CM CLUB - whats the earliest you take a retainer for?

[LoveMyGirls]

just taken a phonecall for a baby to start sept 2007 term time only. i said to call back 6mths before. what would you have said?

hi lena yeh will do - you never know tho you could be full by then too!

tbh im hoping that the 3 yr old i have now will be going to school and baby can take his place so could work out nicely, we'll see

Hi, you could always send her my way in September 07 if you don't have a vacancy!!!
My baby will be one then!

Be honest with her - say that you really don't know whether you will have a space or not when she needs it. But if she wants to come round and see you, then I would see her. She may just want some general information about childminders, particularly if she knows nothing about how childminders work.

All I know is that those childminders who have put parents off visiting when the parents have rung them, may be the childminders who don't get the phone call nearer the time when childcare is needed ??

perhaps i should ring her in a few months? Just for a general chat about how everything is going with the pregnancy and ask her to have a look at my website and feel free to pop round for a chat when she's on mat leave before baby comes?

i guess i just thought its so far in the future i really dont know if ill have the space so why waste her time, tho as you said she could have a friend that needs someone now tho i only have a space for 5-8yr old until sept then hopefully i can take on another full timer.

Like looney, I would also ask the parents-to-be to come and visit me anyway. And you never know, if you impressed them enough, they might have friends/neighbours/relatives/work colleagues who they might recommend to you that might need someone now!!

I had an enquiry like yours, and all the childminders they'd rang already told them to ring again a couple of months before they actually needed the childcare.

I invited them round, as they wanted general info about childminders too. I knew I would have a space that far in advance as one of my mindees was starting school.

And I got the job. (I didn't charge a retainer or deposit, but only because I don't.)

lol, I've had calls that far in advance too. I thought it was bonkers but now my best mate is pregnant and I found out she'd been enquiring and she said it's because she wanted to know what her options were and see how easy it was to get a childminder in the area. Suppose it makes sense really.

I've always done what you've done but if this happens again, the only extra thing I would do is invite them round for a coffee to have a very casual chat about childminding in general. That way they learn something and hopefully think you're lovely and come back to you nearer the time

lol yeh due in december i was quite suprised but i do hope she comes back to me because it would be nice to look after a 9mth old when my (now 8mth old) will be almost 2 (just as im getting broody again i can look after someone elses cute bundle!)

September 2007???

(has it been concieved yet.....?)

Same thing. You can't take a retainer until the baby is born anyway.