CHILDMINDERS CLUB: What would you do??

[bonkerz]

ok, bit of a long story so thanks if you stick with it and understand my ramplings!

Have been caring for 2year old mindee since she was 6 months old. All been going fine , or so i thought, until recently.
Mindees parent has recently started to be a bit funny with me. Mindee is due to turn 3 in March and therfore qualifys for free vouchers from April, i mentioned this to mum and asked what she wanted to do about this. Explained about it being 2.5 hours etc and that i would still charge normal fees if she went. Mum preatty much launced at me that this was unfair and she would change her working hours and take her and pick her up. this was fine but as i only take full time children i explained that she would have to find another childminder as i have a waiting list for a full time space and cant afford to lose money like that. Tried to explain that i only have 2 spaces and also that it is the norm for childminders to charge whilst at pre school but she didnt listen. I found all this strange as this family earn in excess of £60,000 per year and i charge £100 per week for full time space including cooked lunch!! I am the cheapest childminder in my area by 50p per hour!!!!

Anyway, all this was forgotton and now i keep getting little remarks. First it was about the amount of fruit mindee ate! Apparently i offer too much fruit and not enough biscuits!!! (we have fruit every day for snacks and biscuit once a week as a treat!) explained that i wasnt prepared to offer biscuits every day but she could provide a snack if she wanted, this didnt go down well and she mumbled about paying for the snack.

Today i had a phonecall asking me to not let mindee sleep today. No real issue with this except mindee has to walk to school and back and oin days when she hasnt slept she cries all the way there and back, explained this to mum and she just said ok. I always put mindees for sleep for 1hour in afternoon and this has always been the case! Anyway, finished lunch at 12.30 and put DD and other mindee to bed at 1pm as usual and asked mindee to sit on sofa with a book while i cleaned up table and floor. Finsihed cleaning and she has fallen asleep on sofa!!! What do i do? wake her but i know she will scream or leave her and tell mum she slept? or leave her and dont tell mum she slept?

TBH i think ive had enough of the picking at my service as i havent changed the way i have done things.

I hate it when parents ask me to keep them awake (had to do it for one child who was being taken swimming later). When they ask me I say I'll do my best but can't promise; sometimes its impossible to keep them awake.

I would be honest with mum & say you tried to keep her awake but she dozed off. Was there a particular reason for keeping her awake?

One parent thought I should give a discount for when their child was sleeping. I pointed out my time is not my own at nap time, I can hardly nip to Tesco!

With the preschool issue, I find many parents object to paying for this. I do offer half days now (at a higher hourly rate) if they don't want the place in the holidays; so they often find friend/neighbour to drop off & just book me to pick up.

You're luckly with the full timers - have never had a full timer myself. But I've got 14 part-timers at the moment so it doesn't bother me any more.

Hi Bonkerz
I agree mum sounds like she is being arkward about things!
I will tell the truth that she fell asleep and there is nothing u can do about that.
I would suggest you ask to have a meeting with her about the current issues and if it cant be resolved its best the contract is ended for all concerned.
If you are lucky enough to have a waiting list then there is no need to be putting up with parents like these.
Good luck

thanks all for the advice! unfortunatly my own DD woke up before i could read them!!
I LIED to mum!!! Left mindee sleeping for an hour then woke her up! She was really grumpy and cried all way on school run but i told mum i had kept her awake (not sur if i will get away with that for long tho!!)
TBH i have been thinking of giving her notice as mum keeps mentioning giving up work and despite contract past experiance tells me that she wont give notice and just drop it in to conversation on a friday thats she is leaving.
Spoke to another childminder friend who suggested talking to mum and just asking what would be happening about pre school and if she says she wont pay me for the time then i should be blunt and give notice and take on the little girl who is desparate to start with me!!
I am lucky to have full timers. Only ever had full timers and wouldnt want the hassle of part timers TBH which is why i offer such competitive rate hence always being full and waiting list!

Ring the people on your waiting list and tell them you have vacancy coming up in (what ever your notice period is) and then give her notice.

You shouldnt have to put up with this. If you have people waiting you dont need her as much as she needs you.

I know thats what i should do BUT despite the mother and the fact that the mindee is a bit of a moany precious girl i adore her! Feel a sense of responsibility for mindee really and am attached!!
Have to build up the courage and remember this is my buisness and i need to make decisions in a professional manner.
Maybe i could use the fact that all she does is cry when had no sleep and say she is unhappy"!