CMs: I have made a mess of my holiday time contracts. Any Advice please?

[Numberfour]

For years, I was not very busy over holiday periods and would charge my school children the school term rate if they were not with me during the holidays.

I have recently taken on two holiday only children and I STUPIDLY said that the parents would only have to pay me if their child is with me..... so that means this half term instead of having 2 children with me for 4 days, I have only one child with me for two days. The other days are lost with regards to income.

Now, I have a request to have another school child plus holidays. I obviously want to formalise the holiday arrangement so that full fee is payable for the holiday period.

However, my holidays places are officially full with non paying children!!!

I am so cross with myself for getting into this predicament.

Can anybody help out with some advice as to what to do, please?

Also, the new child will take what time is available during summer because her coming to me was sort of an emergency. However, she will also not be with me for Oct half term. I am loathe to take on anymore non paying holiday bookings.

at me for being a twit.

So

After-Schooler is charged for X amount for after-school and is charged the same during holidays, as a retainer?

Holiday only children are charged only when they attend?

Therefore a child who is After-Schooler plus Holiday would be same as After-Schooler but when attending during the holidays full-day fee is payable on those days they attend?

Your holiday places are not full unless the children are physically there... the holiday only children are not being allocated a space, as they are not paying.

Yes: after schooler is charged 3 hours per day during term time and same as retainer in the holidays.

Yes: Holiday children only pay when they attend.

Yes: After schooler pays full rate when they attend my setting during the holidays.

My problem is the two holiday families let me know about 4 weeks in advance whether their childre are going to be with me or not. They are under the impression that the spaces will be kept for them despite not paying. I led them to believe that at the start of the contract. I now see that I have shot myself in the foot.

To maximise my income, I have to have paid holiday slots.

(For those reading and thinking I am being callous about the children, I certainly do not mean to be so: this is purely a business matter that I have made a mistake with and need help rectifying).

I either have to renegotiate the holiday children or give notice.

Any ideas?

i have mostly term time only children so have taken on some of the before and after school children in the holidays like you i have said they only need to pay for the days they do

the parents are aware that a few weeks before the hols i send out a table with the dates i am working and they tick the days they need, they are also aware its first come first serve and the dates they tick they must pay for even if plans change.

hope this helps

btw this also helps me plan in advance days out as i know which children are coming etc and their ages

Does your contract say that you hold the spaces for them?

If not then I would say 'up to now I've kept the spaces for you but I have interest for them. I'm giving you first refusal for these days but I need payment by X if your children are coming. If you say they are and they don't then you have to pay. If you say they're not then I can't guarantee the space'.

dmo, that's a good idea.... the thing is I will have to change our arrangement with the parents.

frakkit, I must check my contracts! I cannot remember.

truth be told I would not mind giving notice to one child because he is a bit of a stirrer! and my DS behaves appallingly around him. But my DS ADORES him

I am only half the numpty that I thought I was: one of my holiday only children pays full fee even if they are not with me.

But, the other definitely does not pay if not with me. And that is the child I would prefer to have with another CM!!!

Time for a bit of thinking.

Oooh, good excuse to 'lose' the difficult child then - or at least in re-negotiating you could get paid decently for reserving the space.

I find it hard to do the negotiating bit and have ended up being sorely underpaid for a couple of hours (which ties up whole day) but having signed contracts... what d'you do? well, I just end up resenting the parents - who are now late most weeks, adding insult to injury!

yes,leeloo1. looks that way!

I also get fed up with my saying yes yes yes to things that cost me money. i get annoyed with myself rather than the parent but eventually it can fester into resentment of the parent. like my situation above. me being a twit.

do any of your after school children pay a retainer during the holidays but then not actually come as the new child could take there space in the holiday and the parent who pays the retainer could be told she does not have to pay anything during holiday time as you have a child in her space