parent dropping kids off early

[Hayleycm]

how early is too early.

i am paid from 8.30 but they always drop off at 8.20, i know its only ten minutes but im usually getting the others ready for school, its my first long term contract and dont want to annoy them by saying something?

i did mention 5 minutes was fine but they actually start work at 8.3o so they drop him off early to get to their wn work on time.

or should i just leave it?

Oh that's really out of order.

I always worry about dropping DD too early, and if we look like we'll be 5 mins early I drive around the block a bit.

Def say something, they're taking the piss.

I've read this with interest. I use a cm and getting there from work I'm either 5-15 minutes early or sometimes (not often) 5 minutes late just because of traffic getting there from work (yes, it varies that much at the same time of day).
In the morning, I've organized to drop off ds 10 minutes before I need to be at work, however, sometimes I get there 5 minutes later than that and sometimes I get there 5 minutes before that. On a few occasions I've arrived 10 minutes early. I tried to sit in the car for a bit but she did say it wasn't a problem and to just come in.
I really love our cm and so does ds. I don't want to do anything that she would think was taking advantage or taking the p*.

She won't take money when I offer for the odd occasion that I am early/late, but after reading this, I feel like I should be paying her! Should I just add some on to our monthly pay if it happens during the month without saying anything so it doesn't put her on the spot? I know I hate asking for money... so maybe that would be better? Or would you think this was unnecessary?
sorry so long and don't mean to hijack just would like your input and I know it's bad form to start a thread about a thread and don't want to get in trouble for that!

x posts.
I think your boyfriend is taking the p* now!

You mentioned his name - I assume this is his real name? If so I would ask for that to be removed.

They are definitely taking the piss.

I do what you do StarExpat, but I tend to fix the start times as the earliest possible I would bring them, ie on Tuesdays the contract is down for an 8am start but I usually turn up at about 10 past, cm knows this but I know I am not "doing" her if I do need to go earlier one day.

Also, the regulations here mean I pay in whole hours anyway so usually the cm is a winner
(i.e. if they start at 8.45 and I pick them up at 5.10pm, it counts as 9 hours).

We also give the cm a bonus at Christmas and presents on birthday/Easter etc. so I reckon (and so does she) that 5 mins here or there are fine.

We have been working together for 6 yrs now though, I think it's a bad sign if they are doing this from the start.

Jamais - What do you give as a bonus for christmas - just in comparison to normal pay, you don't have to say an exact number (like, one month's pay? or a week or more?). You don't have to say if you don't want to, but I'm curious as to what is "done" so I can save up for it. I want her to be happy and feel appreciated!! And DS is only 18 months -I'm new to childcare (with professionals.... I used to have a less formal arrangement).

Star, an occasional early drop shouldn't be a problem, I wouldn't mind that AT ALL

Bonus? A month's pay

Do people really do that?

I gave me c/m an m and s voucher and a tin of quality st, is that really tight?

Star when I consider if a parent is taking the proverbial I look at a few things

1. Are they a pita - always changing days / times and expecting the world to stop to fit in with their hair / nail / fake tan appts.

1. Are they curteous (sp).

1. Do they ask if they can drop / pick up early.

1. Do they pay on time.

1. Do I always have to supply nappies / wipes despite numerous reminders.

1. Do they phone at 9pm every nite on the dot to check size / weight of childs poop (I kid u not)

These all sound like little things but they don't arf get you down, especially if youv'e got 2 or 3 parents that are similar.

I have a loverly mum, who I have noticed standing on the corner a couple of times as she was early, I have to drag her in, she pays a full week before the due date which is in advance, she has never ever been late, always has a plentiful supply of nappies, spare clothes, wipes, but cream, wellies, doesnt complain if DC's get messy/painty/sandy or generally green lookin and most importantly doesnt ring me to ask about POO.

If you are a non phoning poo mum then I'm sure youre CM will be more than happy to have your dc a little earlier / late now and again. But I would suggest that if its going to be a fairly regular thing that you discuss adding an hour or so onto you usual monthly bill and / or a box of chockies

iamwhatiam- sorry, I have NO CLUE what is done! That's why I asked how much the bonus is. I will need to save up for it as I find childcare costs eat up quite a bit of our budget already . but I DO want her to know how much we appreciate her and I would hate to think that we weren't doing what is normally "done" iyswim. I'm a teacher and I would think a tin of quality st and M&S voucher is amazing!

Thanks atworknotworking. I did bring chocs! It shouldn't ever be a regular thing but I like the idea of adding an extra hour or two onto the monthly bill, and perhaps re setting the start time 5 minutes earlier so that I wouldn't ever worry over it. That's a really good idea.
I always think that if I'm 5 minutes late in the morning that I'm being irresponsible somehow and letting her down... but after reading this, it seems it would be preferred for me to be a few minutes late in drop off rather than a few minutes early. I just hate being late. And don't like it when others are late. I can see now how it would be preferable to be late at drop off!

The poo phoning mum sounds horrid. I am quite past the point of wanting to know about ds' poo

I'm not sure if it's the done thing or not.

I'm in France, I asked on a forum here and most cms had never had one, so we went for 100 or 150 euros I think, I think childcare on an average month for our two boys is about 6-800 euros.

If I'd given her more I think she would have refused it, I'm fairly confident she is the only cm in our village with a bonus but she does so much for us, even offered to take DS1 overnight when I went into labour with DS2 (no family nearby).

From what I've heard on here, most cms are happy to feel respected which it sounds like you are doing, any extra cash bonus would be appreciated I'm sure, maybe £¨50?

Thanks, that sounds good. I'll make a point to put aside enough to give her a bit of a cash bonus at christmas time. That sounds doable.
And I'll keep making sure to respect and appreciate.

Back to Haley (sorry ).
Maybe you should suggest that you add that 10 minutes per day (so, approx 200 minutes pcm - so that's an extra 3.5 hours pcm) on to the contract, then? So she has the option to drop off at that time if she would like.

And hopefully your boyfriend is just trying to make you think he doesn't want to marry you.... so that when he asks, it will be a big surprise? I hope so!!

I wouldn't charge in 1/4 hours but in whole or half hours - there should be a penalty for dropping off or picking up early (nursery style is 3 x hourly rate) in order to discincentivise it

im going to sit down on friday and show her the early drop offs.

and say shall we out time forward to 8am.

i know it sounds like im being picky, but the day before her little boy started she completely changed times and days i was to mind him.

And last week she said, youmight have to work thursday( dont have him thursdays) , she just told me, didnt ask, so i said sorry, i have plans with my own child.

I really love looking after their child, but the parents seem quite hard work.

as im new im not sure if its me or them?

as for my boyfriend(s)

his mother doesnt approve of me so o doubt he will marry me, personally ithink shes jealous because im just great

She probably is jealous. DS is only 18 months and I'm already thinking about how I'm going to have to let go and let him get married someday! I won't be a bad mil though! Or like your boyfriend's mother. They do need to grow up

Those parents do not sound nice at all. To inform you that you might have to work?? It's your business that you're running! She can't demand that you work on a day you're not contracted to do so. She can ask. I'm just at the nerve of some people.

Moving the time to 8am will relieve everyone because then she has flexibility and you're not working for time not paid for either. I hope it goes well!

me too! scary!

For any early drop off (as well as late pickups) my contract allows me to charge. All arrival and departure times are recorded on an attendance register and at the end of the month I simply tot up the number of minutes early for drop off or late for pick up and add it to the next month's invoice. By doing it this way, I have found the parents are quite happy with this arrangement as I used to charge in half-hour multiples but it meant if they were 15 minutes late picking up, they would have to pay for half an hour. Doing it this way I think is very fair to both sides. From the point of view of what to do about the problem, there are of course many suggestions on here but the key thing is make your move quickly and establish the way you need to work. Nip it in the bud as the longer the problem is left, it becomes a greater challenge to resolve. Good luck.

i think you should charge for the time

mnaybe give her 2 choices

1. I will charge you £X per 1/4 hour that you are early/late. 5 minutes late means a 1/4 hour charge, make that clear.

1. To change her contract to 8am - but could she then turn up at 7.50?

DD goes to nursery and they refuse to open the door before official opening time (fair enough I think, although many parents have been very rude to them about it) and if you pick up late they charge £1 per minute! I am never late

im not a cm but a nanny so i may see things differently

if they arrive early then charge them - just as if i started work early i would charge mb

if parents arrive early in evening you should still be paid normal rate as you are avaiable to work and not your fault parents get there early - just as if mb comes home at 6 instead of 6.30 i go home and wouldnt expect to lose 30mins wage

i wouldnt charge 10mins fee, just say in newletter that some parents are arriving early and therefore you will be chargeing a full hours pay if they want you to start before 8am regardless if only 5mins early

though course this could backfire and you have charges at 7am lol

or just dont open the front door till 8.30am and just say you were in the bath/outside in garden reading etc as wasnt 8.30am and business wasnt ready for opening yet