Not working school hols anymore...How do I tell the parents?

[mumbomama]

I have only been minding since June and I originally decided to work in school holidays.

2 of my mindees are term time only but I have a 4 year old (before + after school) who I am supposed to have in the hols.

Problem is now I have started I don't want to work in the holidays. I feel like I've hardly had any time for my own kids and they love the weekends when we are mindee- free!! They won't be looking forward to their school hols if I am childminding which I find sad!

Do I just inform the parents of my decision or do I have to put it in writing? Please tell me I don't have to wait until the contract review to do this

I plan to work the oct half term as it's short notice and they have already paid for oct

i would be honest and just have a chat about it saying from xyz you wont be working school hols..if your parents wanted to change they wouldnt think twice about doing it..its o.k

Message withdrawn

You will only be changing one of your mindee's. Just give them 4 weeks written notice but have a chat too. Thats what I find works best.

Agree... chat with the family concerned, then put together a letter which briefly states that you will not provide school holiday care as of x date.
If you do this coming October Half-Term, then writing the letter now, or even at end of Half-Term will be sufficient notice if you are not providing holiday care for Xmas holidays. You do not have to state any reasons in the letter, if you don't want to do so - you are effectively changing your business opening hours.

As the family are contracted for school holiays, it is a variation to the contract between you and the parents, so print a copy of the letter and stick it in the file with their contract. You may find the family decide to find another childminder, that's life I'm afraid. If that happens, you can promote the term-time only place their leaving creates.

While your business is important, you need to balance it with your family life. Your children need you too, so the time you spend with them alone is a high priority. If you can afford not to childmind during holiday periods, then don't childmind... spend the quality time with your own children.

my children dont like me working school hols either but i do do more child friendly activitys when i am working like going to the farm, blackpool tower, sealife centre etc so they do enjoy it
also i explain to them if i'm not working i cant afford to take them to these places so they except it
but as you have decided you will have the hols off now would be a good time to tell them then they can arrange childcare for the next hols

Send them some leaflets about local holiday play schemes in the same envelope so they could consider combining you in term time with those schemes in holidays and may be offer to work one week or each holiday.