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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

The cheek of some Cms.. wanting to make a profit!!

43 replies

thebody · 30/08/2009 14:36

Ok so DH is watching the Grand Prix and I am bored but reading the flack a Cm got because she gave notice to a part timer in favour of a full timer has really annoyed me.

Apparantly CMing isnt a business but a vocation!!! thats the usual crap that means that someone doesnt want to pay someone else a decent wage for doing a difficult job.

I run a business providing child care for parents, I am a CM.

Of course I love the children I mind but I do the job to pay my bills and provide for my own children.

Just this week a mum reduced her hours to save money.. I have lost that income overnight with no notice.. that happens in our business.

Could all the outraged parents critisising the CM for having the audacity to try and maximise her profits please tell us what they do for a living and how much they earn..

I strongly suspect that they havnt the first clue about running a business or maybe even working at all....

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atworknotworking · 30/08/2009 14:53

thebody Some of the posts on that thread riled me too, I totally agree with you WRT parents reducing hours "overnight" I lost in the region of £300 per week all within 3 days with parents having to reduce days etc and its sods law that you turn one down as you don't have space, then this happens without any notice whatsoever no apologies no asking if thats ok, they just presume it is.

My own family comes first and if that means I have to "maximise profits" or adjust someones sessions so that I could take another mindee I wouldn't hesitate - when the parents who went from full time 50hrs a week to 18hrs and also knew a month before they bothered to mention it did this I was sorely tempted to give notice - we bend over backwards to accomodate shifts, days etc surely it's only common curtesy to treat us with a little respect.

It upsets me that some posters flame CM's so readily yet the parents who do this seem to be well within their rights.

TheFallenMadonna · 30/08/2009 15:11

I don't use a childminder, but I do use childcare. I can't change hours 'overnight' - I have to give a month's notice. And if my childcare were disrupted, I'd be upset, and so would my children, even I could understand why it was happening.

People aren't going to shrug and say "fair enough, all's fair in business" where their child's care is involved, however unreasonable that might be. And for the sake of business, it's a good idea to remember that I think, which is really wha was being said on the other thread.

Original poster
thebody · 30/08/2009 15:16

Totally agree ATWORKNOTWORKING..

poor u loosing that much income overnight, thats a real crock and I would keep advertising and give notice to that family if you could fill the space.

I dont know why parents act this way? can you imagine the squeals if it happened to them at work.

I do strongly suspect some posters havnt a clue how to run a business and it makes me laugh that some actually seem put out when a CM dares to point out that she puts her own family finances before their dear childrens welfare.

Its these very same parents that would drop a CM like a stone if Granny offered to have the kids and save them the money.

Its also these very same parents who nit pick every little thing and then present you with a bouncy cheque or a late payment and moan that they have to pay you when they take little Tarqin on yet another skiing holiday.(a fellow CM had this)

I am a CM to help pay for my family, love all my charges but I am not a charity and I work for money as do all my parents.. no different.

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Original poster
thebody · 30/08/2009 15:26

Agree with you that it makes good business sense to act fairly and reasonably by parents of course but child care arrangements change all the time.. nothing stands still..

kids go to school and have lots of different changes and carers, similaly nurseries close and change staff.. thats life and children adapt.

If you sign a contract, which you have to to use a CM, then you know that she can terminate and so can you.

The point is that CMS ARE expected to 'shrug and say all is fair in business' though arnt they? if you read the threads you will see that both myself and another poster have had loss of earnings overnight and had to put up with it.

I would just like to point out that my not being able to pay for my family to go to the seaside this year upsets me too.

It works both ways you know.

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TheFallenMadonna · 30/08/2009 15:34

No, you shouldn't have to accept an immediate loss of earnings. I have given notice on childcare before, and paid for that month.

I'm just pointing out that parents are unlikely to feel sanguine at the thought of losing their established childcare. If I lost mine, I would probably have to leave my job, which thought brings me out in a bit of a cold sweat really. I agree that children are adaptable, but parents are less so , and fretting about your children's care is horrible.

And just as you must put your family first, and of course you must, they must put theirs first, and so their reaction is not always going to be sympathy for your position.

All parties need to make clear where they stand, and contracts should be adhered too. But you shouldn't get upset over the emotions involved, because they can't be helped.

CarrieDababi · 30/08/2009 15:35

if feel sorry for cm's, i don't know how they do it.

parents want blood from them, heven forbid a cm going on mn while the children nap, even if the parents do.

CarrieDababi · 30/08/2009 15:36

if feel sorry for cm's, i don't know how they do it.

parents want blood from them, heven forbid a cm going on mn while the children nap, even if the parents do.

CarrieDababi · 30/08/2009 15:36

opps !

limonchik · 30/08/2009 15:39

Yeah, I think (some) parents do feel their childcare provider should be governed by different rules than any other business/employee.

atworknotworking · 30/08/2009 15:39

I'm feeling particuarly peeved today as like you thebody no hols this year! I'm fed up with all of it at the moment, I took Thurs to Mon off to catch up on paperwork , accounts, eyfs and all the other crap we have to do (some hols) and guess what Surprise! Surprise! two of my parents didn't pay this week have been ominously absent from the scene so looks like I'll have to wait till next Friday now then it'll be two weeks and no doubt I'll have the "oh sorry not got enough can I drop it off later" story

Why do people think it's ok that we don't need paying what do they think I pay my bills with bloody IOU's.

Vent over

Original poster
thebody · 30/08/2009 15:40

Totally agree MADONNA on the contracts being adhered to, its just so often while CMs are expected to do this parents dont feel they have to.

You seem great though...

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Ripeberry · 30/08/2009 15:41

True, some parents think that the time their child is 'napping' should be deducted. If any of those tried that with me I'd just laugh loudly and ask "And, does that mean I can go out of the house then?"
Bet those parents get paid for their lunch hour

TheFallenMadonna · 30/08/2009 15:43

Shame I don't use a childminder eh?

I have no sympathy for parents who don't keep to their end of the deal. None at all.

Original poster
thebody · 30/08/2009 15:45

ATWORKNOTWORKING I have that too and it makes my blood boil.. I only accept cash from one mum as her cheques kept bouncing and with the other dodgy payers I insist on direct debits..could you do that?

Also waiting two weeks is absolutley disgusting..how dare they.. you need a firm word with them my love..

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CarrieDababi · 30/08/2009 15:45

they think nap time can be deduted!

bloody hell, you lot most have a saints patience

TheFallenMadonna · 30/08/2009 15:48

LOL at nap time for free.

My DC go to an afterschool club, and on some days they arrive late because they've been doing, well, the other kind of after school club. And when I organised that with the manager she very apologetically asked me if I was aware that I would need to pay for the hour they weren't there if they were coming on later, as some people thought they shouldn't have to. It hadn't occurred to me that I wouldn't have to. Some people do just try it on I think.

CarrieDababi · 30/08/2009 15:58

also cm are never allowed an off day, say you see a thread on here saying someone saw a mother shouting at a toddler in the park, everyones would be all.

she might have had a bad day, been up allnight etc etc

but a cm......

nannynick · 30/08/2009 15:59

Some people want childcare for free... even the Government is at it with their Free Childcare Ads (which I feel should be banned, as there is no such thing as free childcare - think they should make the 'small print' extra large!).

Childcare is a business, we don't do it for the love of the job... we do it to pay our bills. However we are faced with moral dilemmas when making decisions... while a course of action may make business sense, morally we may not be happy with it.

FabBakerGirlIsBack · 30/08/2009 16:01

No one is saying that a cm should do the job for the love of the kids.

People are getting annoyed because of the way the letter has been written and there was no mention of saying to the parents at the start she would dump them for a full time place so I for one are a bit dubious.

TheFallenMadonna · 30/08/2009 16:02

Off days are slightly different for childcarers rather than parents, because it's a different relationship. I have off days too (am a teacher) but if I found myself yelling at the pupils because of it, then I would have a problem. I know that once, after a miscarriage, my personal life affected my work, and I also know that I can't let it happen again.

Original poster
thebody · 30/08/2009 16:05

I had a mum who cut up rough because I pointed out to her that I had to be paid while her dc attended playgroup as I did her duties and was in loco parentis while she was at work. Also I couldnt fill the space.

Totally amazing really.. lol to the nap.. thats just one step beyond really isnt it.

I tell you CARRIEDABABI make your hair curl..

FALLENMADONNA mum from heaven.. wish all like you

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Original poster
thebody · 30/08/2009 16:09

but how else could she have dont it.. always going to be a difficult one and she was honest and direct.

Also if I understand poster she DID warn parents that she wanted a full timer and this could happen. Surely that was the parents choice?

OP posts:
Northernlurker · 30/08/2009 16:40

I pay money to my nursery for my daughter's care and I expect them to act professionally - that includes not running at a loss. They are in business to provide care and make a living after all. The same applies to childminders. I don't see why the op is supposed to be all fluffy and turn business away just because her business is children not cement or loaves of bread or whatever. If you decide to go with a childminder then you are taking on the risk of things changing with that one person. That's one of the reasons I use a nursery actually, just seems more resiliant.

Northernlurker · 30/08/2009 16:41

Sorry - was reading the other thread and have put my message for it on here in error - by OP I meant of course the other op

crace · 30/08/2009 17:08

Yikes! Don't have it in me to fight a c/m debate but OP on other thread has my sympathy.. it's a hard business in that it's so personal but it is a business. I am lucky I've not had to make that decision, but I would if I had to.. With all the notice etc etc in place. If it didn't work out with a parent, then the same notice is expected - they can terminate at any time.. I don't understand why it's so one sided. You can care for and about your mindees while maintaining a business.

You will find lots of cms who are still friendly with their ex mindees and parents..