How many hours settling to give to your new mindee ?

[Summerfruit]

The minimum I give is 3 hours for free then I charge for it. What do you do ?

You won't like it.......

Wednesday 15th 2 10.30 to 12.30
Friday 17th 2 1.00 to 3.00

Monday 20th 2 9:00 to 11:00
Wednesday 22nd 2 10:30 to 12:30
Friday 24th 3 9:00 to 12:00

Monday 27th 4 9:00 to 1:00
Wednesday 29th 4 10:30 to 2:30
Friday 1st 9:00 to 2:00

Monday 4th 5 9:00 to 2:00
Tuesday 5th 6 10:00 to 4:00
Friday 6th 8:00 to 2:00

Monday 11th 5 8:00 to 1:00
Tuesday 12th 8:00 to 4:00
Friday 15th 8 8:00 to 4:00

Monday 18th 5 8:00 to 1:00
Tuesday 19th 10 8:00 to 6:00
Friday 22nd 9 8:00 to 5:00

Starting the next week doing:
Monday 8:00 to 1:00
Tuesday 8:00 to 6:00
Thursday 8:00 to 6:00

Why I wouldnt like it Katymac ?? I have also done that kind of settling before. The only thing is that I have never charged for it before. So what I have decided to do is give 3 hours for free then charching for it. Do you think its fair ???

I don't charge for settling in at all

each child is different, some settle quickly some take longer

like katy I start off short then include mealtimes then half days then longer again leading up to start of the placement

Its what I do but lately I have been called crazy for not charging. Anyway another question regarding settling, I had this little girl who came for settling, she just did 2 morning and we were supposed to do a longer session lunch and nap included. I couldnt do it on monday and tuesday but could on wednesday and thursday. The mum was off for a long week end from yesterday but now she is a bit off with me because she thinks her little girl wont be settle. I think she is going to be ok. Do you think it was my fault ? I feel guilty.

Don't charge

I wont charge until the starting date on the contract.

i do one hour and then two hours free of charge settling in.
and then i reassure the parents that their child will settle and we talk through how this will happen etc.

sometimes it is the parents rather than the child that needs settling.....( and i mean that with all respect because i have been on that side of the childminder relationship, too)

I agree with you number4, I feel her litlle girl will be fine, I have no concerns at all but I have offered to have her on monday to make the mum happy. I remember when dd1 went to cm, she had 2 morning session and she was fine but they are all different !

i only had two hours with the 7mnth old as that all we could fit in tome, the mother was abit funny but i told her that i would ring if i thought there were any real settling issues and that for the first whole day iw ould stay in so she could ring any time she wanted to check her baby was ok.

its worked out fine so far no tears, although he likes a hug before his nap, hes a snuggly baby

I'm going to do the same I think, she is concerned about her first sleep with me but I'm sure we'll be alright ! I'll do my best to reassure her !

the baby went down no problem for sleep i put him down about 1/2 after normal sleep time, to ensure he was efry tired so be less likely to fight the sleep ina new bed, we now go at normal time, i cant get him down for his second nap, hes too alert but he's started sleeping through at home so mummy doesnt mind

Thank you to share your positive experience with me !!!

Mine varies, depending on the child and parents, but I do charge.

I charge by the hour (we normally have sessions) and do whatever the parents want.

I offer a first session free of charge of up to 2 hours. Then its all chargeable by the hour up until the agreed start date and after that its a minimum charge of half-days.

Each child is different, I've had children who saunter in on day 1 as if they've been coming years and other children who need a significant amount of support. Most children fall somewhere in between, so I try to be as flexible as possible and offer parents as much choice over sessions as possible, agreeing sessions on a week-to-week basis depending on what spaces I have available.