Am I asking too much of my childminder?

[Plateofcrumbs]

I have a brilliant childminder who has my baby 3 days a week as I work PT. She's very flexible, often working later for us at short notice if DH or I are stuck at work etc, zero complaints.

As I believe is common, we pay her when either we take holiday or she takes holiday (a certain number of days leave for her are within contract).

On a couple of previous occasions she has notified us of a day of leave at moderately short notice (a week or two). On these occasions I have asked if we can switch days (ie she takes my DS on a day she doesn't usually), as I can switch the days I work to avoid using my AL, which she has agreed to do without hesitation.

It's just occurred to me by asking her to do this I am depriving her of paid AL herself (as she doesn't get a day off from my DS, she just gets him on another day).

So AIBU to ask to switch days in the future?

Well it's up to her to set her t and c. If she was unhappy, then she can say so.

I do this with my cm and she's happy for us to do it that way. If she can't/doesn't want to swap days she should be telling you that. I'd have thought she'd be happy to do a swap and keep the days of paid leave for times when a swap doesn't wort for her.

If in doubt, ask her how she feels about the swapping days.

Well, you'd only be depriving her of AL if you count those days she swaps as AL days. Which I presume you're not? If she swaps a Tuesday for a Thursday the it shouldn't affect her AL entitlements at all.

Yes I guess technically I would be 'saving' her a day of AL to use another time but I think she rarely takes her full entitlement.

I on the other do tend to try to use all my AL, and most AL days I would have DS with me so actually it works in her favour if we don't take our AL at the same time.

So yes thinking about it further, swapping days is actually better for her!