CM advice pls!!

[EVAMC]

Hi,
Firstly, do any CMs out there have a limit on the number of holidays a child can take per year?
A parent has enquired as it used to be the case at the nursery they went to. EG, I would allow 20 days holiday per year per child at hald fee, and any after that any additional days would be at full day fees.
I charge half fee for their holidays currently and have no limit on the days holiday they can book.

Secondly, i have yound child that has a hospital appointment unavoidably on a day when they are booked in with me every 6 weeks and it is inpractical for me to take them to the appointment myself. What do you advise charge for a full day??...half fees? As it is a regular occurance, in the long run i stand to be out of pocket if I charge less than full fee. The hospital isnt exactly round the corner and so their return that day is unlikely and so it seems harsh on the parents.
Any similar situations???

Cheers

I charge full fee for all childrens holidays, unless parents are taking their holidays at the same time as me in which case there isno charge.

Any contracted days they don't attend, for whatever reason, are also charged at full fee - I make it very clear when I go through the contract with parents.

HTH

Hi,
I charge parents full fee for their holidays and no fee for mine. So they can have as many as they like. As for the appointment I guess if it's a contracted day then it should be paid as usual. You could charge half fee if you can afford to loose the money but don't feel that you have to.

Like the others. I charge full fee when I am available and no fee when I am not.

Same here full fee if i'm available. If you reduce the fee once don't be surprised if you get asked to do it again and again, they will also tell others that you happily reduce the fees!!!

HI
I really agree with everyone else, I learnt years ago it doesnt matter how well you think you get on with the parents or how much they tell you they are broke and cant afford this and that, once you start giving them reduction like the ones you are thinking of then all of a sudden they are off for two weeks to Florida or buying a new car and you are left wondering how much of a mug have they taken me for.
Think of it like a nursery where they would have to pay no matter what, it sounds like you are already being generous to them, but if they have a place they must pay for it, I know it might sound hard but it is a business some parents think we just do it for a "bit of pin money"

Like others, I do not change my rates when mindees take their holiday. Additionally, I do write it into their contracts that they have to take at least 3 weeks holiday per year to ensure I get some breaks.

My child minder charges half the normal rate for the main family holiday once a year, but anything else is full price.

Again I charge full fees for contract hours when I am available whatever the child is doing and nothing when I am unavailable.

I'm sure these parents would understand if you explain that your expenses don't change just because their child is not with you and you can't reasonably offer the place to another parent for such a short time.

evamc when i first started minding i did this, but then a parent started taking th micky ie child going on holiday for 4 weeks, being back for a week then going for another 2 days back for 3 days then gone for a week etc etc. they just wanted childcare when it suited them and didnt mind only paying 1/2 when she wasnt with me and kept calling it holiday.

so i changed teh wording in my policy to state that i would charge 1/2 fee for the first 4 weeks then it would be full fee the rest of the time. i actually ended up loosing this child because of it, but you cant plan for a child that is never with you.

you do whatever you feel comfortable with, but dont let a parent walk all over you.

hth

Brilliant, think i will follow your lead . thanks for that

i admire you, i will probably end up doing this however will maybe risk being a softey initially. xx

thanks for your response to that , much appreciated