful). What I meant (worded bad) is should I give her the extra time on top by mentioning it tomorrow or should I pretend everything's normal and just wait until she comes back?

Does that make sense? Sorry if not, had 2 hrs sleep last night after a 21 hr day yesterday (ds woke at 4.30am yesterday and 3.45am this morning - absolutely knackered!!)

Off to lay down (I never do this!) as they're both napping - YIPPEEEEE!!!

p.s. did you get the contact details for boiler man jelly?

yes sorted down and my pocket is down 225.75 now. I feel so much lighter.

Sorted now.

Unless there are good reasons not to, I would give notice once they are back, but I would also give them longer to find someone. Giving notice in writing is very impersonal, so I would always prefer to do it verbally, so long as you get on well with the mum and it is done "nicely". I expect the NCMA would tell us to do it in writing though!

I must admit, I'd prefer to do it face to face (well, I'll hate doing it but you know what I mean!), just thought it had to be in writing for some reason. I will wait til she is back then and give her longer too. Hate all this stuff!

Thanks for the advice