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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

POLL - would you mind if......

25 replies

LoveMyGirls · 01/05/2007 12:09

you went to see a childminder a 4 months before you needed them, if they phoned you once a month to see if you are still interested in the space?

If you were due to go back to work next month, would you mind if they rang and asked you to pop round again to chat, see baby again and see about start dates, contracts etc

I dont want to be pushy. I've got someone who has done this and hasn't phoned to say she doesnt want the space infact everytime i've spoken to her she has said i'm the nicer cm'er in the area and as she doesnt drive it's vital i'm within walking distance or can pick up. Thing is I don't want to seem pushy by phoning??

(If i dont phone and sort something out i'm going to have to work weekends which i dont want to do as we are moving house in a month and i need time to pack etc. But moving means money and both our cars have needed money spent on them this month )

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

SoupDragon · 01/05/2007 12:40

I think a call every month would really annoy me. Being called to come over in the month before going back to work wouldn't though, that seems sensible.

lulumama · 01/05/2007 12:43

i don;t think once a month is excessive, and you need to know if the space is required or not, but then, i am not sure if it would stop anyone letting you down at the last minute.....

once a month as a courtesy is not too bad, i don;t think

dmo · 01/05/2007 13:01

i wouldnt like to be called each month i would prob go elsewhere make me think of double glazing sales people

i think one phonecall a month before to arrange to see the child and fill out paperwork is fine and while mum is there organise the settling in period

dont sound desperate it pushes people away or they walk all over you

lulumama · 01/05/2007 13:30

fair enough !!

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 01/05/2007 14:23

Well I have been phoning her roughly once a month just to let her know when i've had interest and so she knows where she stands.

Now i've not spoken to her since beginning of April and the last thing we said was that she was def going back to work in june as her mat leave ends then. I didn't think I would still have the space by now but as i have and i'm moving in 4 weeks I thought i'd phone and say i'll hold the space til mid june if she can do contracts soon.

I guess i'm hoping she'll say she wants to start mid june so I can be sorted by then, we can do settling in and i'll know at least the extra income will be coming in time to pay the extra rent.

OP posts:

BradfordMum · 01/05/2007 14:48

If she wants the space, has she paid a deposit/retainer?
If she has, then no, don't phone her, wait for her to contact you.
If nothing has been paid, then you are entitled to check to see if the space is still needed.
Being nice to people doesn't pay the bills!

Sally xx

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 01/05/2007 14:51

no nothing paid yet. The last thing i want is not to phone her and find out when i do eventually phone her that its too late and she has sorted something else out.

OP posts:

PinkChick · 01/05/2007 14:54

you NEED to get her to sign contract with proposed start date, im surprised you havent TBH, your normally very on the ball?, she needs to commit to you or look elsewere.
id ring and say youd like her to come round to confirm start dates, give her you t&c sign contracts etc

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 01/05/2007 18:21

I'll ring at 7 when dd2 goes down to bed. I've had some good news this afternoon, a lady who rang earlier in the year when i was full who wanted pt care for her 2 yr old - she's rang me today and is coming tomorrow to do contracts and will hopefully be starting monday so at least getting another job isn't really an issue now!

I will phone the other lady though and just ask if she has managed to find out when she will be going back to work yet and let her know i'm going to be moving at the end of the month so would like to have things sorted and in writing before i have to concentrate on the move - what do you think does that sound any good? Too pushy?

OP posts:

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 01/05/2007 18:23

(just seen this little gem of a comment)

Me on the ball? I'm flying by the seat of my pants mate only been doing this a year i've not quite got it down yet!

OP posts:

ThePrisoner · 01/05/2007 19:10

I don't even do contracts until we've had a two-week settling-in period (shows just how old I am because even that was considered good going locally when I first registered). It usually ensures that we've got the correct start and finish times ironed out. I've always taken people on trust, they've never done the dirty on me so I guess that, until it happens, I'll continue with my obviously-totally-unprofessional approach!

If I wanted to be sure someone was definitely going to be coming to me, I would probably invite them round from time to time so that we could all get to know each other better, and so the child could get used to me and my house.

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 01/05/2007 20:07

So I should phone her? (still havent phoned)

OP posts:

ThePrisoner · 01/05/2007 20:17

Can you ring her, ask her how things are going, and ask if she wants to come round for a coffee?

Eleusis · 01/05/2007 20:24

You could phone and ask her if she is interested in bringing the baby round to meet the other kids. Or the coffee is a good idea.

I would mind if you phoned me to confirm the start date, schedule, sign the contract, etc. But, then I generally don't mind if my boss calls me on a Saturday afternoon (which he never does), but it wouldn't bother me.

PinkChick · 01/05/2007 20:38

yes you are!, youre always offering advice to me..it is hard to pin them down tho, ive just lost one cos i dilly dallied(not saying thatll happen tho!), give her a buzz, cant hurt now can it!

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 01/05/2007 21:54

Ok i'll phone tomorrow lunch time. Thanks guys!!

OP posts:

seb1 · 01/05/2007 21:58

Lovemygirls, did you decide to go with the new house I bumped your original thread but you must have missed it.

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 01/05/2007 22:22

Well we havent seen the new house yet but hope to see it on or before 14th may!!!!!

I think we'll take to be honest, it's the only way we're going to get a 3 bed house in the next few years.

I'm really looking forward to it but worried about money and worried about how long i will have to wait for OFSTED to send me permission to start minding again but fingers crossed it works out ok. I'm going to phone tomorrow and say we can't move before 4th June and see what they say. They won't even give me an address so I can't formally write to OFSTED or any of my parents until i get a date and address.

OP posts:

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 02/05/2007 12:46

Well i phoned. She said she was going to phone me tonight anyway, she's popping round one afternoon next week to come for a cuppa. She said she still wants to get out to work but her family is putting pressure on her to stay at home with baby. Fingers crossed something comes of it.

OP posts:

PinkChick · 02/05/2007 16:34

good, but she MUST give you an agreement, minimum hours/days whatever you need something signed, she is lucky she should have been paying a retainer!

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 02/05/2007 17:08

Im not keeping the space specifically for her just nothing else has come up yet, we'll see what happens next week for now I just signed up a 2yr old to start on monday!!!!!!!!!!!! so I'm well chuffed!!!!!!!!!

OP posts:

Nightynight · 02/05/2007 17:54

LMG, I would be phoning you myself!
If the person doesnt understand, thats difficult, but I think you are right to keep the contact going.

PinkChick · 02/05/2007 19:23

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 02/05/2007 20:31

I've taken on a new child starting next week so that takes some pressure off, i'm still hoping i'll get the June baby but obviously we'll see how it goes!! (I've had a couple of glasses of wine to celebrate!)

OP posts:

Original poster

LoveMyGirls · 02/05/2007 20:33

Whoops i said that already, i'm very pleased and excited (and tipsy) can you tell?

OP posts:

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