Should i be charging a retainer fee

[loulou5]

hi...would just like to ask other childminders advice pls.

I have decided that i do not want to work the summer hols, but am confused whether i should be charging a retainer fee or not.

If not, then would I hold a refundable deposit for places in september, as I could receive calls during the summer which i would turn away to keep current children's places open.

What do u all do for charges during the summer?

loulou5 - I work through the summer holidays, I do have children who attend term time only and they pay me for only term time, I have different children in the holidays though. so everyone knows that once the holidays are over i'm not availabe to have their child.
thats confusing isn't it.
I don't charge the term time people a retainer to keep the place till the following september. The place is theirs all of term time, and term time only.

It's all so confusing ! I just want to be fair, but also not lose out myself.

there are no set rules, you need to do what you're happiest with.

if you do not want to work the holidays then i don't think you can charge a retainer as your service is not available. You could charge one if
you were available but the parents choose not to use you, but not if you chose not to work.

I agree with HappyMum - it would be unfair to charge anything if you are unavailable to work.

Like diddle, I will also do separate term-time and school-holiday-only contracts.

Do your current mindees not want to come in the summer holidays then?

I didn't pay a retainer for this cm, as she wanted the hols off and I started with the new term. But I would pay if I wanted any holiday off she was happy wor work iyswim- eg, there's a week this summer she can work but I am away, so I pay.

With the previous cm, she only wanted term time contracts as she cared for her grankids in the holidays, so In only paid term and not a holiday or a retainer.

I only use a childminder term times. I pay no retainer during school holidays. She has other children that she has during holidays. The when school starts back it is all change!

Only one parent want's me to mind for her during the hols, but my children really don't get on with this particular child (he's very disruptive) and my children are still quite young, so this was the main reason for not working hols.
I've told the parent that i've decided not too work school hols to spend time with my family.
The other is a teacher, and has already agreed to pay retainer during hols, and to be honest, wouldn't mind the odd day if she needed to use me, but feel like i'm making one rule for one, and another for someone else.

Should i now go back to other parent and tell her that she doesn't need to pay retainer during hols.......oh dear ....helppp