Childminder's holidays

[cjm10979]

I toyed with the idea of putting this in AIBU, but thought I would get more relevant responses here.

We have a childminder to look after 2 DDs, one school age, one pre-school. I have known her for some time and is a good childminder with no complaints generally over the last few years of using her.

Around 85% of the children she regularly looks after are of school age. All the clients have different hours/days for the care, so no one family's requirements are exactly the same.

We have an all year contract and up to 6 weeks holiday for either side (some others do have term time only and pay a higher rate accordingly). During holidays for either party she charges 0.5 the usual rate. The problem is that the childminder mainly takes her holidays in term term. Her children are teenagers, 1 is about to go to uni and they get the grandparents to stay in their house when they are way. Our relatives are not close by/have their own health issues so we are not able to do the same when she goes on holiday. Additionally, some of the other clients are foreigners with no family in this country, so it's difficult for them to do the same.

I understand that she needs to take holidays and it not an issue with the 0.5 rate, it's just that we have to take holiday in term time to cover hers. Then we have hardly any holiday left ourselves to take as a family. We can only have 2 weeks & 1 day off together this year. I don't think we we be able to both take time off around xmas as we won't have enough. She is going on a 10 consecutive day holiday in September.

How do other childminders deal with this? I do think she is taking the piss a bit, given that 85% of the children & almost all the families will have at least 1 school aged child.

I don't see how it is taking the piss for a business to set their own terms - you agreed to them

Gosh I'm struggling to understand why she's taking the piss? Taking annual leave when she chooses, even if not convenient to you, is not taking the piss. She will inconvenience somebody, whenever she chooses. Why would she choose annual leave at a time not convenient to her own family circumstances.

Elizabethshaw, you are mistaken. It doesn't say in the contract WHEN she will take her holidays. It just says up 6 weeks. I agree she can take up to 6 weeks holiday, however I do think she is taking the piss not to have most of the holidays (>50%) in school holiday time. I wouldn't mind so much if she could get a substitute to cover her holidays for a similar rate.

Ah so pp is not mistaken then.

It doesn't say in the contract WHEN she will take her holidays.

So it doesn't say she'll take 50% in school holidays?!

And it's not her job to get a substitute, it's yours. So why don't you?

She's going to do what's best for her family as you're doing what is best for yours. Easiest thing to do would be to try and take your holidays together when she takes hers.

Or find another child minder.

Wow.

Do all employees think they own their childminder?

I suppose you think teachers and TAs get too long off each year too?

Why can't you organise cover for when she is having her leave?

Snap8thecat, exactly it doesn't say when the days are to be taken. But it doesn't take a genius to work out this is not going to suit the majority of your clients. It doesn't make good business sense to piss off your clients.

You know very well that it is easier said than done to find CMs for ad hoc days that pick up from a particular school. However, a cm is more likely to know other CMs who might be able to help.

My husband now wants to ditch her, because her business model is not working for us. That is our choice, if we choose to do it. We instead would be looking for someone who will take the majority of holidays in school holiday time. Notice i'm not saying all, so I'm prepared to be flexible.

Her terms are that she will take 6 weeks holiday when she chooses - she hasn't agreed to take them when it suits you and then gone back on that. Setting terms for her business that suits her and her family is in no way taking the piss.

My 3 year olds preschool doesn't provide meals for reasons that suit them. It would be more convenient for me if they did provide meals. But that doesn't mean they are taking the piss.

There's nothing to stop you finding another childcare provider if this one doesn't meet your needs.

You're being very selfish just because it doesn't suit you. If your childminder were to take time off in the school hols how would the other working parents cover it? It's not that easy to get two weeks off in July/August when everyone you work with wants to take holidays too.
I suggest you either look into taking some unpaid parental leave if possible, or consider alternative childcare arrangements to cover her holidays.

Hunter, the problem is I can't take holidays to match hers as they are in school term time. I am not allowed to take my child out of school because my childminder takes her holidays at the same time. I can see the Headmistress face when asking that one

Your childminder may take her holidays in off peak season because that's all she can afford. Working with children doesn't pay much.

She might be part of a childminder group and I have know childminders swap children to cover each other

Worth asking

I would also find this annoying but that's the reason my son is in nursery instead (they also do wraparound care).

You should have considered this when you signed the contract TBH.

She can pass on details of other CMs to you but it's certainly not her duty to arrange it for you.

I think you're quite rude about your cm and should probably move on for all your sakes.

Imafurchester, you have this to come, your child is not at school yet. I would put the pre-schooler in a nursery if it solved the problem, but it won't as a I have a school aged child. All her clients, bar 1 have school aged children.

Actually, ninja the majority of her clients will be taking some holiday off in July/August as don't you know when the the school summer holidays are?

Doesn't sound like her terms are a big problem for her clients if they still use her service.

She's not taking the piss at all. You are by trying to dictate when she should take her holidays. If it doesn't suit (as it doesn't) then you should find another cm who takes their holidays all in school holidays (maybe offter to pay him/her more to cover the cost of those holidays as we know going on holiday in school holidays is expensive) or find a nursery and out of school care that will only close for bank holidays and possibly over Christmas.

You don't like the service, you don't have to use it. It's obviously working for her or she wouldn't have so many kids on her books :)

I get what you're saying cjm - business wise it doesn't make sense if the majority of your clients want you term time. Imagine how many sales Clarks would loose if they chose to close for 2 weeks in August.
If she is in an area with lots of childminders with vacancies she may loose clients. If she is an area with few childminders and places are like gold dust then she will have no problem and parents will work around it.

I am a childminder and I make it clear that if you would struggle with my annual leave or sickness then you need to look for a nursery instead. I take two weeks off at Christmas and my other two weeks are during term time. As someone earlier said childcare does not pay well, despite what some think and it is physically and mentally taxing so we do need a break during the times we can afford.

When my own children were little I worked evenings and weekends DH worked office hours so the most we had was a couple of long weekends a year together as a family so I do find whiny parents annoying and I am glad to see the back of them and soon fill the vacated spaces, even though I am sad to say goodbye to the children. Move on to new childcare, you will make both yourself and the childminder happy.

Chicken teachers & TAs are NOT allowed to take time off in term time.

I really don't see a problem. What's stopping you from finding a cover when she's away? Childminders (at least where I live) keep together and cover each other's holidays so a child would go to somebody who they are familiar with. You'd end up paying 150% of the fee when you use cover but then she's very generous letting you have 6 weeks of your holiday at half price (I'd be charging you 100% for your holiday). She's self employed so doesn't have to ask your permission to arrange her own holiday. This is a non-issue.

If 85% are school age then she will earn more in school holidays than term time - because it's full days rather than after school care -

It's in her interest to go term time

BUT as all the parents are school age couldn't you band together and do a day each?

I would look for soneone else. I did used to use a childminder but she did nit take holidays in term time. If she had done I would have had to find someone else. Again lots of people on here going on about you arranging cover. If you dont have family who can help there is no cover to be had inless you can fork out over 100 pounds a day for an emergency nanny.