Am i being Silly????

[poppiesmom]

Well i feel stupid... but i cannot help being upset....
A parent went on maternity leave... i'd cared for her child like my own and alongside my own for 3 years.... She was sending child and sibling back 3 full days after maternity leave... so i treated it as a bit of a break.... and the child came occasionally as to keep her used to us.... and just those hours were paid for... now she tells me she wants them to come back 1 day a week .. reduced hours... and she wanted a reduced rate for sibling..... ...
I understand money is tight... it will be for me now...... but i feel as though she could have said something before now.... Am i overreacting.... just wondered what would anyone else do in my situation????

How much notice ?

Dont do rr for sibling

Last week... they start in three week's... i charge £3.50 per child per hour... this includes all meals and snacks..... I have kept my charges down as low as possible... due to the economic climate....

Def don't do sibling rate they're still using 2 spaces. To be fair she's maybe only just decided/had the reduced hours approved?

i know... i just feel gutted... i've turned people away... ( my decision i know..) i just wish she'd have said she was thinking about doing it....

Definitely don't do sibling rate. £3.50 an hour is at the very lowest end anyway - I charge £5.80 if I do single hours and £50 per day for full days. What's demand like in your area? (ring the county council if you're not sure as they're tasked with making sure there's enough childcare). My inclination would be to be tough about it and if you don't want to do it then give notice.

Gah it's one of those live and learn things that you won't do again

Ring those who enquired previously if you can now accomodate them ?

And review your practice - maybe stop offering meals, do snacks only to reduce your outlay ?

When I've been on maternity leave (I'm a parent, not a CM) I've had to pay a retainer, or take a chance on there not being a place. I think, to be business like, that's what you should have done / will do in the future no doubt.
Obviously if the parent doen't want all the days, she is quite within her rights to just use one day, just as you are within your rights to give her notice and say you need more days of work, if you get a request from a family who want FT (or at least more days).
I've never had a sibling discount, nor even heard of it outside of MN. At the end of the day they are using 2 spaces. Your prices seem pretty low to me as it is - and I've not had to use a CM for a few years now, so would expect things to have gone up.

in reflection i know my downfall's....
Lesson learnt....
:-
(

We all learn these lessons the hard way ... and I'm another who doesn't give a sibling discount.

I used to give a sibling discount and charge for meals but it was too complicated and as others have said siblings are still using two places. I have put my rates up slightly, charge everyone the same and include food.

I'd feel as you do in the same position, I have one parent who changes her mind about what she wants almost weekly. It can be quite frustrating.

I hope it works out for you

Sympathys very annoying, contact parents you sent away to see if still interested, NO SIBLING discount, cheeky mare, get retainer next time and it's the frustration of running this business.

Don't do it! I would try and fill the places elsewhere asap and tell her you can't have her kids. This has hit a raw nerve as my mum was a CM and got totally ripped off by a woman who just ASSUMED new baby would be 50% discount!!! Yes, of course my mum should have said no but she was too nice. Loyalty clearly means nothing to this parent so you need to look after yourself.

Nice to know it's not just me... I'm really upset about it tbh.... I've looked after her daughter like my own.. in fact she's done very well out of my daughters wardrobe.... Anytime my daughter grew out of anything... they had it on the hangers.... Some very expensive designer stuff and not even a packet of sweets for my DD....
I've allowed myself time to think and yes... i'm going to tell her my prices are going up £5.00 per child per hour.... Think that should do the trick....

Good for you, if makes u feel any better we have all been done by a parent. Most are great though. Good luck and stay strong.