CM Club: What do you think about this?

[looneytune]

The mindee I've had since I started childminding, has just started Friday's too so is now full time. We worked out payment etc based on same number of hours a day, just including Friday's now. All was fine. As it's a new job for mum, she's realised she needs more time for travelling so hours have been increased by 45 mins each day. I drafted an amendment to hours document and this works out as £3 extra per day (as the hours are outside 8-6 so it's £4 an hour), £15 per week etc. Basically, the new hours means an increase of £60 per month. Mum was a bit shocked about this but seemed ok, just going to check my figures at home (kids were being mental with all the heat and it was late etc), sign and return.

I just felt uncomfortable with the shock reaction to the new amount and it left me feeling guilty. She's a good friend now and I feel bad but this is a business and my rates are set and they know this. They already get £100 discount a month as I reduce full timers by £5 per day.

Do you think I'm right to ask for this extra amount even though it's only 45 mins extra a day? I just don't want to seem money grabbing or anything (but I do need to earn a living!)

If minders are competing for work, then you obviously may need to offer something that other minders don't, and I understand that (such as including meals and snacks, offering sibling discounts, not charging for activities attended or whatever).

A new minder local to me recently told me how much per hour she was going to charge, and it was a lot less than the rest of us. I suggested that she should ask for the same rate as the rest of us (not because I worry about the competition, but because it's a fair rate). She has chosen to have a lower rate as she feels that parents will pick her in preference to the higher rate, and is desperate for work.

She has not got any work as yet - it has been really difficult to explain to her that the rate isn't necessarily the deciding factor. It is how good a service she offers, what she is like with the children, etc.

Looney - if you are not "scrabbling about" for work, then it is probably because you are a good childminder, and is nothing to do with whether or not you do discounted rates! If you are able to do it, I would scrap your discounts for any new mindees, and explain this to your existing parents. You can still operate your discount system for existing mindees (even if you put their rates up), but you can gradually phase it out - perhaps when the children go to nursery or school and their hours change.

sounds good looneytune.

Dont feel guilty this is your livelyhood and they know that you give good care and you do.

I know. I agree about the cars etc as I felt money was getting a bit of a problem a little while back and then one day, brand spanking new car. I think I will leave it for now as I don't think it's the right time and also, I'm getting paid the full rate even though mindee has just started pre-school for 2½ hrs each morning.

Me, new car??? I didn't have a car of my own a little while back and now have a cheap one to do school runs etc. I'm very happy with it but we definitely need the money! (most of you know dh lost his job xmas eve and still not got a perm job, at least he's finally got some temp work in last couple of months! :))

What I will do is think about all this when I do my fee review. We really NEED to move house and are hoping to at the end of the year if dh gets the job he's going for where he's temping. I may have to tell them I have no choice but to start charging full rate. They won't get cheaper care round here anyway and they are very happy with me (they say we are like family) BUT I still have this big guilt thing about money (even though we really struggle and have no flash cars or anything of any value!)

Thanks for making me think about this! I really really hate this part of the job :(

I tell you what looneytune if they both have new cars then they can afford an increase of £100 a month!!Maybe they need to get their priorities right, good childcare costs and you need to charge the going rate. I would say if you have a brand new car and money is no object then dont put the fee up.

Thanks everyone.

TP - I know, I am MAD!!! When I first started out almost a year ago, I wanted to offer something different to a) encourage full timers and b) make them choose me! At the time I had no reputation or anything to help SELL me so I just wanted something different and at the time, I was happy as I was earning much more than I had been since I left work to have ds.

Now I am very much running this like a business where every penny matters so I don't offer this anymore. Also, with the help of Mumsnet, I realised that it was actually very good to have several part timers and things can slot into place like you all said :) Problem I have now is that I can't just go removing the discount as their bill would jump £100 a month! I do feel a bit gutted about what I could be earning but I chose the discount and I would never get rid of mindee to get more money. The mum has a new job and everything she's worked out is based on the new income, childcare costs etc. so I can't go and change things (they both have new cars and now a new puppy so I don't think they could manage the extra).

What I do intend on doing though is writing to all parents sometime in the next month to inform them I will be revising my fees every year. Increases will take effect in the January but they will be notified in the October so have plenty of warning. Do you think this sounds fair?

I know what you mean about the loosing money for a full time child but having a full time child is better than one 2.5 days and trying to match up the other half.
Anyway I am in London where rates are higher and so parents try to get any discount possible from you. If I lived 1 mile up the road I'd be charging £1 less an hour and if I was 1 mile the other way an extra £50p-£1.00 an hour so it is swings and roundabouts really here in West London
I definately think that looney's parent should however pay the full rate for the extra hours as she is already getting a full time discount and outside of 8-6 is definately unsocial hours imo

If everyone in your area is doing it, then I guess you have to follow the party line. However, looney is "losing" £100/month by having someone full-time. It's one hell of a lot of money!!

I would say that this looks fine.
Prisoner I too give a slight reduction for full timers- it is the going rate around here to do so - so if you want the work you do it and you don't have lots of odd hours to fill as you would with trying to match several part timers.

Why do you offer a reduction for full-time mindees? I think you're mad!!!

I'm not a Cm but it seems fair to me. IT's your business and your livelyhood after all. I expect all of your mindee's parents become friends eventually and you cant give everyone free time can you?