Any help to prevent an argument with my childminder?

[itsmeolord]

Hello. Me again......
My childminder had an accident which led to her being unavailable for work, ie off sick, for the three week period leading up to Christmas break.
She told me she was "unavailable" until after Christmas. I had to work and had to pay someone else to cover that.
I had to ask her to pay me the money back for the initial three weeks as I usually pay her a month in advance and I could not afford to pay an emergency cover after I had already paid her.
Her contract states she is unpaid for any sick leave but receives half pay for any holiday.

She had already had 5 weeks holiday up to the 21st of Dec including summer holidays, odd days and almost three weeks in October.

She called me this morning and asked me when I am going to pay her for the Christmas holiday. She told me that she always has Christmas off. "all the other mums have paid her", I replied that she was over the holiday limit and in any case was off sick, not on holiday.

She is saying no, she was only unavailable as it was holiday.....

I'm really cross, I feel like she is pulling a bit of a fast one here.

Any tips on how to discuss this calmly but firmly tonight? I don't want to lose her as a minder but this is winding me up now.
It will cost me almost £200 on top of the £560 that I had to pay to emergency cover because she said she was unable to work.

we were really stuck just before Christmas when our CM gave notice - have you tried putting an ad on gumtree, its hardly used up here at all but we got 5 replies one of which was brilliant and she's starting next week

there are always alternatives

She is upset as you have previously paid her for sick days in the past and this is what she has now come to expect. She doesn't like the sudden change! If you don't stand your ground, you will have this problem to deal with again. Are you really prepared to pay her sick pay over the next 18 months - especially considering how unprofessionally she has behaved recently?

I'm a CM and think your's is taking the p!

She has had her holiday for the year, unfortuantley she was ill, that's her problem (and yours but you've already dealt with yours by using and paying for alternative childcare) and there's no way you should pay her for her sick days.

IF and it's a big IF imo she wanted to book it as holiday (even if she had some left) surely this should be done in writing and in advance? (my contract states 4 weeks notice for holidays and I don't even get paid for mine!), I just don't see how your CM can think she's owed for that time off?

What LisaD says x 100

Sounds very unprofessional and the "tears" whats all that about I certainly would question whether to continue using this CM. I'm a CM and if I'm sick or on hols I don't get paid, thats my choice to work this way it's part and parcel of being s/employed if I can't afford time off I don't take it, or I organise my finances so that I can have hols.

And if I'm sick I most certainly would not be going out for an evening. I agree she isn't entitled to more than 5wks paid hols as per her contract. I also think that you need to find alternative care because either way one of you isn't gonna be happy with the end result.

I would give notice.

There is always alternatives.

Kids don't melt from having a change in childcare. I would go so far as to say it can be good for them to get used to having other people looking after them.

any nurseries around? Now that your dd is older there will be benefits to using a nursery that perhaps there weren't when she was younger?