CM Club - If someone needed you til 10pm.......would you do it????

[looneytune]

Seen an advert for someone wanting school runs but possible weekend care too. I need to phone them to ask full details of what they want but they mention some days from 5.45-10pm. I can't say I'm happy about having a pick up at this time as could wake my ds up and me and dh could be in bed. I do offer overnight care but not really late night care.

WWYD if you had an enquiry like this?

TIA

Oh dear, boys and their toys eh!!!

Don't worry about this query, I think I'm going to leave it as I now know another childminder who's sent them an email so I'll leave them with it. I just wanted to help as hate seeing parents stuck but I could do with the extra time in bed in the mornings

hi chick i know youve passed on this but i do, did rather offer late finishes and one mindee who was 3 was staying until 10pm...never again, its not fair on them and parent kept coming late..by about 30-45 mins!!, that is totally out of order when collecting that time of night!

Thanks for that, always good to get advice even if it's not for this time I'd actually decided that there's no way I want parents coming at that time, not fair on anyone. Lucky this other person is just around the corner

youve just spurred me on to send out newsletter detailing that i NO longer work past 8.30 due to keeping childs welfare in mind, i WILL do overnights still though so any later than 8.30 has to be overnight!

Ueah quite agree, my regular contract was for a 12 yr old so that was not so bad, as had seperate liounge so he could lay on sofa in there when wanted so dosing time, but was still capable of walikng to car at 10pm. Other child was 2 and heavy sleeper so mum just wrapped her up and carried her to car, then bed, but that problem now solved as my sister who is my regiaster assistant and has seen her weekly since 6 months old now babysits for her on the occasional late nights taking her home from mine at 7 and letting her get ready for bed in her own home, its worked for everyione. Think I may set an 8pm curfew also now I am registered for overnight care. good plan Pink Chick

well people do try and do whatever is cheaper for them unfortunatly it seems for me at least putting the price before their childrens routine/rest..i have also been asked to work full day from 6.30am with one child, then at 6.30pm when my rate changes to overnight, that i drive her to HER house and babysit in her homeuntil gone 10pm(as this is cheaper than my overnight fee)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
guess what i said!

He he, this dawned on me that my babysitting rate I do thru agency is cheaper than my double time childminding rate, so when I advertised my on rate on my website for babysitting I made it £10 wheresas my highest minding rate would be £7 double time, and realised that it is usually easierfor me to do evenings at mine, it did not make sense to do their home for £5.35.
Also I had one enquiry for last min babysitting by a new prospective client, said it was £10 per hour, she wanted 2 -2 1/2 hours. or my agency rate (which she had phoned as well) was £5.35 with a 4 hour minumum, plus agency fee. she went with differnet agency costing £25 as I think she thought it was a fairer charge although it cost her more! realise now that £10 is right rate for me to quote as not really keen to do last minute enquiries and also it states on my site that lower rates are available for long term arrangments so i can charge less if I actually WANT to do it that night. but YES peoples logical never fails to amaze me.

Some peoples logic never fails to amaze me either. As you say, a certain agency charges an hourly fee with 4 hour minimum, plus a booking fee and membership fee. Parents look at the hourly rate and compare that to the service we [childminders/nannies] provide, and then use the agency, when we may have been cheaper. Some people don't compare the full cost.
Like you, I don't like last minute enquiries - far prefer to build a relationship with parents & children, rather than do one-offs.