CM CLub: Help - I need advice on a new parent

[KatyMac]

Parent & child visited last week (no it was the week before)

I got an mail on Sunday saying she wants the child to start on Friday.

I have sent 2 emails one on sunday & one yesterday saying can we sort out contracts & money & I have had no reply

I will not do contracts on the day the child starts plus I will want cash becasue there is no time to cash a chq

So how much do I hassle her?

Or should I just write it off & turn her away if she turns up on Friday?

send another email saying you need to sort out contracts /cash in advance of friday - assuming you've not already mentioned you need to do this before Friday. You are entirely reasonable not to want to sort this on first day so within your rights to turn her away esp as you'll have asked her three times.

Plus if you do turn her away you may be doing yourself a favour as frankly she doesn't sound that organised and that kind of thing may signal more hassles re admin/cash to come.

Have you got a phone number? She may not be the sort of person who checks e-mails regularly, or there may be a problem with her e-mails.

what poppy34 said

I think she would be very rude to just turn up on Friday....you should make it clear that you normally book well in advance, and that you are a professional childcarer, not a drop in babysitting/creche service! also if you turn her away you might be well rid like poppy34 says, however, sometimes the parents I have had the most doubts about have turned out to be brilliant! Go with your gut instinct: you sound unsure but see how it goes and trust your feelings

Well I mentioned the contracts & needing specific time for them at the visit plus I mentioned them in both emails

I didn't take a phone number (pratt that I am)

So

I reckon one more email at 8am tomorrow & leave it at that

I offered to do contracts after hours or at the weekend - so I won't feel guilty

in your email, state that unless she contacts you reg contracts and fees you will not accept her child should she jsut turn up Friday!