Ok, childminders, do you have any parents that are always dropping off early?

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

I have one, she drops off between half an hour and ten minutes early. Consistantly, every time. I wouldn't mind SO much if it was just now and then, but tbh, I would rather no one arrived before they are booked in, as its frankly inconvenient. I will be either getting my kids ready for the day, cleaning up ready for the day, or sorting out activities, and so on.
So far, to try to solve this situation, I have tried the following,

• Sending a text to say I will be available, from the time shes booked in.
• Saying I will be out, till the book in time
• actually not being there till exactly the book in time
• putting a note on the invoice, on the daily diary of arrival time ,and charging for the extra time
• making a joke of it if she arrives before me (she drops off at mid day), saying "oh! thought i was running late!" to which she replies "oh you know me, im early again!"

I dont know what to do, I thought charging would solve it as it patently points out that she is early and outside her booking hours, without fail, she is always early. I have now started a nursery run and get back just before booked hours, she is always stood on the door step. I think this looks bad, like im always late to receive the child, and quite honestly, I could do with the five minutes to get in, get others settled, put the buggy away and so on.

What would you do?

have you asked her?

perhaps you can't give her the start time she needs and so she is always being late for work and early for you. grim thought, everyone cross.

(am parent not cm)

I would say that if she can't (or won't) keep to her agreed time you need to renegotiate the contract & that if she can't keep to the time you may have to think about whether or not she still comes (but only in my dreams)

I would however when you get back from nursery say 'I'm sorry I am not ready for XX yet, can you hang on a minute - I'll let you in when I am ready' then close the door. Only open it at the right time....I imagine you would only have to do it once

Yes, fishie, Originally her start time was half hour later than it is now, but she consitantly turned up half hour early, so we agreed to change her hours because she needed the extra time to get to work. Now shes still coming early! Hers is the only mindee at the moment (have two preschoolers myself), so she can have whatever start time she wants, but she just needs to stick to the one shes asked for!
God, Katymac, good idea, but know i darent do it, I have made the mistake of letting this go to many times. I find this type of thing incredibly hard and awkward.

yes she does pay the extra.

Can't you make up something like, "my insurance has changed and I'm only insured from specifically booked times so if you want DC to come earlier you will have to let me know as otherwise I wont be insured" etc

I would just ask her outright but if you don't feel comfortable with that something along those lines might work?

I have had this problem in the past, and found I could NEVER tell them when they arrived that I wasn't ready and make them wait outside.
I think that's rather rude really. However, what I did was lock the door and refuse to answer it til the agreed time. After all, if a shop opens at 9am, you can't waltz in before that can you?!
When you do open up, explain you're not open for business til X time.

Sally x

I would make a note of the dates and times, and at monthend, sit down with her and say you think it's best you relook at the contracted starting time.

I also had a parent do this and she would comment 'I am dropping her off early so I can get into the office early...'...

It is a difficult one. I would never not allow them in... the child's comfort comes before my own. I did have an occasion when I opened the door, holding my toothbrush... I had been brushing my teeth! haha But she was 35 mins early!!!

I also have this with one of my mindees but I have made the mistake of not saying anything sooner. However, I am now going to. I don't mind starting that bit earlier, but I do expect to get paid for it so I will be charging from now on! Either we change the contract or they get charged an early drop off fee. Not different than a late pick up fee really!

I like Katys idea of shutting the door, but I would never do it as as much as I would love it, wouldn't have the nerve!!

I have one of these, I have told her that I can only look after her children during contracted hours as it affects my insurance. (This didsn't work) I have also arranged it so that I'm in the garden until a couple of minutes before the children are due - this doesn't work as she then wakes my own children up by ringing the doorbell and letting her children bang on the door.

I have also said that the children aren't allowed into school earlier so why should I be any different. Finally cured the problem by putting a clause on her renewed contracted saying that I will now charge £5 per child per 5 minutes that they arrive before their contracted hours as this is my and my families time. Stangely this works but I do have to issue reminders every half term.

I think hennipenni is onto something there. Tell her you will be charging double for early drop offs or late pick ups plus a fine of say £3 each time it happens. I'd write to her saying your time is precious and while you are happy to negotiate start times you are not happy for her to turn up when she is not expected, then outline the charges.
Bill her for it and if she keeps doing it then you will al least make some cash.

Thanks for the advice everyone, its so annoying, isn't it, why can't people just turn up when they are supposed to, it puts us in a very awkward postion. She has asked to increase her hours, and this will be starting in the next few weeks, so I guess that will be a good time for me to be firm. It will be even more annoying if, when she's booked in at eight thirty she arrives at ten past eight!! I like answering door with toothbrush LOL, I was once in the SHOWER when some mindees arrived super early, and dh let them in too