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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

Snow days...are you charging??

42 replies

satc2bringiton · 06/01/2010 09:22

I have various parents not working and not sending the kids today.

However I am still working.

Are you charging full fee? I have nothing in my contracts for snow days.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

LoveMyGirls · 06/01/2010 09:33

I'm charging as normal as I am open my only condition is that I will not collect or drop off as too risky especially with other peoples children in my ancient car.

Original poster

satc2bringiton · 06/01/2010 09:37

Yeah - im gonna charge full fee for the normal daytime child I am not having.

Not sure what to do about my after-schoolers though as the school is closed. So dont feel like I can charge them anything.

I think im gonna need to add snow days into contracts from now on.

OP posts:

Ripeberry · 06/01/2010 09:43

My parents are not working (teachers) but they are still sending the kids and one is even walking one mile on a country road to get to me.
I've told them that I won't be charging for today as it's execeptional weather, but most don't take the hing
One set of parents said that they want to go sledging with their school aged kids and for me to have the toddler.
Don't mind....but I can always go sledging another day as the snow is supposed to stick around for quite a while yet.

Original poster

satc2bringiton · 06/01/2010 09:47

Some parents are unbelieveable

I have 2 siblings coming soon. The parents live within walking distance but are driving round, plus they are both NOT working today!!!

OP posts:

gingernutlover · 06/01/2010 10:15

i'm a teacher and my school, is closed but nursery was open so have sent dd - does that make me a rubbish parent?

btw I totally agree that if you are open and available for work you should charge full rate.

gingernutlover · 06/01/2010 10:16

to be fair, I am doing paperwork from home as directed by headteacher, but maybe I was being unreasonable to send her

atworknotworking · 06/01/2010 10:39

I charge if I am open, if they choose not to send the children thats not my fault. One of the local schools has been closed so we have had older mindees for full day care this week, I charge as per holiday club.

However I have swapped some days around for some mindees if parents have been unable to get to work rather than charging for missed days and the extra needed.

Some local minders have also had mindees whilst parents have been off work, I don't think that makes you a crap parent, quite often you can do work from home or theres always plenty of other things to be getting on with. I had a grumpy mum yesterday she was off as she is a teacher and school was closed, but DS insisted he wanted to come so she brought him despite being stuck in traffic for a good hour.

irishbird · 06/01/2010 10:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mollythetortoise · 06/01/2010 10:42

Ripeberry, why on earth are you not charging for today but still having the mindees!
Are these parents not paying you for today and yet still dropping their kids to you. I am very shocked at that!

henryhuggins · 06/01/2010 10:45

satc2bringiton - why shouldn't the parents bring their kids if they aren't working? My school is shut but I still took dd to childminders - why shouldn't I? I'm paying for it.

gingernutlover · 06/01/2010 10:46

i assumed she meant she wouldnt charge if they didnt come - no parent would expect to have a days actual care free would they??? well maybe [hmmm]

Dysgu · 06/01/2010 10:54

I am a teacher and my school is closed. Local primary is open though so I did not take DD1 or DD2 to childminder - took DD1 to pre-school and have DD2 home with me - we are watching ITNG and playing.

Did consider walking them to childminder but is in other direction from pre-school and is a bit of a treat to be able to take DD1 to pre-school myself!

If we are closed tomorrow then I may ask CM to have them - although DD1 should be in pre-school again tomorrow.

I am paying for them not being there today - but that is my choice and CM was happy to have them if I wanted to take them over.

I think snow days should count as other days - if parents opt not to send their children to you then they should still pay - a bit like a short notice holiday really.

Strix · 06/01/2010 10:56

You should charge full fees if you are open and providing your full usual service. Likewise, parents are perfectly reasonable to ask you to provide the service for which they are paying.

Original poster

satc2bringiton · 06/01/2010 11:25

No I don't mind them coming at all. What I find crazy is that they are willing to drive in this weather with the kids in the car, when they could walk and thier not working anyway.

OP posts:

gingernutlover · 06/01/2010 11:34

oh I see, yes they probably should walk, but maybe they are like me. I have a dodgy knee and worry about falling over and doing it some serious damage.

Or maybe they didnt want to get cold

Original poster

satc2bringiton · 06/01/2010 11:37

No these parents can walk fine - unfortunately they just don't enjoy spending time with their kids and that is not me being mean, it is true as the mum has told me so herself

OP posts:

gingernutlover · 06/01/2010 11:58

oh, that is sad

HSMM · 06/01/2010 12:17

I am charging. Some children coming, some not. Some parents working, some not. If they are paying me, I don't see why they shouldn't bring their children to me while the parents go sledging .

gingernutlover · 06/01/2010 13:21

i meant sad that the mother admitted to the childminder that she doesnt like spending time with her children. I'm no earth mother either but to say things liek that to other people is just sad i think.

atworknotworking · 06/01/2010 14:04

Agree Gingernutlover very sad I have 2 siblings 50hrs a week, mum works 2-3 days 4hrs a day . But I guess everyone is different.

RosieGirl · 06/01/2010 17:27

Yup will still charge, who knows how much more snow will come. I am open and some more local parents have made it and if they haven't managed to get to work have done other jobs at home which is fine by me.

Definately will do a new policy though, especially defining what I will do with school runs and if parents are unable to get to me if the snow falls heavily during the day. Told one parent today who was working in london to pack their PJ's in case of emergency, I'm not registered for overnight care but would be willing to help for an emergency.

Lucycat · 06/01/2010 17:33

My cm will still charge for 'walking to school' I expect and I would expect her too as she is taking other kids to school tomorrow when they return after 2 days off. Dh and I have another day off though so we will walk the dd's to school ourselves - means I don't have to drop them off at 7.45am!

We also ahve friends who have sent their children to the CM while they went out for a nice lunch! (we took ours!)

stomp · 06/01/2010 19:35

Yes i still charge as i'm open and the place is for that child, i will not be filling it with someone else .

I'm also heating a playroom- heating came on at 6.30 in the playroom to make such it was cosy by arrival time at 9, the place was ready at 9 and so was I- complete with the days EYFS planning, risk assessments, food and fun. So i'm not being paid for nothing a lot of effort goes into every day and its a shame that the weather has caused chaos but its not my fault.

underpaidandoverworked · 06/01/2010 19:52

I had a parent walk a 2yr old in foot high drifts to my house this pm - for a 4 hour session when the parent doesn't work . Then complained had to walk back home again - unbelievable. But, yes, I would still have charged if they chose not to send children.

Having abandoned a 2 hour attempt to get to
my morning job this morning after only going 2 miles out of a 12 mile journey - then having to walk for 2 hours to get home again - I can't understand why ANYONE would want to be out in this weather .

Certainly didnt build snowmen this afternoon - still thawing out now

MUM2BLESS · 06/01/2010 21:16

I wil be charging half fee.

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