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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

CM Christmas pay/tip/present

15 replies

skidoodle · 16/12/2008 18:21

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering what the protocol was for childminders at Christmas.

Do families normally pay a Christmas bonus, and if so, how much?

Sorry if this seems very silly or crass to ask, but I'm just not really sure and I don't want to do the wrong thing WRT the CM or the other parents or whatever.

First of all just the normal payment:

DD's CM doesn't charge for her own holidays, but does for ours. She is taking Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the whole of the following week off. She also isn't working the 22nd, for other reasons. DD won't be with her on 23rd or Christmas Eve either, as we will be away.

Now this makes me think we need to pay her over the two Christmas weeks for 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, and 1st, right? So over two weeks we should pay her for the equivalent of one week.

But would it be a nice gesture to pay her for the two weeks, or would that just seem OTT and possibly make things weird with the other parents? I don't want to get into complications around these things. We agreed rates and conditions when we started with her and I just stick to those to avoid any awkwardness - e.g. other parents seem to ask her to work late/saturdays etc. but I never would

Is there another expectation for a Christmas bonus, e.g. 10% of a week's pay or a month's pay?

Obviously we'll get her a nice present of some kind, although not sure what TBH.

I was thinking of getting presents for her DDs (who are lovely and adore my DD and she loves them) but I don't want CM to think "oh crap, now I have to get skidoodle's DD a present" because that wouldn't be the intention at all.

Sorry, I'm totally overthinking this, but I just want to do the right thing, show appreciation, but not cause any complications.

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ChristmasDisco · 16/12/2008 20:19

I don't have a childminder but FWIW I would say that you should be paying her for the dates you state i.e. 1 week, get her a present and give it to her as she's leaving on the last day before xmas, and yes I do think you are overthinking it. I'm sure she'll feel appreciated by whatever you do. I don't think you need to pay her extra unnecessarily though I understand your intentions are good

ChasingSquirrels · 16/12/2008 20:22

not quite sure why you would be paying her for 24, 25, 26 and 1 - she is taking this time off, any you don't pay for her holidays?

2cats2many · 16/12/2008 20:25

I don't think a cash tip is appropriate. A lovely kind of 'treat yourself present' like a voucher for a pedicure or some nice smellies might go down well.

ChasingSquirrels · 16/12/2008 20:27

not that I think you shouldn't pay her for those days - I think that would be a lovely gesture. But that already seems to be to be over and above what is contracted.

ramonaquimby · 16/12/2008 20:29

ott I think if you're paying for her holidays when essentially she is self employed.

our cm is getting a box of nice chocolates and a bottle of champagne

ChristmasDisco · 16/12/2008 20:34

I based my response on the fact that when I worked I got paid for christmas day, boxing day and new years day because it was my work who did not open, so in effect those days are the CM's holidays but also skidoodle does not require her on those days.

KatyMac · 16/12/2008 20:41

wrt pay - I'd ask her, I'm sure she will be able to explain how she 'does' it

A little present for her children is a nice gesture and/or something for her

It's not worth stressing about honest - she will have had parents who didn't give a card and ones that go OTT

For what it's worth (& that maybe nothing)) I love it when a bit of thought or effort goes into my present - eg I loved a chocolate tree a mum made me us rather than the 23 boxes of chocs/biscuits I got the same year (if that makes sense)

ramonaquimby · 16/12/2008 20:47

would love to make something but just don't have time, their last day is tomorrow

KatyMac · 16/12/2008 20:49

Don't worry honestly - I have lovely parents and if they gave me nothing I would not even think anything of it, truly & I honestly wouldn't worry

Original poster

skidoodle · 17/12/2008 13:53

Thanks everyone Most helpful

ChasingSquirrels - she is working on the 24th, but I'm not so I will have to pay her for that day.

I assumed I would be paying her for 25th, 26th and 1st as they are national holidays. Is this wrong?

OP posts:

JenniPenni · 17/12/2008 17:31

You need to look at your contract re paying for bank holidays - some CMs charge, some don't.

I will probably get a little gift from my mindees folks, but expect nothing, it's totally up to them - this is my business and flowers/a thank you/a card work wonders!

TBH a bonus of any kind wouldn't even cross my mind, as I am in no-one's employ. But if you felt your CM needed a little extra cash as a gift , that is a lovely gesture!

ChasingSquirrels · 17/12/2008 21:32

I have never paid for public holidays, eg my ds1 used to only go on mondays, obviously quite alot of public holidays fall on a monday, I never paid for those days.

I have just brought mine a lovely box of chocs and some flowers.
Ex is hopefully paying her the retainer for next wed and wed after (only go once a week) - as she is available but we are chosing not to send the boys, if xmas and new year had fallen on the wed we wouldn't be paying as she wouldn't be available.

I might also put £20 in with her xmas card (she normally has my dc2 for school hours, so £25 a week normally, and then dc1 aswell in the holidays) although I have never given a cash gift before.

PinkChick · 18/12/2008 14:14

i have received notice from one mindee and nothing from another who wont be abck until new year!

what i would have most liked/like is a lovely note/card, just saying thanks, that thier dd/ds loves coming here and so on, something with ltos of thought , doesnt have to be lots of cash, but if you are in that position and your cm is lovely, then a gesture would be nice, but i dont think a weeks extra would be bext(although lovely)..what happens next year if your not in that position financially?..pay her what hses due and a 'bonus' or as has been said papmer session to that value..you sound lovely

PinkChick · 18/12/2008 14:16

LOL, i sounded terrible then!..i DONT expect a gift from them, but did receive one from each last year, personal/nice/inexpensive gifts and spent a lot (money and thought)on both mindees AND parents this year..i hionestly, would LOVE a nice 'reference' type card, that would be very appreciated more than chocs or wine

cmnorthtyne · 18/12/2008 14:22

As a cm, i just like to get a nice big 'thank you' off the parents and a hug off the children! Anything else is a bonus. Best pressie I got though was a voucher for a Clarins mini spa treatment - fab!!! I have to say, all my parents buy small gifts for my DS too - I do the work and he gets the benefits

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