Is it offensive to offer more

[hellosunshineagainx]

Been with our childminder for a year and we pay £4.50 an hour. This is the rate of all childminders in the area. I have just had a pay rise and I am very very happy with my childminder, how can I offer to pay £5 an hour without offending her? I still think £5 is such a good rate for how good she is. I just don't want to offend her

@NuffSaidSam

In any other area of work or service, you pay what it is worth to you, subject to minimum wage legislation.

No. You pay what is asked for.

No-one has a plumber come round and pays them more than they ask for because they did a good job.

No-one goes to Sainsbury's and says 'these biscuits are only £1 but they're delicious so I'll be paying £2'.

No-one pays more than required for nursery fees because they love the setting etc.

The childminder can set her rates as she sees fit. It's disrespectful to her business to talk about her 'wages' or 'giving her a rise'. She is not an employee. Mention how great she is and how you feel she's worth more, but do it with respect for her business.

People do pay more for services they value....they tip the staff like hairdressers that often now are self employed and hiring a chair...they give the plumber or tradesman what is termed a drink typically £20 or more. Yet a childminder who may well of gone above and beyond, done extra hours unpaid, supported your child in difficult times would be insulted.

@jannier we've pretty much all said that a big tip for the CM is fine. It's putting up the hourly rate that isn't OP's place, any more than putting up the plumber's or the nurserie's hourly rate is.

What? Nursery's!

Give her a cash bonus

If you up her hourly rate it will be harder for her when doing invoices as will be one for you and one for others

You sound lovely @hellosunshineagainx

[quote saraclara]@jannier we've pretty much all said that a big tip for the CM is fine. It's putting up the hourly rate that isn't OP's place, any more than putting up the plumber's or the nurserie's hourly rate is.[/quote]
People have said its up to her to set her rate I'm pointing out its not that simple....let alone when the government set rates for most of your customers despite it being your business.
One said you wouldn't pay a plumber more but when you tip someone you use for an hour you are increasing their hourly rate

Customers have individual billing they maybe in different rates due to being term time or part time or becouse they are funded their bill is done showing free hours and may have food or consumables added....so the one customer on s different rate might make billing hard dosent really .....many cms will charge the same rate to an existing customer but up new business rated becouse they hate asking existing families for more money....I know loads like this who are still charging existing customers the rate they started on 10 years ago.....I know not good business practice but many cms worry about the child's family so much they go without themselves.

@Blondeshavemorefun

Give her a cash bonus

If you up her hourly rate it will be harder for her when doing invoices as will be one for you and one for others

You sound lovely @hellosunshineagainx

No it won't many reasons why customers can be on different rates like funding.

People do pay more for services they value....they tip the staff like hairdressers that often now are self employed and hiring a chair...they give the plumber or tradesman what is termed a drink typically £20 or more.

Exactly, which is why people are saying give it as a cash bonus/a tip rather than trying to interfere with her hourly rate.

There is not a single post here saying don't give her extra money. The debate is HOW best to give her the money.

@NuffSaidSam

People do pay more for services they value....they tip the staff like hairdressers that often now are self employed and hiring a chair...they give the plumber or tradesman what is termed a drink typically £20 or more.

Exactly, which is why people are saying give it as a cash bonus/a tip rather than trying to interfere with her hourly rate.

There is not a single post here saying don't give her extra money. The debate is HOW best to give her the money.

Your missing my point have you read it all? Most childminders never put their rate up and charge the same for 8 years or more they don't want to put you in a difficult financial position so stay in one themselves .....and most parents do complain they pay too much giving a one off tip whilst a lovely gesture dosent help the problem which is why so many childminders give up they can't afford to continue. My borough had over 900 6 years ago now about 140. If people want childminders as a chouce they have to stop saying £4 is too much to pay ......if they are full on 3 children at £4 the income is around £8 and minimum wage is ..........of course the government is now pushing increasing ratio and reducing fees but is 6 under 3 a good idea.

I understand your point. Childminders are underpaid. I agree. So are nursery workers. I just don't think that's relevant to this specific scenario i.e. how is this one parent going to give more money to this one childminder. I personally think, giving it as a bonus would be better and less presumptuous than giving her a 50p an hour 'pay rise'.

But we can agree to disagree on that can't we? We agree on the main issue, which is it's a lovely gesture and the childminder totally deserves the extra money. I think everyone on the thread agrees with that.

This is a really lovely gesture and I’m sure she’d be thrilled. I’m a childminder, and I think this would actually reduce me to tears. What a wonderful way of letting her know how valued she is. It wouldn’t even occur to me to raise my prices for other parents as a result. What an odd suggestion.

You cannot compare childminding to any other sector. Childminders invite your children into their homes and form some of the most important and crucial years in a child’s life. Do whatever you’d like to 💗

@Februarymama

This is a really lovely gesture and I’m sure she’d be thrilled. I’m a childminder, and I think this would actually reduce me to tears. What a wonderful way of letting her know how valued she is. It wouldn’t even occur to me to raise my prices for other parents as a result. What an odd suggestion.

You cannot compare childminding to any other sector. Childminders invite your children into their homes and form some of the most important and crucial years in a child’s life. Do whatever you’d like to 💗

Exactly most of us are so concerned not to put burdens on families we let our own go without the little ones we care for are just very important to us

I think it's a nice thing to do and right if you can afford it. Very often the type of people go into childminding/nannying/early years are empathetic and non-confrontational, and then end up undercharging or even being taken advantage of (I'm not in early years, and am fairly tough, so I'm not claiming this for myself!)
There's no way her costs haven't gone up.

My friend is a cm and gets loads of parents with sob stories of why they couldn't pay her more, or.for public holidays - regardless of the fact that she was barely turning a profit herself. I've interviewed nanny candidates being paid under the minimum wage, cash in hand only, with no.protection.

Op you would be doing her a double favour by paying more and also maybe making it more ok for her to ask others the same.